Sharing your feelings and fondest memories facilitates the grieving process. Submit a memorial here or send loving thoughts and energy to those in need of comfort.

You may also want to post your animals on the Pet Prayer List on Facebook.

Thank you for making her life so special and full... Delilah is now home in thegreat savannah in the sky.

She had an extraordinary life and touched all who knew her. She was a bird unlike any other that we have ever known.

While we mourn Delilah's passing, we are thankful for the time she graced us with her presence, and we rejoice in her long life and the fond memories she leaves with each of us. 

Delilah was truly loved and adored by the entire Safari West staff, as well as every visitor who had the good fortune to meet her. Many will remember Delilah's special delight in warming her wing feathers by the outdoor fire pit. Certainly, tens of thousands of school children exclaimed over the bird which reminded many students of the toucan that touts breakfast cereal.

You may also visit our Safari West Critters blog and post your own fond memories of Delilah.

To honor Delilah's memory and her immeasurable contribution to the spirit of Safari West, we are establishing an Education Fund through our Foundation to provide Discover Africa field trips for under served children. To see how you can donate to Delilah's Education Fund or to share some special photos please email delilah@safariwest.com.

With warm thoughts for all of you,
Peter and Nancy Lang and the Safari West Staff

www.safariwest.com

Maggie Moo
You left us on Father's Day, 2010.  I always promised you that when you were ready to pass over I would let you go and I held to that promise even though it was really hard.   You were an inspiration to me in so many ways.  Most of your life you had medical challenges but you just kept on going.  The vet said you had a short time to live 9 years ago and you shared three more years with me which was such a blessing.  I loved how you would say "I love you" and growl the make believe growl when anyone would touch your butt.  I can still see you running around on the property.  Your daddy misses you riding with him in your truck.  He bought that truck with a bench seat just for you when it was hard for you to bend your front legs.  We miss you so much and pray you will always be around in spirit.  We love you mija.

My "Precious Pooh-Bear".......you were and always will be the love of my life. You came to me as my guardian at one of the most difficult times of my life....and you stayed 15 years as long as you possibly could. I still feel the connection with you in spirit, and for that I am forever grateful. When I took you in you were dying of heart worm, I scrounged up every dime I had to treat you and you pulled through. 1 year later you saved myself and my three babies from a raging house fire in the middle of the night.....I always knew you were our angel and our protector. My heart aches for you still. I will keep you tucked away in my heart until we meet again. I love you Pooh-Bear!

Mom....the twins Sarah & Christina and James

We will never forget you Brownie.  You were one special dog and you will be missed so much!  Your whole 4 pounds really filled this house up with life and love.  Thank you for sharing your life with us. 

ALWAYS IN MY HEART

When I walk in the house you are not there,

Then I see your bed and all I can do is stare

Our house is so empty without you here,

I just want to feel that you are still near

I wish I could hear just one last bark,

Or I wish we could swim in the ocean and play at the park

One more ice cream cone and one more bone

is what I would give,

If only you had one more day to live

I have missed you so much since you left us that day,

But you knew that you had to be on your way

Not one time, did you ever show us that you were sick,

All you wanted to do was play with your ball and your stick

Then god called you up to the heavens above

He knew that you have already showed us your love

Each day I have cried because we had to part,

Sophie, you will always have a special place in my heart.

Your big brown eyes will always be in my mind,

Peace, happiness and kitties I hope you will find

Until the day comes that we meet again in the end,

Remember my dear Sophie, that you will always be, my very best friend

I love you and will miss you my Girl!

Sophie may you find:

Warm ocean water to run through

Kitties to chase and lots of ice

cream to lick

` Our sweet K.C passed away October 12, 2006. The time seems to have flown by since, but yet it's crawled at the same time. This has been one of the hardest things I have ever expierenced in my life. I am 33 years old, I got K.C as a tiny little Fox Terrier/ Beagle mix when I was 17. We grew up together.She was my best friend, she was our first child, she was our 9 year old daughter's sister. When she was diagosed with mass-cell cancer 3 years ago our vet didn't think she would make it 6 mon., she was a warrior for the next 3 years...... I realize now that she hated to leave us as much as we hated to lose her, she lived for each of us. She was really going down  hill last year but waited untill our new baby was born and settled in  untill she let us know it was time, the cancer and the pain it brought was taking it's toll. We were forced to make the decision we all dread, but is only fair. They ( the wonderful souls who trust us so) deserve to die with dignity and no suffering, for all they give. We miss her terribly every day, there is a huge void here. Her memory makes me smile, she made me a better person. She touched sooo many lives, she had many fans. K.C was a "good dog", and she will never ever be forgotton. We love you all the way past the stars K.C!!!!

XOXOXOX to infinity,

Mommy, daddy, sissy and Nate Dogg

My Dear Zorro,

Other wise known as Zig, Zigler, Ziggie, Zor and My Baby.
There are not enough words in all the languages of the word to express how much I love you my little boy. You brought so much love and warmth into my life and that of many others. Sleeping with you at my side was my greatest pleasure...even when you hogged the bed!

The touch of your nose against my knee, the wag of your tail every time I came home or turned a corner in the house and there you were. I wish you were under the desk right now where you usually are when I'm on the computer....my feet touching you and giving you a little foot rub. Those big beautiful brown eyes that I could look into and feel so loved and so safe and I you would know too in your heart that my love was looking right back at you. Those soft perfect ears one with the lighting bolt . Those patches over your eyes. The pitter-patter of your paws around the house I love. You at my heels 24/7 I love. The dot at the end of your nose I love. Your mouth with the black lips and dinosaur gums I love. Sitting in the front seat of the car I love. Farting at all the right moments I love! Your feet...I love the smell of your old dog feet...I can smell them now as you lie here. My last moments with your earthly body. You are so perfect and I can only hope you can forgive me my imperfections. I wish I hadn't taken you for granted these last few weeks worrying about your other mother Biko. I assumed you would be with me a few more years. Please visit me in my dreams...I don't feel as I'll ever be able to sleep again with out you.

You will be with me forever...I know because I've in jested enough of your hair for the past 16 years. I'm visualizing you in a better place and you look At Peace right now. I just want you to know what a great soul you were, so sensitive and loving to everyone...you gave me so much my little son. I love you and your mom Biko will be with you soon.

Thanks for all the lessons and being my best friend no matter what.

Love, Kate W.

My darling baby,

My heart breaks from losing you. It has broken into a thousand pieces and I miss you so much. Your last days seemed truly remarkable. I am very happy you were able to enjoy your walks and the out doors. Your spirit was and is so remarkable, I find peace when I think about it. You are and will always remain my very special baby girl. I love you so much, my sweet Lily. You came into our lives just briefly and yet you have touched me in spaces I was not aware was untouched. My baby girl I am sad that I could not give you the gift of dying at home in the out doors but at the hospital. I felt that it was the least painful thing for you, I did not want you to suffer further. You are perfect to me and my heart broke for what you endured these last few months. I love you so much baby Lily and I thank you for being my teacher, friend and most of all my love. You are at peace now, forever free to wander nature. Be happy my baby and visit me sometime. I will always love you.

Mommy

My thanks go out to all my neighbours and friends who where always there for Pumpkin when he or I needed them.
Pumpkin was very special in many ways. He communicated his likes and dislikes clearly and taught me to understand him. He was always loving and forever gentle.
I am glad I found a way to say goodbye to my little tiger. He was only 5 years old and gave me so much love during the 4 1/2 years I was lucky enough to share with him. Though I know he is better of and free of suffering I will always miss him. I know he will guide me in the years to come.

Kisses,
Annemarie, NY

Your newsletter had a special meaning for us this month as we said goodbye to Gabbi this past week and we are struggling on how we are going to get along without her.  Thanks for the article on death transition; it helps us to know that whenever we look for her when we come home; thinking that we hear her snoring at night; thinking we hear her tags tinkling; or thinking we see her asleep on the floor; are all ways that she may be trying to communicate with us.   

You helped all of us so much with your reading.  After you told us she missed walking, I walked with her every evening, sometimes ever so shortly, sometimes I had to jog to keep up with her, and continued to do so until her last night on earth.  As I watched her that last night, with her little legs moving so fast and her ears blowing with the wind, I knew how great it would be for her to be free to run and play.  Although I know in my head this is what she needs, my heart is broken.  

Thank you, Marla, for helping us with one of Gabbi's wishes before she left us.  We will always be indebted to you. 

Regards, Shirley & John Hewitt

I lost one of my best friends on September 12th, she was finally free to run, swim and be in charge as you loved to be of our household. She would greet me at the gate when I got home. When I asked for a hug she would lay her head in my lap. She would tilt her head when I would talk with her so I knew she understood every word I was saying. I miss her tremendously but I'm so happy that I spent her last summer taking her swimming every day at the creek down the road. That was her love, swimming. Kenny hooked up a small trailer to the back of his four wheeler. I put a horse blanket in the trailer for her to leg on and she loved every minute of it. The other two dogs would jump on the back of the four wheeler, I would lower the gate to the trailer and lift her in. She would just lay there until we got to the water. Once at the creek I would lift her out and off she would go swimming. She would swim like the other dogs, it didn't matter in the water that her back legs were giving out and she was having a hard time running. When she was done she would come up to me, I'd load her up, the other dogs would load up and home we would go. What a life. I know she is up in heaving swimming, running and organizing everyone. TT we miss you and love you. We will meet again!!!!

Love you TT, Mom (Karen F)

My dear friends,
Today our dear sweet feline companion and true love passed away at 4:10 pm. The past 2 weeks he rapidly declined to the point of no return. He was the most loving animal I have ever known and I have exceptional gratitude to the universe for giving me such an exceptional gift for the years he was with me.
His giant furry belly, love for tight hugs and outrageous purr will be terribly missed.
He was truly a blessing.

"Into the company of love it all returns." — Robert Creeley

BB, Julie

Bailey was the sweetest dog we have ever known. Big and fierce on the outside but soft as mush on the inside. My Prayers for Bailey are that she did not suffer and that she know that if we could have been with her at her death, we would have been there in an instant. She did not deserve to die in that way and we are so distraught about it. We want her to know that we miss her so so much and will always remember the time we had with her.. God Bless her and keep her safe and at peace.

Love, Mom and Dad and all the Kids

This morning at 6 am my wonderful friend Yoshi passed away.  As you all know he has struggled with the ups and downs of his health for some time, but always had the most incredible attitude.............. it just made me want to do whatever I could to help keep him going............and he did keep going, way beyond what I ever thought possible.  He was a truly amazing dog!  Yesterday was a difficult day for Yoshi he just didn't want to eat or move all day.  I tried to syringe what nutrients and meds I could get down him, but he just didn't want anything.  I am never quite sure what will come of these types of days since he has been so close to the edge so many times, but then does these amazing turnarounds.    By this morning at 5 am I knew that today was going to be the day.  I could tell he was just so tired of fighting and just so weak.  I sat with him for sometime asking him to help me know what to do and telling how much I loved him, and that if he felt it was his time to go.............. that it was ok.  By 6 am he was no longer with me.  I think he must have known I am not able to make these types of decisions, and made it for me.........I am so grateful for that.  

Thank you everyone for your never-ending support and concern............always asking how Yoshi was doing............. I can't tell you how much it means to me. I feel very lucky to have been touched by such an incredible dog.........friend..........................................Uggggg it's just so hard!

Lisa

IN LOVING MEMORY OF E.W. GIRO

I know everyone hurts when we lose our beloved pet but your message from animals really made me realize how true it is.  I lost my horse on July 19, 2006.  I was there for his birth, February 20, 1979, and fortunately I was there for his death, as hard as it was.  He was 27 years old and not just a horse.  He was my best friend and my child as I had raised him since I was 14 years old.  He came every time he saw me and would not stop whinnying until I was touching him.  He was more of a puppy than a horse and if I could have fit him in my house I would.       

He had a shoulder injury, probably from falling, and I was told that maybe with physical therapy and the like he could learn to use other muscles.  During the next two weeks the only plant in bloom on five acres was a daisy bush next to the entrance of his stall.  My beloved dog, Daisy, passed away 7 years ago, and I knew this was her way of telling me that the time was coming.  I wanted to pull the plant!  Then a few days later a crow (raven) was in the barn next to his grain just staring and I knew what the message was.  He didn't fly away, just stared.  When I was soaking the shoulder the same bird sat above us and cawed, each time he did it three times.  I knew but would not accept.  I prayed for at least another year with him.      

I work every day 10 hours at least as a truck driver and sometimes longer.  That day there was no work, I was gone all day with the dogs.  I got home at 4:00 and I was going to drive that night at 6:00.  I got a call at 5:00 from the neighbors saying that he could not get up.  He had layed down and was unable to use his leg to get himself up and was probably down for 4 hours.  It was hot and he was going into shock.  I poured cold water on him and lapped it out of my hand like a dog.  He had a huge hole in his jaw, down to the bone, from hitting his head on the ground trying to get up.  I ran to get a blanket to put under his face and as I left he nickered to me, then I walked around behind him to get more water and each time he could not see me he would nicker as if to say don't leave me.  When the vet arrived and we rolled him over he leaned up and drank and then laid back down with a look in his eye that said "It's OK, I am done".  I had no choice but to do the right thing.    

He knew I could not make the decision and he picked the time and the day and

the way for me.  The rest of the spirit world tried to prepare me. I know he is in a better place but I have not heard from him yet or I am still hurting so bad over it that I cant see the signs.  I miss him so very very much and can't wait to see him again.     

Thank you for the letter, it is another sign that he is OK.

Carla, Petaluma, CA