Joey Leslie Honouring Pets

05/26/2026

Every single life time Charlotte, Bean, Moka, and Java. I will keep you all with me until then. 🌈🐾❤️

In every single one 🌈

05/26/2026

Last night I was hurting. I missed Charlotte so much. I watched videos to remind me of her spirit and her light. In the mix was a funny video of Bean. I am so grateful to have these videos and pictures of my loves.
Grief isn't something to fix. It's something to move with, make space for, and gradually integrate. These are tools that can help, but they land only when a person feels safe enough to be seen, heard, and supported in their experience.
There is no "right way" through grief- only what meets you where you are, in that moment.

05/19/2026

As we move into summer:
The days are longer and the quiet evenings have a way of bringing memories forward.
I find myself thinking of Bean & Charlotte, 2 very different souls who shaped me in lasting ways. One who was my heart dog for 12.5 years, and one who came into my life when healing felt impossible.
Grief changes with time. It softens, it surprises, and sometimes it shows up in the smallest moments.
But so does love.
As the seasons shift, I'm holding space for both missing them deeply and feeling grateful for their bonds.
If you are carrying the memory of a beloved animal, you are not alone. 💜🐾🌈💐

04/14/2026

I was listening to something recently that offered a quiet but powerful reminder. Animals are deeply attuned to the human nervous system. Our beloved animal companions often sense subtle shifts in us such as stress, dysregulaton, grief, sometimes even before we consciously recognize it ourselves.
Looking back, I see how deeply Charlotte was connected to me in that way. She noticed the delicate changes. She stayed close. She responded with presence, softness, and steadiness without words, without judgment.
It's one of the many reasons their loss can feel so profound. These sentient beings aren't "just pets". They are regulators, witnesses, and companions to our inner worlds. They help hold us together in ways we often fully understand after they're gone.
Just over 3 months without Charlotte. I'm still learning how much she gave and how much her wisdom lives on in how I move through the world and hold space for others.
If you've loved an animal deeply, you probably know exactly what I mean. You are not alone in your grief.

03/11/2026

Pet loss grief can be complex and hard to manage. You are not alone. Grief is grief, loss is loss, love is love.

02/22/2026

My Char will always be a memory.

02/22/2026

My beautiful little Charlotte. This was right after she came to my house to be my best friend.

01/30/2026

It's been 3 weeks since my best friend died. What I have noticed is that most people seem to lack the emotional or cultural framework to understand the loss of a heart animal without comparing, minimizing, or reframing it. I have had the loss of Charlotte minimized, compared to "human loss" because people pivot to the “acceptable” grief. The human one. The one they know how to respond to without discomfort.
This is frustrating and hurtful. My Charlotte was very important to me, the loss is substantial.
The biggest thing I want to say is that loss is loss. Grief is grief. Love is love.

If you are grieving, I see you. I understand. You are not alone and your relationship was real and important.

01/25/2026

Charlotte danced in the sky. She loved pink and showed up to light the night pink.

01/14/2026

Did you know that the French word for pet is "animal de campagnie"? This literally means "companion animal". ❤️🐾