PET OBIT: Steffie Steffenson, 12, Beloved Four-Legged Friend in Del Ray

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Memorial Day Weekend six years ago was a day to remember for Steffie the standard poodle and her new family.

I was called in to walk a woman’s dog at the last minute.

Steffie was the absolute sweetest dog. The next morning my phone rang to confirm her morning walk. The owner said, “Good, then you can take her to the Animal Shelter because I don’t want her anymore!!!”

WHAT???

I said I would take her, but not to the shelter, so we piled all her belongings into my car and we went home to start a new life.

I almost kept her for myself, but was going on vacation a week later. My friends down the block, the Steffensens, had just lost their elderly dog, so they agreed to take care of her while I was away. And I know this was meant to be because her name became Steffie Steffensen, believe it or not!

And the rest is history – they fell in love with her and gave her a great new family life for the next six years. And I got to see her and care for her whenever they went away!

Steffie took instantly to her new family. She even knew how to introduce herself to the three Steffensen cats: Jazz, Donatello, and Pansy. She would watch them intently but waited for them to approach her and was so happy to have them close. Steffie often napped curled up with one of the cats tucked in at her side.

She loved to play chase, running around a tree in the churchyard across the street. Her best friends were T, Hannah, Izzy and Whitey, Ginger, and in her last year a big bouncy puppy named LaLa. Jazz, Donatello, Hannah, and Izzy preceded her on the Rainbow Bridge.

Steffie was a friend to all and will be dearly missed by her family and neighbors in Del Ray.