I adopted Pabu in October 2020 as my first dog, a true COVID pup. He was a stray from the streets of Los Angeles and was assumed to be about 8 years old. Pabu and I bonded very quickly and became best friends during quarantine. It felt like working from home gave me enough time with Pabu to make up for missing the first 8 years of his life.

Together we shared many road trips, beach days, and neighborhood strolls. We explored Big Sur, camped in Yosemite, and in 2021 he made the move up to San Francisco with me. Adjusting to the hills was difficult for both of us, but Pabu quickly learned to love his new life in San Francisco. He was a huge fan of the parks and enjoyed our regular walks to Ghirardelli Square. If I’m honest with myself, his favorite part of our walks was definitely all of the food he could scavenge around the neighborhood (a street dog at heart), but I like to think it was because he got to spend time with me.

Ultimately, Pabu’s life was cut short from a progressing brain tumor. He powered through for as long as he could and is absolutely the strongest dog I’ve met. While I wish I’d had more time with Pabu, I have no doubt that the time we were gifted together was just as special to him as it was to me. He was my best friend, and I believe we were placed in each other’s lives for a purpose. I’m a better person today because of my time with Pabu. 🙂
-Chase R.