The loss of a pet

[Dectomax]

So today I discovered that the family dog had to be put down. He had a cancerous growth on his stomach and being 16, he didn't really have much of a chance. This was the first 'family' pet I've had, being with me from when I was 4 to now, when I'm 20. I couldn't believe how upset I was, for most of today I've just been comprehending the fact that I'll never see him again and it actually hurt, a lot.

The strangest and, for me personally, upsetting part is last night I dreamt about him for the first time, I dreamt that he came and said goodbye and I got to throw the ball for him one last time. This served as a slight reassurance to me, because I was destroyed that I wasn't there with him when they put him down.

( The dog was living with my other family members for a while, due to our current house landlord not letting animals on site )

So, my question to you, escapists; have you and how did you, deal with the deaths of beloved family pets?

 

[Padwolf]

I'm sorry for your loss, it's hard to handle the death of a pet.

I am still struggling a little with the death of my cat, she was put down last year in January. We had blood tests done to her a couple of weeks before she died, and we were told she had a cold, we knew something was wrong though. I woke up one morning to my dog scratching at my door, he made me run downstairs, and she was on the floor and it wasn't right. We took her to the vets and they told us that she had cancer and she had to die. It is hard to handle, it feels like the house is more empty. I still have dreams about her now and then, not often, just of her being back somehow. I will never forgive the vets for telling us she had a cold after all those blood tests, we could have done something sooner, could have had her put down sooner so she wouldn't have to suffer all that. During my life I have been through 3 family pets deaths, and it is never easy to go through, but my cat Snowy has been the hardest.

I dealt with it by just letting it all out when I needed to, and time heals it really and knowing that they are no longer suffering.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Fucking sucks dude.

I lost one of my dogs in January. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.338344-My-dog-just-died?page=1]

Honestly, the best way to deal with it was to just talk about awesome of a pet she was.

That's why I made a memorial thread about her.

The pain goes away, and all that's left are the good memories.

You'll get over it, but you won't forget

 

[Sean Hollyman]

I find dealing with the loss of a pet is extremely hard to do, I know how it feels.
It feels worse than losing a family memeber, even perhaps.
Hope you get feel better eventually

 

[=y]

Having lost my dog about a year ago I know how you feel. Its just something you've got to resolve within yourself.

 

[Craorach]

Having had pets, a house full, all my life.. I've got many experiences with this.

The worst is always the first. When I was somewhere between five and seven, the elderly dog my parents had adopted shortly after I was born finally needed to make the trip. They warned me it was happening while I was at school, and advised the teachers.

We happened to be going on a visit to the local pool that day, so when we were in the bus the teacher had me sit up front with them... at an intersection my parents car pulled infront of the bus, and I got to make the whole trip with my dog staring out of the window at me.

Not fun.

But it never is. I've had rabbits and cats have to be put down, a cat killed by a car, three vanish never to be seen again, and a dog have to be given away because we couldn't give him the free running he needed and he was getting aggressive.

As others have said, you'll always remember your pets. Death is a part of owning pets, it is one of the responsibilities we take on when we have them, and it is something we must accept.

I consider my pets as much a part of my family as the human members, and would think nothing of saying "I need to take my cat to the vet, I need half a day off".. or even "I need a few days off, my cat died."

 

[BrassButtons]

Very sorry for your loss

I've lost a few family pets. A few months ago was the first time I was actually there for it (and had to personally make the decision). Dealing with it is always hard, but the pain does go away in time. It helps to know that it was done to keep them from suffering.

 

[Total LOLige]

Fucking sucks dude.

I lost one of my dogs in January. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.338344-My-dog-just-died?page=1]

Honestly, the best way to deal with it was to just talk about awesome of a pet she was.

That's why I made a memorial thread about her.

The pain goes away, and all that's left are the good memories.

You'll get over it, but you won't forget

Your memorial thread has been the victim of thread necromancy.

OT: It's always tough losing a pet. I've had two of my pets die my dog and my cat. My cat died a few months ago cats are awesome. I've got pictures

My dog and cat, my dog used to treat the cat like a puppy. She raised it from a kitten as if it were her own pup. They were both named after alcoholic beverages the dog was called Stella and the cat Guiness

Spoiler

I've got a new dog, that's a little retarded. You can see how stupid he is by looking at him. Here's a picture.

Spoiler

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Fucking sucks dude.

I lost one of my dogs in January. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.338344-My-dog-just-died?page=1]

Honestly, the best way to deal with it was to just talk about awesome of a pet she was.

That's why I made a memorial thread about her.

The pain goes away, and all that's left are the good memories.

You'll get over it, but you won't forget

Your memorial thread has been the victim of thread necromancy.

OT: It's always tough losing a pet. I've had two of my pets die my dog and my cat. My cat died a few months ago cats are awesome. I've got pictures

My dog and cat, my dog used to treat the cat like a puppy. She raised it from a kitten as if it were her own pup. They were both named after alcoholic beverages the dog was called Stella and the cat Guiness

Spoiler

I've got a new dog, that's a little retarded. You can see how stupid he is by looking at him. Here's a picture.

Spoiler

I'm aware of that.

When I asked for power over the dark arts, I didn't want this D:

I don't want a doggy zombie.

 

[-Seraph-]

I've mostly had birds as pets throughout my life, but each and every one of their passings has depressed me a lot for a good few days afterwards. Always been very affectionate towards them, and it not waking up to their chirping always made the house feel a little empty.

My first Canary I had for 9 years (i was 3 or 4 when I got him). He was my little buddy, and was pretty tame and playful, got a little grumpy in old age though. He was allowed to wander the house as he pleased as long as someone was watching him. He died of old age of course, and it left me pretty down for a while.

Then my parents got me 2 new canaries about a month afterwards, a male and female. Well it didn't take long until they got together and made their own family, and the next 12 years would be a wonderful experience. They had three kids (2 boys and a girl), and it was something really special to have raised a little family and watch them grow up. Seeing each of them gradually pass on over time I found was way more heartbreaking than my first canary, they were as much my kids as they were my pets; having raised and taken care of them since birth. They each lived to be about 8-9 years old, but at least they all lived rather happily and relatively healthy.

I have 3 lovebirds now, around 4 years old they are. It'll be a sad day when one of them passes, because if it's due to age, then the others won't be far behind. The remaining will probably be just as depressed as me too, given how they have bonded with each other.

 

[The Night Angel]

Best pet I ever had was a cat that had been with my family since before I was born. It died when I was 13. It used to just follow my family when we left the house to go for walks. She learned to open doors, and the fridge. Never attacked children even when they pulled her tail and stuff. I was distraught when she died. I kept expecting to find her underfoot when I'd get home. You get over it with time, but it sucks.

 

[malestrithe]

Sorry to hear that. My died after 16 years of life a few years ago and I'm still not really over that.

captcha

OLD Codger

Yeah I do feel that way sometimes. Also, get your feet off my lawn.