This section is devoted to our beloved dogs who are waiting at the Rainbow Bridge. If you would like to include a tribute to your B.O.N.E.S. beagle(s) that crossed to Rainbow Bridge, please send your story and/or photo(s) to tributes@bonesbeagles.org.
Read all of the tributes by paging through them below or click on a name to go to a specific article.
We first learned that Sam would be entering the SSB program in the late fall of 2016, after our previous beagle, Buddy (another SSB alumnus), had passed away. Because of the holidays, we could not coordinate a meet-and-greet with Sam until January 2017 in New Hampshire.
As my wife has often said, meeting Sam was "love at first sight." Adoption papers signed, we secured Sam in the back seat and away we went for adventures with our new nine-year-old beagle.
Sam came into our house, then ruled by an eleven-year-old yellow Lab named Sophie. He really didn't have any issues with her; they sort of ignored each other and never had a problem. Sam wasn't the type who wanted to socialize with other dogs, he just worried about his treats.
He, too, enjoyed our lake house in New Hampshire, securing a certain spot in the mezzanine upstairs where he slept every night. Not much of a water dog, he did enjoy daily walks to the beach while at the lake.
After Sophie passed, we adopted additional dogs, a senior English Setter named Rocky, and later a young, abused beagle we named the Little One. Both shared the house with Sam, who now had the title of Senior Pup. He got along with his pet siblings, but mostly kept to himself, and stole treats from Little One whenever he could.
His health remained strong except for the development of cataracts. We sought out the guidance of a dog ophthalmologist, who prescribed medicines that saved one of his eyes. Sam continued on for years with his good eye, but eventually cancer caught up with him. We finally had to make the decision that he could no longer carry on. A vet came to our house for Sam, who passed away comfortably in the spot where he liked to lay.
We were fortunate to have this wonderful companion for more than six years. If he had lived two more months, he would have reached the age of sixteen, a good life for a beagle.
We would like to thank B.O.N.E.S. for the opportunity to bring this special dog into our lives.
Joe & Mary Dufresne
Holden, Massachusetts
