When Bruce Mitchell threw a retirement party for his dog, Tyler, he explained that it was kind of a no-brainer. Tyler was family, he was retiring, and of course he was going to get a party! (And, he added, a bigger one than he would have arranged for most people, as is only correct.) Humans come and go, and we’re all familiar with the inevitable end that we all must face alone. Humans, at least, get an average of 7 decades or so, but dogs? Not so much, and let’s be honest: That’s harder to think about than the inevitability of saying goodbye to most people.
On April 29, 2014, the “Swamp People” Facebook page shared a post from Mitchell. He was announcing the heartbreaking death of not only his best friend, but his steadfast companion and fan favorite. Tyler — renowned for his ability to eat zebra cakes — was 13 years old at the time of his death, and according to TMZ, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Tyler had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure three years prior to his passing, which — while not necessarily an immediate death sentence — can impact quality of life and shorten life span.
