Adopting an animal is one of the greatest joys a family can experience. Sometimes they are more than just a pet, they are family. But it is not all rainbows and sunshine.

My family and I adopted our dog Koda (Labrador/Retriever) about nine years ago. He was ten months old when my father found him at a local veterinary hospital. One of the veterinarians told him that they were going to have to put him down because nobody wanted him. Without a second thought, my father decided that he had to bring him home.

Since the day Koda arrived, my family and I have had an interesting ride. I remember my sisters and me returning home from school the day after Koda came home. Candles were chewed up and smeared on the wooden floors, the TV was face down on the floor, mail and paper was strewn about, and Koda was standing on the kitchen counter. After coming home to that, I knew that there was never going to be a dull moment.

Over the years, there have been tug-a-wars with pillows and socks, wrestling matches, disappearing magic tricks involving food, and battles over mattress territory. While some of these activities frustrated my family and me, his wagging tail, silly grin, and dorky personality always made us forgive him.

Unfortunately, these happy times will soon come to an end. A little over a month ago, Koda began limping on his front right paw. My parents took him to the vet to figure out what was wrong. It was then, that the doctors diagnosed him with Osteosarcoma; a tumor that develops deep within the bone and grows outward, destroying it from the inside out. There is no cure. At the rate the cancer has spread, the doctors estimated he has at most, one to three months.

This news devastated my family. Nine years. It may not seem long to some people, but throughout that time, my family developed such an attachment with Koda that it seems unimaginable to live without him. This was the part my father dreaded. The part he knew would eventually come. The part that made him hesitate for so long to get a dog. Having to see his daughters’ dreadful faces as they wait for the day to come when they have to say their goodbyes. Having to lose a bond with man’s best friend, a bond so much stronger than he could have imagined.

A heaviness in my heart resides, knowing what is going to happen but not knowing when. For these days, it seems that time and uncertainty are enemies. So I give warning to those who are debating on adding a four-legged addition to their family. A pet becomes a great part of your life, more than you may expect. They will be by your side when you cry, cuddle you when you are sick, protect you when you are scared, and finish your plate when you are full. They are your listener, your partner-in-crime, your best friend. And when you lose your best friend, it will break your heart. However, the memories you have shared with them throughout the years will help you through the ache. And I’m counting on that.