Pepper Abruzzese Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Pepper Abruzzese, 2013-2024 Pepper came into our lives when I met him by random chance in August of 2015 at the Montgomery Humane Society where I went to volunteer. Pepper had been turned in as a stray and no one claimed him. Of all the dogs I walked and cared for that hot August day, none left a mark on my heart as deep or powerful as Pepper. I adopted Pepper a few days later and went around the back of the building to let him use the bathroom for the trip home. I remember replacing the cheap choke collar with a normal harness and leash I’d gotten from the store and when I did, I promised that little dog that we would be a family and I would never abandon him as it was apparent someone else had. And a family we became. That Labor Day weekend, I unpacked boxes in my apartment and played with Pepper as we bonded. I’ll always remember him trotting over and putting his chin on my right chest when I laid down on the bed that night, his little curled tail wagging away. Soon afterwards, I met my wife, and Pepper became her cuddle buddy when I wasn’t around. And eventually our son was born, his first experience with dogs being Pepper. Pepper was about two years old when I adopted him, the vet estimating his age based on his teeth and his overall development. He was a mix between a Chihuahua, French poodle, and terrier. He had the energy of a Chihuahua and the personality of a terrier. I’ve had many other dogs who grew out of playing fetch or running around, but not Pepper. He always wanted to play fetch with his burger toys, hide and seek, and doing zoomies. Burger fetch was an almost daily activity, and just the week before he passed, he was doing zoomies in the backyard. Pepper had a wonderful personality, especially for a dog who had been abandoned. He was always a happy contented little dog. Despite his otherwise good health, Pepper unfortunately developed a brain tumor over 2023. He was so healthy, he compensated for it well enough that symptoms didn’t manifest until mid-2024, by which time the tumor had grown massive. Surgery removed much of it, but Pepper unfortunately didn’t survive the recovery. His passing left a great hole in our hearts, but we’re pleased that we gave him 9 good years of happiness and joy while he was with us. You will always be missed Mr. Pepper! May you run and play, happy and free, until we meet again!

Pepper Abruzzese

August 2, 2024