Emma

August 14, 2012 - March 6, 2025

Emmertails “Emma” from The Emmerdales

August 12, 2012 Churchill, MB-March 6, 2025 Winnipeg, MB

It is with profound, heart-wrenching, life-changing sadness that we announce the passing of our most beloved Havanese-Bichon, Emma. She was diagnosed with cancer, and her illness progressed quickly. She passed away on March 6, 2025, at 3:28 PM, in her mom’s arms, in her own home, surrounded by her family, in a sunbeam.

Emma was born in Churchill on August 14, 2012, and moved to her forever home in November of that year. We picked her up from the Winnipeg airport, and her mom could hardly believe how lucky she was to bring her home. She was so playful that it was hard to pet her in those early days because everything was a game to her. We spent countless hours on the couch staring at her, playing with her, and loving her so effortlessly and so quickly. Emma traveled to BC many times to see family, whether by air, by car, or even on the BC Ferries, none of which she enjoyed. She never loved the journey, but she immensely loved the destination. From meeting goats and making a new pig friend to playing with so many family members who showered her with love and kindness, her journey was always one of love.

Emma was beautiful, with such a kind and loving spirit. We would take her off her leash beside the ocean, where she would run, her little ears blowing in the wind. On hikes, when she had enough, she would simply stop, turn, and face us, and we knew that meant we were carrying her for the rest of the walk.

In February 2013, Emma met her cat brother, Lil George, who had been abandoned outside during a deep freeze. Unbeknownst to us, Emma’s dad had rescued him in the middle of the night. When we went into the bathroom, there was this young ginger cat. Emma immediately fell in love with him. The short story is that he stayed. She ate his whiskers off, and any human’s leg hair, for years, which we can only assume was her way of grooming him.

Emma and Lil George played for hours. He would sit on top of a small cat tree while she jumped and jumped, trying to bite his feet, and he would bat her with his paw. Sometimes, he got her, and she would cry to me. Every single time, I picked her up to reassure her, even though she was often the instigator.

Emma’s mom and dad separated, but that did not change the love they had for her. In fact, she gained even more family who also loved, cared for, and played with her.

Despite being blind, Emma navigated two homes and a cottage right up until the end of her life. She loved the outdoors, even in minus 35 Celsius weather, much to the chagrin of her mom, who would take her outside in the middle of the night only for Emma to stand there sniffing the air. When prodded to come in, she would fake a pee.

Emma loved getting new toys. Though they would lose her interest quickly, she would carry them around, prancing proudly and making the cutest little growl. She was always so proud in those moments.

Emma did not like people sitting at a computer (as recently as last month) or dining table without her being on their lap. She joined a lot of meetings during COVID and was never content to just lie there. She preferred to sit up and be on camera when the rest of us would have done anything to be off camera.

As expected, Emma loved the kitchen. While we cooked, she would stand on her hind legs, resting her front paws on our legs. She would let out a small, polite growl, just enough to let us know she was interested in the chicken. She also loved freeze-dried beef and teeny Greenies. She was always underfoot, and we miss that today.

Emma was my baby. She followed me everywhere. We slept in the same bed, played together, and went through life side by side. I thought we had more time, but life does not work that way. Time is now, in these moments, in the sunbeam or the snowstorm.

There are so many more thoughts and memories and this does not do your life justice, but it is a small look into a life, I loved with you.

Emma, you are truly missed. The love you gave me will never fade, it's in every quiet space you once filled, in every memory we made, and in the pieces of my heart that will always belong to you, even if they are feeling broken.

Thank you beyond to Dr. Rita, the care and compassion will always be remembered.