For anyone who has ever had to put down their dog...
milarso
Posts: 1,280
http://www.vimeo.com/8191217
This video is incredibly honest and very sad. I don't recommend watching it if you can't handle something pretty emotional.
This video is incredibly honest and very sad. I don't recommend watching it if you can't handle something pretty emotional.
"The dude abides. I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' her easy for all us sinners."
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Jerry was finally on the edge of a fitful sleep when his wife stomped through their living room. She shot a withering glance towards his blanketed form on the couch and then slipped into the deep purple light of first dawn, the front door slamming like a rifle report. The brief encounter had been his only contact with Sarah all day; a three second snippet stuck on constant rotation like holiday jingles.
He was a bit surprised she had gone to work. After last night, he wasn’t sure if anyone would be in the proper mind frame to deal with stressed shoppers hunting for last-minute gifts. Jerry could picture his wife biting the head off some unsuspecting customer, but knowing her spiteful toad of a manager, he couldn’t imagine Sarah taking any chances.
Jerry had called in sick despite having the entire next week off. They needed the money, but he made it a point to avoid spinning blades when exhausted. Over the years, he’d seen co-workers lose fingertips, entire digits, and once, even a hand. Besides, Jerry knew his boss would be willing to sign off on a smaller paycheck. A recent nosedive in the weak construction market had already brought mandatory furloughs to Dante’s Lumber Yard. Jerry was only scheduled for a half day and, although he didn’t like to take advantage, there was a solid chance Dante would pay him the hours anyway. They had grown up together in the Idaho logging town of Timberline and their families had been acquaintances for three generations.
Standing at the kitchen window, Jerry digs a pack of Camel cigarettes out of his flannel shirt pocket and lights one. Yesterday had marked the end of ten days without smoking. Sarah had made it clear that it was an impossible habit to justify when they could barely afford to heat their house, but that hadn’t stopped him from taking a walk down to the corner Smoke N’ Suds. Not today.
He looks at the clock on the stove. 5:49. The glowing green numbers are the only light in the room, barely enough to cast his ghostly reflection across the glass. Outside, it is dark and dumping snow. Although the driveway is less than thirty feet away, Jerry can barely see a vague outline of his battered Chevy S-10 through the thick flakes. The rest of the world has been swallowed by the storm. It has to be the roads, Jerry reasons. Otherwise, she would be home by now.
The fight last night had been explosive, bordering on a physical confrontation. Jerry had never seen Sarah so close to hitting someone. He winces as he recalls her petite figure swelling with rage, her blue eyes turning black. He remembers the potted poinsettia that was supposed to serve as their Christmas tree smashing at his feet, showering his legs with shattered clay and damp soil. Jerry still hears the unbearable sound of his wife weeping behind a locked bathroom door.
A broad-shouldered and shaggy Saint Bernard creeps into the kitchen, toenails clicking on the tiled floor. The animal turns his back to Jerry, sits at the side door of the house, and begins to whimper softly.
“You too, Brutus?”
Upon hearing his name, the giant dog offers Jerry a suspicious glance before returning his attention to the door.
“You think I wanted that, huh? I didn’t have a choice, man. He was too far gone. I guess I should have let your mom take him in when we noticed the abscess... We can’t even afford your damn dog food!”
Brutus doesn’t flinch. Jerry might as well be talking to himself.
He thinks about the heavy Carhartt boot box resting on a work bench in their garage. The ground outside has been frozen for weeks; digging holes has to wait for spring. Time enough for him to carve a maple plaque with commemorative inscription at Dante’s shop. Sarah will like that.
A haunted vision of trust-filled eyes floods his memory. He remembers the lurching metal in his hand, the acrid smell of burnt powder, and the black stain splashed across the evening snow. He remembers the conviction he was doing the right thing vanishing as quickly as the echoing blast. He remembers handing Sarah the collar and realization taking control of her eyes.
Jerry takes another look at the clock and then back at their dog. The Saint Bernard raises a giant paw and places it on the doorknob. Jerry takes a last drag off his cigarette, slowly exhales the plume of smoke, and snuffs it out.
“Goodbyes are important, Brutus. Don’t worry. She knows that.”
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i've had to sadly put down a few pets in my lifetimes. it is a gut-wrenching experience.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
I know- but I just want people to know what they are in for. It's sad, but it's worth it if you can feel something you can relate to.
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
I'm with you!
Have 3 dogs now. When we lost our old fellow two years ago he went in his sleep, on a dog bed right beside my husband who was working on the computer. One big "woof" and he was gone before my husband could get his arms around him in a hug. Very peaceful for him, traumatic for us.
Can't possibly click on that link... :( :( :(
come on over!
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=80212
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
8/23/09 - Chicago, IL
9/28/09 - Salt Lake City, UT (11 years too long!!!)
9/03/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 1
9/04/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 2
Thai was with betty since puppy-hood and lived about 17 years or so.
chows are fantastic dogs.
a one family dog; excellent guard dogs.
our chow's name was Chi.
Chi ruled the world.
he loved snowdrifts and fighting other males dogs.
no no no we never supported dog fighting.
in the iowa country side dogs run amok.
if another male dog came in Chi's yard or woods it was on.
oh, and never go in Chi's corn field if you're a dude dog.
if you're a chic dog Chi will fuck you well.
Chi had a stroke and had to be put down behind the barn. (all i could do was dig the hole... prior)
he lived a good life.
btw, Chi pulled a toboggan with us on it one at a time.(kids of course)
fantastic dog.
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
needless to say that was....rough.
Sounds awful, doesn't it? But that fact is our dog, Lucky, was there for me every day. She was ready to welcome me home every day, ready to go for a walk with me, always had a way of coaxing me into sharing my food with her with just a look. She was a companion, a friend when I was alone – which was a lot. I had moments where I lost my temper with her when I really should have shown her the patience that she showed me. She had ways of making me laugh and seemed to know how I was feeling.
She was family and I miss her terribly. I can never own another dog, because I just don't think I could ever go through that pain again.
THANK YOU!
A part of out family, we were all there my wife and two kids. We all left crying.
One of the toughest choices I had to make.
I got memories. I got shit so much it don't show."
Watching that brought me back to almost a year ago, felt like I was there again.
I was that guy in the video, and that was my family saying bye before taking our cat to the vet.
Maybe I shouldn't have watched it.
Poor Oden he looked so sad yet he was giving love back to his keepers one final time :(
And people in my other thread are saying that wouldn't try save their pet dog?
:(
I feel what you feel, I cannot get another cat, just won't be right and don't want to go through this again.
But, my golden retriever is 12 yrs old and I know that his day will be here eventually. His hips are still ok at the moment....but you can see they are getting worse. The one thing I don't want him to do is live in a whole lot of pain. I'm sure I'll be a mess...had since he was 3 months old. Makes me sad even thinking about this while I'm typing...outta here
2009 - Toronto
2010 - Buffalo
2011 - Toronto 1&2
2013 - London, Pittsburgh, Buffalo
2014 - Cincinnati, St. Louis, Detroit
2016 - Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Ottawa, Toronto 1
2018 - Fenway 1&2
2022 - Hamilton, Toronto
2023 - Chicago 1&2
2024 - Las Vegas 1&2
this also from a pets point of view.
The time we have with our beloved pets is short, even those that live long full lives.
My wish would be all pets could be loved but we know only the lucky ones are.
My wish would be that all humans would love just one animal within their lifetime but we know only the lucky humans know this love.
Embrace the passing of a beloved best friend by celebrating the love you shared, not the loss.
This love will stay with you forever.
Don't be afraid to make another pet and yourself very lucky with new love.
Wish you were here...
♥~RIP Dad
I can't even watch the end of Marley and Me.
i was told emphatically not to watch that movie or read the book for that matter...but one day, it came on and i started watching...i can't help it, jennifer aniston is just too easy on the eyes
needless to say, i was a mess after watching it
I'm again watching it now on HBO. But I will turn it off when they move into that last house.
I rescued her as a pup and she had grown up with our 4 boys.
Until one day she turned around and bit one of my Sons on his face and drawing severe blood.
she was a 12 year old dog, and I could see she was ' losing her mind'.
That afternoon, I gave instructions for my dog to be put on the leash and lead down the back paddock and shot in the head and burried.
I had 4 young children, if that dog had bitten any lower on my son, he would have bled to death, so why would I take the chance to see if the dog does it again?.
I think the vet would have done a much more humane way of putting your dog down. Unless you just wanted revenge then I guess shooting him is justified in your eyes.
I got memories. I got shit so much it don't show."
Um... I'm somewhat horrified here. After raising from puppyhood, having 12 years and presumably no problems, and when she's possibly a little old and cranky dealing with four little kids she gets a gunshot to the head?!?
(This is written by someone who was bitten in the face and leg by a friend's 120 lb dog a couple of years ago, so please don't think I'm not empathetic to your son's trauma... it's an awful experience)