Dolly - 10 September 2012 – 15 October 2015

by Trev & Zita
(Solihull, England)

We arrived at the house of the family that was selling you because you were no longer wanted by them. They did not even know your birthday or where your papers were. They promised they would forward them on to us but they never did.

They even put the price up when they knew we were interested but that did not matter to us. We just wanted to get you as far away from them as we could and would have paid whatever. So we gave you your birthday of the 10th September 2012.

You looked more like a bedraggled white fox than a Westie. Some would say a real ugly duckling!! You came with a very bad haircut but with love and nurture and good grooming, you blossomed into a beautiful little swan.

Little did we know then, special Dolly, what a massive impact you would have on our little family. We wanted a soul mate for our dog Diva. You fitted into your new home like a hand in a glove, and you never looked back.

You brought us so much joy and pleasure in your short little life. There was never a dull moment. We referred to you and Diva as Yin and Yang. You took to each other from day one. You were never apart. You were the life and soul of our home, always getting into mischief and very inquisitive. We never knew where we were going to find you next!

You loved your walks and always told us and Diva when you wanted to go by going and fetching your harness, and off we would all go to the park – where you would play and run about and trot around like an equestrian horse!

You came with no bed and no toys but soon took over all of Diva's toys and your own – your favourites being Bob Bear, Susie Sheep, Christmas Pig and Wally Whale – the noisier the better for you! These toys had to be taped up on numerous occasions with duct tape as you would tear them and try to get the squeak out of them.

Every Thursday we would return home from shopping only to have your little head going in and out of all the shopping bags looking to see if we had brought you a new toy.

We will never forget the time we took you over to Mom's Mom and Dad's Nanny and Grandad. We had a lovely meal, and Nanny had made a beautiful cheese cake. She had placed it on the table and we had all become distracted. The telephone rang and we all had to go and say hello to the caller.

When we returned to the table, there you were in the centre of the table licking away at the top of the cheese cake. You took your first bite and Mom dived towards the table to grab you. We were laughing so much.

The three of us decided not to tell Nanny and Grandad. Mom smoothed the cheese cake over as best as she could and we all had to sit down and eat it. To this day Nanny and Grandad never knew! Just one of the many things you got up to.

You had lots of nicknames, Dolly – Yang from Yin and Yang, Tiny Tyke, Tynsie, Dolce, The Doll and the main one, Dynamite Dolly. Because to us you were our Dynamite Dolly.

On 10 September 2015, we celebrated your third birthday at our caravan overlooking Brean Sands in Somerset. Little did we know that within 6 weeks heartbreak would rip through our simplistic lifestyle and our Dolly would be snatched away from us in the blink of an eye.

No indication, no sign that a tumour had been festering and growing within your tiny young body. They treated you for a high temperature until a return visit diagnosed something more sinister.

Mom and Dad arrived on your surgery day for what turned out to be our tearful farewell to our little girl. Within two hours of those tear-stained kisses we planted on your gorgeous black nose, you were devastatingly taken from us.

No words can describe the horrendous loss of our Dear Dolly. A sack full of sobs and oceans of tears have been shed in the past weeks.

We have returned to our caravan by the sea for a few days to celebrate a short but wonderful life we shared with you, Darling Dolly. We stroll the beach with Diva. We have your ashes for comfort.

Your spirit lives on. You are here running alongside, pawing at the soft sand. It’s November, bleak and deserted, grey skies as the tide comes in. But the gloom is lifted by the spirit of "The Doll."

Never will we forget the tiny bundle that lightened up our lives and enriched each and every day. Now go and join your four-legged friends at Rainbow Bridge. Thank you, Dear Dolly. Until we all meet up again. xxxxx

"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."