Death of My Pet

A Look Inside the Ebook…

The stories and photos  compiled in this book are shared by pet lovers just like you. You will cry, laugh, and most importantly, understand when you read about:

·       Little Duck, an abandoned duckling rescued by Kendra Bonnett and her siblings was finally strong enough to return to freedom but returned to visit in the spring with her own flock of ducklings, on page 8 in Chapter 1  – Loving, Losing and Letting Go.

·       Abigail who helped her owner, Connie, deal with cancer (page 16). You will laugh with the owners of Muffie, Blackie and Frankie Muffie  who defy all odds to get placed in the right homes with the right parents in Chapter 2 – What Pets Can Teach Us.

·       Latte, a cat who died after being attacked in her own yard by an unsecured and unleashed neighbor dog. Latte’s owner’s original letter to the editor is reprinted  on page 30 in Chapter 3 – Unexpected Loss of a Pet.

·       Tyson was 21-years-old and had been with Michele since he was four-weeks-old.  Michelle found him in the middle of the street in a mud puddle. He followed her everywhere and finally told her with a look that said, “it is time to say goodbye.” Chapter 4 - When Cure Turns to Comfort Care.

·       Neezie was a dog of the heart for Darlene Arden a journalist, author and speaker. She  so eloquently shares her story on page 48 Chapter 5 – Having a Beloved Pet Euthanized.

·       Jasmine is one of the many pets of Maureen who started a blog for pet owners and lovers. You will also learn about the final gift to you from your pet on page 59 in Chapter 6 – Grief is Natural.

·       Samantha, whose best friend Jessica used the energy healing method of EFT and even made a movie about using it to deal with pet loss on page 71 in Chapter 7 - Expressing Our Pain.

·       Thumper, Prissy, and Dixie who were all very special animals who shared life with Kathleen. Due to unfortunate circumstances they all crossed the Rainbow Bridge before her. She consoles herself with the knowledge she will see them again. Chapter 8 - Guilt and Regret.

·       Nuggett, an Appaloosa horse whose sweet alfalfa breath helped shape the life and career of Sarah. She is getting her master’s degree in social work, specializing in equine facilitated mental health and education services. This story and photo are found on page 86 in Chapter 9 -Pet Loss and Children.

·       Djermag, who was also called “Little Terror,” and her Mom, Brenda, went to the Skilled Nursing Facility to interact with the clients there.  She was so popular and everyone loved her.  I also share about the difficult challenge of animals who outlive their owners in Chapter 10 – Pet Loss and the Elderly

·       Riley, who laid on the couch next to severely disabled Elizabeth. After her death, he rarely jumped on the couch again. Elizabeth’s mother Lisa is writing a book about having older or trained dogs for their disabled loved ones, as well as the dangers to unborn babies from cytomegalovirus (CMV) on page 111 in Chapter 11 – Do Animals Grieve When a Companion Dies?

·       Chip and Jessie are just two of the many pets who have brought joy to Carol. On the shelves in her living room, amidst the books she has read or should read, sit four wooden plates bearing the names of three dogs and one cat who shared her life and then passed away. You will want to read this story on page 117 in Chapter 12 – Memorials, Tributes and Rituals to Remember.

·       A minister writes about her ole boy Camper, the dog with “lots of soul,” and her thoughts on heaven and the souls of animals on page 129 in Chapter 13 -
Do Animals Have Souls?

·       Mick, not just any cat, was recalled in a poem by March Bracken, who expresses how sometimes well-intentioned friends say the wrong thing to those who have lost a pet. You will also find a list supplied by Rabbi Mel Glazer on “Unhelpful Responses You Will Hear From Others When Your Pet Dies and What to Do About Them” on page 138, Chapter 14 – Expressing Sympathy to Others.

·       Donald Davis, a North Carolina storyteller and teacher said “Stories have the power to heal individuals following a significant loss because they enable us to keep alive, honor, and bless people [or animals] who are no longer with us.  The story helps us process and understand our relationship with the person [or animal] whom we have lost.” Chapter 15 – How Sharing Stories Help Us Heal.

My family has felt the depths of such a loss when we lost our family pet, a Cocker Spaniel named Taffy.

Taffy was a fence-jumping, chicken chasing, stinky breathed, fur scratching,  devoted member of our family. He held a special place in our heart because he had saved our two-year-old son Andy’s life when he wandered off into the street.

We got Taffy because I am an early morning riser and I saw an ad in the paper looking for a new home for a Cocker Spaniel who had some bad that made it impossible for his current owners to keep him.  When I called the number at 6 am, I was told that the current owners lived on a small acreage and, try as they might, Taffy could not be curtailed from the enjoyment of jumping the neighbor’s fence and harassing the chickens.

The neighbors insisted that Taffy either be chained up or a six foot fence be installed between the properties. The owner family was heartbroken and had determined that Taffy deserved to be in a place where she wasn’t constantly being scolded and yelled at by the neighbors.

We kept the children out of school, because they wanted to interview the whole family and drove the 30 miles to see if we were “suitable owners” for this mischievous bundle of fur.

Hurrah, we passed the test as Taffy licked the faces of the little girls and jumped playfully on Andy, our baby boy.

Agreeing that they could drop in anytime to check on how we were treating Taffy, we piled in the car for the ride home.

Shortly after getting Taffy we had a birthday party for Andy who was turning two years old.  Andy’s favorite gift was a pair of cowboy boots with pointed toes.  He wanted to wear them 24/7. He was often seen in the yard on the swing set or playing with Taffy in only training pants and his cowboy boots.

One day while working in the house, I realized I could no longer hear giggles and barks coming from the yard. Running quickly I saw that both gates were still locked but both the baby and dog were gone!

Panic stricken, I looked all over our property and then started running up the block towards the busy street two blocks away.  Crying their names, I heard a woman by the street yell; “are you looking for a little blond haired boy and a blond haired dog?”

You can imagine my emotions when I got there and scooped up my Andy;

• Relief that he was safe
• Anger that he had somehow gotten out of the yard
• Embarrassment that a crowd of people had rushed outside to help or watch the little boy dressed in only wet pants and cowboy boots and the dog who was hanging his head get in trouble by the hysterical woman.

But the over-riding emotion I felt then, and that I still feel now writing about it 25 years later, is gratitude and humility.

A woman who had rushed outside of her business after seeing a small boy trying to walk on the street and a dog trying to herd him back told us the story. She said that Taffy saved Andy’s life by continually getting in front of him so Andy could not go ahead into the speeding traffic.

She said she had rushed over to take Andy’s hand and lead him back to safety. Since he obviously had no identification on him, she was looking for tags on the dog when she heard me yelling.

Of course we had not had enough time to get current dog tags, so she would have called the former owners who would have probably recanted our suitability as a family worthy of Taffy.

Andy confessed that he had used the toes of his little cowboy boots to climb the fence and Taffy had simply jumped the fence and followed him.

After the adventure, Taffy and Andy were inseparable and both of them spoiled rotten by the rest of the family.

Fast Forward to a Painful Family Decision…

Eventually the day came when, as a family, we agreed that Taffy could no longer go on. She could not go up and down stairs, was constantly incontinent, and was in such pain that even petting her hurt her.

After a tearful goodbye from each of us, my husband Dwain, ever the strong silent hero of the group, wrapped her in a special blanket and took her to the vet for the final visit.

Our hearts were heavy that day. Our tears were plentiful. For once, the house was silent and everyone was grieving in their own unique and special way. Even Tiddles the cat was not his usual self.

But for all of us, Taffy was and is our hero.  Not just because she jumped the fence to save Andy, but because she was an important and valuable member of our family.  She not only brought protection, enjoyment, and companionship to all of us, but she also taught us about loyalty.

It was because of Taffy’s examples of loyalty to us that we, individually and as a family group, have been more loyal friends and associates to others, human and animal.

PS: The incident of jumping the fence to save Andy’s life is the one and only time she ever jumped a fence in the many years she lived and loved with us.

I Lost My Best Friend Today-Dealing with the Loss of a Pet was a labor of love born from my desire to help other people who are struggling with this significant loss.