10/09/2026
Easton Vet Fam β€οΈ β€οΈ , Dr. Dan and I ventured over to the Weston Dog Park for the first time last weekend. The park was a project of immense undertaking spearheaded by a wonderful friend of mine, and it took years to come to fruition. Dr. Dan was still in Westport and I was a pet sitter when the park was in the early discussion stages, and it wasnβt until weβd already been to California and back, and years after we opened Easton Veterinary, that it was finally completed. It had truly taken a village of dedicated, passionate people to make this happen.
At the beginning of the trail to the park is a rainbow bridge; I saw it and immediately started crying. How many of us have soul dogs and cats waiting for us on the other side of that bridge? How many of our friends are running around or lounging in the sun or jumping fences over there, unburdened by pain and suffering? How many of us wish that that bridge was one we could traverse every day just to spend more time with those we loved so hard in this lifetime?
Madiba and Huxley were honestly a bit impatient with me and really werenβt willing to entertain my free flowing tears; they (and, I think, Dr. Dan too π) were basically just like βMom! the park is just down the path a bit, letβs go!β. And so we ventured down the tree canopied lane and into the beautiful, huge space that my friend Maria and a small village worked so hard for so many years to create. The dogs loved it. I visited all of the inscribed benches, and my emotional self started crying again when I saw Shadow and Chaseβs bench ~ they were the two beautiful shepherd canine counterparts to my human friend. Shadow was the very first dog I started hiking, and she was the one who made me believe it was possible I could make a living doing something that I loved. She and her brother are running around on the other side of that rainbow bridge now, along with so many other friends.
As we were leaving the park, I thought of all the conversations Iβve had with so many of you, where we talk about the grief of losing our friends. We talk about the βfirstsβ: walking through the door to a quiet house, the first Thanksgiving without a counter surfer, the move to a new house that somehow makes us feel like weβre leaving them behind, the first time weβre able to type out an email without the assistance of our βcatssistantβ. We wrestle together whether we should donate all of their belongings after weβve said goodbye or if itβs even possible for us to do so. Weβve shared so many hugs when we realize there arenβt any words left.
The one thing I keep coming back to, though, is that although letting our friends go is one of the most intensely painful experiences: they always leave our hearts bigger; they always make room for more love. And perhaps that is the greatest gift they, or anyone, can ever give us.
Itβs with all of that in mind that I decided to create a space where you can share photos or memories (or both!) of those cats and dogs who left your hearts bigger. These friends of ours are so worthy of celebration, and I know without a doubt that our Easton Vet family has the very best people to celebrate them with. β€οΈ
Iβll pin this post, so people can share whenever the time feels right. We look forward to honoring all of the friendships that have left your heart with even more room to love.π
