I Lost my Pet.

[equinox]

On Saturday afternoon, my pet dog Rusty was put to sleep. If anyone has ever had to take this step with a pet, they will know how harrowing it is but he was blind, deaf and his health had taken a definite nose dive. I've no doubt it was the right thing to do but since then, I've felt incredibly upset.

 

Now I'm not an emotional person at all. Last summer, my grandfather passed away and whilst I was fond of him and was deeply saddened to see how upset my mother was at his death, I personally did not cry at any point. That might seem a little heartless but I didn't know my grandfather well and to me to me, my he had lived a great life and passed away at a fine age.

 

Yet with my dog, everything was different. I seen Rusty virtually every day and he was without question, one of the most lovable and gentle dogs I've ever encountered. He never bit anyone and was always so full of life until the last year of his life. Even though he was old and clearly not long for the world, I feel so gutted now that he's gone and I've been moved to tears more than once over the last few days.

 

I know there's no cure for grief other than time but I just wanted to get my feelings off my chest. I'm sure many people here have had similar experiences

 

This is Rusty, quite a handsome dog

 

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[annony]

My Martha was a beautiful rescue dog that I picked up from the pound at a hard time in my life. I was underage (14) and homeless. I rescued Martha from certain death at the pound, and she in turn protected me.

Martha had the best howl (she was a hound) I had ever heard, and when she was happy she sounded like Chewbaca.

When I finally had to put her down a few years ago (yeah, she was very very old) she was blind, had chronic arthritis and could no longer climb the stairs, and was confused to the point that she barked at nothing and stopped in the middle of nowhere and got lost in our own house.

 

I know how hard it is to go through losing a dog. Whoever said that dogs are just animals obviously didn't have one.

[equinox]

That sounds like a very special bond you shared, annony. There was a time in my mid teens when I was going through a depression when I felt as if Rusty was the only one I could talk to so I can relate on some level. I do agree though, dogs are far more than just animals.

[Seraphim]

I am sorry about your beloved pet. I have had to put down many pets over the years. I was most broken up about my beloved Siamese. But there comes a point when it is beneficial to them to put them out of their suffering rather then just keep them around to save our feelings from being hurt.

[In the Dark]

Yeah I remember my first dog being shot by the dog ranger.

The dog was uncontrollable though....well....at the least a hand full to control.

 

He ended up wandering, all the way to a poultry farm which was very far away and massacred a fair few chickens for a while.

I did not know this although there was a tell tale sign with the blood on him when he would come back home.

 

Over time I knew it was better for him to have been put down than for him to have carried on the way he was.

[trolleycar]

Hi equinox & annony

I know what you are going though with the loose of a beloved Pet. I have been the person in my family how had the unpleasant Job. To take the animals to the vet to have to have them put to sleep.

I think the worst part when a animal starts to go down hill as they can not tell you that they are not feeling well.

I am a Volunteer Fire Fighter and have been on some very bad calls. But they do not effected me as much as when I had to have one of me pets put to sleep.

I cry life a baby over the animal. But the worst thing to happy to me about two years ago my dog Mozart died at me feet just before Christmas.

to this day I still miss that dog. All of my pets are part of the family. Equinox are you going to get an other dog to Replace Rusty.

If not think about as you would be saving the life of a dog if you get one from a rescue group. I replaced Mozart with two Labs they were small well they small when I got then but they have grown since.

The rescue group I got the dogs from was down in Alabama they still bark with a southern drawl. woof woof you all. I find that by get a replacement animal will help get your mind off the feeling of loose

As there is nothing you can do for Rusty any more so remember the good time You and Rusty had. This may sound silly but Rusty would have wanted you to remember the good times and move on.

[annony]

Well thankfully I didn't have to take her to the vet. My vet does house calls for this sort of thing for an extra $30 which to me was well worth it.

[CarnelianButterfly]

I put my cat down this summer, she was going to be 14 this fall. She was by my side whenever I was home. She followed me around the house and would sit snuggled up to me on the sofa. She would sleep under the covers of my bed and purr every time I shifted. If I was outside working in sight of the house, she would move from window to window and watch me. She was an amazing and beautiful cat, her eyes were sky blue and her fur was soft like the thickest rabbit fur. I miss her so much and expect to see her curled up on my bed when I come home. She was in a lot of pain, she had bladder cancer. I know it was humane to let her rest, but I miss her so much.

 

 

[FathomFear]

I wouldn't feel bad about saying that you've been more emotionally moved by the death of your dog than you were by the passing of your grandfather last year. Sometimes we do form strong bonds with animals who are close to us--sometimes stronger ones than we had with our own blood relatives. Animals don't judge, tend to love you unconditionally, etc. Those are qualities that many humans struggle to have, and when that's taken away from us we can really miss it.

[sadchick83]

Equinox,

 

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Your dog looks like he was quite a little character. I have a 10 year old rescue dog and we have been through thick and thin together. Rusty will give you a sign that he is still in your life, watching over you from heaven. R.I.P. Rusty.

[equinox]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

 

Equinox are you going to get an other dog to Replace Rusty.

 

Right now, I've no plans to replace him. However, I will probably get another dog in the future but as you say, it will be a dog from a pound or otherwise. I think it's silly to buy a pure blood animal when so many healthy and lovable puppies need homes. If a stray puppy followed me home or if a friend had some to get rid of, I'd likely take one or two.

 

Rusty himself was a rescue dog. When he was 5 months old, my aunt who is a vet was meant to put him down as he was unwanted but she decided to give him to my mother as she knew I wanted a dog. It's nice to think that we gave him another 16 years.

[oceandream]

^^ Such a lovely story equinox and that you could give him such a good life and it is such a gorgeous photo of him!

[chitown9]

I had to put down my female cocker spaniel Peanut. She was 14 years old, and it was apparent something waswrong as she just lost the joy in her life. She was the sweetest, loving dog, always eager to please and therefore a quick learner of many commands. Yes...I miss her still...