Putting Yuki down was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.

It’s been two years now. Some days it feels like just yesterday, and other days it feels like a lifetime ago. I sometimes scroll through old pictures of her—those final months—and now I can see what I couldn’t let myself see back then. She had become so thin. Her face had lost its brightness. Her tail, once always wagging, was still.

Looking back, I think I was blind to what I didn’t want to face. I clung to hope, to routine, to the small flickers of her spirit that remained. But in truth, I was afraid to let go. My mom used to tell me, “It’s better to be too early than too late.” I didn’t understand that fully until Yuki. Now I do. Maybe I should have made the decision sooner—but I wasn’t ready. Maybe none of us ever really are.

Still, I have no regrets about loving her. I would do it all over again, even knowing the pain that would come in the end. That old saying, “It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,” has never felt more true. My life was richer, brighter, fuller because of the bond Yuki and I shared.

If you’re reading this and facing a similar decision, I want to offer you something I didn’t give myself enough of—grace. Grace to know it’s okay to wrestle with when. Grace to understand that your heart may never feel completely ready, but your love will guide you. And grace to let go with compassion when it’s time, even if you wish you had more time.

There’s no perfect moment. But when their joy has faded, when pain replaces play, when the sparkle in their eyes grows dim—you’ll know in your heart. And when that time comes, I hope you can remember that letting go is also an act of love. One of the hardest, but one of the most selfless.

Yuki gave me so much. She made me laugh, comforted me when I cried, and filled my days with unconditional love. She taught me that every day truly is a gift. That love—real, loyal, everyday love—is what makes life meaningful.

So love your pets fully, every day. Let them run, snuggle, bark, and beg for one more treat. Take the pictures. Laugh at the silly things. Soak it all in.

And when the time comes, be brave. Be kind. Be grateful.

Because loving them is always worth it.

—Pamela