Otis
This is our Otis. Otis, and his sister, Trixie, came to our home when he and his sister were three years old, to join our pug Bear. A few months ago Otis was having trouble with his back legs and started acupuncture treatments. However, our Otis was not fond of the acupuncture needles and would kick them off, or move around and they would fall off. In December, he received one laser acupuncture treatment. The laser was not as stressful on him and we were hopeful that it would help him. However, the very cold weather in January, 2013 took a toll on his little back legs and he was falling on the snow and cold pavement and would whine. At night he would whine while in his cage (we called it his house). He would try to get comfortable on his bed in our living room, but obviously was in pain because he would whine while trying to make himself comfortable. We got him a walking cart for his back legs and he did not like the cart when it was strapped to him and would deliberately bow on his front legs with his little behind in the air and would not walk with the cart (typical stubborn pug) and he was losing control of his bladder and bowel movements. So, we decided the best thing to do for Otis was put him to rest so he would not be in any more pain. We put him to rest on January 25, 2013. I took him by myself to the vet (my husband had a doctor's appointment) and held him until he took his last breath and then cried along with the staff at our veterinary office. Otis will be greatly missed. He was a mellow little guy and we loved him very much. I want to put his ashes in Shiawassee Park because he enjoyed the picnic so much!

Emma
Because of MPR, Emma had a good and healthy life. She was a sweet dog that loved being held, laying in the sun, and hanging out with her sister dogs. Ruth

Porthos
My beloved Porthos, you brought such a smile to me 9 yrs ago when i met you i immediately felt this connections between us. I saw you for the first time wow how beautiful you were.Not only were you my best friend but companion, car buddy. . I loved having you in my life, how much you made me smile, laugh and cry when you got sick. You were there for me through three cancers, licking my tears and legs when i was sick for that we had such a bond. We always knew what each other was thinking, with out a hint. You were so loyal that is one of the many things i will hold dear to my heart., How sad and empty my heart feels with out you . My heart is broken and will never be the same. I cherished you each and everyday and will continue to do so. Thanks for being in my life and fulfilling it with the many yrs we had together. daddy

Olive aka Precious
'We want Precious! We want Precious!' Seeing an adorable 1.5 year old up for adoption on the MPR website was how Olive (Precious) first came into all of our minds. Not long after, she came into our hearts. She pawed, licked and snuggled her way into our lives so quickly, it's now hard to imagine a world pre-Olive. Olive was a sweet dog. She was great with adults and wonderful with children. She wanted to be petted, cuddled and to be as close to you as possible. (And given a few treats.) She was also quite a character. Her tongue was always hanging out the side of her mouth. She loved to sit up high, especially on our shoulders or the back of the couch. Olive also liked to do a military type crawl on her belly across the floor, although that was probably the only athletic training she ever attempted. She was quite the photogenic pug as well and eventually became a proficient Skyper. In fact, she started to look forward to her Skype sessions with her sisters in Chicago and Washington DC. Olive meant something to all of us. She was a snuggle buddy. An integral part of our day. A constant companion. A reminder of the happiness of home. A bed warmer. An occasionally well-meaning nuisance and guide dog (to her senior pug aunt, Tess Louise). In our unique ways we loved her with all our might. She knew it too. She knew it from the snuggles, the treats, the warm towels after her baths, and the love that was always directed her way. In September 2012, we could tell Olive wasn't feeling well. She wasn't her bubbly self and after a few weeks of trying to figure out what was going on, we came to understand that our furry little girl was in debilitating pain from either a brain tumor or lesion. We didn't want her to suffer; we wanted to show her the love and affection that she had always shown our family. Sadly, Olive was taken too early in her sweet life. It's quiet now without Olive around. There's no constant snoring. No dog tags jingling & pitter patter of paws as she makes her way to the kitchen after hearing the fridge open. There is something missing in our home, but Olive will live forever in our hearts.

Lucy
On October 15, 2012, our beloved Lucy went to dog heaven. She was surrounded by those who loved her including Micky our other pug and her vets - one who wore a pug tie to honor her! One of her other vets who returned to his home in Australia, was also extremely fond of her. He loved her so much that he asked that I continue to send updates and pictures of her. Lucy had fans not only throughout the country but in Australia! This vet was the one who named her the amazing wonder pug. In January of this year, Lucy was diagnosed with an aggressive bone cancer that was located on her jaw. Her quality of life was good and we were told she had about 3 months to live. We decided to skip chemotherapy and radiation and we knew surgery couldn’t be done because of the location of her tumor. We committed to giving her the best 3 months possible. I was her personal vacation planner, chauffeur, chef, massage therapist, groomer, nurse, security guard and advocate. She milked the hospice care for everything she could get – and we spoiled her rotten! She traveled from our home in Philadelphia to Ocean City, MD for a week-long family vacation. We all had a great time. She also attended this year’s Michigan Pug Reunion – she really enjoyed the long car ride, seeing human and dog friends, staying in the hotel and waiting for room service to bring food. She lived 9 months - 6 months longer than expected without surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Because she lived so long with a good quality of life, the vets at the university hospital will examine her to see if they can learn some things that will help other dogs and their owners. We all truly miss the amazing wonder pug who loved to watch television, and was the most curious, cutest and craziest pet we ever owned! Our lives will be forever changed because we loved her and she loved us. She will always hold a special place in our hearts because she was so brave, friendly and cared so much for her family.