You image needs to be Square!

Please crop your image below, then save using the green button, or cancel using the red X

Luther, by Milda Titford

Luther was never our choice. We were his choice.

When we decided to adopt a dog from a kill shelter we envisaged something young, healthy and small, no power breeds… Luther was the exact opposite to our requirements: eight years old, sick, 75lb and an American pitbull.

But he was The One. Luther fitted in straight away. He healed us. Our previous dog experience wasn’t great – we had had an aggressive retriever and were nervous about dog aggression. Luther, although he looked like a killing machine, was the gentlest being we have ever met. He rehabilitated us back into the world where we could trust dogs once again.

Luther was goofy, lazy, funny, cuddly. He would greet us at a door with a toy he’d carry back and forth, wagging his tail endlessly. He would get between us in a bed in the morning and sprawl so much so that there was no space left for anyone else. He wouldn’t tolerate sadness: he would get right into your face, wag his tail and whimper.

Luther was, however, very sick from the word go. He was allergic to the most unbelievable things: maple, dust, mold, elm pollen…. He had an enlarged spleen, kidney disease, a heart murmur, arthritis…. It was a revolving door at the vet’s, and we always knew that one of these days vet magic wouldn’t save him. That day came last November, three years later. The vet shrugged his shoulders and said it was “a matter of days”. Luther was his favorite patient and the vet agreed to come to our home to help Luther cross the rainbow bridge.

Our house has been empty ever since. There’s no one to greet us at the door with a torn-up toy. We are unsure that any other dog could make us love them as much as Luther did, so for now, the house stays empty.

Archives

Are you sure you want to Log Out?

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

Join us for this exciting event

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.

Chat Room

Sun Dec 24: 2 – 4 pm EST
Sun Dec 24: 8 – 10 pm EST
Mon Dec 25: 8 – 10 pm EST
Tues Dec 26: 8 – 10 pm EST
Wed Dec 27: 8 – 10 pm EST
Fri Dec 29: 8 – 10 pm EST
Sun Dec. 31: 2 – 4 pm EST
Sun. Dec 31: 8 – 10 pm EST
Mon Jan 1: 8 – 10 pm EST

Video Support Group

Sat Dec 9: 7- 9 pm EST
Sun Dec 10: 7- 8:30 EST
Sat Dec. 23: 7 – 9 pm EST