Animal Farm Foundation's Jane Berkey is grieving the loss of the inimitable Petal this week, her best friend and steady confidant. Petal was key in inspiring her to build a rescue and foundation that celebrates and supports pit bulls and their advocates. Those who may have met Jane know that she's an unstoppable maverick (correct use of the definition here) on a mission to see pit bulls "included inside our circle of compassion." That kind of passion and generosity only comes from being sparked by one of the breed's best. We were fortunate to know Petal, and kissed her one last time this summer knowing that cancer would soon take her home. Petal's spirit lives on in the hearts of everyone who is inspired by the tireless work of Animal Farm Foundation. Rest in peace, pretty girl.
18 comments:
Run free Petal!
Thank you Petal for inspiring your human to help dogs like me experience life and kindness. Your spirit will live on in every rescued pit bull's smile. - Uba
Another Angel gone home.
Thank you for inspiring.
To know one is to love them all and to grieve the passing of all.
Happy runnings, beautiful Petal
Thank you my friends, Tim and Donna, for your kind words. Petal's spirit lives on in all of us inspired to make a difference in our world.
Petal Berkey traveled on, the evening of December 3, 2008,
in the embrace of her family, at home.
Thank you BadRap for this heartfelt tribute to two wonderful beings, Petal and Jane.
Petal was blessed in that she found someone to give her the love she so deserved.
Petal has inspired many of us to work towards a better world for all dogs.
Godspeed Petal, and heartfelt condolences to Jane and family.
What? Another angel got its wings...
Greatest sadness at your loss, Jane. What a wonderful life Petal lived to inspire you to help animals and the people that are devoted to them.
My thoughts are with you.
i am blessed to have known and loved petal. from the time jane adopted her, i was struck by the tender love petal showed her new owner...as well as the way petal grieved her lost puppies (from her traumatic "before" life) by carrying around a pillow in their memory. to see such emotion moved me immeasurably...it inspired me to write a novel, "dream country" and make petal a key character.
no writer could have had better inspiration than petal. she showed such love and courage, loyalty and devotion. i know how deeply she was loved in kind, and how terribly she will be missed...
all my love and sympathy to petal's family, and to everyone whose life she touched along the way...
Rest in Peace sweet Petal...see you at the bridge
Petal Berkey: You have left your earthly body yet you will always remain with us, a larger-than-life personality forever and deeply embedded in our hearts and minds. Rest easy sweet Beetle and one day, Carla Daisy and I will be romping with you and Jane in the ever-after.
Petal opened my eyes in so many ways. She was a Wonder Dog, a champion and an inspiration to all who knew her. Much love to her family and friends--
I met Petal 3 years ago when she had been diagnosed with Leukemia. Jane had contacted me to see if my energy work “CinergE” might help her.
Petal was my first Pit Bull. All I knew about the breed was what I had read and none of it was good. I was nervous but my heart said, this dog needs you and I put my concerns to the side.
When I arrived at Jane’s house I was greeted by Petal and Josh. The first thing I noticed about Petal was the twinkle in her eye. I knew she could tell I was checking her out and she thought I was very funny.
Within a few treatments Petal shared with me the generosity of the breed and the amazing capacity that these dogs have to love people. She loved her treatments and through the years that we worked together we became family.
Petal has changed my life. As a result of our relationship I volunteer at the shelter, helping the dogs to heal their emotional and physical wounds so that they can go to their forever homes. I am always touched deeply by how these dogs can forgive us humans.
If it wasn’t for Petal, I wouldn’t have rescued my sweet Pitty Lilly. She came to us 2 years ago to the day that Petal died.
As an amazing communicator Petal shared with me how her people could help themselves. She took such good care of us all.
As she inspired Jane to help Pit Bulls, she continues to inspire me, as I write my book about my work with dogs her love and spirit lives on in every page.
Jane Berkey is a true hero for all the lives she has touched, through her endless hours of caring and advocating for these amazing dogs. She is truly a Pit Bull.
Thank you for posting this Cindy. What a wonderful tribute to this special girl.
I had the honor to carve Petal's likeness as a carousel animal for Jane, which meant spending a lot of time with her, photographing and measuring, and of course slapping, scratching, kissing, petting, and treating. She is what I call a quintessential pit bull - knew she was the queen, but had a sense of humor as well.
She will always be a co-founder of AFF in my eyes and I will always feel blessed to have known her. So smitten was I, that I made another carving of her to keep for ourselves, so Petal will truly always be with us.
Petal, run and play with a free and healthy spirit now. Jane, you are in our thoughts and prayers as you go through this loss and time of grief. Petal has left paw prints with impact that will last forever in the lives of many and in the role of justice and continued efforts to envelope Pit bulls in our "circle of compassion."
Jen & Windsor
I didn't have the pleasure of knowing Petal, but I do know what losing such a friend feels like. No matter how they come into our lives, our dogs are precious. All heartfelt condolences, Jane.
I met Petal when taking my Pit Bull Pumpkin to Oncologist in Norwalk. I have heard that she passed. My Pumpkin is still hanging on. She and her littermate (Seamus who died 9/15/08) have been with me for 14+ years and are the loves of my life. I grieve with you for Petal. I only met her once but I have a picture of her I took that day and my heart is with you. I am not sure how I will handle it when my little Pumpkin must go...these are the most amazing dogs...give 10 times back what I ever gave them....
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