Pet owners share
heartfelt messages to
their dogs and cats as
they return to an office

TODAY viewers and staff wrote letters to
their pets sharing what they want them
to know as they leave home to go back to work.

We want Kona to know that his humans are missing his snuggles very much. Oh, and don’t eat the rugs, socks and underwear.


Laura, age 44, Springfield, Virginia

We are really going to work this time! (since anytime we leave we say “going to work.”) We will think about you every moment and watch you in the puppy cams.

LeAnn, age 41, Cayce, South Carolina

Please use the doggie door I installed
for you as I won’t be opening the door
for you every 5 minutes to let you
outside in the yard.

Belinda, age 53, Simi Valley, California


Good morning Hadley,

I am sorry for the early alarm. My, how we have grown since the 4 a.m. wake-up calls you once insisted on as a puppy. Your luxury of sleeping in is, unfortunately over. Commuter life is real, and you are not exempt.

There will be days I will struggle to walk you around our neighborhood at 5 a.m., and in those moments, try to remind me it was a good choice to move to the suburbs. You love nature!

But not to worry, your stay-at-home dad will take good care. He will feed you, walk you and let you nap on his toes. Of course, this will undoubtedly increase my fear you like your dad more than me. I will have to find new ways to make this up to you.

I haven’t been able to convince your dad to get us a puppy cam, but I am persistent. The puppy cam is the technology of choice to pretend I can communicate with you directly since your dad stops answering my FaceTimes every hour. 

Is there someone working on doggy texts? It would certainly help my anxiety on the train ride home.

Don’t worry, Hadley, you’ll be great. 
Me? I am not so sure,
With love and kisses,

Chelsea, aka Mom

Chelsea, NBC News producer, age 31, Westwood, New Jersey

Dear Zadie, 

If I could talk to you and have you understand English for just 5 minutes, here’s what I’d want you to know:

You never have to worry that I won’t come back when I leave. I promise every time I step out of the house, I’m thinking about how to get back to you as soon as possible, OK?

Don’t tell my humans, but you are literally my best friend. You increased the joy in my life by a thousandfold, and I am already a naturally happy person. Thank you for making me smile and laugh a million times a day. I work only so that someday I can give you the backyard you deserve.

Since you’re losing your own full-time job of distracting me by being so adorable that I must cross the room to pet you every 5 minutes, why not rediscover your toy box? I spent so much money on the chewy toys you ignore, and we’re trying to save up for a backyard, remember? 

Forever saving the last bite of my dinner for you,

Emily

Emily, TODAY writer, age 32, Brooklyn, New York

My dearest Ellie,

While I know you’ve enjoyed going outside every 5 minutes while I’ve been home, you’re a big girl now, and I’m about 99.99% sure you can hold it for a good few hours! I believe in you!

And to my shihpoo, Daisy, I know you’re still mad that we brought Ellie home 2 years ago; however, I’ve made some space under the bed for you to hide from Ellie while we are gone. You’re welcome!

Sheri, age 36, Warwick, Rhode Island

My sweet Missy,

I’m going to miss you so much when I go back to the office. From having you sleeping at my feet or sneaking in some snuggles while I’m on a call, you’ve made my pandemic time at home so enjoyable. You are the best fur baby ever. But also the jig is up — I now know you sleep about 21 hours per day! Hopefully when I’m in the office, you can be dreaming that you’re sleeping at my feet!


Laura, age 44, St. Louis, Missouri

Ledo,

I hate to wake you up from your nap, but if you haven't already noticed, you don't have to climb the stairs to sleep under my desk anymore. I wish I could take you to the office with me to sleep under my desk there — I know everyone would love you as much as I do!

Deb, Pana, Illinois

Dear Fergus,

I wanted to tell you how proud I am of how you have adjusted to me going back to work. Being back in school is hard for both of us. I know how much you miss my students. They know how much you love physical education and music. But the last few months being back at work have shown me you are much stronger than I am. I love looking at the camera or getting the text from you to show me your latest chess move. More important, what you are wearing?

Love, Mom

Megan, age 48, Perth Amboy, New Jersey

I like y’all a lot more than the people I have to deal with. You behave better than them on your worst days. I appreciate your input during conference calls. You’re more fun to play tug of war with. I’ll be happy to see you when I get home, and you will absolutely make me feel better. But I know you’ll enjoy having the house to yourself.


Jeanna, age 57, Phoenix, Arizona

Dear Foo,

I know, Foo bear, I will miss you too. But you can finally get a good comfy nap in again. And I promise we will still take nature walks and share our lunches.
XOXO, ta mère

Max, age 55, Collierville, Tennessee

Cooper the man!

Although you're a small pug, you are the man of the house. Little brave one that dares to bark at every one from UPS to the daily exercising people around. The time together was great. Faithfully working with me for 15 months was one of my cutest and sweetest experience of my almost four decades of work. I promise I’ll back to you in three years or so. In the meantime, enjoy your quiet life, and wait for me to go to the bathroom. Well, actually it's your mom who will take you out midafternoon. Be sure, my heart and soul will be missing and thinking of you. Thanks for the good memories, and take good care of your mom and sister when they return home.
Love you, Coop! B-good and b-have.

Your suffering dad, Papa!

Alfred, age 57, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

Dear Pepper,

Listen, one of us has to work around here! And while I wish I could stay home with you forever, sadly your Instagram account (@PeppermintThePom. Take note, reader) is not bringing in any cash for things like treats and long drives to the dog-friendly beach. Just know that every moment away from you (and my couch/pajamas/personal refrigerator) is hard on me too. My co-workers do not like it when I smother them out of love — in fact, I could be fired for it! — so there is significantly less snuggling around the office. They also often ask me to do WORK, which, like, you obviously never do, thank God. But here’s the thing … I suppose it could be good for us to get some space, right? 

You were stressed yesterday just sitting in the passenger seat instead of my lap! Dude, that’s some serious separation anxiety. I know we talked about this already with the dog trainer, but I feel like we should mention it again: I will always come back! Unless I’m dead, in which case you get to hang out with Grandma or Grandpa forever, and they have entire houses filled with carpet for you to pee on! Truly, a silver lining. 

Love you, be right back! I promise! 
Sam

Sam, TODAY.com editor, age 30, Los Angeles, California

Dear Charlie and Lily, 

Pretty soon I’m going to start leaving the house each morning, and you two will be on your own for a lot of the day. 

Lily remembers these times fondly — but Charlie, this might come as somewhat of a shock. Five days a week, I will actually get washed and dressed before the sun rises, and I won’t be back in time for your midday stroll to CVS. Your dad’s going to feed you breakfast and walk you before he goes to school.  Everything’s going to be totally fine, just don’t let the cat bully you. She’s used to running the house, but as long as you follow her rules (stay away from her food and don’t chew on her toys) everything will be all right!

Honestly, you might even like napping in the peace and quiet! And just so you know, I’ll be counting the minutes every day until I can come home to play with you!

Lots of love, 
Mom & Dad

Emily B., TODAY associate producer, age 26, New York, New York

Dear Layla,

I know it’s hard to understand that there are other children in my life that I have to take care of. But you have to realize that I go to school and teach so I can buy you cookies and toys and take you for pupaccinos. I know you want nothing more than to come play in the band, but we all know you hate drums! I’m entrusting the security of our house to you — guard it with your life, and please be sure to alert the neighborhood of all possible threats such as leaves, bikes, children playing, the trash truck, or even … another dog.
We will get through this.

Love, Your human

Jen, age 26, South Portland, Maine

Dear Tessa,

I just want you to know that I don’t want to go to the office, but I have to. I promise the weekdays will go fast. I’ll talk about you a lot, and when we get home, it will be all about you. We will give you all the love, play time and cuddle time you deserve and more. I will only go to the office on days I have to. We love you so much.

Donna, age 55, Virginia Beach, Virginia

I love you lots, Starlord.

You were my midlife crisis/pandemic purchase. Please know I love you and would love nothing more than to have you cuddling with me all my Zoom meetings, but I just go back to real life. Please don’t be mad at me. While I am away, please do me a solid and don’t chew up any important cords. I understand that when you are frustrated, you turn into a gremlin, but I really need you to hold it together. This is hard for all of us. Please understand my heels, Birkenstocks and purses are off limits. Remember, I will always come back, and I love you to pieces. Unfortunately, if you want to keep up your expensive squeaky toy habit, Mama has got to work.

Love you dearly sweet, Starlord!

Sara, age 39, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas

Dear Little Miss,

I know how much you love taking walks
with me. You are always so well behaved.
I promise that I will always make time to
take you for walks before I leave every day.

Love, Mom

Holli, age 53, Naperville, Illinois

Dear Bella and Zoey,

Soon I’ll be leaving the house one day a week for a few hours. But don’t worry, I’ll be home before you wake up from your afternoon nap to give you treats. The bonus is that the baby gate that has kept you, Zoey, from entering my work space will be wide open the whole day. You’re welcome!

Love both of you, Mom.

Kari, age 53, Phoenix, Arizona

Roman and Shiv,

Just months after taking you in as little kittens, you adapted to a world where your humans were home giving you all the pets 24/7, and now you don’t know any different! As I prepare to leave you alone during the day, as most cats prefer, I know our co-dependent selves will miss the nose rubs, midday snuggles and spontaneous zoomies. But it’s time for me to return to a space where I’m not talking in a baby voice for an embarrassing amount of time during the day. Now, I’ll just have to love you twice as hard when I walk through the door in the afternoons.

MC, TODAY.com editor, age 29, Brooklyn, New York

Dear Buster, Whammy
and Sparky,
 
So, this is where we part ways. Well, for multiple hours on end each day, anyway.
 
It’s been an interesting ride, hasn’t it? Certainly more interesting than any ride that doesn’t involve you sticking your tongue out the window while we cruise down the street.
 
You’ve been there while I’ve navigated the brave new world of working from home. You sat on my lap while I typed stories. You barked during interviews. You looked perplexed — or is that jealous? — when I got up every 15 minutes to eat food with salt, sugar and “-flavin” in the ingredients.
 
We took long walks. We loved and lost, horrifically enduring the death of our first pandemic puppy, only to welcome a new one (Sparky) to the fold. Have no doubt, I will miss you all each day. I will miss those not so subtle reminders to take you to our backyard to let you do your business. I will miss you pawing at the door to be let into my office. I will miss being around you, a source of comfort during a most uncomfortable time. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Maybe that’s why I take solace hoping you will continue to jump, wag your tails and spin in circles when I’ve pulled off the magic trick of returning home each day. After all, it’s pretty impressive I remember the way after all this time.

Drew, TODAY.com reporter, age 46, Scotch Plains, New Jersey

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