Lily
At 3:24am on Friday 29th December 2017 BrightHaven bade fare-thee-well to our dearest Lily dog, AKA "Big Dog" (she was affectionately called Big Dog by Blanca as she was small in stature but with a huge, big dog spirit!) or "The sweetest dog on the planet" or "Lily-Pop".
Lily, approximately 7-9 years old, came to BrightHaven on December 1st of 2012 quickly stealing the hearts of all she met with her sweet, gentle and loving ways. Her advanced diabetes had already caused painful glaucoma with hugely swollen eyes and so our first tasks were to have her eyes removed and to have her spayed, along with a hernia repair. Dr. Chahal felt she must have already had at least 7 litters, before being taken to a shelter as a stray.....
With Blanca
After surgery
Before surgery
Despite being mostly deaf and with no eyes, Lily quickly became a favorite with sanctuary guests and volunteers, and especially at Reiki seminars where she was always a very willing participant as well as an accomplished assistant teacher for Kathleen Prasad of Animal reiki Source. In her spare time Lily enjoyed taking volunteers for walks, giving cuddles, posing for photographs and hanging out with cats and her best friends Jack and Lali.
Lily at work
Lily loved life and all that came with it and never showed great concern about her advancing cancer or diabetes. Dr Jeff Feinman became her veterinarian and then later, Dr. Jeff Levy. Under their care Lily blossomed and her diabetes remained under control, as did her cancer.
Lily in the wisteria
About six months ago Lily began to slow her pace on walks and show us a little less spring in her step...Our trusted friend and communicator/intuitive, July Berrin of The Temple cat passed on that Lily was beginning to look forward to her next life but other than the little drop in energy, we saw no indication of that and pushed it to the back of our minds. During the last month Lily's excitement for walks waned greatly as did her energy for life, and so we finally began to accept the truth of July's words.
Lily's was a gentle and slow journey to the end of her life and even the day of her death she was able to walk a little in her favorite grass. July called to say she requested grass to be placed under her feet after her death and that she had a joke for Blanca. She said, "Tell her that when I leave this body I will immediately be a very BIG DOG - ha-ha!!"
And so, Lily now lies in state with grass under her feet and the BrightHaven Teddy brigade to watch over her. There is also the dragonfly to bring transformation and light, as well as the magical power of the unicorn. Her flowers are a gentle mix of pink and white as best suited to her gentle self.
Please join me in sending love, Reiki and prayers for her journey onwards and reunion with many old cat and dog friends.
Lily in state with flowers, candles, grass and the BrightHaven bears, dragonfly and unicorn
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