Leo’s Story

Leonidas was our soul dog.  

At ten pounds strong with equal parts of obstinance and playfulness, Leo was our sweet, lovey boy whose sole purpose in life was to snuggle and be snuggled.  If there was an empty lap, he was in it.  If there was an empty side, he was by it - always.

He was our first baby, our shadow, our loyal companion with the uncanny ability to somehow know exactly what we needed when we needed it.  He knew when we were having a hard time. He knew our body language, the tone of our voices, our facial expressions.  We always joked that Leo was the most human dog we’d ever met.

Our bond was immeasurable and oh, so special.

We were devastated when we suddenly (and very traumatically) lost Leo at eleven years old just a few days before Christmas in 2025.  We were stunned by the initial loss, but even more stunned by the depth and intensity of the emotions we experienced as we navigated life without our boy.  Shock.  Grief.  Anger.  Heartbreak.  Regret.  Sadness.  Loneliness.  We asked ourselves, is it normal to feel this way?  After all, by society’s standards, Leo was just an animal.  Just a dog.

To comfort ourselves, we researched and connected with others in our same situation.  We learned that even though our grief was painful, it was normal and expected.  Leo was part of our everyday lives, our daily routines, rituals, and traditions.  He was by our side at all times for eleven years and then, he was suddenly and permanently gone in an instant. His lump in the bed was no longer there.  His jingle down the stairs was gone.  His paw at the bedroom door was silent.  

Leo was part of our family, one of us. We loved him just as we loved another human, so it made sense that we would grieve for him just as we would for another human.

We also learned on this journey that though our love for Leo was special, it was not unique.  We found loving, devoted animal owners all over the world who were devastated and grieved just like us, all in their own unique ways, many confused or ashamed of carrying such strong emotions they weren’t sure they should’ve been feeling in the first place.  They were suffering in silence. 

We were not alone, not by a long shot.  

Along with a new community of support, we found a hole - different from the one in our hearts left open by the loss of our Leo. We found many resources for those who had lost a human, but few for those who had lost a companion animal. 

This intensified an already-dark time in our lives.  Leo was always our light in the dark, so we vowed to keep his memory alive by helping other bereaved animal owners in their time of need.  Leo’s Lantern was born.

Grief is too heavy to carry in isolation.  Here at Leo’s Lantern, you are never alone.