Oh Beth...I am so sorry.
In all my life, I have only had one dog. I had her for 11 yrs. till she was picked up by a group of laboratories in the area getting 50 bucks each for dogs...15 dogs in my neighborhood were stolen the same day...I will NEVER ever get a pet and go through that heart-break again.
I know you have no interest in other peoples stories right now but this helped me through my grieving over my "cleo"
Although shorter-lived than humans, dogs or cats can live from 10-20 years while others such as tortoises or parrots and macaws can live well over 50 years! These are sentient beings who require love, interaction, exercise, proper nutrition, veterinary care and grooming. They require our time, attention and affection. In return, they provide us with an opportunity to provide loving care for one vulnerable and dependent upon us. Many of them need to be obedience trained and socialized. They repay our efforts with undying love and devotion.
When we adopt a pet, we make a commitment to care for him for the rest of his life. Our pets provide us with unconditional love and acceptance and are true and loyal friends, teachers, guides, healers and confidants. They offer us a safe haven and the opportunity to be who we genuinely and truly are without façade or pretense or affectation. They allow us to lower our guard and to display emotions and share feelings we might not feel comfortable sharing with another human being.
Our animal companions provide us with physical as well as emotional and spiritual benefits. They are a link with Nature and the natural world and elevate our spirits. They lower blood pressure and improve our heart rate. They decrease worry, fear, stress loneliness, anxiety and depression. Simply petting an animal companion has a calming, soothing effect. In addition, our pets afford us the opportunity to nurture and provide care for a loved one.
They teach us spontaneity and to “live in the moment” rather than in the past or future. Their presence not only improves our physical and emotional health but it even increases our longevity.
Through our animal companions, we learn much about ourselves - of life and death and of mortality and immortality. We observe our pets as they grow from infancy to childhood to adolescence, adulthood, maturity and old age. We note the many illnesses and infirmities they experience as they age – so many similar to those we face ourselves. Ultimately, our beloved animal companions confront the inevitable – death – whether by accident, illness, euthanasia or natural causes. Euthanasia is a very difficult and complex issue – perhaps one of the most heartrending and difficult we will ever make.
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