[2] James Stewart owned a "willful but beloved" golden retriever named Beau, of whom he was extremely fond.
While shooting a movie in Arizona, Stewart received a phone call from Dr. Keagy, his veterinarian, who informed him that Beau was terminally ill, and that Gloria sought his permission to perform euthanasia.
"[4] Stewart requested several days' leave, which allowed him to spend some time with Beau before granting the doctor permission to euthanize the sick dog.
[4] Stewart later remembered:After [Beau] died there were a lot of nights when I was certain that I could feel him get into bed beside me and I would reach out and pat his head.
[1][5] Ed McMahon later described the poem itself as "forgettable",[1] but added that both he and Johnny Carson, a couple of "maudlin mutt mourners", were nevertheless moved to tears by Stewart's passionate delivery.