Leah Burke, a 50/50 pitbull/French bulldog mix, died Friday, August 23 after a short illness. She was 15.5 years old.

Little is known about Leah's early years: Leah was adopted by her forever mommy, Meghan Burke, on July 10, 2012, when her age was estimated to be 3.5 years old.  Two families had previously surrendered her back to the Humane Society because of her conflicts with other dogs and her strength pulling on her leash, and a chance encounter with some of her likely original human family on the trail one day suggested that the years before the Humane Society's stewarship may have been defined by fear, competition, and inadequate training and support. Leah's new mom had her work cut out for her, but quickly fell in love with this intelligent, loving, and hilarious creature; Leah had finally found her forever home.

Leah's life continued to be marked by these challenges, as her deeply-conditioned fears made her safe world a very small one; she was largely unable to enjoy the sociality with other humans and animals that her loving nature craved, and, for everyone's safety, had to be kept away from most other creatures. Her mommy would like to apologize to anyone Leah ever nipped or scratched in her moments of fear, but Leah asked her to emphasize that some of those motherfuckers had it coming.

Leah loved her rawhide "chippie chewies," going for walkies (until arthritis later in life limited her ability), chasing squirrels and bunnies (even with arthritis and declining vision), cheesie, licking textiles and unconsenting faces, napping in the sunnies, playing hide and seek in the house with Mommy, making elaborate pillow and blanket nests, ear scritches from her Aunt Rinny, warm laundry, and couch snuggles with the very few other lucky humans who she could tolerate in the presence of Mommy --especially Aunt Monica, Aunt Renee, Mark, Matt, Mommy's Mommy, Aunt Shaki, and Aunt Jarlai --though Auntie GN deserves a shoutout for her virtual snuggles and love. Leah also regularly embarrassed herself over her intense crush on a very odd-looking dog named Quincy, and was terrified of hummingbirds, rumble strips, Mommy's Daddy's sneezes, large piles along the sidewalk, and men carrying any visible objects. She understood her Mommy best when she spoke to her in rhymes. (Mom did her best to oblige.)

Leah's mom would like to thank the many excellent vets and boarders who gave Leah loving, understanding, and competent care over the years: especially Dr. Huschen at Eastland Companion Animal Hospital in Bloomington, Illinois, and the entire Eastland staff; the folks at Paradise Pets and, before that, #1 Pet Care in Bloomington; Dr. Winemiller and the wonderful staff at Armadale Animal Hospital who quickly got up to speed on her long medical and behavioral history in Raleigh, NC; the committed and caring staff at Veterinary Emergency Care in Cary, NC and Triangle Veterinary Referral Hospital in Durham, NC; and the kind folks she had begun to get to know at Armadale Farm Kennels and Paws at Play in Raleigh. Aunt Ellen Furlong also provided expert guidance over the years, and Leah was honored to be an occasional guest at her canine cognition lab. Meghan would also like to thank all of the people who loved us, checked in on us, and supported us over the past twelve years and especially the past two months. 

There is no defensible measure by which Leah was the best dog; she didn't know how to act right, and her mommy still wonders what it must be like to have a good dog. But she was the perfect dog for Meghan --Meghan loved her precisely.

Little Leah Moo, I was SO lucky to be the mommy of you. Our time together is someting I'd never undo, even though you eating your poo was always, like, "Ew." Even 12 years together was far too few; I'll carry our love until I'm gone, too.  

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/leah-burke/obituary/

Copy