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Captain the Little Love Warrior, by Rachael Baxter

We always called him Captain America, but after eight years and four months we discovered he’s Captain the Little Love Warrior.

My dog passed away on September 4, 2022. It was sudden and it was shocking, but he was resilient up until his last moment. I was on vacation with him, only to return home to New York without him. It was our last road trip.

On September 2, Captain and I received a diagnosis of an inoperable aggressive illness (liver cancer) with potentially a few days to live, or that he may not even survive the night. I was in Florida when I received the call. Captain was in South Carolina with my mom. I left Florida immediately and drove 10 hours while asking God for His mercy and miracle.

At 4:30 am on September 3, I saw Captain, who rallied with kisses. I took him home from the emergency room under my care with the terrifying warning: his condition was critical – he would go naturally, or I’d have to make a devastating decision.

The next day, September 4, Captain and I enjoyed a sunrise walk. Surrounded by family – we loved him, thanked him, and shared kisses. Even though I saw his end-of-life signs, I couldn’t make sense of his resiliency – I thought, “Are we poised for another miracle?!” We took Captain back to the emergency room, and the doctor said, “He loves you all so much, which is why he is rallying.” Captain’s true animal instinct came through – he never showed fear or pain.

We walked into the next room, and it was no longer a devastating but a compassionate decision.

Captain sat calmly with me, and when his last moments arrived, Captain gave me his final “I love you” eyes, placed his mouth on mine like a last kiss, and collapsed his head softly in my arms. It was our final act of friendship, and I whispered, “He’s gone.” I broke when I realized it was his last breath.

I said goodbye to my little soulmate, love warrior, and best friend. This was a profound loss, but while I carry the loss, I also carry the love. I made a bucket list in Captain’s honor. Our beautiful love story will live on forever in my heart.

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Webinar: A Conversation on Pet Loss with Author E.B. Bartels

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Rainbow Bridge
Memorial Celebration

In honor of Rainbow Bridge Memorial Day (August 28), we are offering a 20% discount on Silver and Platinum memberships throughout the entire month of August.

By joining us, you will have the unique opportunity to create a lasting online memorial for your pet, complete with photos and stories you can cherish.

Live Webinar

Navigating Pet Loss & Grief

Thursday, June 6th, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern

Sponsored by:

Navigating Pet Loss & Grief, hosted by Moose’s
March, this webinar is designed to support pet
owners through the difficult journey and depth of
pet loss, anticipatory grief and understanding
guilt. This webinar will also provide 3 key
takeaways for the management of grief,
Featuring insights from renowned experts
Colleen Rolland, Association of Pet Loss and
Bereavement and Dr. Nancy Curotto, Pet Loss &
Bereavement Specialist. Attendees will have an
opportunity to ask questions of the experts.

Special Holiday Schedule

We understand that the holidays can be a difficult time for pet parents missing their fur babies. APLB will be extending our hours this year to help you – we’ll get through this together.

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Sun Dec 24: 2 – 4 pm EST
Sun Dec 24: 8 – 10 pm EST
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Sun Dec. 31: 2 – 4 pm EST
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Mon Jan 1: 8 – 10 pm EST

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Sat Dec 9: 7- 9 pm EST
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