Raunds family pay tribute to 'one of a kind' Labrador with selfless act aimed at local dog walkers and completion of final bucket list item

A Raunds family is paying tribute to their beloved pet by gifting tennis balls to other dog owners and completing the bucket list they made for him.

For Hayley Heley and her family in Raunds, saying goodbye to Marley was a challenging time, but they are using his life to pay it forward, giving back to local dogs, reminding owners that the time they have with their pooches is precious.

Hayley said: “To some he was just a dog, but to me he was a big part of my life, and if he loved you he’d do anything for you.

“He was hell on earth, but there will never be another one like him.

“He gave me a lot more than I gave him.”

In the wake of Marley’s passing, the family had the idea to pay it forward, providing 50 tennis balls to other dogs in Raunds to enjoy in his memory.

He had a ‘unique character’, and was a part of the family when Hayley welcomed her first son. After 16-and-a-half years of happy memories, including eating through the sofa and gorging himself on Hayley’s son’s third birthday cake, Marley passed away after a battle with arthritis.

When he became of age, Hayley had the idea to create a bucket list for the family to work through with Marley.

Such things included winning a Rushden dog show, having afternoon tea, visiting santa and enjoying a day at the beach.

Though it may seem like there aren’t many resources available for those who have lost a pet, there are plenty of bereavement services that can help us when our furry friends pass.

Organisations like Blue Cross and Cats Protection have structures in place to make the grief process more manageable. For Hayley and her family, giving something back to local dogs was a key priority.

Hayley said: “We get so caught up in life, sometimes your dog walk becomes a chore, but I wanted to make sure it wasn’t.”

She admits that seeing other dogs enjoy Marley’s parting gift is ‘humbling’.

One final item on Marley’s bucket list was to be featured in the local paper, so Marley, consider that mission accomplished.