A Pokémon Go player found a “really special” catch that goes beyond the game and serves as a tribute to his precious pet dog, whose last birthday was celebrated.
Regardless of the situation, a rare catch like a hard-to-find Shiny or a sought-after Shundo is always valuable. These are rare Pokémon that most players will simply never encounter.
However, context can add additional value to already excellent captures, such as the touching story of a father and son who encounter a Shiny Mareep they’ve been chasing for years.
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This latest story is a great example of this, in which a trainer draws attention to how impactful the unique experiences that Pokémon Go provides can be.
On the same day as his elderly dog’s birthday, a Pokémon Go trainer encountered not only a Shundo Swablu but also a shiny Phantump. To pay tribute to his dog, the player named the Phantump ‘BowsBirthday’.
Sharing the emotional message they posted on Reddit: “It’s been a special 24 hours for me, and probably the Pokémon I’ll cherish the most in my life,” before explaining: “That phantump is really special to me, honestly, I caught it yesterday and yesterday was”. My 14th anniversary since adopting my first dog, Bow. “
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Explaining Bow’s situation, OP continued: “This will probably be his last birthday since he is 15 and has been losing his appetite plus he was diagnosed with pancreatitis earlier this year. “That is the last photo I have of him before he became completely blind.”
The motion capture resonated with other trainers who couldn’t help but show their love: “Bow can still hear you and loves when you talk to him. >
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“Oooh. Happy birthday, Bow! He’s an adorable schnauzer! 15 is amazing for these guys,” responded another player looking to encourage OP by highlighting Bow’s longevity.
Sharing a similar story, one response read: “I love it. I have a shiny Stoutland named after my late collie. I also have a few others in the Lilipup evo line that are named after my dogs and my mother’s dogs.”
Wholesome stories like this are a big part of why the Pokémon Go community is so strong and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
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