All Dogs Go To Heaven: In Loving Memory of Darla

On Christmas Eve morning, one of the sweetest clients we’ve met said goodbye to her best friend. Two short years ago, Samantha moved to Dallas from Michigan to go to nursing school. Soon after, she offered to foster Darla, the smiliest little white pit bull mix you ever did meet, from Bull-luv-able Paws and Chi Wawas. Sam soon came to find that Darla had separation anxiety – so much that she chewed her doors when Sam left the house. But that didn’t deter her. Sam and Darla became best friends, and naturally Sam became a “foster failure,” after refusing to allow anyone else to adopt Darla.

At the young age of five, Darla was diagnosed with highly aggressive cancer. We were blessed to get to meet Darla in the early stages while she still felt well. Sam said one of her favorite features were Darla’s “bat ears,” and Darla was happy to oblige and show them to us so we could memorialize them.

We photographed Darla at White Rock Lake, and I swear someone was smiling down on us with the most beautifully perfect sun, which kissed the back of Darla and made her look like an angel.

I teared up during our consult (and again while writing this) when Sam told us that she and Darla had matching friendship bracelets – Sam’s around her wrist and Darla’s around her neck as her collar.

Our clients truly become a part of our family, and we mourn the loss of Darla alongside Sam. Run free over the Rainbow Bridge, sweet girl.