A dog and his veteran owner, Daniel Hove, shared a special bond right up until the very end.
Daniel Hove spent years in the U.S. Air Force serving his country. Then, upon retiring, the veteran transitioned to serving his community in Wisconsin as the Assistant Fire Chief for the Burnsville Fire Department.
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“He was someone that his department really relied on to innovate, educate, train and keep up with the new firefighting technique,” Daniel’s daughter, Heather Nicoletti, explained.
A Constant Companion
In 2012, Daniel Hove retired from the job he loved after doctors diagnosed him with pancreatic cancer.
Daniel spent years fighting the terrible disease. And he had tons of support from friends and family. But his beloved 11-year-old Labrador, Gunner, remained by his side every step of the way. The beautiful devotion of this dog to his veteran owner held constant right up until the very end.
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As Daniel’s battle grew more difficult, Gunner, too, became ill. And he experienced the highs and lows right along with his favorite human.
“When my dad would get agitated, the dog would be agitated,” Heather explained, “my dad was restless, the dog was restless. My dad was unresponsive, the dog was unresponsive. So once we saw how the dog was doing–he wasn’t moving much anymore, not doing well– we knew, it was coming.”
Loyal Dog Dies With His Veteran Owner
As Gunner’s suffering hit its pinnacle, Heather instantly knew the dog’s time on earth was done. She rushed Gunner to an animal hospital where the veterinarian put him to sleep. And soon after Gunner crossed the rainbow bridge, Daniel found his healing in Heaven.
“About an hour and a half later, my dad was gone too,” she said.
Inseparable in life, the dog and his beloved veteran owner also remained that way in death.
“They were best buddies till the end,” Heather remarked. She went on to say, “We knew they were going to go together. We just didn’t know it was going to be hours apart. Gunner could not be without my dad. I think he chose to go with him.”
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God places special angels in our lives. And the story of this dog and his veteran owner is a beautiful reminder that sometimes those angels have fur instead of wings.
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h/t: Animal Channel
Featured Image Credit: Youtube/KARE 11