Mattie
Date of Passing: 06/28/2026
Message to Mattie:
My Sweet Little Girl,
You were such a blessing in my life. From the day I adopted you until you had to go, you were so brave, so strong and made me so happy. I am so grateful God let you be part of my life for over 16 years. You brought such joy to my life and that of your brother Scooter for 5 years and then to Sam for 11.
I will always remember you running and hunting happily in the tall grasses of the dog park. Whenever I walk in places we went so often together I will see you running happily. My sadness and grief are so profound, I can hardly breathe but I remember how brave you were throughout your little life and I need to be the same. I am so glad you will able to play by the rainbow bridge. You have gotten to know Annie and I’m sure you were so happy to be reunited with Scooter. Enjoy your new life pain-free. I will always miss you. You have left a huge hole in my heart. I will love you forever. Be happy my little girl.
Love,
Mom
Tell us about Mattie: Mattie was about 9 weeks old when I adopted her and brought her home to meet Scooter who had been a little research beagle I rescued. When his sister, Annie died, Scooter became very depressed. So I adopted Mattie hoping she would bring him back to me. I remember this tiny little girl running to him and crawling all over Scooter wanting to play. Little by little Scooter turned around. He had no choice. Mattie wouldn't let him sit there. They became good friends and spent about 5 years running and hunting together until Scooter developed osteosarcoma. Even then, he tried to enjoy time with Mattie.
Eventually, she got another brother, Sam and they played and enjoyed each other for over 11 years. At 8 years old, Mattie developed thyroid cancer. She had surgery and then chemotherapy. She was treated simultaneously by a western vet and an eastern vet. She came through the surgery and the chemo like a trooper. She was so brave and so strong and never gave up. She continued to run and hunt and enjoy the freedom of a huge dog park that had many natural areas including a huge field of prairie grasses and flowers. She loved to hunt all year long. Snow and ice never stopped her. She loved one place in the dog park that people eventually called beagle island because Mattie rarely missed checking out that area.
When she was about 13, Mattie tore one of her CCL’s. Because of age and her smaller size, it was thought it would be better to just let the tear heal naturally. I found a wonderful PT who worked with her from the beginning. I bought a pet buggy and pushed her for several weeks until she could walk on her own again. She came through the ordeal without complaints or slowing down. A year later, she tore her other CCL. Again, she recovered and except for a few weeks of recovery letting the tear heal, she went on bravely and strong. Eventually, she was running in the dog park as if nothing had happened. Some of the dog park people who knew her and watched her for a long time, called her a warrior. She was that and more.
About 14 months before she died, she was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer as a result of the thyroid cancer from 8 years prior. She continued to want to go to the dog park everyday despite her cancer and continued running through the fields. It seemed like she had tunnels under the fields because one minute, she was close by and the next minute she would be way down the field. She was a beautiful little beagle, she did have the heart of a warrior. She was brave and strong and never gave up. Until the last 2 days of her life, she would push me everyday to take her to the park.
I am so grateful for Mattie and for the wonderful western vet who took such good care of her all her 16+ years and for the amazing eastern vet who gave me an additional 14 months with her. I will always miss her and her little cute things she did. I will always remember her running in the fields and how she seemed to be most in her element in the fall when the grasses where turning gold, she was so beautiful.
She seemed to have a warp speed when it came to escaping the yard if someone left the gate open or once when a friend came. After much looking for her, I called the police department to tell them she was lost in case someone would find her and cal. them. The officer said they had just found her and they brought her home in a squad car. She was sitting in the back sitting watching out the window when they brought her home. She was an amazing little dog and my life was so enriched by having her in my life. I will miss her forever.