With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Shadow, the beloved dog who helped shape A American Container into the dog-friendly workplace it is today.
Shadow came into our lives in 2012 as a stray Pitbull found roaming the streets of Tampa. He was taken in by the Payne family around the age of 6 weeks old, and from the very beginning, he was deeply loved.
As Shadow grew into his teenage years, he developed quite the personality. Like any teenager, he became a bit of a troublemaker — sneaking out of the house and exploring the neighborhood while everyone was out of the house. Eventually, Angie began bringing him into the office each day, and from then on, Shadow became part of our company family. He loved greeting customers and quickly became a favorite among employees. Every morning, he’d eagerly sit by the door, ready to head to work.
In 2019, we welcomed another dog into our family: Scout. From the moment we picked her up, the two of them became inseparable. The two of them instantly became best friends — running through the office, playing, and curling up together on the dog bed for a nap. Shadow helped raise Scout into the dog she is today.
As Shadow got older and started to slow down, Shadow earned the privilege of choosing whether to come to work or relax at home. Each morning, we’d ask, “Shadow, do you want to go to work?” Sometimes he’d come, and other times he’d enjoy his well-earned retirement.
Last year Scout had puppies, and Shadow was right by her side helping her raise them as well. Although he wasn’t able to play the way he used to, he was always around to cuddle with the babies. As Frank and Sage started growing to be close to double his size, they always respected him as an elder and made sure to be extremely gentle around him.
In his final year, Shadow was diagnosed with a tumor in his groin that began to grow rapidly, affecting his quality of life which led us to the hard decision of putting him down this past Saturday.
Shadow was a people-lover through and through — gentle, loyal, and endlessly patient, especially being raised by a little girl who often played dress up with him. His favorite food was chicken straight off the grill, and he loved nothing more than snuggling with other dogs, riding in the car, and guarding the backyard from birds.
He will be deeply missed by all of us at A American Container. Shadow’s legacy lives on not only in our hearts but in the culture, he helped create — a company that welcomes dogs, celebrates their spirit, and believes in the joy they bring to our daily lives.
Run free, Shadow. You were a good boy.