Remembering Goldie ("Coming Home" Keith Urban -- live vocal cover by Maurice Mataban)

After Goodest Bear passed away in 2019, there was a hole in our hearts that we didn’t expect to ever fill. Then along came Goldie. Her story was similar to Bear’s- chained in a backyard, abandoned by her owners, who left the country and didn’t take her with them. She was left out there for a week before someone finally alerted authorities. While recovering from poor health, Goldie eventually made her way to Save-A-Pet in Port Jefferson, the same animal rescue where we adopted Goodest Bear! When they shared her story on Facebook, we knew it was meant to be!
As Bear declined in health and could hardly walk anymore, it had become a physical hardship to help him carry his weight. Not that we weren’t glad to help him, just that we can’t deny that it was difficult. Because of that, Kerrie never wanted a dog that big again, and Bear was only 65lbs.
Wanna make God laugh? Tell Him your plans! Sure enough, Goldie was literally twice the size of Bear! Her peak weight was around 140lbs, and she was so big that the good folks at Save-A-Pet kept her behind the front desk because the kennels were too small for her. lol It was there that she also earned the name Wigglebutt, for obvious reasons. lol When I first met Wigglebutt (or Wiggles for short), I remember being so fascinated by the size of her giant head, her exaggerated nose, and her big lion feet! She was a gentle giant, though- lightly nibbling on her toys, and taking treats from my hand in the softest manner possible. Oh, and she loooved to sleep! Lol
Despite her gentle nature, she was also a fierce protector. She was Kerrie’s shadow, following her everywhere, always at her feet, guarding the door if Kerrie was in the bathroom, and would bark at and charge full speed at anything she deemed a threat to Kerrie. She was a wonderful guard dog. The absolute best.
Save-A-Pet estimated Goldie’s age to be around 9 when we adopted her. Considering her age, and the fact that larger dogs tend to have shorter lifespans, we were hoping to get maybe 2 more healthy years out of her, giving her the love she never had, making her forget her past life, and making her last years her best years. Instead, we were blessed with nearly 5 years together!! 5 incredible years of unimaginable love that I wouldn’t trade for anything. 5 years of fulfilling a promise to Goldie that also helped us become better humans in the process.
While we knew all along that this journey was temporary, it still hurt so bad to have to say goodbye. Despite a very healthy final month, where she had found the fountain of youth, thanks to Librela, she suddenly became very ill for two days… and even after an emergency vet visit and lots of heartfelt prayer, Goldie passed away in her sleep… in the safety of her own home, on her favorite bed, lying next to her favorite human, knowing she was loved. No more fear. No more pain.
I’ve cried and cried, and I’m sure I’ll still cry plenty more, but I have no regrets. If someone else had given Goldie this much love, I would’ve been so happy for her (and them). Instead, we were the ones blessed with that role, and I’m ever so thankful. And we will miss her, as she wasn’t just a pet, or even just a family member, but she was and is part of who we are. This house has never known life without her or Bear.
This video is to honor the memory of Goodest Goldie. One of the photos included is the last one I took of her when she was healthy. She was having an anxiety attack, so I laid down next to her on her bed, and she fell asleep peacefully. I suppose if her journey with us could be summarized in one moment, that would be it. We love you Goldie Wigglebutt. Thank you for everything. You did good, Goodest Wiggles. Rest in peace. ❤️

[@Deeloyal]

Love this, I know this….. you’ll see him again 💯

[@yvonnelv1308]

You were the best Pawrents to Goldie. Enjoy your memories. You gave her such a good life ❤

[@joanndesalvo-yt3gr]

Great tribute ❤️

[@kerrierank]

I cried! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@presidentofswag9157]

Rip Goldie 😭

[@soochankim58]

So sorry for your loss, Rest In Peace Goldie🫶❤️🙏