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By Rachael O'Connor
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A man has been praised for the way he honors his past best friends: having all 13 of them tattooed on his back.
Joseph Freeman Jolly, 56, a pediatrician from Alabama, has had many dogs throughout his life, each of them extremely special to him. And, as many animal owners sadly know, the grief of losing a beloved pet hits hard.
Accordingly, some years ago, Jolly decided to remember his former dogs in a permanent way, adding their faces to a portrait on his back when they cross the Rainbow Bridge.
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Jolly recently lost his Newfoundland, Sully, and took to the Facebook community page Dogspotting Society, where he shared his newest ink alongside the portrait of a whole.
He told Newsweek that sharing the portraits "has helped me through my own grief over the years."
"There is something healing and positive about the support of a community," he said.
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Dogspotting Society members certainly shared positive and uplifting comments, with one praising the "beautiful inks" and another noting that it was "beautiful they all get to walk with you for your lifetime."
One wrote: "I'm so sorry for all your losses. They are absolutely stunning memorial pieces. I couldn't think of a better honor. Hang in there my friend."
"This is wonderful," one person said, and another suggested "the stories behind these pups must be pretty amazing."
Jolly told Newsweek he has had "many dogs over the years," with dates as far back as 1998 visible in the snap of his tattoo.
"When I lost my first one, I wanted to honor his memory for all the joy he brought to me and my family. Later, as we lost others, I felt that each of them deserved the same," he said.
As Jolly's photo received over 1,400 likes from Dogspotting members, he shared his gratitude for the "support, reactions and comments" people left on his post.
"Most are from dog lovers, many of whom have also lost beloved pets. Many share their own tattoos of dogs they have lost," he said.
Among the many dogs in the tattoo is also a colorful robin sitting on a branch featuring the Veterinary Caduceus, the traditional symbol representing veterinarians.
Jolly included this feature for two reasons: "Representing all of the wonderful veterinarians who've helped us over the years," and for his daughter, Robyn, who herself is a veterinarian.
Listing his beloved dogs, many of them bulldogs, Jolly revealed his tattoo honors Ozzy, Whitney, Bijou, Maybelline, Daisy, Oliver, Peaches, Louie, Polly, Big Mama, Hank, Lily, and of course Sully, who died this year.
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Every pet owner will have to face the pain of losing their beloved animal, and the grief can hit just as hard as when losing a human being.
The Humane Society advises anyone going through this to acknowledge the grief, and to give yourself permission to express it, as suppressing it can prolong the feeling of grief.
It urges grieving pet owners to remember the happier times with their pet, rather than the last few sad moments, particularly if they are traumatic. And, it adds, it is vital that the person in grief cares lovingly for themselves.
A person grieving their pet can memorialize their four-legged friend in myriad ways, with the Humane Society suggesting spreading their ashes somewhere special, planting a tree in their memory or creating a memory box, or commissioning a painting or memorial stone for them.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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