Can you help fill Bree’s Bowl?
It’s been about 17 months since our first Love Heels service dog, Bree, died from an aggressive cancer just days before her third birthday.
It’s been just over a year since people from our son’s school, La Costa Heights Elementary School, opened their hearts and their pet food pantries to support the pet food drive we started in Bree’s name with the 5th and 6th grade Leadership Team. The school donated more than 300 pounds of food the Rancho Coastal Humane Society to help people struggling to feed their pets.
We could have no better salve for the ache we felt in the wake of Bree’s death than the “Fill Bree’s Bowl” pet food drive.
We just learned that the Leadership Team and a 2nd grade classroom are ready to host another “Fill Bree’s Bowl” pet food drive at the school this week. The food will again go to the Rancho Coastal Humane Society Community Pet Food Bank in Encinitas (read more about the bank at http://www.rchumanesociety.org/news_details.asp?ID=305).
When Bree died, we were devastated. It was struggle at first to cope without our best furry friend. Walking Zander to his classroom without Bree on that first morning was one of the toughest days I’ve faced as a mom. But honoring her with the pet food drive made that walk so much easier.
(That walk is made even easier now, of course, because of Dancer, who is Bree’s half-sister.)
If you live in North County or are in the neighborhood, we invite you to make a donation in Bree’s name at the Rancho Coastal Humane Society. It is located at 389 Requeza Street, Encinitas, CA 92024, (760) 753-6413, with hours 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Monday, closed Tuesday. If you’d like to honor her another way, that would make us very happy as well.
Bree loved to chase balls (sock balls included). So perhaps you could throw a ball to your dog and think, “This one’s for Bree.”
Zander, Yep, I will catch a ball for Ms. Bree, an old soul if I every met one. I raised her and taught her everything I knew before I turned her over to you. You made her smile and filled her world. Love you, Charlee Bear