A New Haven man was walking along a nearly empty beach on Aquidneck Island, R.I., close to sunset on Christmas Eve when he noticed a box containing several sandy and worn tennis balls.
A laminated note tacked onto the box said the beach was a favorite spot for the late Piper Harden. The note had a picture of the dog enjoying the sand.
When Piper was alive, from 2006 to 2021, Piper ran, played, fetched and barked at the waves, the note says.
“Please help yourself to a tennis ball for your dog to play with,” the note says, adding that dog owners can keep the ball or drop it back in the box for another dog to enjoy.
“Love this time with your pup,” the note says. “And enjoy this day you have together.”
Aaron Goode, a New Haven man, said the note reminded him of his friend’s dog, also named Piper.
“I thought other people might be moved by it,” he said, and posted the photo to Twitter.
Goode also thought of his father whose cat died recently.
“He lives alone and his cat helped him get through the pandemic,” Goode said. “Like many people.”
“I imagine that Piper’s owners had the same need fulfilled.”
The Newport Buzz posted a photo of the box to its Facebook page back in August. At the time, the box was found at Reject’s Beach and was full of tennis balls — only one of which was noticeably sandy.
As the sun set Friday, Goode noticed another tennis ball out on the sand and near the water.
“They are getting used,” Goode told Hearst Connecticut Media. “Other dogs (perhaps friends of Piper) are still enjoying and playing fetch on the beach.”
“As was meant to be,” he added.
liz.hardaway@hearst.com
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