It hurts us so much to know that our dogs don’t live as long as we do. As much as it pains us, our responsibilities as owners is to let them live their lives full of love and satisfaction. After all, they are part of our family. We should ensure that they are comfortable as they approach their final days.
This man went viral after showing the world his determination to make his dog happy during her final days
A photograph went viral a couple of months ago of a man pushing his dog riding a mobile bed. The man’s name was Tom Antonio, a local resident in Georgia, and his 16-year old Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Cocoa. The photographs of them were shared on Facebook, reaching more than 50 thousand shares on the platform.
So, what’s the story behind those photos?
Tom and Cocoa, along with Tom’s wife, Lauren Slepin, used to frequently visit Virginia Beach for their walks. The place became their favorite retreat as they had managed to pile up treasured memories there together.
However, as Cocoa reached her 16th year of life, she began to have difficulties in walking, and the family knew that she was already at her limit.
Their last walk together.
Posted by Carrie Copenhaver on Thursday, March 11, 2021
It is heartbreaking, but they wanted to make sure that their dog is able to live happily beside them. So, by bringing her to the place they all loved, Cocoa might be able to recreate those happy feelings as she lives her remaining days in life.
However, since Cocoa can’t walk that far anymore, Tom prepared a special thing for her – a handcrafted mobile bed.
“My wife and I, we came up with a way to, with a mechanics creeper and stuff like that to take her [Cocoa] for walks,” Tom said in an interview. “We had a rope and a bed, and we’d bring her out.”
The handcrafted bed let Cocoa see the world again.
It has been several months since she was able to walk outside, but with the handcrafted bed that Tom made for her, they were able to revisit a bunch of places like, the dog park and watch sunsets together. When their photographs were shown on the web, the family was surprised at how a lot of people were touched by their heart-melting story.
Tom said, “It hit a chord with people that the bond we have with our dogs and our pets – it’s strong.”
The dog may have passed away but she left us with a big impression on our hearts.
A few months later, Cocoa finally departed. Of course, the family was heartbroken but they knew they were able to let her live the life she truly deserves.
They were thankful for how long Cocoa was able to stay with them. Surely, Cocoa brought those wonderful memories to heaven.
Posted by Carrie Copenhaver on Thursday, March 11, 2021
“Love that our beautiful Cocoa has made a lasting impression and touched the hearts of so many people,” Lauren wrote on her Facebook post. “We miss her so much but are grateful we had her so long.”
Saying goodbye may be difficult but we should know how to handle it.
It is important that we show our pets our gratitude.
It’s much better to make more happy memories with your pet so they could also pass away happily. Besides, doing this is beneficial for both of you. Be the Tom for your Cocoa.
Check out a sweet video about Cocoa below.
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