A memorial service was held at San Diego Hospice where Baxter, the World's Oldest Therapy Dog worked his magic, up until the last day of his life on October 16th at the age of 19 1/2. I still get choked up reading updates about this beautiful dog. Video footage of the memorial is coming, so stay tuned. But Melissa shared this poem on her website that she wrote for Baxter and read at his memorial tribute. My heart continues to be with Melissa and her husband, Dennis as they move forward with Baxter firmly in their hearts and now as their spiritual guide.
A Dog’s Way
A dog’s love is so uncomplicated.
It‘s a relationship that consoles rather than upholds agendas…
It’s a relationship that gives and never takes.
It’s a relationship that fulfills rather than empties.
It’s a relationship that is loyal, never giving way to abandonment.
It’s a relationship full of many hellos and only one good-bye…. when they die.
Their love is magical, spiritual, pure and constant. When all else seems unreal, overwhelming, and perplexing, a dog’s love puts it in perspective.
Their fires for you never wane; they always burn and burn for you.
They get excited when you come home and sad when you leave.
They always want you. There is no debate about anything.
Their conversation is read through their eyes. They never tire of your voice. They are attentive, willing and relentlessly there for you.
They really only leave you one time…And, when that time comes, the love affair does come to an end. But, you know that you have been graced with an angel on earth.
They don’t judge you; they don’t ignore you; they don’t abhor you; they don’t hurt you.
They are true until they take their last breath.
There is no love like theirs.
To have a relationship with a dog is to have a taste of bliss.
And, to have a relationship with Baxter is to experience perfection on earth.
I love you Baxter!
As a footnote to our discussion yesterday on animals and emotions, we bring you the story of Dorothy, a female chimpanzee in her late 40s when she died last year of congestive heart failure.
As the photo above shows, a crowd of fellow chimps gathered and watched solemnly as she was wheeled to her burial.
The November issue of National Geographic magazine features the photograph, which has since “gone viral,” turning up in websites, TV shows and newspapers around the world, according to a National Geographic blog
The photographer, Monica Szczupider, is a volunteer at Cameroon’s Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, where Dorothy had lived for eight years. The center houses and rehabilitates chimps victimized by habitat loss and the illegal African bushmeat trade.
After a hunter killed her mother, Dorothy was sold as a “mascot” to an amusement park in Cameroon, where she spent the next 25 years tethered by a chain around her neck, and was taught to drink beer and smoke cigarettes for the amusement of onlookers.
In May 2000, Dorothy was rescued and relocated along with ten other primates. As her health improved, she cared for an orphaned chimp named Bouboule and became a close friend to many others, including Jacky, the group’s alpha male, and Nama, another amusement-park refugee.
“Her presence, and loss, was palpable, and resonated throughout the group,” Szczupider said. “The management at Sanaga-Yong opted to let Dorothy’s chimpanzee family witness her burial, so that perhaps they would understand, in their own capacity, that Dorothy would not return. Some chimps displayed aggression while others barked in frustration. But perhaps the most stunning reaction was a recurring, almost tangible silence.”
Norma Crozier added a blog post
When I was a young girl, around 8 yrs. old,my beloved Collie mix, Sandy died. I can still hear my dad telling Dr. Randall, '' Do whatever it takes, don't let my little girls' dog die.''
We had recently moved and I had not yet made new friends. Sandy was all I had and I spent my time teaching her to sit, rollover, dance, and even pull my Radio Flyer with me in it. She was the best playmate a lonely kid could have, I was devastated when she died. My dad,great guy that he was,painstakingly built a pine box to bury her in and made a concrete headstone that read, '
Sandy, More Than a Friend'....
Sandy was hit by a truck following me around the neighborhood in a city with no leash laws.
These days, most dogs don't meet their maker on the street, and as owners we often have to make the decision as to when they will die...
So when is the right time to say good by?
For us humans, the death of a beloved dog is never easy. I have had many dogs for whom I still ache, years after they have passed.
And to add to our pain we have to be the one to make the decision to euthanize them and when. Often we are plagued with the 'what ifs...
What if the doctor is wrong and they will get better...what if they won't, and you prolong the agony...we look pleadingly in the eyes of our sick or disabled companion for a sign to tell us when is the right time.
Dogs are,by their nature, very stoic and show signs of pain only when it becomes more than they can bear. That dog who turns into a big baby if you accidently quick a toenail is the same one who will hide a life threatening condition from you as long as they can. That is his survival instinct.
There is no easy answer to the if or when do I euthanize question. It raises moral and ethical issues.
If dogs are our companions and we their guardians, do we even have the right to euthanize? Legally, yes as dogs are legal property. Morally, I don't know. I am not comfortable playing God.
We have all had or know of a dog who should have been euthanized, wasn't, and then made a remarkable comeback. Puff is one of those. Often expense is a factor in the decision and with that comes tremendous guilt if you can't afford treatment, or tremendous financial burden is incurred if you decide to go into debt for the dog.
And another question exists...
Is there a point at which prolonging the dogs life is actual cruelty?
Some people base their decision on whether the dog would live in a natural/wild situation. But in the wild, isn't a good measuring stick because dogs have never lived in the wild, only their ancestors the wolf have and their cousins the African Wild Dogs.
Dogs are not so much a domesticated animal as an actual CREATION of man. We developed the dog to suit our purposes and we have a moral obligation to see to it that they live and die with dignity and humanely.
Just like with the rest of your family, you should plan your dogs' end of life situation ahead of time.
Ideally you have a savings account set up for emergency vet care. If you save 20 dollars a month every month from the time your dog is a year old you should have plenty to deal with future emergency vet issues. Most dogs don't cost thousands in vet care...there is always pet insurance but until one of the insurance companies come up with a dog health savings account plan with a nice interest rate , I am not interested.
Decide in advance if you want to bury the dog in the backyard or leave him at the vet to be disposed of.
They will tell you that they will go to Pet Love Memorial Gardens and give you a package to choose from...the economy package means your dog will be put in a garbage bag and dumped in a freezer until the truck from the Pet Cemetary comes and picks up the freezer full of dead animals. They will then be dumped in a mass burial grave. If this bothers you, I suggest you get a more expensive package where your pet will have an individual grave site.You can also choose the backyard if your city ordinances don't prohibit such a burial. Dog coffins of every type are easily available, from the upscale satin padded created by experienced cabinet makers to a pine box to cardboard. You can find them at reasonable prices from time to time on eBay. And you must check out Peternity http://www.peternity.com , it is simply the best site for pet memorials.
Cremation is another option. It has been said that when you receive your dogs ashes that they may contain another dogs ashes as some crematories don't always clear all the ashes out from the previous cremation. Personally I don't want my dog in an urn on the mantel,but if you do, I respect that. Some of my friends have scattered their dog's ashes in the dog's favorite field to say goodbye.
Planning your dogs' end of life situation will be one of the hardest things emotionally that you will ever do. But it will be easier on you both if you do a little planning in advance...and honestly...
there is no GOOD time to say goodbye, but hopefully you will find the RIGHT time.
It’s hard to imagine that our pets might outlive us. Worse yet is imagining our beloved pets, unsettled by the loss of their favorite human, having to adapt to a new situation, perhaps without the affection, and attention we would want for them. As hard as this “unthinkable” situation may be to consider, I encourage you to prepare for it in a way that protects your precious four-legged family members.
Just as you are obliged to create the paperwork that makes it undeniably clear who will inherit your possessions and assume guardianship of your children, spend some time determining who will take care of your pets. Here are some tips for getting started:
-Select the person you want to assume guardianship and confirm their willingness to take on this responsibility. I encourage you to be specific about your wishes regarding the quality of care for your pet and your philosophy about medical treatment and euthanasia.
-Prepare all of the official paperwork just as you would for any other advanced directives.
-Set up a trust fund to care for your pet’s future needs. Providing for the guardian will allow the guardian to provide for your pets.
I recently happened upon a wonderful website (www.pettrustlawblog.com) that will help you with all legal matters pertaining to pets, including trusts and guardianship. Attorney Danny Meek presents material that is thoughtful, comprehensive, and easy to understand. (This says a lot, as I’m rarely able to comprehend attorney-speak.) It’s also clear that this guy really loves animals. I encourage you to pay Mr. Meek a visit.
As my Grandma Goldie used to tell me, “People plan, and God laughs.” My husband and I have made plans for our animals, should the “unthinkable” happen. How about you?
Wishing you and your four-legged family members good health,
Dr. Nancy Kay
Specialist, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot is available at Amazon.com, local bookstores, or your favorite online book seller.
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