TheTemple Dog Years

Saying goodbye to CT and Diane on Monday was especially sad as we knew that they were facing a loss.  Foo, the last of Diane's beloved Chinese Temple dogs was in her last days. In fact, she passed away peacefully in Diane's loving arms later that afternoon.

Diane has nurtured and raised seven of these remarkable dogs, starting with Yan Jing, who went on to have three puppies, including Foo, and ending with the addition of Molly Wu, the Temple dog I adopted when Kate was six months old in 1989.    Molly had been a part time member of Diane's family from the moment we got her - in fact, looking after Molly when we went on holiday was what led Diane to get Yan Jing, Molly's sister the next year.  She then rescued two more Temple dogs, and when the puppies arrived in 2004 her pack numbered six.  Diane offered to care for Molly when she began to suffer from arthritis and other health issues, right around the time I was going through the trauma of divorce.  A typical Diane gesture - her compassion and generosity are boundless.

Under Diane's holistic and intuitive healing care Molly went on to spend her remaining years (many more than she would have had with me I know) as part of this remarkable family.  She was so much happier with her sister and nieces and nephew. The dowager aunt of the pack and got the respect she deserved.

Hilary aged 4 at Auntie Di's

I felt terrible that we'd come at such a sad time but Diane believed it was fitting we were there.  The Temple Dog Years had begun with me, she said, and now she was saying goodbye to that chapter of her life at the same time as she was saying goodbye to me. She saw a circle. There was balance and symmetry.

Dianne has rescued and cared for many other dogs too, and now there's just Riley left.  He's another rescue dog, now blind and arthritic to, but again, living a happy extended life because of Diane's remarkable care.

Here, then, is a tribute to my dear friend:  Diane (Dances With Dogs) Cooper