My wife and I adopted Bear from the Columbus County Rescue in NC in April of 2004. She was a wild thing, part chow, golden retriever and yellow lab. As a puppy she would shred my arms as I played and fought with her on the ground, she loved to steal roses from a basket where we had just cut them or directly from the bush, thorns did not matter. She loved her big fenced in back yard but also love living in the house. She was full of life and loved every minute of it. We both adored her and she quickly became the center of our everyday life as well as our whole world. She would run towards me in a chair and just dive into the air, almost knocking my breathe away, I never told my wife about the time she stole a plate of doughnuts from me, mainly because I wasn't supposed to have them in the first place. Bear was with us for 14 years through good and bad times, she loved them all and was always there with a lick and wagging tail. She became 'addicted' to her doggy treats in later life. But as life goes, she developed various tumors, tore her left rear ACL, which the surgeon advised against the surgery at her age, got bad arthritis in her hips, was taking monthly shots and a once a day pain medicine, had cateracts and lost most of her hearing but still did her best to play, love and protect us from any knock at the door. Sadly she crossed the rainbow bridge today, 4-20-18, but to a better place for sure. Bear we love you and will miss you forever, and I thank my lucky stars that I had 14 years with the best friend anyone could ever have. Goodbye bear you will live forever in our hearts.

jim p
wilmington, NC