My name is Amanda Flores and I was the proud friend of Jackie Flores, or as most of you at Boxer Rescue LA knew her as Penelope. Jackie lived the most amazing live any living being could have lived. Many people thought of Jackie as being too “full,” but we all saw Jackie as simply being full of love.

Jackie would follow me everywhere. My dad remembers when I would walk around, he could hear first my footsteps, and then Jackie’s. I remember every time Jackie would do something wrong, she would always give me that stunned face knowing she had done wrong, but I could always see her little butt moving in all directions, knowing that I would never dare raise my voice at her.

My favorite thing to do was when Jackie was on my bed, I would wake up next to her and would love to get on top of her and start smashing her with hugs, even though I know she hated it. Jackie started to gain a few pounds over the years and my mom said that she was shaped like a pear. The cutest pear I’ve ever seen.

The funniest moment about Jackie is how she would talk during her sleep. How her extremely loud snoring would keep us all up at night. Jackie love going from bed to bed and taking up all the space. I never knew why she would decide to lay right smack in the middle of the bed, and of course we could never move her off, so we would have to accommodate our selves around her.

Jackie was always the first one to greet us when we got home. She was always the first one at the dinner table. Sadly, she was the first one to go. Jackie passed away on Tuesday, April 28th. Jackie had a brain tumor that was already affecting her ability to pee and swallow, so we did the hardest thing anyone will ever do, we decided to put her down. I developed the most amazing friendship with Jackie. I never saw her as my dog, but as my best friend. I was never her owner, but her best friend. When we put Jackie to sleep, I did something that I knew would hurt me so much more, but would make Jackie feel more comfortable about going into the next life. I decided to be present during her death. I was the only one who was present, and the reason I was there was because I couldn’t imagine of Jackie dieing in the hands of a stranger. Jackie went peacefully in my arms.
 

Not a lot of people understand what my family and I are going through, especially me. I’ve never felt the kind of love Jackie gave me, and I’m sure she’s never felt the love we gave her. She taught me so many wonderful things. She thought me that life is short, and there is never a reason to judge or dislike anyone. Even though I need a lot of time to heal from this tragedy, there is someone in my family who is also taking it very hard, and all she does is think about Jackie being in a cage, just like all the other boxers at the boxer rescue. Even though I’ve asked my mother for more time, I think its time I think about the way the rest of my family feels and allow them to adopt another boxer. I will never forget Jackie, and even though it’s going take me some time to celebrate her life rather than mourn her death, my family needs a friend to help them heal. I would like to thank BRLA. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I would have ever met Jackie, and I can’t imagine what my life would have been without her.
 
Thank you for the best friend I ever had.

 Amanda