Before she passed away, Alison Shipley wanted to say goodbye to her beloved horse and dogs one last time. Thankfully, her hospice nurses were able to make her dying wish come true.

After being diagnosed with terminal advanced aggressive ovarian cancer, Alison spent her final days in the care of St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice in the United Kingdom. The worst part about this for her was that she would have to spend her last days on Earth away from her horse and dogs.

Annie Penrice, one of Alison’s nurses, had spent years working on a ranch in Texas, so she knew firsthand how strong the bond is between a person and their animals. She knew how badly Alison wanted to see her pets, so she teamed up with the other nurses to make her dying wish happen.

“The nurses at St Barnabas got to know her [Alison] and understood how important her animals were to her,” explained Alison’s close friend Claire Shephard. “They arranged for Alison to see her horse and dogs one last time.”

Given Alison’s weak condition, this was no easy task, but the nurses were determined to make it happen.

“At this stage, Alison was very poorly,” Claire said. “But she was so strongly driven towards seeing her animals that she made it happen.”

The reunion meant the world to Alison, and her reaction when she got to see her animals touched the hearts of everyone who was there.

“Alison absolutely lit up when she saw her horse,” Annie said. “As soon as the horse recognized her, it dropped its head and started nuzzling her. It was a very inspiring but emotional visit for us all.”

Alison passed away a few days later, content that she had gotten to say goodbye to the animals she loved.

“The trip really meant the world to Alison and her close family and friends,” Claire said. “It was emotional, but it gave her one last chance to cuddle and love her horse and dogs one last time.”