A Banbridge dog park has paid tribute to their “best dog in the world” after his passing just days after celebrating 17th birthday.
Beechgrove Doggy Fun Park made the sad announcement on their Facebook page on Tuesday that their beloved dog ‘Jet’ had passed away… just two days after celebrating his 17th birthday.
To celebrate his 17th birthday, Jet had a joint ‘snuffle party’ with his four-legged friend, Monty who was turning 12 the same week. The two pups who were “a little old for zooming around this year” enjoyed a doggy playdate with all their friends.
“My goodness, 17 years of Jetty – how lucky are we? Every single day spent with this boy is a privilege that I do not take for granted, I’m so incredibly grateful for every moment we get to spend with him,” said Beechgrove Doggy Fun Park.
“He’s made friends with generations of dogs at the park, and he’s helped hundreds of dogs with social rehab in his lifetime. Bless him, he still loves nothing more than a wee (wobbly) flirt with a sassy lady friend.”
“I don’t know how much longer we’ll be lucky enough to have him here, but every single moment with him will be treasured. He’s given us 17 years of loyalty, love & family – we’ll give him comfort and love for as long as he’s with us .”
Sadly, just two days later, Beechgrove released an updated statement to announced Jet’s passing. The post read: “Where to start. 17 years of love and chaos has been the honour of a lifetime.
“We’re so incredibly lucky to have been able to share our lives with him. I know we all think our dogs are the best dog in the world, but I can’t express just how special Jet was.
“He had such a terrible start in life, and what was supposed to be an emergency foster for a week or two until we could get him settled somewhere safe became a lifetime of the best friend we could ever ask for.
“He came to us around 5 months old, skin & bones and nearly feral. We had our hands full with resource guarding, aggression and crippling phobias already, but also with a silly, sweet puppy who just needed love and help.
A familiar furry face to anyone who attended the dog park, Jet never missed the chance to meet and greet visitors and even played his own role as ‘shopkeeper’ in the Canine Wellness shop.
“He grew up at the park – it was absolutely his favourite place on Earth, even as his eyesight worsened this last year, his park was the one place he felt safe enough to roam freely. He knew every inch of it.
“He spent the majority of his life there, having an absolute blast with friends when he was young, genuinely working and helping other dogs with social rehab when they needed an understanding friend, and then in his late years he just lived for going to work. He NEVER wanted to miss a day and frequently argued with me on the cold, wet winter mornings if I tried to leave him at home to stay comfortable. How dare I.
“He’s been the best shopkeeper I could have ever asked for. The Canine Wellness Shop started from learning how to help him – I owe him absolutely everything that I’ve learned and been able to help other dogs with.
“We can’t begin to thank everyone for the impact they’ve had on his life – our visitors over the past 17 years who have allowed him to work with, or even just flirt with, their dogs and have such an enriched life with so many friends.
“I don’t have enough words to share how grateful we are to have had Jet in our lives and how privileged we’ve been that it’s been such a long and happy life for him.
“Thank you Jetty, for everything. We’ll love you forever”.
