Sad Day

Today was a sad day.  Today we lost a member of our family.  Today we said goodbye to a beloved pet.  Tim's Grandma Ruth had to put down her dog, Bear.  I offered to go with her to the Humane Society to put him to sleep and it was the most hear wrenching thing I think I have ever voluntarily done. 

Bear was 11 years old.  Gram got him the summer Tim and I were married.  He was the furriest little critter you ever did see when he was a puppy.  He was Rottie and Spaniel mix.  What a combo right?  He never knew he was a dog.  Gram treated him like a person.  He had eggs and bacon for breakfast, steak, chicken or pork for dinner.  He loved his home cooked meals.  Bear went everywhere Gram went.  He would ride in the front of her car, paws on the dash, looking a the world.   Gram would take him over to the creek at Mill City AOG to go swimming.  When he was done swimming he would commando crawl across the grass to dry himself off.  He went to weddings, funerals, baby showers,  and yep, he even went to church.

He very rarely barked.  I have never seen a dog that didn't bark, but Bear didn't.  He got along with most other animals.  He wouldn't bark at wild animals when he saw them, but he would chase a cat in a heartbeat. 

When we went over to the Humane Society, they were very nice.  We didn't even have to take Bear out of the car.  The ladies came out to the car and gave him a sedative.  When that took effect, they brought out the meds.  They gave him the shot and we waited.  He laid his head down on the seat and just looked so sad.  About 6-10 minutes later, the lady came back out, and Bear was still hanging on.  She gave him another dose and gave us some time to be with Bear.  The second shot didn't work.  It slowed his heartrate and breathing, but after another 10-15 minutes he was still alive.  The lady said the the cancerous tumor was absorbing the medication, so it was taking long. 

Do you have any clue how heart breaking it was to watch Gram say goodbye to her best friend?  Let me clue you in..it was harsh.  I went with her for moral support and I cried harder and longer than she did.  I sat in the seat with him, stroking his fur, watching his last few minutes.  Finally the lady came out and the final shot went right into his heart.  Within 2-3 minutes, he was finally gone.  I had no idea that putting an animal down was so hard.

I have decided that when our Bully is ready for the next step of his life, he better just lay down and take his last breaths because I cannot go through that again.  I don't know how the workers at the Humane Society do it every day.  I would be a basket case.  There isn't enough anti depressants out there for me to do that job.  I know all about the cycle of life, but that is one cycle I don't want to have to witness again.

We brought him home and buried him in our backyard with all of Grandma's other dogs.  I'm thinking if they ever X-ray our yard, Tim and I are going to prison..