Dogs and people leave pawprints and footsteps in our lives and we are never the same again. This story intertwines our community. It’s the story of a dog, a dog mom, a dog walker, and a new friend. It’s a story of love, companionship, and caring for our neighbors.

“June 19, 2023, started out like any regular day. I get my walking shoes on and head out the door to walk my myriad of pups for the day. This day, I would receive a call for help with a dog named Poppy, while Poppy’s owner, Paula, had an appointment.” Maybe you’ve heard the story. Ann, Canterwood’s resident dog walker, met Paula and Poppy the next day. Poppy was Paula’s beloved 13-year-old Border Collie/Golden Retriever Keeshond mix, and a rescue. Right away, Ann felt like she had been friends with Paula and Poppy for “a lifetime.”

It happened that Ann was connected to Paula through a neighbor, Tom, who just “happened to take a different route” on the day he ran into Paula, “turning left instead of where he typically turned right.” He gave her Ann’s phone number, and he is also the one who drove Paula to her appointment – a doctor’s appointment. As you will see, nothing about this story is happenstance. 

Everyone in the neighborhood knew each other and they already knew Poppy. “Upon our daily walks, Poppy was known as the town crier,” Ann shared this nickname coined by another neighbor, Bob. “Although with hair like a lion and a very imposing 80-pound figure,” Poppy was a social butterfly who would say hello to everyone. He would say hello to kids leaving for school, or to the crew working at the golf course. “It was apparent that it made everyone’s start to the day a happy one and Poppy’s day was made as well. He became somewhat of a celebrity.” As any exceptional dog walker would, Ann sent pictures and videos of Poppy to Paula every day, so that Paula “could live vicariously through me on our walks.”

But why would Paula have to live vicariously? Why could she no longer walk Poppy herself? Sadly, on that very day that Ann first walked Poppy, Paula was given bad news. She told Ann: “I know we just met today and I hate to tell you this news, but I just found out I have Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and I really need your help.” Just a few weeks after Paula was diagnosed with cancer, Poppy was diagnosed with a tumor. Of course, Ann stepped up, and took over the dog walking duties, but someone would still be needed to look after Poppy in the future.

“Paula gave me permission to tell her story,” Ann shared, and “to find that special person to live and take care of Poppy for the rest of his life.” Enter another kind neighbor, Katie, who knew someone named Neve, who used to live in neighborhood. Neve had just sold her home in Canterwood “and her former dog looked like he could’ve been related to Poppy.” Paula and Neve met and hit it off. A month after Paula passed, Neve moved into Paula’s home in Canterwood and became Poppy’s resident caretaker.  This was truly a community effort. Ann, Katie, and others from the neighborhood had put out the word of a woman and a dog in need, and people responded. The willingness to help was truly heartwarming and inspiring.

“We had Paula in our lives until October 1, surrounded by our love, and with Poppy by her side,” Ann said. “Paula passed peacefully.” Paula’s longtime friend, Judy, yet another angel in this story, stayed with Poppy until Neve moved in. As best as everyone could, they maintained Poppy’s life as it had been, hoping that Poppy would have at least a couple more years to live. 

Among the many activities Poppy enjoyed, Rosa, a dear friend and housekeeper who had known Poppy since he was rescued, came weekly from Bainbridge Island to cook Poppy’s chicken and “give the appropriate love and chicken treats, while cleaning and taking care of the house.” As soon as Neve moved in, we kept up with his routine, but a whole new world opened up for Mr. Poppy,” Ann remarked. Neve took Poppy to Fox Island, to swim or to church, or out gardening. She would let him roam free in nature. “He became part of their family. I know that Paula would have been pleased and happy to see her beloved Poppy embark on many new adventures.”

“It was the beach walks that really did it for him and me,” Neve shared. “We’d go at low tide and he’d go to the water and go in immediately. Then he’d go in further and swim…I’d also take him to church…and I’d turn him loose while he explored and ran. Ann would walk him in the morning and I’d walk him around Canterwood at night. Each morning when he saw Ann, he’d get excited…We did daily adventures to keep him stimulated and happy.”

Sadly, Poppy’s tumor grew, he lost weight, and he started slowing down. “Lisa, his vet, said if he stopped eating, it was time. Sadly, the next day, he wouldn’t eat a thing, including all of his favorites. Ann told us about her last moments with this special dog: “He looked me straight in the eyes and I knew he was saying it was time to go see his mommy in heaven. I still hoped in my heart that he would jump up, eat, and tell us it’s not time yet.” The next morning, June 30, 2024, just a year after this profoundly impactful story began, “we gathered where we said goodbye to Paula to now say goodbye to our special soul, Poppy. He went quite peacefully and we all knew that we were all a part of an extraordinary journey for Paula and Poppy. Our hearts are filled with a great love and a great sadness all at the same time.”

“When I sat down to say goodbye to the house, I could still see Poppy’s nose prints on the window,” Neve recalled. Poppy brought so much joy and so many people together, everyone agreed, and this story makes that incredibly clear. Those who took part in this journey of love became known as “Team Poppy.” Paula, who created a memorial of words and plants for Poppy before her own time came, told them that “if she had known how wonderful Canterwood was and how sociable Poppy was with our community, she would have moved here sooner. Poppy was lively and vivacious as he met his neighbors spreading love and connection.” Because Paula didn’t have any children, she chose to donate to the Kitsap Humane Society as her legacy. She also set up “Poppy’s Memorial Garden,” which links the Humane Society to a low-cost state of the art surgical facility, showing the level of commitment generous folks like Paula have for animal welfare and compassion.

“We rescued each other,” said Paula. In 2016, Paula met Poppy at an animal shelter on Orcas Island. He was known as “Popcorn” then. “He came right to the fence to say ‘hi,’” Paula remembered. “There was just something about that face. I promised him right there that he'd never spend another night in a cage.” Even cancer did not stand in the way of Paula’s promise, that her thoughtful neighbors helped come true. “I promised I would take care of him. And I will,” Paula said. She and “Team Poppy” did just that. He was the most loving dog.