Hercules was our one and only family dog for 12 years. On September 26, 2009 he was allowed to pass away and be free of the pain and suffering caused by Osteosarcoma. When our vet diagnosed him in June of 2009 we decided to allow him to come home without amputation and treatment to spend a little time with us before we had to say goodbye. We spoiled him with his favorite foods, lots of love and wagon rides around the neighborhood. Almost twelve years ago, right before Christmas, we welcomed him to our home as our family dog . He was there to watch our family grow. During his lifetime we had three children, moved from Virginia to New Jersey , followed by Ohio, Louisiana and finally Massachusetts. He was such a comfort to us when we would move. His loyalty and love for us seemed to be most apparent during these times. He would always adapt quickly to his new environment. He also found a way to run away for short periods in every state we lived in. On one particularly memorable occasion he crossed a state line and turned up in Mississippi. He would worry us sick, but we would always find him! In his younger years he would duck hunt. As he got older he would settle for backyard “hunts” in which ground hogs, squirrels and even skunks would be the object of the chase. He loved to run, run, and run! Of course, like most Labs, swimming was a close second. Playing fetch was also a hit with Herc. He never liked to give up his throw-toy, though. That always took some coaxing. He was exceptionally smart, too. I swear he knew exactly what we were saying many times. Although he would eat about anything if given the chance, peanut butter sandwiches were a favorite. We will never make one without thinking of our sweet yellow dog. I don’t know if animals have souls, but I do believe that God gave us these wonderful creatures as companions to share our lives with. We are thankful that God gave us Hercules to teach us so much about life and death.

Hercules
October 10. 1997-September 26, 2009

Family of Hercules