The dog that became famous for his bucket-list adventures after tumors started growing in his body has died.
Poh died Feb. 12, about a year after he was found to be terminally ill, according to owner Neil Rodriguez, who began chronicling their trips across the country when he thought Poh only had weeks or days to live.
"It is with a saddened heart that I share with you that for the first time in over 16 years, I will not get to start a new day with Poh," Rodriguez, of Jersey City, posted on Instagram.
"My raucous crazy Poh, who stole food off tables, could eat a whole chocolate cake and run away with a smile, ate money, ate my glasses, stole kisses from strangers who hated to be licked in the face, even bit my future wife... finally decided it was time," Rodriguez wrote.
Rodriguez, who's originally from New York City and deejays for a living, adopted Poh from the North Shore Animal League on Long Island when he was just an 8-week-old puppy in December 1999, he told NBC 4 New York last summer.
Poh — who Rodriguez thinks is a yellow Lab-pit bull mix — got sick last January.
U.S. & World
"We decided to just make the most of his time while he was here," he said last year. And that's how the idea for Poh's bucket list adventures was born.
An Instagram account created to document the dog's trips became a community for dog owners and lovers, some of whom have met Poh and his family on their various trips.
In the 11 months after Poh got sick, Rodriguez wrote, "we've zigzagged across the U.S. twice, visiting all but six of the contiguous United States. Poh got to have another birthday, and even celebrated both mine and Yuko's. We got to spend another Chrismtas and New Years together, and Poh finally got to see his pop get married."
"We were able to do and see so much, more than we could have imagined," he said.
"I am of course sad that I won't have another sunrise to share with him. I'm heartbroken. And for a little while or maybe a lot while, I will mourn," Rodriguez wrote in the Instagram photo. "But then, I'll remamber all the sunsets we got to see. I'll remembers this sunset in particular, and then I will celebrate, and I'll do what Poh did, I'll live life to the fullest. #rippohthedog"
Condolences poured in among Poh's 128,000 fans from across the world who had been following the him on his journeys, especially dog lovers who had lost their own elderly pets.
"We have a 16-year-old dog with us and your adventures have made us relish each day with him like it is his last," wrote one follower.
"I'm so very sorry that Poh has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. He had an amazing and incredible life. I wish I could have taken such amazing trips with my Lady before she left this earth. I know the difficulty involved in taking care of a senior dog," wrote another.
Rodriguez says on Instagram he wants to keep the account active to discuss the care that goes into looking after older dogs.
"Poh may not be here on this earth anymore, but his adventure hasn't ended, and we hope that you will allow us to share a few more memories that we have in our vaults, and help spread information that we've gathered about caring for our senior pets," he wrote.
