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Pet Memorials

Pet Memorials

For many of us, animals are our closest companions and more – they are cherished members of our families. When a companion animal passes on, regardless of circumstances, we may experience a loss that is difficult to process. While how to best honor the life of an animal is a personal choice, creating a memorial to celebrate the life of our friend and family member can help to ease the grief that death causes. The Society offers you the opportunity to create a tribute to your companion animal, to make a memorial donation in your animal’s honor, and to invite others to share in the tribute.

TO SUBMIT A MEMORIAL: Scroll to the form at the bottom of this page. 

Pet Name: Minnie Strouss
Animal Type: Female Cat

Date of Passing: January 2023

Beloved cat.

Donate in Minnie’s Name

Pet Name: Zoe

Animal Type: Female Dog

Date of Birth: September 1, 2008
Date of Passing: August 8, 2022

Zoe was a rescued mixed breed dog originally from Arkansas. She lived with me and loved all the seasons in Maine for more than 12 years. Zoe made a lot of human, canine, and feline friends and was the gentlest dog I ever knew. She is greatly missed.

 -Alice Persons
Donate in Zoe’s Name

Pet Name: Belle
Animal Type: Mare draft horse

Date of Passing: May 31, 2022

Belle was an older, gentle draft horse who came to the MSSPA after a hard life. Meris Bickford adopted her, and she had five years of excellent care and a very good life at the MSSPA farm.

 -Alice Persons
Donate in Belle’s Name

 

Pet Name: Owen
Animal Type: Male cat

Date of Passing: April 2022

Owen was beloved by Leah and David Hyler, and their feline family. He unexpectedly passed due to heart failure.

 -Meris Bickford
Donate in Owen’s Name

Pet Name: Ava Bickford
Animal Type: Female cat
Date of Birth: March 1, 2010

Date of Passing: March 22, 2022

Ava was a wonderful, gentle, friendly cat found as a stray. She liked people, dogs, and other cats and enjoyed her life very much.

 -Alice Persons
Donate in Ava’s Name
Pet Name: Bunny
Animal Type: Miniature Horse, mare
Date of Birth: 2015

Date of Passing: September 15, 2021

 

My beloved miniature horse “Bunny” was taken far too soon. She cantered into heaven when she was just 6 years old.  Bunny was a therapeutic mini horse and thoroughly loved kids, adults, and leaves behind her little mini brother named “Toast.” May Bunny Rest in Heavenly Peace. Forever Loved, Cherished and Forever deeply missed.
                                                                 –Hayley K. Holzhacker
Donate in Bunny’s Name
Pet Name: Lili (fka Pepper)
Animal Type: Horse, mare
Date of Birth: March 18, 1985
Date of Passing: March 19, 2021

Lili was laid to rest this afternoon, one day after her 36th birthday. She was a beautiful girl, inside and out. Our lives were richer by having her in our barn. She will forever be missed by us and her equine companion, Jori. Rest in peace Miss Lili. You were such a joy to us.

-Phyllis and Rob Flint

Donate in Lili’s Name
Pet Name: Junior
Animal Type: handsome male cat
Date of Passing: January 2021

Junior was a longtime companion and dear friend to Sarah Strouss, a friend to cats everywhere.

-Meris Bickford and Windy River

Donate in Junior’s Name
Pet Name: George
Animal Type: cat, male
Date of Birth: May 1, 2003
Date of Passing: December 28, 2020

“George Cooney” was a Maine coon cat adopted from the Animal Refuge League after his mother and litter were fostered. He was a magnificent, smart, very friendly companion for over 17 years.

-Alice Persons

Donate in George’s Name
Pet Name: Duchess (Duchy)
Animal Type: Dog, female
Date of Birth: July 2, 2013
Date of Passing: November 27, 2019

Duchy was a beautiful girl, inside and out. She was a typical GSP with lots of energy, a bit of a drama queen, and the best cuddler on the planet. She loved tennis balls, had a loud & proud bark, and is sorely missed. She passed away tragically in relation to a recent diagnosis of DISH.

-Megan Stiles

Donate in Duchy’s Name
Pet Name: Mr. Grayson
Animal Type: Cat, male
Date of Birth: 2006
Date of Passing: June 12, 2019

Mr. Grayson was a stray who came to the MSSPA when it cared for cats. He was adopted, but eventually his kind owner died and he was returned to the farm. Meris adopted him and he had a good “second life” with her. Mr. Grayson was a magnificent cat who weighed as much as 25 pounds. He was dignified, loving and handsome and is much missed.

-Alice Persons

Donate in Mr. Grayson’s Name
Pet Name: James
Animal Type: Cat, male
Date of Birth: 2008
Date of Passing: April 2019

Sweet Baby James was a beautiful Maine coon owned by my friend Anne. He was a wonderful cat and will always be missed.

-Alice Persons

Donate in James’s Name
Pet Name: Fiona
Animal Type: Cat, female
Date of Birth: Spring 2007
Date of Passing: December 3, 2018

Fiona came to the MSSPA as a stray in 2007 back when they still took in cats and dogs. She brought me nothing but joy for 11 years. She was the sweetest, gentlest, most lady-like cat I have ever had. She is gone now, and very much missed, but will never be forgotten.

-Alice Persons

Donate in Fiona’s Name
Pet Name: Sophie
Animal Type: Dog, female
Date of Birth: February 6, 2003
Date of Passing: July 12, 2018

She was a devoted and loving sheltie for over 15 years, and she is greatly missed.

-Ray Monahan

Donate in Sophie’s Name

Pet Name: Twyla
Animal Type: Horse; Mare

My Great Aunt Juliette was a horse lover; she died in May 2018. This is a photo of her that appeared in a magazine article about Derby Day. The horse is Twyla. Juliette Persons Doster lived in Anniston, Alabama.

-Alice Persons

Donate in Twyla’s Name
Pet Name: Prince Charles
Animal Type: Miniature horse, male
Date of Passing: October 4, 2017

Prince Charles was a bay mini gelding, somewhere in his 30’s when he was euthanized in October. He was one of those ‘pass along’ horses; he lived with me the last 3 years of his life. By the time I got him, he had untreated Cushings, arthritis, and bad laminitis and was about 100 pounds overweight, having been dropped in a pasture while his owner and the pasture owner argued over whether he was a free-lease or a boarder. I bought him for $1. Rumor is, he was once a ‘champion cart horse’ in the Pacific NW before he fetched up in Maine. I was probably the 7th or 8th person to have him here. I miss the old fellow; He had the most beautiful eyes and he deserved better.

-Andrea St. George Jones

Donate in Prince Charles’s Name
mochaPet Name: Mocha (and Manny)
Animal Type: Cat
Female
Date of Passing: August 2016
Date of Birth: March 2003

She and her brother, Manny were the most lovable and tender Siamese! Mocha loved to snuggle, loved playing fetch with a tiny wad of paper and loved playing hide and seek. We miss her and her brother Manny like crazy.

-Deb and Pete Gellerson

Donate in Mocha’s Name
newman-lounges-on-stovePet Name: Newman
Animal Type: Cat
Male
Date of Passing: August 20, 2016
Date of Birth: April 2002

A tiny kitten, Newman was rescued from a road in rural Maine by Meris Bickford, CEO of MSSPA. He grew to be a 20-pound behemoth. He was a neighborhood character and fierce hunter. Newman lived with diabetes and other health issues; he mellowed into a calm indoor cat in his last years. A poem about him was read by Garrison Keillor on The Writer’s Almanac on NPR: “To My Cat With An Eating Disorder.” Newman was one of a kind.

-Alice Persons

Donate in Newman’s Name
Deisel and LambertPet Name: Diesel
Animal Type: Dog
Male
Date of Passing: June 3, 2012
Date of Birth: October 21, 2006

Diesel was my constant companion. He spent every day with me on the farm and shared every meal. I spoiled him but what he gave back to me was priceless. It’s hard to imagine my life without him. I know he is in a better place after his struggle with pancreatic cancer and he watches me every day. You were a good dog, D.

-Marie Fisk

Donate in Diesel’s Name
Olivia closeup1_0Pet Name: Olivia
Animal Type: Cat
Female
Date of Passing: January 30, 2012
Date of Birth: Sat, May 1, 1993

Olivia was a rescued cat who lived to be almost 20. She was a tiny, dirty, frightened, abused kitten when I adopted her. She would not let me pet her for about 6 months. Little Olivia never got any bigger than about 7 pounds, but she was lightning quick, very sweet and grateful for her life as an indoor cat. She loved to eat, sleep in the sun, and gentle stroking. I miss her.

-Alice Persons

Donate in Olivia’s Name
Pet Name: Trixie
Animal Type: Horse
Female
Date of Passing: April 1, 2005
Date of Birth: June 1, 1980

I first fell in love with Trixie at the age of nine, on the day she was born on a neighbors farm. She became mine on Easter morning of 1980 and for the next twenty-five years she was my best friend, alter-ego, and confidant. Her unconditional love and acceptance gave me the strength to set goals, believe in myself, and to stand strong against my father’s psychological cruelties and demeaning attitude. By example, Trixie showed me how to become the type of person I wanted to be, one capable of love, compassion, and generosity.

-Kimberly Sue McLaughlin

Donate in Trixie’s Name
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