Shelter Dog Meal Donation Count:

Learn More

Dog Dad Pens Emotional Poem From His Late Dog’s Perspective

Written by: Molly Weinfurter
Molly Weinfurter is a writer for iHeartDogs, and she’s passionate about helping animals in need. She volunteers for Bailing Out Benji and a local dog rescue.Read more
| Published on November 9, 2022

Dogs are more than just pets. They’re companions, family members, and loved ones. Many people spend more time going on adventures with their dogs than they do with many of the humans in their life, so losing a furry friend is more heartbreaking than we could ever anticipate.

Alec Longhurst had a special connection with his Border Terrier named Ted. The two would go on walks at some of the most beautiful places in England, including The Leasowes park in Halesowen. On their walks, they witnessed some of the most mesmerizing plants and animals, so they shared their experiences with the world.

Man and his dog
Facebook

Exploring the World Together

Alec and Ted became local celebrities during the COVID-19 lockdown. During their twice daily walks, Alec would take gorgeous photos of the plants and animals they saw and share them on social media. People fell in love with the duo because they brought some beauty during difficult times.

Ted became known around the area as “The Leasowes Dog” because of his frequent trips to the fascinating park. BBC even filmed one of Alec and Ted’s walks.

Sadly, Ted was diagnosed with skin cancer in March 2021 and given only three months to live. Yet, despite all odds, he kept going strong until October 2022, when he passed away at about 14 years old. Alec was devastated, but he was grateful that he got so much extra time with his furry friend.

Border Terrier going on adventures
Facebook

As a way to honor Ted, Alec wrote an emotional poem from the pup’s perspective. He posted it in the “Friends of the Leasowes” Facebook group so anyone following Ted’s story could see it.

A Poem for Ted

Here’s the poem Alec posted:

“There was a place,
Quite near to me,
Called Leasowes Park,
With much to see.
It’s where I’ve walked,
For 15 years,
With Mom and Dad,
Today in tears.
My time has come,
No more robin call,
Or dad throwing,
My blue ball.
I’ve chased the rabbits,
The squirrels too,
I’ve seen the Kingfisher,
With that splash of blue!
Those green parakeets,
With that weird squawk,
And that scary big bird,
Called the Harris Hawk.
The heron was,
A favourite of mine,
Happily sitting,
On the no fishing sign.
I loved the seasons,
The Spring I sought,
The bluebells and wild garlic,
Such beauty it brought.
I loved the snow,
With me getting wet,
And I especially loved.
The orange sunsets.
I heard pecking Woodpeckers,
And buzzards too,
Mothers with ducklings,
So fluffy and new.
In to Stennels pond,
I once pushed my ball,
Stuck in lily pads,
Not funny at all.
I couldn’t get out,
I was starting to drown,
Mom was in panic,
Dad had a frown.
But he stripped off,
And swam to me,
He was so dripping wet,
It was funny to see.
I liked the fox,
He was my size,
With a beautiful coat,
And beautiful eyes.
I’d lie down with Dad,
Sometimes on his lap,
Exploring fungi,
And the odd wax cap.
The Longhorn Cattle,
Were such great fun,
They’d come over to me,
And sniff my bum.
I’ve swam and splashed,
In the pools and lake,
And drank from cascading steps,
When I needed a break.
But now my time,
Has come to an end,
I was Ted,
I was everyone’s friend.
If you sit by Stennels,
Just marvel the view,
Cause I’ll be nearby,
Looking over you!”
Collage of Ted the dog
Facebook

After posting the poem, Alec got an overwhelming amount of support from fellow residents. Over 150 people commented to share their condolences. Everyone loved Ted, even if they never got the chance to meet him in person.

Featured Image: Facebook

Recent Articles

Interested in learning even more about all things dogs? Get your paws on more great content from iHeartDogs!

Read the Blog