When Neil Rodriguez’s dog, Poh, died on Feb. 12 after battling tumors and kidney failure, the New York City resident vowed to complete his beloved pet’s bucket list by “introducing” him to Mickey Mouse.
On Sunday, Rodriguez posted a photo on social media that shows an actor at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, costumed as the signature Disney character, holding a photo of Poh.
“After a couple of tries, we finally fulfilled one last item on #pohthedog bucket list,” the photo’s caption reads.
The bittersweet image — which followed pictures of Poh “meeting” Pluto and “Star Wars’” Chewbacca — was the latest of hundreds of photos that chronicled the life and death of a dog that touched the hearts of thousands of well-wishers.
In March 2015, a terminal diagnosis meant the 16-year-old Poh was not expected to survive more than a few weeks. His owner, a DJ by trade, decided to fill the dog’s final days by taking him to a slew of landmarks across the U.S.
Rodriguez took Poh on a seven-week cross-country trip that included stops in 22 states — including Bourbon Street in New Orleans, the Alamo in San Antonio, a beach in San Diego, the Santa Monica Pier and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The trip was depicted in photos and videos, published on the Instagram account “pohthedogsbigadventure,” which now has more than 130,000 followers.
In July and August, another Rodriguez and Poh took another road trip, this time visiting the East Coast, Florida and Chicago.
The dog’s health deteriorated to the point where his owner made a heartbreaking decision and scheduled him to be euthanized on Feb. 16. Four days before that date, the dog died of natural causes.
“Because Poh is Poh, he went out on his own terms, while we were on the road, naturally in @goumada and my arms,” Rodriguez wrote in an Instagram post.
