Animal Astronauts
Apollo the Dog
Flew on the Celestis Tribute Flight & Heritage Flight
Written by pet lover M. Potter, Los Angeles, California:
The world lost an amazing member of the animal kingdom. Apollo came into our family’s life seven years ago. We sought a member of the family that could co-exist with three black cats, could be trusted around young children, and had the ability to earn his keep as a working dog by diligently guarding against dangerous and imposing postal workers, FedEx employees, and gardeners.
Apollo had his own Facebook page where he posted photos of his dog park buddies and spammed his friends with compelling articles and videos of dogs in the news.
Apollo was a blue merle Australian Shepard with piercing blue eyes, a descendant of both exceptional herding dogs and outstanding agility dogs. By K9 standards Apollo was an Olympic athlete. Some folks don’t believe animals possess basic intelligence. Apollo’s curious and wise eyes were constantly tracking and counting the movements of all people and animals as they floated in and out of the house and the various rooms — always making sure that his latest inventory of sheep was up to date and fully accounted. Apollo had his own Facebook page where he posted photos of his dog park buddies and spammed his friends with compelling articles and videos of dogs in the news.
Apollo grew from a round fluff ball into a noble guardian. He had a larger than life personality that would brighten any social gathering. Apollo, became an informal service dog, spending some time at an elder care facility bonding with nearly everyone. One of the most memorable visits, was when a cantankerous elderly women hissed that she did not want the dog at the home. A little later she was seen stroking Apollo and begging for him to crawl into bed with her. Not only was Apollo a fan of the illegal dog park, but he was constantly seen roaming Palos Verdes trails and pathways. As a libertarian, he was not a fan of the local leash laws, but also was counted on for not straying too far from his dutiful human companions.
Hours after he left this world, we were all able to witness the most remarkable full moon in recent memory. We were not Apollo’s owners, but it was as if he had simply beckoned our family to join him on his short but memorable journey. And perhaps one day, the universe will begin to comprehend the vastness and the gift of a dog’s unconditional love.
Apollo was a blue merle Australian Shepard with piercing blue eyes, a descendant of both exceptional herding dogs and outstanding agility dogs. By K9 standards Apollo was an Olympic athlete. Some folks don’t believe animals possess basic intelligence. Apollo’s curious and wise eyes were constantly tracking and counting the movements of all people and animals as they floated in and out of the house and the various rooms — always making sure that his latest inventory of sheep was up to date and fully accounted. Apollo had his own Facebook page where he posted photos of his dog park buddies and spammed his friends with compelling articles and videos of dogs in the news.
Apollo grew from a round fluff ball into a noble guardian. He had a larger than life personality that would brighten any social gathering. Apollo, became an informal service dog, spending some time at an elder care facility bonding with nearly everyone. One of the most memorable visits, was when a cantankerous elderly women hissed that she did not want the dog at the home. A little later she was seen stroking Apollo and begging for him to crawl into bed with her. Not only was Apollo a fan of the illegal dog park, but he was constantly seen roaming Palos Verdes trails and pathways. As a libertarian, he was not a fan of the local leash laws, but also was counted on for not straying too far from his dutiful human companions.
Hours after he left this world, we were all able to witness the most remarkable full moon in recent memory. We were not Apollo’s owners, but it was as if he had simply beckoned our family to join him on his short but memorable journey. And perhaps one day, the universe will begin to comprehend the vastness and the gift of a dog’s unconditional love.
Apollo had a number of great buddies including Toby, Indiana, Teddy the Aussies, Woody the Ridgeback, Miley the lab, Tinkerbell the Chihuahua, and Sugar and Paisley the of hybrid vigor. Apollo loved his dog whisperer friends including Uncle David, Ruby, Mike, Maclovia, Nancy, Pamela, Cynthia, Lexi & Billy.
Apollo will be missed by all the members of his immediate and extended family and even his three feline siblings, Rocket, Space and Luna, who actually appreciated his protecting them from the neighborhood bullies.