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On New Year's Eve 2021, we were on a trip, and our girl, Selene (yellow lab), was not doing well. We could not find a vet nearby, so we decided to go back home to our ER vet.

PHOTO: FRAN MELLARD

Just an hour into the drive, our beautiful girl took her last breath with her head in my lap and me petting her head. We had three hours to go before reaching the ER vet, and I sat with her until they came and got her.

Coming home was probably the worst pain my husband and I had ever felt, not having her here. All her stuff was just as she left it. We cried going to bed, we cried as soon as we woke up, we cried in each other's arms. She was our baby and we'd had her since she was 6-weeks-old. We thought since she lived the life of a diva, she'd live to be 15 or older. Never thought she wouldn't make it to 12. She was three months shy of 12. The pain was so unbearable we knew we needed another fur baby to love.

PHOTO: FRAN MELLARD

I wanted a 2-year-old or older. My husband wanted a puppy. I still had memories of our girl as a puppy. The 2-year-old I found was already adopted. Next was an 8-week-old male pup, and he was the one. He was the only male in his litter and he came into our home like he'd always lived here.

He has been such a perfect pup, well 90% perfect. He truly knew we needed him. Oh, and our neighbor adopted his sister five days after we adopted him. He is now 18-months-old and he goes everywhere with us. We truly feel blessed with our little guy, but boy my heart is still broken for my diva girl.

PHOTO: FRAN MELLARD

Story submitted by Fran Mellard.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!