Bella, when she arrived, was expected to stay with us for only six months. She ended up spending the rest of her life, another eight years, as a beloved member of our family. A very deep bond had developed between me and Bella by the end of those six months and when her previous human said she would not be able to take Bella back and wondered if we would be willing to formally adopt her we agreed without hesitation.
I have been blessed to share my life with many beautiful and loving animal companions. I can safely assert that the bond between Bella and me deeper than any prior one I had experienced. She was a friendly but somewhat shy Pug, reserved when meeting someone new and made sure to stay right by my side in social settings. When fully healthy she would follow me about the house but settle right down when I stopped moving around. She was a near constant companion during the pandemic years when I was working from home full time.
As she began to experience a downturn in her health early in 2023 my days with Bella were spent making sure she was comfortable and had what she needed. In the last months, when her condition began to interfere with her sleep and created barriers to sharing the bed with her humans, I would often find a dog bed on the floor and sleep beside her, so she knew she was safe and loved.
I cannot explain how deep the hole she has left in my heart really is. She was "my girl".