We adopted Moose from a Georgia high-kill shelter and he arrived in NYC on a transport. We had just lost Sonny and Chuck saw Moose's squishy face and immediately fell in love with him. Moose came to us with heartworms, severe allergies and he was underweight. He overcame every obstacle with pride, courage and a little bit of clumsiness. It would be an understatement to say he was a "bull in a china shop!" His drool could rival the slipperiest of slimes and the toughest super glue brands!
The funniest things Moose did, and there were many, were hiding in the bushes and running onto the elevator. When the weekends ended in CT, he would go for his final exploration of the backyard and disappear. We would almost always find him trying to appear invisible while desperately trying to camouflage in the bushes. It was so cute and funny but also very smart! He loved CT and wanted to stay there.
Every morning, we would get ready for our daughter to head to school - backpack, scooter, coat, etc. and then call the elevator. Moose would sit watching and the second the elevator opened in our apartment, he would run onto it, screeching/howling/crying because she was leaving for school without him. He always got scolded and he continued to do this; on occasion, he even tried to leave with Karma! He loved everyone but he definitely had his favorites.
His favorite activity was hiking with the family at Poindexter Nature Preserve. He would run ahead and make sure the coast was clear and then herd the group from the back, falling behind only to extort additional treats as he was rewarded for "Moose come." He had the best recall of any hound I've ever met (thanks to Brother Christopher at New Skete and Chuck for practicing with him).
It was clear to us that Moose's last day had to be in his favorite place. We carried him to the car, and drove him to Poindexter. Although he seemed exhausted and struggled to walk, he lifted himself up and hobbled around the trailhead for quite some time. He was a stubborn and determined boy until his last moments!
Moose was just a happy-go-lucky guy. He loved all of us every single day - our clothes have the drool marks to prove it! On his last morning in NYC, (although we didn't ask him to) he lifted his head proudly to take a photo with his sister before she left for school - she's only six and her memories of him will fade over time but that photo will last a lifetime. Moose had a big heart, like Chuck who took one look at him and knew he was the one (and worked diligently through every single one of his issues to rehabilitate him). I don't have enough words (or tears) to describe how much I miss him.
Sana, Chuck, Ayla, Giorgio and Tucker Petersen
