My name is Deon van den Berg, born on July 27, 1995. The story I am about to share is not about me, but about two life-altering beneficiaries who changed my life forever—my father, who passed away on September 1, 2017, and a yellow Labrador Retriever, born on January 16, 2018.
As a child, one of my daily chores was to take care of our Furry Frens. I soon realized that Furry Frens are completely dependent on their Pawrents.
Holidays and breaks were, of course, lots of fun. There was always just one big problem—leaving our Furry Frens home alone and my role as custodian behind. Finding a Furry Fren lover who is reliable, responsible, and committed presented a challenge every year.
Pet and House Sitter were founded in December 2013, when I was 18 years old, and I served my first Pawrents at that time. Our mission at Pet and House Sitter is to allow Pawrents to escape from everyday life, knowing that their Furry Frens and house are in safe hands. We believe that honest communication builds trust. All our Petters are reliable, responsible, committed, trustworthy, and of course—Furry Fren lovers!
My father was diagnosed with Bone Marrow cancer in 2008. The oncologists gave him 3 to 5 years to live. God, being the creator of heaven and earth, deciding over life and death, had other plans. Through God's grace, my father's cancer journey lasted 9 years. Although the suffering and deterioration were horrible, we are forever grateful for the extra time God gave us with our hero. My dad was an example of God's goodness, just as His word encouraged us to be. He turned his cross on earth into a meaningful crown.
After witnessing my dad fighting the big C, a quote from Rocky Balboa became my life's motto: "It ain't about how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." My father was the perfect example of this—thank you, Dad, for each lesson and for showcasing what it means to fight till the end! My life motto is made possible by your unwavering perseverance.
After my father passed away, my affection for Furry Frens grew even stronger when two very special Furry Frens became new family members. These two Furry Frens showed me the true meaning of love, loyalty, and kindness. With shattered hearts, a deep sorrow, and an intense longing for our hero, in February 2018, my mom, younger brother, and I decided to get a Beagle and a Labrador Retriever. To put into words what our Beagle (Lola) meant to my mom will not truly give Lola the justice and praise she deserves. Lola filled an irreplaceable void and emptiness like no other human being could ever do. On the other hand, my Labrador Retriever (Abigail) truly embodied the spirit of man's best friend and changed the course of my life forever.
When choosing their names, we intentionally searched for something with real meaning. Lola means sorrow, strength, and independence. The name Abigail means "my father rejoices." Their names are a perfect representation of who they are and our situation at the time. This is pawty special!
Abigail and I are still inseparable. We did everything together when she was younger, including pet sitting, running, swimming, long car drives, movies, studying, resting, and so much more. She ultimately became my shadow, and I never once felt alone. Laniel, my wife, jokingly said she always needs to compete with my real first love. Fast forward a couple of years, four years to be exact, after a perfect bond was formed between Furry Fren and man, Laniel and I decided to get a Golden Retriever (Gemma). In February 2022, Gemma filled another pawty special place in our hearts. Once again, we really want our Furry Fren's name to resemble who they are. Gemma means jewel! She is indeed our golden jewel, and we enjoy all her many personalities. If you have ever owned a Golden Retriever before, you will know exactly what this means.
As with most life stories and testimonies, it is rarely always just friendly barks, paws, and wagging tails. My dad's life story showed me that how we control life's punches is what matters most. On December 12, 2022, Abigail underwent a Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair on her right back leg. A Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA) procedure was performed. In short, a TTA is a specialized surgical procedure for dogs designed to stabilize the knee by cutting and moving the front part of the shinbone (tibia) to create a new, stable angle. It reduces joint pain and promotes a fast return to function, typically allowing Furry Frens to return to normal activity within 3–4 months. With intensive aftercare and therapy, Abigail's recovery was amazing, just like her.
During 2022, Pet and House Sitter also opened its first daycare and boarding facility in Olympus. The dream to create a dog paradise stemmed directly from my bond with Abigail.
The year 2024 presented a pawty big life poo - an almost life-ending punch for my best friend. What appeared to be a straightforward procedure to remove a cyst on Abigail's left back leg in February 2024, when the radiographs and pathological test results returned, some worrisome information came to light. In March 2024, she was diagnosed with left lateral digital flexor muscle tenosynovitis. In layman's terms, it is a rare orthopedic condition in dogs where the tendon slips out of its groove on the heel bone, usually due to a tear in the supporting ligament. This condition causes significant lameness. After treating Abigail with cortisone injections and other inflammatory medicine throughout the year, her pain and discomfort became worse day by day, especially after a busy day at the daycare and boarding facility. More CT and MRI scans, bloodwork, radiography, ultrasound, and cortisone treatments followed. On October 10, 2024, Abigail was diagnosed with cancer - Soft Tissue Sarcoma (STS), Grade III.
Grade III STS normally has a 23% chance of already spreading to other parts, and the survival time was recorded as 236 days. My heart was shattered, and it felt like I had to relive yet another cancer episode. Further tests were done to determine if the cancer had already spread to other parts of Abigail's body. She was clean except for a mass found on her chest. To put it bluntly, I was given two options—to put Abigail down or consider amputation of her left back limb.
Another saying I live by, especially in very difficult and uncertain situations, is that we control the outcome of our actions. Questions like, "What is best for Abigail? Will she be able to live a happy life? Is she up for the challenge? Will I be okay without my best friend?” dwelled in my mind. On October 15, 2024, her left back limb was amputated. The rest is history and still to be woofed.
Today, Abigail's friendly and loving spirit is still part of our lives. Although her current life looks very different now, seeing her run every morning with so much joy and happiness makes me more humbled than ever before. I start each day with a thank you and am blessed for being healthy. Just like my father, Abigail showed true heroism and what a true fighter and winner of life looks like. Abigail, you will always be my best friend until death do us apart. As your custodian, I rejoice in you.
It is still a great pleasure to be Furry Frens' custodians. Nothing makes me smile more than looking into the face of a Furry Fren that loves me.
