Sunday, July 10, 2011
Pet Loss
The other day in class we were talking about the importance of dealing with the death of pets, and how it can affect many people in many different ways. A few years ago I worked as a vet tech for four years and I soon learned that there are two extremes for how people feel when they have to put down a pet. There are those that feel like they are losing their best friend or a child, which is how I even felt when I was having to kill their beloved pet. But then we have the other half of the people who at times just dropped there pet off like it was trash to be taken out. These types of people were either afraid of death itself or they felt as if their pets death wasn't relevant, and didn't require any mourning because they are replaceable. There was one case in particular that I will never forget and it was one a middle aged man was bringing in his mothers pet to be put down because he was sending her to an assisted living facility. This dog was not even four years old and it's only health issue was that it hadn't been groomed in a while and was severely matted. The man dropped off the dog like a piece of garbage, when he tried to pay I told him not to worry about it...so he didn't and he left. I decided to give this dog a second chance and not kill it like the owners son had wanted me to. I bathed the dog and he looked like new and became our office dog until I could get him adopted. This experience taught me that not everyone thinks about death the same, and how some don't even think our pets deserve the respect that we give our own species. I don't know if I am the only one but I feel like these are the people who don't deserve to own a pet, and who take for granted a pets ability to love it's owner no matter what. To me their death is just as important as a humans, and at times I even feel more pain for the death of an animal then I do for our own species.
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As I sit here reading this, my cat is doing her best to stop me from writing anything. She is nuzzling my face and looking up at me with her sweet green eyes, purring as hard as she can. She is a mutant cat who was born to a really old mother. If I had not adopted her, she surely would have suffered and may not be alive today. When I took her from the animal shelter, she could only breathe out of one nostril and had a really runny eye from an infection. Her teeth were very crooked and her face is still a little smushed from birth defects. When I got her home, I took her to the vet and had her closed nostril opened so she could breathe properly, along with other medical attention. That was over three years ago, and she is an amazing animal. She has a lot of "personality" and follows me everywhere, sometimes trying to anticipate my next move.
ReplyDeleteI know there are plenty of people who don't like cats, dogs or any animals. They probably haven't met the right creature.
I completely agree. It was my childhood dream to become a Veterinarian so after receiving my associate’s degree I thought I'd intern with our families Veterinarian to make sure it's what I wanted to do. I basically did everything that the techs did, and I too saw the drastic difference between the owners that could just drop them off, and those that clearly suffered with the decision of euthanasia. This post hit home to me because just last Wednesday I had the Vet come out to take a look at my horse’s eye. The bottom lid had been swollen like it was infected but after flushing it out, I couldn't find anything in it. As the Vet, his assistant, and I rode out to the back pasture, I was telling him about Sierra's eye and how I didn't understand why it was looking so bad. The assistant muttered, "I hope it's not cancer", but I just brushed it off because there was no way an eye infection could be cancer. We got out to where she was and I walked her over to the Vet and he said, "Ohh honey, I'm about to ruin your day." He proceeded to tell me that it was in fact, cancer. Sierra is a black and white paint, the majority of her white and after years of the Florida sun she had developed cancer. He said he could remove the tumor but that it would be back in 2-3 months because it had probably already spread to the bone and lymph nodes. I just stood there crying as he explained to me the only thing to do would be put her down. I've had this horse since she was born on March 23, 1997 and I was 10 years old. I can't imagine walking out to the barn and her not running across the pasture to me. The vet then told me I could wait until I was ready, but advised only a couple weeks. It's just heart breaking because besides the lump, she's fat and happy. Horses usually live 25-30 years so she isn't even old. It's just heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteThis amazes me! How can people be so cold towards animals?! I have been an animal lover my whole life and I can't imagine acting like that. I had many cats growing up and I remember every time I found out one was dead or one went missing, I would break down. Now, I have three cats and I know if something happened to one of them... I would probably ball my eyes out! I am so glad that you gave that poor dog a second chance! People like that definitely don't deserve pets - who just love unconditionally! This disgusts me.
ReplyDeleteIm so happy to hear that you saved a life. Its mighty big of you to step up and be that savior. I have this pproblem with my boyfriend now where i see my dog alot more sensitively then he sees him. It causes a lot of tension and fricktion in our relationship. The biggest argument is about him getting up in bed with me. He just doesnt understand how happy it makes me to hear him breathing next to me and how he streches out and pokes my in the eyte with his hein leg.
ReplyDeleteDealing with the death of a pet is probably one of the most difficult things you can deal with. I have a lot of respect for you for taking that dog and giving it a second chance. I used to volunteer at a no kill shelter and the conditions that some people bring in animals is pretty messed up. Good to hear that others are looking out for the smaller creatures
ReplyDeleteI found this poem was very comforting to me when my pets passed.
ReplyDeleteJust this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...
I can completely relate to this post. I am a huge animal lover and my 3 cats (Mew, Simon and Oliver) are my world. I am also a fan of the show on Animal Planet called Animal Cops, where officers take pets away from abusive homes and adopt them into new ones. Some people lack total disregard for the fact that animals, just like humans, can feel pain and can suffer. I’m sure the woman sent to the assistant living facility probably didn’t have the means anymore to groom the dog properly or care for it, so it was probably a good thing the dog came to you. The son’s actions, however, upset me because the dog obviously doesn’t need to be put down. A lot of shelters get reputations for euthanizing animals left and right because the animals are unadoptable and maybe that’s why the man asked to have the dog put down.
ReplyDeleteI feel that animal’s rights should be acknowledged the same way as human rights are. Animals deserve love and attention like humans do and to treat them like they are garbage is not acceptable in my opinion. I am glad you saved the dog and I hope the dog is living a happy life.
- Ashley Worden