Remembering Luna

In Loving Memory of Little Luna Lyons

Luna left us shortly before midnight on Wednesday, 28 February 2024. To say our hearts shattered that night would be the understatement of the century. This memorial has indeed been the hardest to write.

I saved Luna on a full moon, and she left us at the tail end of the full moon.

Luna was the last surviving member of the #3dogkateers. Losing them all over 16 months has been unbearable for Neal and me.

We both came down with Covid in the days after Luna’s death, and we spent that time together reflecting on the impact she had on our lives and the profound grief we were both feeling and still feel today, a year later.

But then we started reflecting on the amazing years we all spent together. Typing #3dogkateers into Instagram will bring numerous adventures and memories of our three darlings.

Luna’s Rescue and Arrival

Luna joined our family in May 2011 after I saved her from death row at Renbury Farm Animal Shelter.

The first time I was made aware of Luna was through a quickly snapped pound photo that popped up on my Facebook news feed as being on the “urgent” list at the pound. This little dog looked so vulnerable in the pound as she looked up at the person taking the photo.

Her little legs and dainty feet on the cold concrete of the pound. I obsessed over her and continuously checked and refreshed the web page to check if she was “Safe” yet. Every time I checked, she remained “Urgent” in bright red font. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, and before long, the dreaded day was looming when she would be at risk of being euthanised.

On the eve of that date, I messaged several rescue groups through Facebook, trying to find one that would save her if I offered to foster her. Only one responded – Coastal Paws Rescue. They contacted the pound the next morning to tell them they would take her and that I would pick her up that Friday afternoon. Friday, 20 May 2011, was the day I first met our little Luna. It was one of the best days of my life.

Bringing Luna Home

I drove to the pound to pick her up. She was more perfect than I could ever have imagined. I saw her immediately as I walked up to the kennel block. She was pleadingly looking up at everyone who passed by. Then I walked to her. She was ecstatic to see me, the most joyful little dog I had ever met, with so much hope in her eyes. My heart almost burst out of my chest.

When we got home, we sat with her quietly, big rugs on the floor. She settled in next to Daisy, and although a little overwhelmed, her little sighs showed us her relief, as I know on the journey home, she was wondering where she was being taken. The next day, she started coming out of her shell… I put the beds out in the sun, and she rolled around, snorting with happiness.

Evidently, she’d only recently had pups, and I often wondered where and what they were like.

Luna’s Adventures and Joyful Spirit

Just one week after I saved her, we went away to Shoalhaven Heads for our first wedding anniversary, and Luna’s happiness was so heartwarming. The joy in her face as she ran freely along the beach with Ruby, our Border Collie, and Daisy, our Jack Russell Terrier, was priceless. She knew she’d found her family, and we felt so blessed to have this delicate and dainty dog in our lives.

When Daisy, Luna, and Harvey were younger dogs, we had many adventures together—camping, road trips, getaways—and we even snuck them onto a luxury campervan and spent 10 days travelling from Sydney to the Great Ocean Road and back. They were such great mates.

Luna was the clown of the family. She had a husky bark, little red ears, and a little red patch over her right eye. Her feet were so dainty, like geisha feet. Her eyes reached into your soul.

Luna’s Unique Personality

Luna was the easiest dog I’ve ever had in my life, and by that I mean that she was a no-fuss kind of dog, just happy to be with you and with no idiosyncrasies or issues. She was an absolute clown and would bury her head into blankets or soft beds, snorting with her bum high in the air and tail wagging.

Luna was a great communicator. She never barked in alarm or to warn us that someone was at the front door. She barked in communication. She barked directly at us when she wanted something. We could then work out what she wanted – we’d go through all the possibilities – walk, snack, wee wees, studio – and bang, once you landed on the correct word her face would turn, nose in the air, upwards to the right. She loved to referee ball games with the other dogs.

I’m grateful for all the blog posts I wrote in those first few years on the farm as I now have so many beautiful photos of our Luna. She was an incredible muse and I always knew when she didn’t want to be photographed as she’d squint her eyes at me. I was photographing her right up until the week before she died. Those photos are incredibly special.

Luna’s Final Days and Legacy

Luna passed away 5 weeks after Harvey. In the middle of that time, Sprite unexpectedly arrived into our lives after being found dumped on a country road. In hindsight, I believe she was sent to us to help us for what had just been, and what was to come.

Luna and Sprite had developed a beautiful relationship in their short 3 weeks together… Sprite and Henry hurt too when she left.

The grief from her leaving us was unfathomable. She quietly slipped away while we had a 20-minute kip before tending to her again at midnight after a week of interventions, after complications from a routine dental. More was going on within her petite body that the anaesthetic brought forward.

Even her exit from this realm was so Luna, no-fuss, quietly and on her own terms.

Coping with the Loss

How do you get over losing a dog like Luna? We are still struggling but also so grateful that we found her and shared 13 beautiful years.

Human parents, for the most part, get to see their kids grow and venture out into the world to create their lives. Dog parents have the joy of the younger years, but then all too soon, they age, and we nurse them to the ultimate end.

We really do get the rough end of the stick, but I wouldn’t swap it for the world. I guess what I’m saying is that our dogs are our kids. The grief is the same, the love is the same, the heartbreak is the same.

Until We Meet Again

Rest peacefully, our sweet Luna, back in the fold of the #3dogkateers. Until we meet again, my love and I’m so glad we found eachother 💗