Miyoko - April 2, 2006 - May 8, 2008

This is a small tribute to a special dog, Miyoko, and her adored human, Andy. I don't know the full story of Miyoko, but I do know that Andy got her as a pup and put his whole heart into giving her the very best life anyone could possibly imagine for a dog. He taught her street safety, and did such a fine job, she never required a leash. Not a ball, not a squirrel, not someone calling, could tempt Miyoko off the curb, unless she had Andy's permission. This is not to say she didn't have a mind of her own, but as Andy said, "She was just being a woman." Miyoko and Andy were seldom apart. They went to work together at the race track, and they spent countless hours in the forest and along the riverside of Bridgeman Park. They also dropped by Hamersley Park in the evenings, which is where Black Jack and I first met them when I moved to North Vancouver. Miyoko had unbelievable joy in her; she could play with the best of them without ever losing her cool. She was the diplomat of the dog park, eager to meet and greet both dogs and humans. When she wasn't there, people would look for her. It always seemed to be more fun when she and Andy arrived on the scene. In spite of Andy's best efforts, and huge veterinarian bills that he's still trying to pay off, he was unable to save her when she became ill a couple of months ago. He doesn't even have the comfort of a clear answer as to what happened to her. It's a heartbreaking story except for one comforting fact. Miyoko had more love and joy in her short life than many dogs have in a much longer time span. My heart goes out to Andy, but I believe that Miyoko's beautiful spirit will stay with him forever, changing the course of his life in ways that will only become clear as time goes on. In the mean time, those of us who had the opportunity to witness and marvel at the closeness of their relationship will keep them in our thoughts, as Andy does his best to carry on without his best buddy.

Arriving at Hamersley Park

Buddies at Bridgeman Park

Aha!  There's my ball.