Ever have a wake for your pet?

Debi

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#1
something different for me....my friend had 3 dogs which she positively adores..they truly are her children. Well, a few months ago she lost her GSD to cancer and Thurs. night her beloved black lab had to be put to sleep. He was 15 and couldn't even stand or walk anymore, he had been in terrible pain. She had the vet come to her house to do it, and had people over for a wake. Anyone ever do that?? I never even knew you could (course, I'm sure not all vets would even consider a house call...this fellow is a gem) Was very new to me. She now just has her Irish setter, and she is so very sad. :(

(I don't think Dave would EVER let me do that.....he thought it was harder this way. But, I disagree...I think it helped her cause her boy died at home in her arms)
 
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#2
For me, it's so much better to be there with them. I don't ever want my dogs to go alone with a relative stranger. Big, one of our rescued GSDs, had, unbeknownst to us, been shot after he'd been dumped out by the lake. We didn't know he had a bullet lodged in his back until several years later when very severe arthritis set up suddenly in his lower back. Within a couple of weeks he was unable to get up and the pain was unmanageable. The vet did X-rays and found the old injury, and there was no way to correct it; it had been a miracle that he hadn't been paralyzed years before. We had to let him go, and he died in my arms, quietly going to sleep, a look of amazing peace on his beautiful face. It was so hard, but I'll never regret being with him at the end of this life, and I know I would always have regretted it if I hadn't.

I think a wake is a lovely idea; everyone telling and listening to wonderful stories . . . what a way to remember your compadre.
 

avenlee

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#3
Oh my Renee, your story of Big is so sad. I just can't understand why people would do such things to any living thing.

We lost our 13 yr. old Lhasa Apso 3 years ago. He was getting to the point where he couldn't see and the day before we had to put him (Spencer ;)) to sleep, he completely walked off our deck not seeing or remembering steps being there. That night he had a seizure and just lost all his capacities. My husband and I had the choice to just leave him at the vets or witness, and we chose to witness. THe thought of leaving him at that time was unthinkable. My husband, much to my surprise, took it very hard and had to remove himself out the back door of the vets rather than pass through the waiting room. I held Spencer and watched him take his last breath and then kissed him and told him how much we loved him and appreciated him being in our lives. My husband made the decision of keeping his ashes so that our 3 girls, who were at school while this was happening would be able to say goodbye and buried him in our backyard.

I believe having a wake can be very theraputical in terms of saying final goodbyes.
 

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