Thank you everyone for showing such kindness and love for my friend & family after the loss of their doodle Bella

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

A Terrible Loss-

My heart goes out to my dear friend and fellow DRC foster mom Diane and her family. Her Bella (picture below – white doodle on the left) is leaving this life very shortly if not already. Bella vomited this morning and peed orange urine and the whites of her eyes were yellow. They rushed her to the vet. After a very long and expensive day and a trip to another emergency vet to do an ultra-sound it was determined that she was in liver failure and there was nothing that could be done.

Bella is between 3 and 5 years old. Diane adopted her from a lab rescue in Kentucky. She and her girls originally wanted a puppy advertised on the rescue’s website. They fell in love with the doodle puppy but this white very dirty, scraggly and fearful dog caught Diane’s eye. Who would want to adopt this dog? Well, Diane spoke to her daughters and while they really wanted the puppy-they decided on Bella (her new name) instead. You see, Diane had already raised a family of boys but on a mission trip to the Ukraine fell in love with 3 girls (siblings) in 3 different orphanges. (It is quite a story) They are now Diane’s daughters.

Bella in her very short life became a BEAUTIFUL beloved dog of her family. Bella unfortunately was still very fearful of people but not her own. My own Baxter loved racing around the yard with her as she so enjoyed playing chase and they were doing it together just this week.

Diane and her girls have fostered over 20 doodles in the past 2 years for the DRC. I am so in awe and have been so amazed at the transformation that takes place in these doodles after she and her girls are done with them. I know that there are many, many families that now have a doodle because of Diane and her girls. They adopted another DRC doodle, Obie, because she and her girls loved him so much.

I would so appreciate your thoughts and prayers for Diane and her family as they grieve the sudden loss of their special Bella. Diane has been such a good friend to me and to the DRC and has always extended a helping hand whenever I needed it. I mourn with you my friend and my love, prayers, and condolences are extended to you and your girls.

 

Bella and her brothers.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I saw the post on DRC/Facebook yesterday and have been thinking of them.  What a sad day for a wonderful family that has helped so many doods in need.

[Diane Marra]

thanks to everyone for your special words. I couldn't handle reading all of this till now. It has been a sad week in our home without our beloved Bella. She was a special girl that wanted love so much but didn't really let people get too close to her. She slept on the end of my bed and that has been really difficult to not have her here.

She went into liver failure and they determined that her liver had been failing for a long time- something chronic that we were not aware of nor could have treated. She was HW positive also. So we let her go Saturday night after spending her last few hours in my arms, something that she never let me do. She was so sick so quickly that the shock was the hardest part.

Thanks to my friends here and at DRC for the loving kind words and support. Here is my tribute to her on my blog. http://dianemarra.typepad.com/adore_him/2013/02/tribute-to-bella-.html

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hugs to you Diane, and to your whole family. May your memories of the love you shared with Bella help to heal your heart.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Hugs to you, Diane. Sending healing thoughts your way.

[BG and Gavin]

A beautiful tribute Diane.  It sounds like Bella was the dog your family needed and you were the family that Bella needed.  I am sad for you that she was not around longer for you.