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| Tank at the beach |
Sometimes being a pet’s hero means knowing when to let go. This road is the bumpiest, roughest and most gut-wrenching I have ever been down. The loss of my pets has hurt more, and still hurts more than losing some of my close relatives. I know that might be hard to hear for some, but for others, I know you are nodding in agreement. I’m not saying I loved my dog more than my grandmother; I’m saying that their loss took a greater emotional toll.
My dog, Tank, was a constant companion. In our 11 years together, I could guess we’d been apart less than 30 days; we went everywhere together. He knew all of my secrets, and the very best part was that he never judged me. We live in a world where no matter how many great people we share our lives with, at one time or another, they have judged us, wronged us, or made us feel badly. Our pets don’t do that. They may ruin our favorite shoes or chew the sticky note with an important phone number you needed, but they never hurt us; they truly loved us unconditionally.
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| Tankie all dressed up |
There are many questions that arise when a pet’s end nears: How do I know when to do it? What if they could get better? Have I let them go to long? How will I tell my children? What will my life be without them? Will they know? The list goes on. Some of these can’t be answered. You just have to trust in your veterinarian, your friends, and your family. I can say my first dog I let go too long. As for my second, some would say I let go too soon. It was mine and my husband’s decision, as only those closest can make the decision they feel is best. My boy, Tank, didn’t judge me or look into my eyes and tell me I let him go too soon. He looked into my eyes and saw sadness; he saw an owner he could no longer make him happy because his disease had ravaged his body. It was unfair of me to keep him alive. It took everything in me to let that dog go, and I mean EVERYTHING. Your animal means the world to you and my Tank was no exception to me. He literally introduced me to my husband. Out of my love for Tank, I built a business to care for other peoples’ pets and he drove me to continue on to teach others how to save theirs. Tank was a part of every aspect of my life. As difficult as it was to let him go, it would have been cruel for me to perpetuate his life.
Euthanasia in Greek means “good death”. We are fortunate to be able to bestow the gift of a good death upon our best friends. In contrast, my grandmother did not have a good death; I wish we could have given that to her. So while we carry the burden of making that dreaded decision, we should take solace in the fact that we are giving a gift to our best friends, who have given their hearts to us. If you have ever heard of the story, “A dog’s purpose according to a 6-year old”, you will have an amazing insight from a young mind as to why our pets’ lives are so short.
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| Tank out for a stroll |
As a professional pet care provider and pet first aid & CPR instructor, I have been exposed to far more deaths of peoples’ pets than I feel my heart can endure. There is a compounded issue when you care for pets. You not only love the animals that you spend your days with, but you get to know the people that love these pets too. Every time a pet-client passes, my heart aches twice; first, for the loss of that pet in my everyday life and second, for the loss of that pet in their owner’s lives. It’s awful, but each time I try to look ahead to the new chapters as a coping mechanism. Our relationship with each animal is unique, and we’re lucky to have so many future furry chapters to look forward to.
If you are contemplating “that time” for your beloved pet, or know someone that is, there are some great resources out there to help us help them. Take a few minutes to read about other peoples' experiences. Although your situation is unique, there are many animal lovers who share the same concerns and you may find comfort and guidance in the following locations:
Be their hero, be strong, and be able to let them go. Give them a gift by taking all of your love and wrap their soul with it as you say goodbye.
