Happy 16th Barkday Olivia

Meow Now! Jerry Underfoot & Dot here, with a very special reminder. Next Sunday, June 21st, our beloved fursister & CEO Olivia would be celebrating her 16th Barkday. We thought it would be the purrfect time to reflect on her beautiful life, especially for those who may not know her story.

Olivia, known as Molly at the time, was adopted from a local animal shelter in February 2011 after spending three months waiting for her forever home. From the moment she arrived, she made herself known, her very first act was leaping onto huMom’s bed & claiming it as her own.

Just three months later, Olivia experienced her first seizure in the middle of the night. It was a frightening & confusing experience for everyone. I wasn’t a pawt of the furmily yet but Dot has shared the experience with me. After a Grand Mal seizure, Olivia ran blindly, stumbling into everything for what felt like an eternity. She was rushed to the vet that morning & after testing, was diagnosed with Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy.

Despite her diagnosis, Olivia lived a full & joyful life. She loved her walks, relaxing in the yard, & having spirited “dogscussions” with the local chipmunks. She occasionally experienced focal seizures, small moments where her eyelids fluttered or her head twitched but they never stopped her from enjoying life.

At one time, Olivia experienced Grand Mal seizures every 11 to 22 days, often in clusters. Yet in the years before she passed on February 21st, 2025, she was seizure-free for almost 3 pawtastic years. Every single seizure free day was a gift we never took for granted.

Through it all, Olivia remained a meowsome fursister, a happy little clown, & a deeply loved member of our furmily. She had a special talent for melting huMom with her beautiful eyes & a sense of humor that kept us all smiling & MOL.

Dot shared a pawticularly strong bond with Olivia, seeing her as a role model after huMom rescued Dot & her littermates when they were just a few weeks old. Dot even loved to steal food & toss it to Olivia. As for me, my bond with Olivia was all about closeness. I loved licking her & curling up beside her for naps.

Olivia was also a guiding light for Eddy when he joined our furmily. She helped him learn trust, kindness, & how to be loved.

We feel incredibly blessed to have shared our lives with such a special soul. Olivia’s love continues to shine brightly in our hearts. Even now, we nose huMom still feels a little lost without her by her side.

To celebrate Olivia’s Barkday, we invite anyone who is able to consider making a donation of $5 or more to Wally’s Canine Epilepsy Foundation. Your support helps dogs like Olivia & the families who love them.