Please Attend Melanie's Funeral

I'm so, so sorry. I can't make it Saturday, but you will be in my thoughts and prayers. I just can't imagine what you're going through.

I'm so sorry for your lost. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

oh my.. I am so sorry for your loss of your loved Melanie. What a horrible turn of events for you both. Please know that you are all in our Jackie prayers during this time. I don't think I'll be able to attend your service for her but such a loving jesture for a girl that obviously touched SO many people in her short time on Earth. You were her guardians for a reason... and now she is your angel guardian (playing with Freckles). Blessings to all of you during this time and may you cherrish all the joyous memories of Melanie with you during your time of grief.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sittnig here crying after reading such a beautiful tribute. Amy was Melanie's angel and now Melanie is one of your family's guardian angels.

We are so sorry for your loss, our prayers are with you as well. we cant make it saturday either but we will be thinking of your beloved pet.

I am so sorry for your loss. We recently experienced the loss of our 6 year old dog and can totally understand your heartbreak. Please let me know if there is anything we can do for you. God bless!

We are so sorry for the sudden loss of your little girl. That's just not fair. At least she had a wonderful six years with wonderful people who love her more than anything. You are both in our thoughts and prayers.

I'm so sorry! I cried reading your post. At least she is in doggie heaven getting all the bones, toys and attention she could ever want.

I am so sorry for your loss. This has to be so painful for your entire family. While we are unable to come the service, our thoughts will be with you and your family. Please let me know if there is anyway we can help you.

I know it is so sad to lose a member of the family. Our prayers are with you.

How lucky you were to have one another, even for such a short time. That is my one complaint with dogs...they simply don't live long enough. And with one so very young it must be even tougher. The love you have for her is so crystal clear, and now it's her turn to look after you while she waits at the Rainbow Bridge. Many hugs and prayers to you and Amy.

I won't be able to make it either, but know that you are in my prayers and that you have lots of support through this difficult time.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together

Anyone who has lost a dog knows the grief that accompanies the "take your breath away" pain. Though I am far away in Minnesota, I will pray for your family on Saturday. It is my hope that memories of Melanie will soon bring smiles to your faces, and replace the tears and sadness you are feeling at this time. Godspeed Melanie.

For anyone who didn't know, Amy is the founder of Indiana-Paw. There is a wonderful story about how she founded the group on the Indiana-Paw website.

I will be there to support Amy and Derek...My thoughts are with you both!

We are so sorry so your loss. Cancer has become so common as of late. We lost our dear Allison of a lymphomia in January. We wil be keeping your family in our prayers.

Oh my gosh I am so sorry for you & your family. What a heartbreaking story- you will be in our prayers.

It was really difficult for me to read this and I thought to myself, There's no way I can respond to this post. It's only been 2 weeks that I had to go through the loss of a pet and I know that it would be selfish to not put my two cents out there. There is nothing to say to make the experience any less traumatic. But it was through the kind words and prayers that this online community that I was able to get through the "ruff" patches. I am so sorry for your great loss.

I too cannot make it. However, I can't imagine your pain. I haven't had to go through it, as Eddie is my first pet. He's such a part of my life, I can't possibly think of how Amy was and is a part of yours. You and your family have our "puppy" prayers.

I am so sorry for your loss. I just lost my best dog in November unexpectedly and it has been so difficult. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you and your remaining animals as well. Take care of yourself and Amy and let her know we are thinking of her. I finally met her in person about a month ago although we had emailed before. She was nice enough to help me with a problem with our foster and I'm eternally grateful.

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful words of support. We feel paralyzed by grief right now, and we are very grateful for all of the kind words of support. Please join us for Melanie this Saturday. All are welcome - just let me know if you will be there, so that we have a good head count. We hope Saturday will allow us to give Melanie a beautiful tribute, and celebrate the beautiful dog she was, and the joy she gave our family. Melanie is an example of the joy and love every shelter animal has to offer. -Derek

Amy and Derek we are so sorry for your loss of Melanie. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Amy asked me to post the following bio she wrote up for Melanie - thanks again to everyone for their support during this time. It means the world to us.

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Melanie's story is a simple one. She cheated death 5 years ago, so that she could give love and joy to the lucky people who adopted her. The day her mom, Amy, met her, Melanie was sitting in the euthanasia room of an Indianapolis animal shelter, waiting to be put to sleep. The family that dumped Melanie at the shelter admitted they'd adopted her as a puppy, but after keeping her for a year, realized they didn't have time to socialize her, and now she was "too big and too much of a handful" for them. She was a year old, and scared, and after she tried to bite a shelter employee, she was sent to be put to sleep. But Amy happened to be at the shelter that day, and the euthanasia technician took Amy back to meet Melanie. And the rest is history. Melanie walked out of that shelter's euthanasia room that Spring day back in 2003 and into Amy and Derek's lives, and added joy and love to their lives for the next beautiful 5 years, 6 weeks, 5 days, and 12 hours.

Melanie – a dog who came within minutes of being euthanized in a shelter with no name and no story – went on to become a dog who was beloved by so many. Her parents, Amy and Derek, loved and adored her. Her canine "siblings" (Gatsby, Daisy and Wyatt), and her feline "siblings" (Jules, Dorothy, Walter, Adeline and Clint), often seemed overwhelmed by her energy and enthusiasm, but loved her as well, and were glad to have her as part of their “pack.” She was both the brains and the brawn of that outfit, to be sure. Melanie was also loved by the veterinarians and staff at Companion Animal Medical Center in Carmel, who always greeted her so warmly that we’re sure she felt like a rock star every time she walked into the building. She particularly loved Dr. Buzzetti, probably both because he kept he so healthy all her life, and also because he always called her “sweetie pie” and “sweetheart,” which seemed to delight her.

Melanie was the most vibrant, exuberant member of the family, and had a reputation for being a "larger than life" dog with a high-spirited personality, and a penchant for creating havoc everywhere she went. Amy’s Indiana-PAW friends often teased Amy about Melanie, saying that if Amy ever brought Melanie to an Indiana-PAW event, it would likely end in an apocalyptic scene with the Indiana-PAW booth upside down and on fire. Amy always responded that Melanie was just “enthusiastic.” Melanie was also highly intelligent, and tilted her head inquisitively whenever she was intrigued by something new. In nearly all of her photos, she's tilting her head or smiling broadly, exuding her trademark enthusiasm for and curiosity about all of life's experiences.

Melanie was probably a Pit Bull-Hound mix, but Amy and Derek never knew, and never cared. She was just beautiful to them. Beautiful inside and out. Melanie had a million dollar smile, beautiful dimples, and her entire body would quiver with excitement when she was excited or happy. Amusingly, although Melanie was a big dog, her paperwork from the shelter listed her as a Beagle-mix, prompting a family friend to comment, "The only way Melanie has Beagle in her is if she ATE a beagle!" To be fair, there’s no credible evidence that Melanie ever ate a Beagle, and, in fact, she adored Wyatt, her elderly Beagle “sibling,” beyond all reason. And, although Melanie was built like a linebacker, she had dainty feet that her dad called her “little ballerina feet.” Everything about Melanie was richly nuanced and unique.

Melanie loved everything. But her favorite things were road trips with her mom, playing ball in the back yard with her dad, taking walks around the neighborhood, "mom-and-me-cheeseburger-night" with Amy at the McDonalds drive-through, antagonizing her "siblings," and visiting her friends at Companion Animal Medical Center. But her very favorite thing always seemed to be bedtime, when she was with her whole family, snuggled up all together.

Melanie loved life, and made the most of every day she had. And she used her life to add love and joy to the lives of everyone around her. It has been a privilege to be Melanie's mom and dad. And while Melanie’s life was unexpectedly cut short, she will forever be our beautiful baby girl. We will love, honor and remember Melanie all of our lives.

Melanie was my sister (well, not by blood, but we were both adopted from Indy Humane, and we lived together and loved each other for 5 years). I love Melanie, and my mom and dad are having a special ceremony to honor her and all of the other shelter animals like her and I tomorrow. I HOPE EVERYONE WILL COME, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE A BEAUTIFUL DAY! Love, Wyatt