In Memory of Kit

by Natalie J Langlois
(Woodstock, CT)

In Memory of Kit
1994-2010

"Shorty," "L'il Honey," ½ of the "Belles of Bafflin," "Pie"

I'd like to try to do justice with words to the light that was Kit.

They found her tied to a post at a local veterinarian's office. We found her at the Woodstock Pound on August 14, 2003. Will fell in love immediately and permanently. Off to the vet and the much-needed groomer, and thus began Kit's life with us.

She'd had a rough time of it before we adopted her, and was having seizures regularly. She had a broken tail and a broken tooth, but the tooth was an easy fix and that little tail started wagging as soon as it healed, and it never stopped until January 18th, 2010. Her seizures stopped on Christmas Day 2003 (I kid you not). She had a smile that would melt an iceberg, and she used it often to brighten the day of anyone who took the time to see her.

Eventually we met her original owner, Christie, and so got a history, birth date, and background. Turned out, Kit didn't like babies, so when Christie had her son she had to find a new home for Kit. The 3 or so years that the second owner had her must have been tough for the little love, and one day she fell or jumped out of his truck, and wandered all the way to us (via every swamp between here and there, from the looks of her). Bob Marley had nothin' on these dreadlocks! She cleaned up beautifully though, and stayed that way.

The joy in this dog can only be described as elation. She was already 9 years old when we got her, yet she hopped and wiggled like a pup when getting ready for her daily walk, or anything else she thought looked like fun. Each day when Will got home, she would greet him with her classic “get-him!!” maneuver... jumping onto the bed and burrowing into his chest or 'slapping' him with both her front paws. Everything this dog did was cute. She had “High-Five” down to double-paw perfection. She was cute with all her glorious fur, cute with a shortie haircut for summers of swimming in every imaginable water hole, cute surfing the car window, cute sleeping and cute even in her last hours.

Our lives are better for having known her. Kit was proof that adopting a senior dog can be just as... or more... rewarding as getting a pup. We were lucky to have her for almost seven years. Even in her last hours, when she heard Will come up the driveway, she woke herself up to see him. She loved her daddy best of all.

I thought I had the best dog ever in Jed. Turns out there are many "best dogs" in our lives, each one unique and special in its own way. Kit will be missed and remembered for all her special ways: her sweet kisses (how did her kisses stay so sweet with her old lady dog breath?), her celebration of life.

Our love for her will remain in our hearts for the rest of our lives.