Losing a dog is utterly devastating. We’ve cried a river each and every time. We’ve cried so hard that we couldn’t breathe. We’ve been so visibly distraught that our veterinarians have shed their tears right along with ours, including Emergency Room Vets whom we’ve just met for the very first time. They can feel the indescribable pain and depth of our loss. We’ve poured our hearts and souls into caring for each and every pup so saying our final “good bye”, to a soul that we’ve loved so effortlessly, and who has unconditionally loved us and every fiber of our beings in return, is emotional agony. Even as I’m writing this my eyes are welling up with tears. There is no easy way to let them go. There is no right way to grieve. There is no recovering from the piece of your heart that’s torn from you each time a pup crosses the Rainbow Bridge.
Despite the hurt, the loss, the absolute devastation, we know us and with that, we know that we will, somehow, draw upon our inner strength, and do it all over again. Our determination is unwavering. We’ll search for that next pup that’s in dire straits, that has gotten a raw deal in life, that’s been so horribly abused or neglected and may even be “on the list”, yes, THAT LIST…the list of extinction, aka euthanasia. While others may look away, we simply can’t. It’s in our DNA. We’re compelled to open up our home, yet again, and save that next soul from languishing in a shelter or from having their life extinguished altogether. We wish we could save them all. It kills us that we can’t. But we can save the one and, for that one, their life will drastically change. The bad days will slowly fade into the background. The good days will abound. Hopefully, eventually, they’ll forget the ugly altogether and thrive in the light of fresh beginnings…of days filled with love, play, warmth, trust, anticipation, comfort and lightheartedness. And knowing that we can and will make a significant difference in another pup’s life, is what drives us to openly acknowledge the pups that we’ve lost, cry tears as we continue to reminisce, and hold them close to our hearts, all while realizing that if we hadn’t opened up our home to that next pup in need, those that we have lost would never have entered our lives and that would have been a travesty…for them and us.
So to those of you who say “never again”, we implore you to reconsider. If you have a compassionate spirit, the financial means and the physical health to properly care for a pup, please, we beg of you, don’t let the crushing memories of their final days or the hole they burrowed deep into your heart, stop you from giving aid to a poor pup that’s in harm’s way. And there are many of them. Too many of them. They need homes. They need families. They need committed humans. They need love, care and attention. They need us and they need YOU! Without people like you and us, these distressed souls will never experience the joy of just being free to be a dog…living in the moment, loving life, feeling safe, playing with ease and bonding with their humans at a level that can only be described as truly profound.
It takes a village to rescue a dog and provide a temporary space until a permanent home can be secured. What do I mean by that? Many are involved in the end-to-end process including dog wardens, police, shelter managers, shelter staff, veterinary services, shelter volunteers, temporary fosters as shelters run out of space, donators, dog photographers and videographers plus social media administrators and posters. These dogs need us now more than ever. People are breeding dogs for profit plus abusing, neglecting and dumping them at an alarming rate. It’s estimated that over 334,000 dogs were euthanized, in the United States, in 2024. If you’ve ever said “never again”, please think about that one special dog who needs a break given the lousy hand that they were dealt through no fault of their own. That one dog is waiting for you to reach out. Take that one step. Meet them. Get to know them. Make room in your heart for them. Fall in love with them. Adopt them.
This post is dedicated to our beloved Shakira (pictured) who suddenly and unexpectedly passed away from cancer in 2024. Our time with Shakira was short, a mere 5 years after having adopted her at age 8. We were this poor girl’s 4th family. Her 3rd human was arrested which resulted in Shakira being turned over to a local shelter. No one showed any interest in her so, after 50+ days, she was scheduled for euthanasia. We became aware of her plight and moved quickly with her transport from Missouri to Ohio so we could permanently adopt her. She became my “shadow baby”, following me everywhere around our home, with all 90 pounds of her snuggling with me in bed each night. I miss her terribly but I will forever know that her life (and mine) was incredible while in our care. 💔