Paws In Heaven

09/04/2026

Tanker was my best friend. I got him at 8 weeks old and he was the most loyal dog we’ve ever had. He never left my side. If I were outside he would be outside with me.
What ever room I was in, he was with me. Our family loves him dearly and miss him so much. Many thanks to Dr. Randazzo for giving us such peace and dignity in his passing. We are forever grateful to her.

08/22/2026

Lola came into my life in 2011 when I was 14 as a surprise gift for my mom. My mom did not want her, but I convinced her to keep Lola. Lola immediately became my dog. She went to my dad’s with me on the weekends and once I got my drivers license, she came with me everywhere. She was a great travel companion. In 2014, Lola was diagnosed with glaucoma and once the eye drops no longer helped with the swelling, the vet recommended euthanasia or removal of both eyes. I wanted to remove the eyes as she was blind anyway and still had so much life ahead of her. My mother was adamant that we would not have a dog with no eyes, so my grandpa and I snuck Lola out of the house in the early hours of the morning so she could have her surgery. That was the first day of my senior year of high school and I remember being so anxious to hear about my girl. The surgery went well and I picked her up after school. She was much happier already, she didn’t have to hide under the bed in pain anymore. The following year Lola and I moved to Colorado together, then back to Missouri when my husband and I first moved in together. She was with us through many trips, getting married, buying our house and having our two kids. Lola always adjusted well and was always so gentle and easygoing. Over the past three years, Lola declined severely and began having many accidents in the house and not wanting to eat much. The worst was the confusion, she would wonder the house all day bumping into things. Our heads knew it was time, but our hearts couldn’t do it in the hope she would peacefully pass in her sleep at home. We finally made the decision on August 1st 2026 to put Lola down. It was a heartbreaking day and the silence through the house without her was deafening. Though we were lucky to have had fifteen years with her, our home will never be the same without our girl.

08/18/2026

Tommy has been a huge part of our family since 2015. He was a Puppies for Parole dog when we saw his picture and went to meet him we knew right then and there he was coming home with us. He was described as a clown and he definitely was. He was such a wonderful part of our family and such a good boy. We miss coming home to his smiling face and his funny way of telling me to hurry up with his breakfast and dinner. Our sweet boy went to rest on August 4, 2026 and the house seems so empty without him. Dr. Randazzo helped us through the agonizing decision and process and we were with our Tommy until the end. He will forever be in our hearts.

08/17/2026

My family had to say goodbye to our dog Clara of 15 years. We adopted her from Second Chance in Columbia. She was a well tempered, fun and loving dog who loved to give little kisses on your nose. We are very thankful to have Paws from Heaven, Dr. Randazzo, help us through this process so Clara can pass in her home surrounded by her family.

08/15/2026

We had to say goodbye to our sweet Thelma girl after a wonderful 18 years with her.

Thelma bonded with my children as they grew up. She became particularly fond of my son Eric and we would often refer to her as Eric’s cat. He was her person. She hung out in his room and was very devoted and loving to him. To her I was just her feeder and her cleaner of the litter box! As Eric grew up and moved out, Thelma and I bonded. After her sister Louise passed away, we truly became best friends. We traveled together from Missouri to Michigan many times. She was an amazing little traveler, as she would sleep on the seat next to me, but would get up, jump down and use her litter box while cruising down the highway at 70 mph! She adapted to every new surroundings like a champ! We worked through the management of her chronic kidney disease with many trips to the vet for fluids, bloodwork and prescription refills. We were getting old together and I always referred to us as the two traveling old ladies.

Thelma loved her fancy feast food, her electric blanket, her special little kitty bed she received for Christmas. In the summer she adored lounging on the screened in porch! But mostly, Thelma loved her humans and snuggling with them

At night she would sleep with me purring loudly, asking for pets and nuzzling right into me so that her head would rest on my shoulder. Oh how I miss that now. 💔

When she passed a piece of my heart went with her. I miss her everyday!

RIP my sweet Thelma! I love you so much!

08/13/2026

I'll never have adequate words to describe how special Kalli was. To convey how loved she was or the joy she brought to my life. I met Kalli for the first time in October 2021 while moving into a new home. I was told that she was a neighborhood cat. I was never a cat person, but I'll never forget how happy I felt the first time she crawled into my lap sitting on the porch. Then in November 2021 appliances were being delivered. Not only did she let herself in, but she went straight up the stairs, ran past both dogs, and curled up in a throw blanket on the couch like she had lived there her entire life. I was informed that this was just the cat redistribution system at work. Just like that, I had a cat.

During her first vet appointment I asked how old they thought she was. When they said "2", my response was "You mean decades? Because I never intended to have a stray cat that long". Now I would give anything for 2 decades with her. Little did I know when she moved in that she would be such a medically complex little thing. It was due to that medical complexity that I made the decision to put her to rest.

Kalli only had 7(ish) years in this world, which are far fewer years than she deserved. Getting to spend the last 5 years with her is the best gift I've ever been given. Kalli was a strange cat. I truly believe she thought she was a dog. She did not tolerate other cats, but she was the best of friends with her aussie sister, Brandy. They would snuggle, share the same water bowls, and squirrel watch for hours. Kalli never met a stranger. If you came in the house and had 2 hands, she expected both to swiftly be put to use loving on her. She even liked the occasional belly rub. If I was at home and sitting still, she was snuggling me. My favorite part of every day was bed time. She would jump straight in bed and curl up on my arm, nuzzling her little head under my chin. When morning came and it was time for breakfast, she wasn't shy about licking my face until I got up (just like a dog) to feed her. I have went through some of the hardest moments of my life during these last 5 years. Kalli has been there, loved me, made me smile, laugh, and made sure that I never felt alone. She was the very best friend I've ever had and never knew I needed. I hope she knew, even through her last moments, how deeply loved and cherished she was. And I hope that she and Brandy have found the very best squirrel watching spots on the other side of the rainbow bridge. I'll never stop being thankful that she chose to love me.

08/12/2026

Jude was my sister and I cat for 16 years. We got her when she was 3 from a friend who loved her but became allergic. We fell in love immediately she had so much personality and was so loving! Jude loved posing for pictures, getting pets from anyone and playing in boxes with her catnip toys. She was truly the softest cat. We were heart broken in May to learn she had terminal jaw cancer. We did the best we could and made her last months comfortable but sadly in mid July we had to decide to let her go. On July 18th we spent the morning with her and she ate a lot of a treat for her last meal and had a full tummy nap at noon Dr. Angie came to give her peace in our home. It was sad but beautiful and such a relief to do it at home. We miss her everyday but are so thankful for the time we had with her. She was absolutely perfect in every way and we love her so much. Rest in peace Jude until we meet again ❤️🩶❤️

07/13/2026

Yogi came to us in 2015 after being tied to a tree with nothing but a bag of food. From that day forward, Yogi lived life unrestrained.

In the spring, Yogi romped through the woods, his bobbing tail and the rustling of fresh foliage the only sign he was still nearby. In the summer, Yogi swam and swam and swam until he grew tired enough to nap the afternoon away. In fall, Yogi would find a patch of sun in the backyard and sit, sniffing the air as leaves fell and squirrels darted past. In winter, Yogi took on snow in leaps and bounds, until the cold penetrated his double coat.

Yogi was not a singular being – he had a unique and ever-changing relationship which each of us.

Yogi stole Lili’s heart from the moment he joined our family. They’d rile each other up playing before bed, snuggle while watching movies, and spent many hot summer days swimming in the lake together. Every morning Lili sat with Yogi in his bed by the door and every evening she kissed him goodnight. Whenever Lili left for college, Yogi would jump in the back seat of her car, not yet ready to say goodbye. And every time she returned, they outdid each other’s excitement.

With Robin, Yogi found confidence, trust, and safety in routine, and returned that favor every chance he got. Every Saturday morning, they’d hike together, covering miles of trail in rain or shine, hot or cold. When Robin worked from home, Yogi sat by her side and made sure to alert her the moment 5pm rolled around that it was time to quit work and feed him dinner. When Robin was home alone, he’d sleep next to her in bed, his presence comforting and assuring.

Yogi brought out Gary’s soft side, as they shared many long days, just the two of them. They’d go for sprawling hikes at Cosmo Park, wandering the intersecting trails for hours. When Gary sat down to read or watch golf after lunch, Yogi was there, waiting to have his head scratched or belly rubbed. Together, they’d retire for an afternoon nap. Every night after dinner, Yogi sat by dishwasher, knowing that sooner or later Gary would slip him a treat or plate to lick.

We will miss Yogi’s large, pointed ears, which he never quite grew into. We’ll miss the click-clack of his nails, and the jingle of his collar, and the way his paws slid across the hardwood floors. We’ll miss the way he’d watch deer in the yard, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and the way he could never catch them, no matter how hard he tried. We will miss the way Yogi slept, his belly up and legs tangled like a pretzel. We will miss his companionship, his goofy expressions, and his trusting and steadfast love.

But mostly, we are grateful. Grateful for eleven long years. Grateful for the joy and peace he brought to our house. Because of Yogi, we have been changed for the better.

07/09/2026

Finley was the epitome of a good dog. From the moment we saw her in the shelter, we knew she needed to be ours. The only dog not barking and bouncing at the bit to get out of her kennel, she was as relaxed in the shelter as she continued to be throughout her life. She didn’t let being a tripod slow her down, at least in her younger years, and she was always down to chase the opossums and squirrels in our backyard. She even caught a rat once! (Gross, I know). Finley loved lounging outside, no matter the temperature, as a typical Pyrenees does. She was almost always calm, but when she had something to say you definitely heard her. We remember the first day we brought her home, hearing her bark outside, we looked at each other and said “Is that our dog with that big bark?!” We definitely did not expect her bark to be so loud and deep.

Finley was our faithful girl for 10 years. Through 3 different houses, one move across the state, to bringing home our newborn son from the hospital, she was there for the bulk of our adulthood so far. She gained a dog sister in 2019 and that gave her a spark of life as she began to age…we think that kept her “young” for a little while longer. Steadfast, supremely sweet, and full of affection, she would let anyone cuddle her and she didn’t know a stranger. We always called her “Mama girl” because she just had that aura about her, that ability to be this constant calm whenever there was change or chaos. She was the best girl, and we were so lucky to be able to call her ours. A piece of our hearts are with her resting now, and we will always miss her. It was an honor to be able to love her so deeply, and while we only had what feels like a short time with her, knowing we gave her a full life to live that was safe and warm and loving is one of the greatest joys of life.

07/04/2026