I knew this day would come. Ripley was my baby for 15 years and 3 months, but this day still came too soon. Ripley has passed, and left a giant hole in our hearts.
How can I explain Ripley’s place in my heart? He was the dog I didn’t want. He was the first dog Kevin got to choose, and for Kevin, it was “There’s my dog”. For me, it was, “That is the ugliest dog I have ever seen.” Ripley was the dog we adopted for Bubba, our cocker, because Bubba was lonely when my mom and her shih tzu, Flower, went home to New Jersey. Ripley was supposed to be with us “on a trial run”, but I knew as soon as his butt hit the back seat of my car, and I saw Kevin’s grin, that Ripley was never going to leave. It didn’t take long for Ripley to decide he was my dog, much to Kevin’s consternation. I realized he was the most beautiful dog I had ever seen, inside and out, and fell totally under his spell.
Over the next 15 years, Ripley was the perfect dog…well, perfect for us. Bubba and Ripley were friends from the moment they met, and they got into all kinds of trouble together. The first time Ripley got into mischief, Bubba squealed on him. The next time, Bubba joined in the fun. Ripley welcomed Flower back for visits, and then accepted her as his sister when she became a permanent resident. Ripley welcomed Sparky with lots less enthusiasm, but learned to like him eventually. Murphy, Katie, and Rocky all became his playmates over the years, but Ripley let them all know he was boss.
Ripley was loved by many. Lots of people told me they wanted to steal him from us. Luckily, we managed to prevent a Ripley-napping, but it required vigilance. Ripley was an owner-surrender to the Humane Society of Young County, which eventually transferred him to Richardson Humane Society. The people who gave Ripley up also gave up a second dog that day. They came back the next day and took the other dog back. I am grateful for their blindness to the awesomeness that was Ripley. I have always believed he was meant to be our baby.
Over the last year, Ripley has been unwell. It started last August with digestive issues, and eventually, ended with kidney failure. We, and the wonderful vets and team at Rutherford Veterinary Hospital, did everything possible to keep him happy and comfortable. Unfortunately, kidney failure won.
Ripley took a large piece of my heart with him today. He was my napping buddy, my snuggler, and the dog I loved just a little bit extra. I will miss him poking my leg as I make food. I will miss him nipping my pants as I walk down the hall with the dogs’ dinners in my arms. (I never got food prepared and delivered fast enough for him!) I will miss him climbing on top of me to take a nap. I will miss his wise brown-and-blue eyes staring into mine. I will miss Ripley trying creative ways to push me out of “his” spot on the bed. Ripley was the reason I tore my Achilles and a second tendon and needed surgery. Whenever I see my scar, I will think of him.
There aren’t enough words to describe the love Kevin and I felt for Ripley, or the heartache we feel at his passing. He was our SuperDog.
Category: Rainbow Bridge
