He’s been her constant companion for the last 12 years now, sharing all the happiness, joys, and tears of her childhood and, later, watching as she grew into a young woman. But much as she hates it, Mya Davis knows it’s time to say goodbye.
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She and her mother adopted Simba from a shelter in 2006, when he was already seven years old. There were undoubtedly countless others who tugged at her heart, but none more than Simba, who rose up on his hind legs in greeting – almost, she says, “in a begging motion.â€
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I immediately knew he was the one. We had an instant connection with each other. I knew this puppy was going to be my childhood best friend.
But she wasn’t the only one who fell victim to his charms: Everyone, from family members, to friends, to complete strangers, couldn’t help but fall in love with the little fluff ball that had so completely captured Mya’s heart. Dogs tend to develop an especially close bond with one person in particular, and as far as Simba goes, Mya’s always been the apple of his eye.
Simba means the absolute world to me and it breaks my heart watching him go through this. I do not know what I did to deserve such a loving and caring creature.
He’s shown a tremendous amount of strength and fortitude recently, but at 19 years old, Mya knows he can’t fight much longer. So she’s focused these last few weeks on providing as much comfort as she can, talking to him softly and letting him know how much he’s meant to her, and that his memory will live on.
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When I look at Simba, I see fight, hope, and strength. These past few weeks have been hard for me because I know that his time is near. He’s 19 years old (133 in dog years) and he’s still pushing. I’ve been given an option to euthanize my dog, but I believe that Simba deserves to die a natural death, in the home where he grew. In these final moments, I am making sure that he won’t be alone.
Telling him that it’s okay to let go. I can’t imagine how much pain he is in and I do not want him to stay on this earth and suffer because of the thought of his loved ones not being ready to let him go.
After I told him I would be okay, I began to cry, and that’s when he started to wipe my tears away with his head, and I was lucky enough to catch it on video.
This bittersweet story has touched any number of hearts since it started spreading earlier this month, and pet lovers everywhere are sending their condolences, even sharing stories of their grief over their own losses.
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No matter how much it hurts to say goodbye, the holes our beloved companions leave in our hearts are eventually filled with all the happy memories they leave behind, almost as condolences until we see them again. The love remains, even when they’re physically gone.
Watch this tender moment in the video below, and share to spread thanks to Simba and to all the elderly four-legged family members everywhere for allowing us the privilege of having them in our lives.
I have to put my 19 year old dog down soon. Him and I had a talk early this evening about letting go, so it can just be peaceful when he passes on, instead of being surrounded by strangers. I started to cry mid-conversation and this is him wiping my tears away 😭💔🐶 pic.twitter.com/bV0XThVayl
— mýa (@myamonaydavis) May 23, 2018
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