Words often used to describe Leela: intrepid, self-possessed, athletic, smart.

For 16 years, she was my constant companion through many changes. She brought me so much love and comfort. I hope I did the same for her.

Here’s a short history of her life:

A fearless 24 year old Claire adopted Leela in 2008. She spent the first 3 or so years of her life in Santiago where she was a part of a big family that loved her as much as she loved them.

She hiked the Andes, ate a lot of grilled meats, and once caught (and quickly released) a duck in the pacific ocean. She made friends at the dog park, fell in love with tennis balls, and was a magnet for children who loved to take turns throwing the ball for her. She partied with the best of them, staying up late dancing and visiting with her people.

Later she came to the US, spending the first two years with my mom and stepdad in South Carolina who loved the heck out of her. There she learned to chase the water hose and lift her leg up to pee like her doggy uncles Milo and Pete. She visited the low country where she romped on “Puppy Island” and got muddy in the marsh.

In 2014, she came to live in Houston where she would make many friends and become #leelastudiodog, the “protector” of Canal Street Studios. Waiting in the hall for visitors, she would show them her belly as they entered. Many an artist enjoyed her company in their studio despite the occasional missing taco or sandwich. Many friends hosted her in their homes.

She chased her ball in Houston’s live oak shaded parks and through the gullies of Galveston’s beaches. She attended many a Houston art market, helping me sell my wares and making new friends. Later, she worked at the Houston Furniture Bank every Friday, sitting dutifully in a cardboard box in the furniture outlet. We kept each other company throughout the pandemic, taking long walks in Houston’s East End and sitting quietly by the bayou.

In 2021, when she was 13, Leela and I moved to Western North Carolina. Though already a “senior” dog, she went on lots of hikes and chased her ball through the beautiful scenery. She chased deer to the edge of the woods and sat quietly on the porch, her ears and nose twitching with the sights and smells. She jumped in the cold mountain streams just to be with me. She came to work every day at Penland, wandering Horner Hall in search of treats and greetings. For the last ten months, she shared her home with a whippersnapper named Georgie, and she tried her best to teach him the ropes.

These last years, she showed me what it is to age and to change, but to still be yourself. As they say, aging is not for the weak, and Leela was always so strong in herself; knowing what she wanted and who she was. Back in March, we almost lost her, and we knew that our time was limited. I’m so grateful that we had four more months to prepare and to be together and that her quality of life was still good.

Leela was my family. She was a very good dog and a very good person. She is gone but I treasure her memory and the time we shared.