She decided to take a photo of her dog, Onyx, every 15th of August.
This date marked the day they had adopted the dog, 10 years earlier.
A difficult start
Michelle and her family had gone to an adoption event, hoping to take home a dog who was the spitting image of their recently deceased pet. But the rescuers told them that the dog in question had already been adopted by another family.
So, the rescuers introduced them to another dog, explaining that he and his littermates had been found as strays when they were about eight months old. The early days with Onyx were chaotic. He would run away, was difficult to walk on a lead, and would jump over fences. In short, the first few years weren't the easiest, but his family loved Onyx with all their hearts.
A change of colour
Gradually, the family watched Onyx transform, both physically and mentally. The dog put his past behind him and settled perfectly into his new family. On his first anniversary with them, Michelle noticed his coat was slowly changing colour. This inspired her to take a photo every year on his adoption anniversary: the 15th of August. In the photos below, you can see him getting whiter and whiter over the years.
This tradition became a precious moment for Mann and her family, especially now that they have recently said goodbye to Onyx. On the 7th of March 2025, Onyx passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loved ones. People online shared their emotional responses in the comments: "This brought tears to my eyes. I'm so sorry for the loss of your beautiful Onyx. He seemed like a lovely boy who had a wonderful life with you." Another wrote: "I'm so deeply sorry for your loss. (Holding back tears.) Losing a pet is so hard. But I want to thank you for sharing Onyx's story with us." Our thoughts are with Onyx's family.