Ostomy Memories of Old Pets

LOSING A BELOVED PET can take a toll on a person. As an innocent animal begins to show the unmistakable signs of an approaching end to its life, you do what you can to ease its pain but, eventually, to end its suffering, you bundle it up and head off to the vet for euthanasia. I have gotten choked up more than once at these horrible proceedings. Particularly when we took it upon ourselves to adopt several aging, homeless dogs, we knew we’d face this sort of scene sooner than later. One feels like one is playing God and it is definitely not a good feeling. Yet the satisfaction of providing the dog or cat with a few comfortable final years after the hard life that finally brought them to you is very rewarding. Of our four cats currently, two had been feral, two were abandoned. We brought all of them back to Florida from Utah when we returned in 2018. Three of them are old; one is middle-aged. We have already buried a fifth in our back yard. My daughters have both taken up the tradition of providing for aging pets that end up in the county shelter. Both have taken in older cats that now enjoy the attention, and the safety, of a permanent home for the remainder of their lives. I would urge anyone thinking of getting a dog or a cat to visit their local shelter and adopt an otherwise homeless pet. They will love you just as much, perhaps more, than a dog you get from a breeder, and you will quite likely be saving its life.

Hello HenryM.

I would endorse all you say about getting an abandoned pet. We have had many such pets over the years that have been abandoned for one reason or another, often because the previous owners could not handle them. Not one of them have caused us any concern and have been just as acceptable pets as those we have had from birth. 

It seems a sad reflection on some of the human species when they treat living things in much the same way that they treat many other things in life; That is: when they have exploited it for their own benefit for long enough, they discard it as if it has no more value.

Some people even treat their fellow human beings in much the same way!

Best wishes

Bill

That is commendable activity Henry. I don't know how anyone can abondon a pet so late in their lives! I had a friend in Holland who had lovely Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, masters at fetching anything especially in the water and there is a lot of open water there. He told me that when they reached a painful terminal stage he shot them himself rather than let the veterinarian put them to sleep, but it took a few years off his life.

Thank you a hundred times over for giving animals no one wanted and gave them love food and a home. Your story brought back memories so many of rescuing and giving love to timid fearful animals watch them sleep peacefully maybe for the first time in their lives.No words can express how much the world needs people like you Henry .     Sincerely. Carol B

Thank you a hundred times over for giving animals no one wanted and gave them love food and a home. Your story brought back memories so many of rescuing and giving love to timid fearful animals watch them sleep peacefully maybe for the first time in their lives.No words can express how much the world needs people like you Henry .     Sincerely. Carol B

We have a little cat we rescued from a tough, unpredictable life in the woods in southern Utah.  She was totally feral and no longer young.  She came back to Florida with us and the other cats.  Now she sleeps peacefully on our bed and I have to smile with pleasure every time I see her curled up there, safe, provided for, and loved.  We named her Pipsqueak.