A old dead-head friend of mine lost her mother and her dog around the same time Jerry Garcia died. She was devastated by the loss of her dog, and I believe Jerry Garcia’s mourning was a close second. ...sorry mom.
People who don’t have dogs can’t understand the deep attachment we have to our dogs and how profoundly our lives are affected when we lose them. Mercifully, we are able to end their suffering with euthanasia. But often times it’s not a clear choice when their suffering outweighs their joys in life. This is a decision we all dread and could be the most difficult one of our lives.
Some people find consolation in honoring them with a memorial or photo tribute (like the ones on this page “wink!”). If you are experiencing the loss of a pet, there are a few groups in Utah that you might find helpful. Knowing that there are others that are going through a similar loss and understand your pain, can be comforting. You can find a short list at this address: http://www.pet-loss.net/resources/UT.shtml. The enrichment a dog adds to your life far outweighs the pain of one day losing him.
Having to end an animal’s life because there is no one available to love him... now that is the saddest thing of all. Start with your local shelter when you are ready to adopt.
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went —Will Rogers
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