RIP Annie!

Annie!

Friday was a difficult day for my girlfriend, Shelley. One of her Golden Retrievers, Annie, developed a large tumor pressing on her organs. This followed the loss of their aged cat, Palay, just weeks earlier.

I met Annie in 2004, when Shelley had two dogs and a cat. After her divorce, Shelley kept Annie and bought a male Golden Retriever, Jackson. Despite my initial resistance due to past dog-related issues, Annie and Jackson became close companions.

Annie’s gentle demeanor and Jackson’s aggression made them unique. I learned to enjoy their company and walks. Now, it will be a walk of one, which will be challenging.

The vet provided excellent pain management during Annie’s euthanasia. My son was surprised to see me crying, knowing my approach to dogs. I explained that Annie was special and often seemed to understand when Shelley was away or after my surgeries. She approached me like a loving mother, offering comfort and support.

While it’s heartbreaking to see her go, it’s the right decision. Like anyone, I’d have cried with sorrow, seeing a dear part of my life disappear.

R.I.P. Annie, may you and Palay have a great time together in heaven! You were special to many!

Carry on my friends, carry on!

Comments from my original blog - I merged the blogs.

brothergrub

Eerie... We just had to put our dearly loved Golden down last week. That photo on your post looked EXACTLY like her. We were lucky to have Martha Kate for 16 1/2 years - and she was in pretty good shape until the very end. The hardest part for me wasn't letting go of her (I knew she was winding down), but watching how hard it was on my wife and my two daughters. Amazing how invested we can become in our pets. ... Sorry about your dog...  Monday, June 28, 2010 at 6:31:31 AM CDT

Beth

My sympathies to you on your loss. I think losing pets is especially hard because we feel so much responsibility for them and they give us unconditional love.  Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 10:30:11 PM CDT