Anyone who had the opportunity to meet Alison knew what a special dog she was. She had many people who loved her, though there were two individuals in her life who took first place.
First was obviously her mom, Cole Reifsnider, who adopted Alison at the age of eleven and gave her the life she always dreamed of.
The second, but equally as important, was Alison’s walker, Seth, who quickly became her best friend. Alison and Seth shared an incredible bond that not many people have the privilege of finding.
When it sadly came time to say goodbye to Alison, both Cole and Seth were right next to her, reminding her how much they loved and appreciated her.
Seth’s tribute to Alison was incredibly sweet, warming not only Cole’s heart but also touching many people around the world.
Alison’s Life Story
Before we jump to Seth’s touching tribute, I must first tell you more about Alison and her life. Unfortunately, this beautiful little pup did not have an easy life.
She arrived at the Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, D.C., after her previous family of ten years decided to surrender her.
Although the shelter did not get a lot of information about her, they knew that she had a pretty hard life. She had once been shot in the shoulder and had been through a lot of chaos.
The shelter was hoping to find her a good home where she could spend the rest of her life in happiness, and fortunately, they couldn’t have picked a better one.
At that time, Cole Reifsnider, from New York, was looking to adopt a dog. Her sister sent her a photo of a senior dog named Alison, and Cole immediately fell in love.
She applied to meet her in person and, safe to say, it was truly love at first sight. Cole ended up adopting Alison on her 11th birthday.
Despite everything she had been through and her age, Alison was the happiest little dog who spread joy to everyone she met.
A Beautiful Friendship
Alison loved nothing more than going on walks outside, and that’s how they met Seth. Cole hired a local dog walker named Seth through the app called Rover to take Alison on little walks whenever she was unable to.
Seth, along with everyone else who met Alison, quickly fell in love with her and her lovely personality.
What was only supposed to be short, 30-minute walks at a time turned into hours upon hours of shared love.
“Seth would spend anywhere from two to five hours with Alison. Not only did he just take her out, but he would go to the roof and hang out with her up there to make sure she got some sun. He would lay on the floor with her to pet her, and some days, he would share his lunch with her too! It made her day and his day,” Cole told The Dodo.
On March 7, 2024, Seth had his last walk with Alison. Later that day, she fell ill, and Cole rushed her to the vet. Sadly, there was nothing they could do to make her better.
“When I told Seth that we would be putting Alison down at 4:30 p.m,. he told me he had an exam at 2 p.m., but he would be there, and he was. He finished his exam and rushed over to meet me outside of the vet and say his final goodbye to Alison,” Cole said.
Alison passed away on March 8th surrounded by people who loved her the most and who had given her the best last two years of her life.
One Last Goodbye
Devastated and full of grief, Seth decided to write one last goodbye to his best friend. In a review on the app, Rover, he said:
“It is with a heavy heart, but great privilege that I get to review Alison. Alison was the sweetest old lady who had every reason to be miserable. Every day I could count on Alison being the sweetest dog I have ever met. Anyone who met Alison was immediately drawn to her kind, gentle, and loving personality. And if they weren’t drawn to her, she was drawn to them, finding herself in many conversations to which she was not invited. When I committed to walk Alison it was just supposed to be a job. Well, that did not last long. Alison was impossible not to love like my own. Her excitement every day was infectious. Her mannerisms were adorable, and her desire for cuddling was insatiable. I spent countless hours, lying on the ground letting her climb all over me so she could feel all the love that she may have not had before she was adopted by Cole. I often found myself spending three to four hours in Alison’s apartment hanging with her despite the “walk” only being scheduled for 30 min. Alison never seemed to mind this, except it did delay the arrival of her lick mat. Alison was by my side for some of the most stressful times in my life, offering her head on my lap and countless licks to do her best to provide tranquility. To her last moments, her tail moved perpetually. Alison was a larger-than-life dog, who brought great joy to those around her. It is safe to say I loved Alison and every second that I was so privileged to spend with her. She will surely be missed by all, but the joy she brought to so many will never be forgotten and I am thankful to have known such an amazing dog.”
To everyone who knew her, Alison was more than just a dog, and I’m sure that she’ll never be forgotten.
“My relationship with Alison was once in a lifetime, but so was his with her,” Cole said.
Rest easy, little girl – you have been an amazing dog, friend, and companion!
