One of the hardest parts of being a pet owner is watching our dear animal companions age, slow down and start to have physical issues. Here are some things to watch for that I hope you will find helpful.
Please share any other great advice or tips that you have and think that others would find useful.
I hear very often from grieving pet owners that I talk to, that they feel more pain over losing their pet or animal companion, than they did over losing a family member. It sounds crazy, but I think that it is really hard to replace the true unconditional love that our animals give to us. They love us no matter what. They don't care what we look like, how much money we have or don't have, or whether or not we're in shape. Maybe one day we humans will learn to love that way. There is so much to be learned from animals.
Please share your experiences with us with these kinds of emotions. Have you ever felt this way?
Have a beautiful day,
Colleen
Give sorrow words;
the grief that does not speak;
whispers the o’er-fraught heart
and bids it break. ~ William Shakespeare, Macbeth
Have a beautiful day,
Colleen
Photo sourced from fromeyetopixel.com and used under terms of Creative Commons.
In our line of business we hear a lot of sad stories, this is just a part of what we do. We try to listen, provide comfort and let people know that it's okay to feel how they're feeling. Most importantly, we try to be the strong ones and resist the urge to cry too. But sometimes our emotions get the best of us. This story brought each and every one of us to tears.
Continue reading "Have you Ever Seen a Cowboy Cry? A Touching Horse Memorial" »
Grieve
not, nor speak of me with tears, but laugh and talk of me as if I were
beside you . . I loved you so . . . 'twas heaven here with you. ~ Isla Paschal Richardson
The other day I met with a sweet woman to show her different stone samples so that she could pick out a couple of pet grave markers for two of her family dogs that had passed away, one in 2007 and one in 1989. As often happens, when we got to the part of writing down what she would like to say on the markers, she got choked up. It is so difficult to actually say the parting words to your dear old friends out loud. This part often chokes me up too. If anyone else is crying, I cry. I can't help it.
I thought that I had heard every possible epitaph for an animal that could fit onto a pet memorial marker, as thousands of orders for these have passed through my hands, but when she said the last line, after the name, and after the years spent on earth, my jaw dropped. She said that this was her husband's sentiment:
"How two species can so love each other . . . "
Need I say more?
Have a beautiful day,
Colleen
I once sat next to a retired veterinarian at a dinner party. To try to make conversation I asked him if he had become a veterinarian because of his love for animals. I was shocked at his response. He turned to me and said "no, it had nothing to do with a love for animals, I simply found veterinary medicine to be an interesting science." Well, that shut me up!
I was reminded of this odd exchange after reading this interesting blog post at ConstantChatter.com called Faith in Humanity. Sometimes it's quite a struggle to maintain ones faith in humanity. We each just have to keep doing our part, albeit how seemingly small.
Have a beautiful day,
Colleen
One of my favorite childhood memories is a 2-week family trip in our motor home through most of the western states. How my parents made it with six girls, including an infant, crammed into a motor home for 2 weeks, roaming around the country still stumps me, but it really is a great memory for me!
We had one ER room stop for the baby (it turned out to be nothing), a flat tire in the middle of Nowheresville, Nebraska, on an endless stretch of flat highway, with 1/2 box of Ritz crackers for all of us, and, I can't think of a third catastrophe to add to the mix, but maybe that's a good thing.
Yellowstone National Park with all of the animals roaming around is a very vivid memory for me. I look forward to my children getting a bit older so that we too can take some of these memorable and educational family trips.
However, if there are no animals to see, Yellowstone will be a completely different experience.
Continue reading "Animal Rescue in Yellowstone Park: Save the Bison!" »
Okay, now I've seen it all! Kitty Wigs!!
In an effort to thread some levity and humor through my blog so that we don't all get completely depressed with the subject of pet loss, I like to post these fantastic, creative and unique pet gifts here and there that I come across.
I have to say that so far this is my favorite one!
And to make it just a touch eerie, this beautiful gray cat looks just like my old friend Mira.
Check out the wigs and the beautiful packaging that they come in. Brilliant.
Love it! Love it!
Colleen
I just love this blog Art4animals. Their mission is to use the sale of artwork and art-related gifts and royalties for the support animals in need. They donate to and support many shelters and rescue programs.
Proceeds from the sale of the art supports these charities: The Humane Society of the United States- Rocky Mountain Regional Office, Bones Rescue, Cascade Raptor Center, Willing Hearts Dalmatian Rescue, Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, True Blue Animal Rescue, Turtle Ridge Wildlife Center, Tabby's Place Cat Rescue, The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon, The Marine Mammal Care Center, Save the Dalmatians, Dare Dachshund Rescue, National Airedale Rescue, Sarvey Wildlife Center, Malibu Pet Companions, and Old Dog Haven Rescue.
Go view the beautiful art that they have for sale and help to save a precious life!
Have a beautiful day,
Colleen
