The Last Moments is an impressive set of photos by Pulitzer Prize-nominated photographer Ross Taylor, who was invited to capture the last intimate moments in a beloved pet’s life as owners face the painful breakup.
Olesya Lykovi cried out in grief after the death of her dog Sam. A moment ago, she looked at Dr. Dani McVety, on the right, and asked, “Is he gone?” Dani nodded and said, “It has wings now.”
“I tried to do more, I tried to do all I could. But they said there was nothing more I could do,” said Olesya Lykovi, crying as she lost her dog. On the left are her sister, Kimberly, and veterinarian Nil Wilkins (unseen), who then reached out to comfort her.
“She has always been my companion. Coco was there for me when he was deployed,” said Olesya Lykovi, holding back tears. Her husband Drew (right) is in the military and also struggled in the last moments of his life. During the surgery, Dr McVety reassured her with a hug and comforting words: “This is better treatment than any of us will ever receive.”
Taylor was inspired to shoot his camera on the subject after his good friend made the painful decision to kill her ailing dog.
“When someone tells me they are grappling with the death of a pet, my heart aches for them,” Taylor told the Washington Post. “I was deeply moved to witness her struggle and her love for her dog.”
“It’s hard to say goodbye,” said Olesya Lykovi after dropping sunflowers on her dog’s grave. The smell of freshly plowed soil is what I remember, and how peaceful it looked in it.
