This is a picture of the last dog that was in my family.
I found her at the local SPCA looking back through the cage door at me so forlornly I couldn't leave her. Her name was Gypsy and she was a coal black, brown eyed, Black Labrador and Border Collie mix. She had the sunny, happy go lucky disposition of a Black Labrador and the smarts of a shrewd Border Collie. She and I were unseparable. She came to work with me everyday and lay at my feet while I typed user manuals, wrote computer programs, discussed things with clients and took long walks with me on weekends.
I had to put her to sleep on Thanksgiving Day several years ago as she had intestinal cancer and business was bad so I could not afford the Vet bill. When I had to let her go, I felt as if I had failed her - and to this day, I've been unable to bring myself to get another dog - even from the SPCA.
6 comments:
Oh my..... how moving...... gypsy looks like a darling.... and with the illness she had she wouldnt have stood much chance, just more pain and poking and prodding..... I think you do what you needed to do for her.. and she, wherever she is now, knows that....
This is one of the reasons I can not bring myself to get a dog, no matter how hard my Jacob begs..... ya see my mean mum had my dog put down when I was pregant with my first son.... I had to leave my dog at home when I left cos she was inseperatable from the other dog there...... and cos I was not in a position to take both the dogs at the time they got a little poorly, my mean mum rang me up and said, never mind Ive just had them both put down, now go and live with that guilt...... I was inconsolable, and almost lost my Ben through the stress of it all...... she was the most adoreable little cairn terrier called Bell.... it still makes tears roll even now 25 years later....
I know Im so very very attached to both me cats and me chickens, and I know I will be devastated beyond belief if any thing happens to them, especially my cats, one of which follows me at my feet everywhere and the other who sits here now next to the computer cos Im on it....
I cant have a dog cos I cant bare the pain of loosing anything else, be it people or pets.....
x
You did what was best for Gypsy. You stopped her pain. And I'm sure she is greatful to you for that. And for the years of love and happyness you gave to her. Don't beat yourself up over it. I'm sure you gave her a happy life, and - at the end of the day - that's all that matters. *hugs*
*big hugs to marmitetoasty*
*hugs to iggy, too*
It's very hard to put a dog down. I cried all the way home when Terri and I had to take our two dogs to the vets. We got Bandit from the local humane society when Marty was just two years old. Bandit was part St. Bernard, part German Shepherd, and he was a very good dog. Our last dog, Skipper, was Bandit's son (thru my sister's Bluetick Coonhound) and he got cancer, too. According to the vet, even with surgery (and an $800 vet bill we couldn't afford), he wouldn't have lived much longer. That last week, he kept looking at me with his big brown eyes as if to say....let me go. I still get tears when I think about him. :'( He was 14 at the time.
It's so hard to have a pet and then deal with the loss when they are gone, no matter the cause. I've had two dogs and three cats/kittens and all were difficult losses.
Iggy, you made the right decision, intestinal cancer isn't something she would have gotten past, she would have continued to suffer, and I know you wouldn't have wanted that. As much as you loved having her in your life, and as much as I'm sure she loved being with you, she was definitely better off going peacefully.
You saved her and gave her a life that she may not have otherwise had, and a chance to be a dog, and be your companion, and that's what made her life enjoyable. Remember those walks, and the times at work, keep the good memories and let go of the bad ones. Gypsy wouldn't want you to dwell on it.
Hugs.
Two things to remember hun:
01) You already did great by Gypsy just by adopting and loving her. A great deal of those animals come from seizers from abuse cases or at least homes that arent suitable for them to be living in. Just the act of adopting her helped out immensely. That's why she was inseparable from you, hun. You were her hero.
02) Putting her down when you did was the kindest thing you could have done for her. If you hadnt, she may have lived only a handful of days or possibly longer. However, every day she would have been in pain or suffering in some way. Not only would it have been painful and depressing for her, but for you too.
oh sweety..I know how painful it is to lose a pet..my dog bill died in 92 and i still haven't gotten over it..
im really sorry...
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