Of course I would be there. I’ve only had four rescued pets over the past 20 years. One was sent to me as a “surprise” that fell off the 7′ shelf upon which he was born. My brother smuggled him 3,000 miles away and I had to learn how to take care of a cat. He was a Burmese mix, a talker, and always got the last word in until heart disease and pneumonia had me hold him while he got the pink needle.
My Chani was a fighter. She’d bled out, a tile man helped me lift this 90 lb. dog to the back of my Jeep and she stood up five times. We were tougher at the shelter then home for ten years while she learned to trust children and man. The clinic was great and has buttons to push and now a separate wing for dying animals.
My other cat loved a Corgi named Ein who recently passed, and I could not marry my husband with a cat, as he is very allergic to the feline species. Mick was about seven and had a back yard and tree house and loved it. I think the coyotes got him as all the neighborhood dogs would run away from home to see him and I’d get phone calls. I’d look out the window and say, yes he’s here!
Now my husband and I, after a year of marriage, went to adopt a dog. She’s an Aussie mix, a herder. She drives us nuts, staring at us for food, going out, her “precious” ball. She is a shelter dog but the first one we got to raise, train and be our own. My husband can’t deal with euthanasia but if we decide she is too ill to live we will need to be there together. He helped raise her, and must be there with me.
Today I pour a cup of water on a tree that was a favorite place for two neighborhood dogs. When my Chani died neighbors bought a tree for the park and we all poured water on it, I can now see it on Google Earth. I bring it flowers.
My dog is getting old and so am I. I don’t know if there’s a “next.” I can’t see it as my mother-in-law always expects Zoe to clean up crumbs and father-in-law doesn’t pay her any mind but knows she always looks out for him and his grandkids. Yes, standing on his place on the sofa, looking out until her herd comes home.
This is for Liam, thanks Wurli for being a good friend, Zoe and Dee
Cooking with Dee 