When my father Roy knew he was soon leaving this life his main concern was whom would care for his beloved Luca.
Luca and my dog Luna are both alpha females, so didn’t get along too well. Luca was set in the Will for me to take care of for the rest of her life, but I could not keep her as she was not getting along with my Luna, and they needed constant supervision which I could not provide at the time. Sending Luca to a shelter could never be an option.
I knew straight away whom would love Luca, spoil her and treat her exactly like my father did. A friend of 16 years, Mark, whom has treated every dog in his care like an extension of himself, a man with no children yet a perfect father in how he has cared for every dog whom has passed through his life.
The day I knew my father was telling me he would soon be passing was when he looked at me and said “Ring Mark and tell him to take Luca tonight. Please ring him, Luca needs to go to him now”. It tore my heart, Dad loved his dogs like he loved his kids. I knew then, in that moment, I was saying goodbye to Dad, at least in this life.
Mark says he dose not own Luca, that she’s still my father’s dog, still my dog. And after 16 years of friendship, we committed to each other, our love completed by the love of my father’s dog.
Together we can look after Luca and help her and my Luna learn to love each other too – slowly getting there with these pups.
( In loving memory of Roy James Mitchell 15/12/1935 to 4/8/2020 )
Rebekah Mitchell-Matthews
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