In Dedication to my childhood best friend, Sonny.
Losing your pet at any age, or any stage is never an easy hurdle to overcome. Going from hearing their paws run through your house to hearing complete silence as they are not there to greet you anymore once you come home from a long day. Animals truly make an imprint on your
heart whether you realize it or not and become a huge part of your life.
I got my first pet at just 5 years old and I still remember it like it was yesterday. My mom and sister went to go get him during a snowstorm and came home with a three-month-old chihuahua who would later be named Sonny. He was beyond perfect and so unique compared to other dogs. I knew he was special once I realized that he had a heart shape on his fur and from there he became our everything.
Sonny was so spoiled from traveling everywhere with my family from small road trips to Pennsylvania to even taking his first flight with us to Puerto Rico. Sonny was not just a dog, he was a member of our family. From the moment we got him to the very last day he was in our arms, we did everything we could to give him a good life.
In November of 2024, we noticed Sonny started to make a noise that sounded like he was having trouble breathing so we decided to bring him to the vet. Sonny was no stranger to leaving the house and going on trips, close or far, with us but this time felt different. I left the house feeling hopeful that it was just a mild cold but there was something deep in my heart that felt like it could possibly be more.
We arrived at the office and after a long wait, Sonny was seen and checked on. The doctor called us in and we spoke about his diagnosis and what he was going through. He explained that Sonny had developed Congestive Heart Failure and that his heart was weak compared to other dogs in his breed and his age.
As you can imagine, this news was incredibly hard to hear but just like every other challenge we have faced before, we remained positive and
hopeful. We took Sonny home and prepared for the journey ahead by giving him his medication and ensuring whatever time he had left with us, he was comfortable and knew he was loved.
On January 19th, 2025, we noticed a huge decline in his behavior. He was not eating like he normally does and did not want to leave his bed. This behavior was not like the dog we knew so we brought him to the Emergency Pet Center to get him checked out and see what was going on.
We arrived and the doctor brought him to the back and little did I know that would be the last time I saw my childhood dog. Sonny gained his angel paws on January 20, 2025, at 6 in the morning. I remember waking up and hearing my sister get the news on the phone and my heart
instantly sunk. I did not understand why or how but I felt at peace that he was no longer in pain and suffering.
Getting in the car and driving to the hospital at 6:30 AM to say our final goodbye, truly did not feel real. I remember being in the car, wishing it was just a nightmare but as we pulled up into the center it became my reality. Sonny was surrounded by love when he was welcomed into our
family and when he was reunited with all of our guardian angels in heaven. Throughout all of the loss my family has endured in the last 16 years, our one constant was Sonny. He was there through all the highs, lows, cries, laughs, and everything in between and provided a huge sense of comfort for us, coming home to a house where he was not there to comfort us was incredibly hard.
Sonny lived a long and fruitful 16 years but no amount of time with him would have ever been enough. He meant so much to our family and without him, our home would never be the same. Pet loss is truly not talked about enough in the media and how difficult it is to return to your daily routine without a huge piece of it not being there. From taking your pet outside to surprising them with a new toy, there are so many special moments that we take for granted without animals and do not realize how precious they are until they become a memory. Thankfully, I
have so many memories to think about when I think about Sonny and those will continue to get me through the hard days.
Now that I have unfortunately joined the community of those who have lost their pets, I truly understand the emptiness that comes with this type of loss. People typically try to downplay the loss of an animal because they don’t understand the significance that pets bring and how they
make a house a home. My heart goes out to those who have ever had to endure this feeling because I truly have no words to make it feel easier because it does not. It never gets easy, it gets different and life will truly be so different without my Sonny.
I try to look at life from the perspective that I am so lucky to have had something so special in my life that saying goodbye was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to go through. I use my writing to turn my pain into my passion and let people who have grown through this struggle know that they are not alone. While it may be hard now, it won’t be hard forever and the sun will soon shine through the storm. Sonny left so many pawprints behind and they will remain in my heart forever. I’ll miss you forever Sonny and Heaven is so lucky to have you; I’ll see you in every heart. Until we meet again.