Be Inspired by a Scottie: McTavish

Losing a Scottie must be one of the hardest experiences. My heart goes out to those Scottie Moms and Dads who have dealt with that loss already. One of the first Scottie Moms I heard from after we announced the Be Inspired by a Scottie series was Scottie Mom Pam. She owned (or was owned by) a little, black Scottish Terrier named McTavish.

McTavish was a lady of many hobbies: she loved chasing her Scottie Mom's C-A-T Sophie, snacking on treats like scrambled eggs, corn bread and popcorn (in moderation and only with Scottie Mom's permission) and cuddling up with Scottie Mom Pam at the end of a long day. In many ways, McTavish was her Scottie Mom's soul mate. Each morning, she would go to her laundry bin full of toys and pull out her favorites so that she and Scottie Mom Pam could start off the day on a playful note. And each evening, McTavish would greet her Scottie Mom and hop on the sofa, ready for a hug.

When she was 12 years old, McTavish found herself struggling with Cushing's disease and congestive heart failure. However, that didn't stop this brave, little girl from being by her Scottie Mom's side. After all, they were soul mates. In December 2009, McTavish welcomed another soul mate into the family as her Scottie Mom said, "I do" to McTavish's Scottie Dad. Just two short months later, knowing her Scottie Mom was safe in the care of another soul mate, McTavish went to sleep one last time and headed out over the rainbow bridge.

Heartbroken, Scottie Mom Pam sought out projects around the house to stay busy so she wouldn't be completely overwhelmed with the loss of her fur baby. She and her new husband had said their goodbyes to sweet McTavish and had buried her in the backyard where they set up a memorial for her. Scottie Mom Pam pulled out a large Ziploc bag full of cancelled postage stamps she used to make jewelry and started sorting through them. To her astonishment, she pulled out a stamp with an image of the largest natural bridge with its name written clearly below: "Rainbow Bridge." In that moment, Scottie Mom Pam knew her sweet McTavish was sending her a message letting her know she had arrived safely on the other side.

Scottie Love like the kind McTavish and her Scottie Mom Pam share is a rare bond that stands both the test of time and spans across dimensions. There is no doubt in my mind what these two shared then (and still share today) is an inspiration for us all to live each moment like it is our last and to love and cherish every moment we have with our four-legged friends. Scottie Mom Pam and her husband have since welcomed another Scottie named Rosie into their home. Rosie turned two just last month. Many thanks to Scottie Mom Pam for sharing her precious McTavish's story and much love goes out to you from the Scottie Mom community.

If you're interested in submitting your Scottie's story for consideration as a Be Inspired by a Scottie piece, please send an email to thescottiemom(at)gmail(dot)com.