Tribute to Petey Pablo Jones

On February 4, 2010, my dog Petey passed away. He had heart disease and pulmonary disease. He experienced a series of fainting spells, he lost the use of his legs, and could not eat the last two days of his life. On February 3rd, I made the decision to call the vet to discuss having him put down because he was in so much pain. The next morning, I found him. He was gone...his little body laying lifeless.

Petey Pablo Jones entered my life very quietly. When Sandy, his foster mom, brought him to my house, he was very quiet. He checked out the apt and me and in an almost regal way, he gave the ok to consent to live with me. The first day I had him, he destroyed my kitchen because I wouldn't take him to the store with me. But things got better after that.

Petey was the best dog, he didn't bark alot, he didn't go to the bathroom in the house and he was very playful. Petey wasn't the kind of dog that barked when someone came to the door. In fact the maintenance man told me that Petey was very good when he came to fix something. I remember thinking that Petey should've at least barked at him. But then again, Petey was very welcoming of most people. He did have a sense for people who were bad. One day, my brother Scott was walking to my house and some guys were outside and they started messing with him. Petey saw this from the window and got really upset. He was barking ferociously, in a way that I had never seen before. He was very protective.

When I decided to get a dog, it wasn't my intention to get a bichon. I wanted a pug. But then I saw this dog and she was so cute... the rescue organization said that she, Bella, needed a lot of attention and a large backyard. But they had another dog, Petey and he was very friendly. So Sandy brought Petey to my home to see if we liked each other. He checked me out and seemed to like the place. So he stayed.

Petey wasn't one to play fetch or play that much with toys. He was too sophisticated for that. He also wasn't one to run and jump on you when you came through the door. But when he wanted to play or give hugs and kisses, he made sure you knew it. Even when he wasn't feeling good, he still tried to be near me. I'm really grateful for that.

I can't begin to express how much I love Petey. I got him because I wanted a friend to keep me company. But I got so much more with him.

• He gave me love unconditionally.
• He taught me forgiveness. 
• He taught me responsibility.

When he got sick, I felt powerless to help him. I wish I could've done more for him. But in the end I know that it was his time to go.

I will always love Petey.
I will miss Petey.

I will carry his memory in my heart. 

Always.