By kallerna (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons  By Rev. Mae Elise Cannon

Reblogged from Huffington Post:

This week, my extended family lost a dear loved one — a beautiful 165 lb. puppy (11 years old) named Chief. Chief was a beautiful creature. Understated in temperament. Loyal. Sweet. And a part of our family. It was devastating to see him go. While Chief was not my dog — he belonged to some dear friends — his loss reminded me of the great value pets play in our lives. Pets draw us closer to God and His creation. Chief’s death reminded me of my own journey with animals who have blessed me and my family. This blog is an update on one I wrote more than a year ago, but think it’s story and message is relevant today. As my loved ones grieve the loss of their…