On London

I’d like to share a few thoughts about London, who passed away in April of 2023.

Losing her has been so painful. I miss London every day. I’m also really grateful for the time we had together.

Adopting London was extremely unexpected. When we were visiting the Humane Rescue Alliance in 2018, I was the one admonishing a couple kids before the visit. Saying things like, “we’re only going to look,” and “we already have a dog.”

And then at the shelter we came across London, who was in a separate and more remote area from where most of the dogs were being kept. We learned that London was in that more isolated part of the shelter because she was ten, and dogs her age tend to be way harder to find homes for.

As soon as I saw her, I had trouble looking away. There was so much cuteness but also a lot of pain. A lot of worry. Someone who urgently needed to be saved.

When we were spending time with London at the shelter, she was very cautious and submissive. That all changed when we decided to adopt her. As soon as London got to the lobby of the shelter, the real London arrived on the scene. She was perky and prancing; she just lit up with happiness!

London had an amazing personality. I don’t know how you could have fit more personality into thirteen pounds of dog. She was spunky and playful. She could be aggressive and didn’t get along with other dogs. She was bossy and stubborn. She was also extremely sweet and affectionate. She was such a fun little lady!

London and I were best buddies. We had an incredibly special bond. There are still moments when I’m doing regular things — like shopping at the grocery store — and I’ll burst into tears. Because I miss my dog. Because London was my baby. Because London and I are soulmates.

In some cases, London reminded me of stuff I knew but hadn’t thought about in a long time. About the importance of resilience; about the joy of cherishing the simple things. In other cases, I learned from her. About the beauty of living with flair and being comfortable with who you are; about the awesome power of loving fearlessly.

During the darkest moments of my life, London was there for me in ways that no one else could be. London continues to be the most wonderful mix of love, loyalty, grit, and sunshine.

Everyone who really knew London knows that she was my daughter, that she had a huge personality, and that she was a rescue dog. What fewer people know is that, on the day I signed the paperwork to officially adopt London, that adorable little dog wasn’t the only one being rescued.