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.
To our Hannah,
We weren't quite sure what we were doing when we brought you home from the pound. We went there just to "look" at you, and before we knew it, you were in our backseat, looking as puzzled as we did!
We had just decided to add a third dog to our family, but we were going to wait a few months. Then Mark saw your picture as "Pet of the Week" and called me to tell me that he had found our dog. It seemed like a sign, you had epilepsy like our Patty, so we were already well versed on seizures. Also, you were an older gal and we had been talking about adopting a senior beagle.
We got to the pound first thing Saturday morning, excited to meet you. You looked so old and sad! I think we believed that we were bringing you home to give you a good last few months.
Money was tight, but somehow we found a way to pay the adoption fee and buy you your own bed, toys, collar, leash, and food bowl. We also managed to pay the vet bills to take care of your lyme disease and double ear infections. You had a few seizures those first days, but that was because they hadn't been giving you your epilepsy medicine regularly. After you got on a regular schedule, you got better. We gave you a bath after prying the old buckle style collar that was encrusted with filth off of your neck.
It was amazing to see you transform! As the medicine started to make you feel better, a completely different dog emerged. You quickly established yourself as leader of the pack, putting Shelby in her place with a boisterous AROOO! You'd Aroooo with your whole body, rearing up on your back legs like a little horse. You loved your belly rubs! All anyone would have to do was touch your head or back to pat you and you would roll over for a rub. We'll always remember how you would hop down the stairs like a bunny, one step at a time. You had so many nicknames - HannahBelle, Hannah Belly Button, Smudgey Face, Our Little Smudgeon. And if you wanted a treat or your belly was telling you that it was dinner time, you would go over to one of us if we were sitting on the couch and give us "the paw". First you would just place your paw lightly on our leg. If we didn't respond (often done on purpose to witness the cuteness to ensue), the paw would become gradually more insistent and firmer. If that didn't work, you would pull your final card - a loud AROOOO! The look on your face was priceless - exasperated and indignant - a beagle scorned!! And we'll never forget the 4th of July cookout when you dug up my flowers and had a face full of dirt!
Unfortunately, after many years of liver-taxing epilepsy medication, your poor little liver started to give up. We laid you to rest after knowing there was nothing else we could do and before you had to suffer too much. It's been almost a year now, and we still catch each other crying over how much we miss you. We only had two and a half short years with you, but adopting you was one of the best decisions we have ever made. We are both looking forward to rubbing your belly again and hearing your wonderful AROOOOOO!
