Little Nova brought new life into our home after the loss some months earlier of our first family dog. This beautiful little Jack Russell mix stole my heart the moment I saw her, which was the day she first arrived at the shelter. It was love at first sight, and indeed I decided right then that she was a perfect match for our family…. and how true that proved to be! She was sweet and loving, greeting her dad and brothers with wags, whines, and doggie kisses every time she saw them. She soon became my walking companion, and by the time she had been with us just 18 months, she had helped me lose 70 pounds and get in shape for the first time in many years. She truly rescued me, not the other way around.
Nova loved to run in the yard, and to roll in the grass, wiggling and scratching her back. She especially loved chasing squirrels up a big tree in our yard and would get so excited she sometimes tried to climb up after them. She became adept at chasing a Frisbee, but never at retrieving it – instead preferring to play “keep away” and taunting us with it – bringing it close but then running away if we tried to take it back. Though always shy and cautious around children, she was an icon in our neighborhood, and she will be mourned by many more folks than just her family.
Nova was 3 years old when she came to us, and for 9 years we were lucky enough to share our home with her – our faithful and cherished companion. Rest in peace, my sweet girl.
Lovingly written by Nova’s mom, Catherine Walgenbach