Once in a while, a person is lucky enough to meet their soulmate and if they are really lucky, that soulmate is a dog who loves them unconditionally, who wags their tail when you come through the door, and who takes up most of the bed at night.
For me, Lampe was that soulmate. He came into my life after I graduated college and had moved to a different state. I first saw his photo on PetFinder.com where he was being fostered in Bixby, Oklahoma under the name, Tuffy. My mom and I drove down for a meet and greet and at the end, Lampe jumped into the passenger seat of my car, no questions asked. He had chosen me. Since then, he was by my side day and night. We would go kayaking on the Finley River where he loved to lay on the bow of the kayak like a drowned-rat figurehead. We would go for short runs through the hilly roads of Ozark, Missouri. He loved to chase squirrels, birds, and balloons. At night, he would curl up and sleep at my feet.
We had seven wonderful years together. He was with me as I moved from Missouri to Colorado and before Kyle could join us in Colorado, it was just me and Lampe for a few months. We explored Horsetooth Mountain. We investigated the squirrels at City Park, and we even treated ourselves to the occasional (dog-friendly) popsicle at Revolution Pops in Old Town, Fort Collins.
Then, on April 2nd 2022 at 3am, while I was out of town, Lampe died. He was 8 and a half years old. Kyle raced him to the Colorado State University Emergency Veterinarian, but he was pronounced dead upon arrived. As of April 12th, his cause of death remains unknown.
On November 6th, 2022 I will run the New York Marathon for Lampe, my running paw-tner and soulmate, as a member of Team Animal League. It is my goal to raise funds for Animal League so that other animals can find their furever home as Lampe found his.