Bandit, Boo, Puppito, Pal

by Judy Tsevdos
(Brooklyn, New York)

It’s been a hard two weeks for me without you here but I can remember the day I said "I do! I do!"

It all started with one of my dearest friends and I sitting by the pool on August 7, 2010. Natalie (dearest friend) called her sister Chrissy to wish her a happy birthday.

Chrissy was glad to hear me shouting in the background "HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISSY," then she asked, "Do you know anyone who wants a dog?" I asked her what kind.

Chrissy said, "Yorkie." I said, "I do! I do!"

Chrissy is a nurse so it was hard for her to take care of him, plus she had another dog and the kids she fostered that her husband would take care of while she was working. It was too much on him.

The other dog, Cody, was their son's, so he was staying. My children and I have allergies and asthma really bad but whenever we visit my other dear friend, Roe, who had a yorkie, we were always fine.

Natalie and I got in the truck with my youngest son Anthony (6) and drove out to Long Island to Chrissy’s house. When we arrived, Bandit was so happy to see us. He was 3, so very playful. My son and I took to him right away.

The next thing I knew was we had a pooch. My husband and older son Tommy (8) were at a baseball game so when they got home it was a big surprise.

Billy didn’t like the idea but he saw how happy the boys and I were, so he said Bandit could stay, after a night of thinking about it. What he didn’t know was that Bandit was staying no matter what!!

For the next 11 years Bandit was a big part of our family. Went on vacations, in the pool, in restaurants, visiting people and all. He had diabetes so it was 2 shots a day and medicine for his pancreatitis.

But on February 5, 2021, Bandit went to the vet as he hadn’t eaten or drunk for 4 days. That's when we took blood and discovered all his organs were shutting down.

So I had to make a decision as to put him to rest or let him suffer and die at home. I decided to let him go. I held him while the vet did it.

I’ll never forget the poor baby laying on my lap and just falling asleep peacefully. He didn’t deserve to live and suffer for a few more days for my own selfish needs.

Bandit, you are loved and missed every day. I am forever thankful I got to spend 11 years with you.

Rest In Peace, baby.

I love you and miss you terribly.