On Monday, when the kids went to school I took the day off and told my wife I was taking Brandi to be "put down." We've been talking about it for the past few months when Brandi started showing signs of difficulty in walking, running, hearing, seeing and eating. It was one of those things I couldn't dwell on but felt like I had to do. I helped her into the truck, posed for the photo and took her to the park for one last play date. I sat on a bench while she repeated a few cycles of trotting 20 or so yards, sniffing a little and so on. She had been losing her sight so she wouldn't go far without making sure I was still nearby. The park was empty so I tried to find some peace in the moment, thinking about the 14 years we'd been together. When my wife became pregnant with our first child, she suggested I get a dog to keep me company. So I looked everywhere for the perfect one. I found Brandi in Tennessee and had her shipped here. My three sons saw her as the oldest in the family and they were respectful of her, mostly because they could see how much I enjoyed her. I told my wife I didn't think the boys would notice she was gone because it seemed I was always asking if anyone fed or walked her. At the animal shelter, I was strong until the officer asked if I wanted to be with her while they euthanized her. I pulled off the leash and collar and asked the officer to take her and I immediately walked to the truck, sat in the cab for a few minutes then drove home. That night, my youngest son, Duke (9) walked in at 9:30 and said Brandi wasn't in her bed. I told him not to worry about it. Cole (11) went outside with Duke and a flashlight. They came back in and asked if they could go to the school and look because it was the most likely place she'd go. Mitchel (13) said, "She probably ran away" (Mitchel's at the age where he's tired of putting up with everything.) Finally, I called everyone together and said we had to talk. I told them the story and everyone fell apart, especially Mitchel. He felt guilty for having thought such a thing about a pet that had been with him the longest and become such a good friend. The occasion, has had an impact on his life, at least for the past week. I'm one that knows the difference between kids and pets, but Brandi sure played an importan role in our family. Her life and death has helped us grow.
2 comments:
That's tough duty to come to the realization that it's time to say goodbye to a long-time family member. I hope everyone is doing well. I know that for children it can be as devastating as losing a loved one. I've had to do the same thing over the years. In fact, I'm close to having to do it with our dog, Nick. He's 14 years old and suffering with some of the same symptoms your dog had. I keep putting it off because I know it'll be emotional. I appreciate you sharing that with us.
That breaks my heart! How sad. I think I should have been a vet, I love animals.
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