I lost my Molly at the beginning of last year and I still cry about it. It’s the most dreadful thing, but they are the best things so make it all worth it I guess. She was 15 - the most beautiful collie dog you’ve ever seen. We went through almost the same - loss of mobility followed by the miracle of Librela, but blindness took her will to live in the end. It totally broke me to see her give up. I held her at the end.
We pledged not to try and replace her, but ended up with a puppy, who is a nightmare and helps to heal the hurt a little. She’s a ratty little collie from two working parents who looks at you with terrifying analytical eyes. I love her to bits.
Your Molly sounds wonderful - I adore collies (my first two dogs were both collie mixes and very characterful and lovely companions, though definitely less relaxed than a labrador). Give the puppy a scritch from me ❤
And also, I'm so glad that Jessie got a long, loving life with people who cared so deeply for her. They are all such good dogs, aren't they? Whoever said we don't deserve them was bang on.
I’m so sorry - the decision to let go is truly awful to make: I have never cried like I cried when my dogs (nearly 19 - a crotchety, silly old lady and a tragic 7 who was the happiest, daftest dog I ever knew) died in my arms. I will feel forever grateful them both for being such a special and open hearted part of our family. I still miss them both despite having a nearly 2 year old snoozing on my lap. I forgot how much it takes to train a puppy!
It's so hard isn't it - a friend messaged me to say that part of the joy we get from animals is how completely happy we can make them, and the flipside is that when we can't make them happy, it's devastating. Please give the puppy a tummy rub from me ❤
Oh Sarah! Shouldn’t have read this in public, on the train to work… my mascara is leaking. I’m so sorry for your loss and hope all those happy memories are some comfort
So sorry for your loss Sarah. It’s really tough because people tell you you’ll just know when it’s time to put them down but I don’t buy it! I had a Devon Rex cat (so basically a dog) who just wanted his food and cuddles exactly as he always had… except the wound on his stomach from where the tumour was removed just wouldn’t heal. Putting him down did not feel right at all because he so clearly wanted to keep living. It was awful. Anyway, I’m so sorry. It’s just the worst. X
Oh Kate, what a terrible thing to go through. I think with Jessie, I had a long time to prepare myself for the end - I always knew that when she stopped being able to walk, it would be time. That doesn't make it easy at all, but it's different to having to deal with the situation you were in. When Jessie was diagnosed with arthritis, the vet told me: pets are very good at hiding when they're in pain and will put on a brave face for you. It helped me to understand that Jessie was covering her suffering for our benefit, and that we were able to kindly free her from that suffering: I don't know if thinking about it that way will help you feel better about your lovely cat, but maybe it will.
I cried reading the last bit because it brought back my 17-year-old cat’s last few weeks this summer. Knowing I needed to make that decision before he suffered too much. The last nights with him curled next to me on the bed. Holding him as he died. And then looking back at the stress of the last couple of weeks — I’d go out shopping for a couple of hours and genuinely worry he might have died before I got back. I still catch myself expecting to see him when I come into the empty house.
It becomes so consuming, doesn't it? And it's very difficult as their owner, because of course you could do anything for them, but when you're doing almost everything, it has stopped being a kindness to them - they need their independence, and so do you. Love to you ❤
So sorry for the loss of your Jessie, she sounds like a wonderful dog.
You capture the winding down of a life so well. I felt similarly when my cats passed over a decade ago. It’s the hardest choice, but also the right one.
I recently got 2 kittens which has been an adjustment (everything getting shredded and midnight zooming). As someone said above, I love these new ones, but still would like my old boys back.
Thank you Eva - it's lovely to hear that you still think so fondly of your cat after so long. The ones we love, people and animals, do stay with us. And your kittens sound delightful (I hope they don't take too long get over their manic teenage phase...)
I lost my Molly at the beginning of last year and I still cry about it. It’s the most dreadful thing, but they are the best things so make it all worth it I guess. She was 15 - the most beautiful collie dog you’ve ever seen. We went through almost the same - loss of mobility followed by the miracle of Librela, but blindness took her will to live in the end. It totally broke me to see her give up. I held her at the end.
We pledged not to try and replace her, but ended up with a puppy, who is a nightmare and helps to heal the hurt a little. She’s a ratty little collie from two working parents who looks at you with terrifying analytical eyes. I love her to bits.
I still want my Molly back though.
Your Molly sounds wonderful - I adore collies (my first two dogs were both collie mixes and very characterful and lovely companions, though definitely less relaxed than a labrador). Give the puppy a scritch from me ❤
Thank you. I hope you feel a little better soon.
Fierce hugs to you and your family on the loss of physical love and presence from your dearest Jessie. 💖 What a beautiful love letter this piece was x
I'm so, so sorry for your loss Sarah.
And also, I'm so glad that Jessie got a long, loving life with people who cared so deeply for her. They are all such good dogs, aren't they? Whoever said we don't deserve them was bang on.
Dogs - we don't deserve them, and they don't live long enough. Lovely, heartbreaking, piece.
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
― Will Rogers
I’m so sorry - the decision to let go is truly awful to make: I have never cried like I cried when my dogs (nearly 19 - a crotchety, silly old lady and a tragic 7 who was the happiest, daftest dog I ever knew) died in my arms. I will feel forever grateful them both for being such a special and open hearted part of our family. I still miss them both despite having a nearly 2 year old snoozing on my lap. I forgot how much it takes to train a puppy!
It's so hard isn't it - a friend messaged me to say that part of the joy we get from animals is how completely happy we can make them, and the flipside is that when we can't make them happy, it's devastating. Please give the puppy a tummy rub from me ❤
Given, and thank you :-)
Oh Sarah! Shouldn’t have read this in public, on the train to work… my mascara is leaking. I’m so sorry for your loss and hope all those happy memories are some comfort
So sorry for your loss Sarah. It’s really tough because people tell you you’ll just know when it’s time to put them down but I don’t buy it! I had a Devon Rex cat (so basically a dog) who just wanted his food and cuddles exactly as he always had… except the wound on his stomach from where the tumour was removed just wouldn’t heal. Putting him down did not feel right at all because he so clearly wanted to keep living. It was awful. Anyway, I’m so sorry. It’s just the worst. X
Oh Kate, what a terrible thing to go through. I think with Jessie, I had a long time to prepare myself for the end - I always knew that when she stopped being able to walk, it would be time. That doesn't make it easy at all, but it's different to having to deal with the situation you were in. When Jessie was diagnosed with arthritis, the vet told me: pets are very good at hiding when they're in pain and will put on a brave face for you. It helped me to understand that Jessie was covering her suffering for our benefit, and that we were able to kindly free her from that suffering: I don't know if thinking about it that way will help you feel better about your lovely cat, but maybe it will.
It does help, thank you. It felt like we were murdering him at the time, but I don't think we could have made any other decision.
No, I really don't think you could. You did the right thing for him, and you carried the pain of it yourself. That's a very loving thing to do.
Condolences Sarah 💔 What a lovely piece.
Also, agree re Metronomy. Bought the album at the time on the strength of the singles, but it didn’t stand up as a whole
Great piece. Our dog Disney died last year. We all still miss him. He was 17 and a good boy.
17 is such an age! Well done Disney ❤
“A good boy” made me cry. It’s such a lovely phrase. That’s all they want to be isn’t it?
A gem of a testimony to your beloved Jessie, hope you plant that tennis ball tree.
I cried reading the last bit because it brought back my 17-year-old cat’s last few weeks this summer. Knowing I needed to make that decision before he suffered too much. The last nights with him curled next to me on the bed. Holding him as he died. And then looking back at the stress of the last couple of weeks — I’d go out shopping for a couple of hours and genuinely worry he might have died before I got back. I still catch myself expecting to see him when I come into the empty house.
It becomes so consuming, doesn't it? And it's very difficult as their owner, because of course you could do anything for them, but when you're doing almost everything, it has stopped being a kindness to them - they need their independence, and so do you. Love to you ❤
They are such constant companions through life’s ups and downs. And their well being is largely up to you.
So sorry for the loss of your Jessie, she sounds like a wonderful dog.
You capture the winding down of a life so well. I felt similarly when my cats passed over a decade ago. It’s the hardest choice, but also the right one.
I recently got 2 kittens which has been an adjustment (everything getting shredded and midnight zooming). As someone said above, I love these new ones, but still would like my old boys back.
Thank you Eva - it's lovely to hear that you still think so fondly of your cat after so long. The ones we love, people and animals, do stay with us. And your kittens sound delightful (I hope they don't take too long get over their manic teenage phase...)
Yeah, they were with me for my formative years, and they were family. Can’t be too mad about the destruction though - such cute faces!
<3
This was such a beautifully heartbreaking tribute to a wonderful dog ❤️❤️❤️ you did so well by her xx