Read this with the tissues.......

“When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. Whenever I was “bad,” you’d shake your finger at me and ask “How could you?” – but then you’d relent and roll me over for a belly rub.

My house training took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed, listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because “ice cream is bad for dogs,” you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love.

She, now your wife, is not a “dog person” – still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy. Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a “prisoner of love.”

As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them, especially their touch – because your touch was now so infrequent – and I would have defended them with my life if need be.

I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams. Together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway. There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years, you just answered “yes” and changed the subject. I had gone from being your dog to “just a dog,” and you resented every expenditure on my behalf.

Now you have a new career opportunity in another city and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You’ve made the right decision for your “family,” but there was a time when I was your only family.

I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said “I know you will find a good home for her.” They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog or cat, even one with “papers.”

You had to pry your son’s fingers loose from my collar as he screamed “No, Daddy! Please don’t let them take my dog!” And I worried for him and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life. You gave me a goodbye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too.

After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked “How could you?”

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you – that you had changed your mind – that this was all a bad dream…or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me. When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited.

I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table, rubbed my ears and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief. The prisoner of love had run out of days. As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood.

She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured “How could you?”

Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak, she said “I’m so sorry.” She hugged me and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn’t be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself – a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place. With my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my “How could you?” was not meant for her. It was you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of. I will think of you and wait for you forever.

May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

i still think that any vet who willignly puts a healthy dog down should be struck off

  It makes me so sad that that actually happens  

    thanks for cheering up my evening , so sad but so very true , I just hate people  

 So sad, yet happens so much. I wish I could save them all

  how very sad, but vey true

... sobbing now.
I can't believe anyone would give up their dog like that. Yet so many do.
I'm off to cuddle my Maddie-boo  

I've only just read this and in a way wished I hadn't. I'm bawling my eyes out.

  

  So sad

I read this while listening to the tags tinkiling on the collars of my two playing outside... they just came up to see why I was crying... soft git that I am.
I can hand on heart say no woman, job or house will seperate me from my two.

Ah Nath - best not to read stuff like this when you're feeling a bit low in yourself. I understand your emotion though, I howled my eyes out reading this.

Nathan wrote:I read this while listening to the tags tinkiling on the collars of my two playing outside... they just came up to see why I was crying... soft git that I am.
I can hand on heart say no woman, job or house will seperate me from my two.

I've already decided today mate bit of constructive destruction with the marriage and I'm selling up and moving onto a boat with my 2

Nathan wrote:
I can hand on heart say no woman, job or house will seperate me from my two.

Completely agree Xx

Dave you're frightening me (and not the boat bit).

Lynda wrote:Dave you're frightening me (and not the boat bit).

Me no scarey

No you're not a scaredy-cat Dave. But even bold cats look before they leap.  

 this made me sob. How sad.

Tip cannot understand why I'm crying and hugging her. Good question: How could you?

I waited twelve years for the little girl laying on my lap. She is like one of my kids and in nine weeks she has been here she has become an Iveson which means she will be ours for life.

Who ever owned the girl that had to be put down don't deserve to be called responssible. The Goddess gave us animals to take care off they cannot protect or feed themselves and if this person really cared he would have atleast TRIED rehoming her himsellf.
One don't abbandon family. That's what our dogs are to us. They are Family.

I want to share how I got Tip. Before I had her I had a GSD named Timothy. We were inseperable for ten years till old age and cancer befell him. Standing in my Vet office and him telling me that it was spread to far that we could not save him I made the hardest choice in my life. He was suffering and as hard as it was I had to do him one last service. It hurt comforting my best friend while my vet put him to sleep. I felt like I failed Tim.

Two weeks after that Robert had to pick something from Tip's breeder. And in his kitchen were this black bull terrier girl with her pups. While we were drinking coffee Tip somehow ended up craweling over my feet and into my heart.

She is family

Aww nicky that's a lovely story, run free Timothy at rainbow bridge, rip fella yes our furbabies are our family

Thanks Nicky, I have now started my day in tears!

Sorry Janey wasn't my intention.   I wasn't prepared for how reading that post could bring back memories. I find it disgusting that one can just turn your back on one's dog like that. They give you their everything and they only ask us to love them. I detest people and how thoughtless they can be

Oh I agree Nicky, I am yet to loose a dog, so the pain scares me....hopefully it will be a few more years yet