We said goodbye today, a hearfelt thanks to a person whose name I don't even know.

[The Straight Story]

My X called me today (she lives across the street from me). Her BF's dog which he has for 15 years had a seizure. It has had cancer for a spell now, it's left eye swollen up to baseball size.

They had the paperwork all ready to take it to the shelter and have put down, but he just could not do it (and worried if my X and I took the dog it might not react well, it is a rottweiler - not that such is bad, just a huge and strong animal). He had had the big dog 15 years now, was like a child to him.

I knew the dog as well for some time, wonderful animal. He (her BF) was at work and I told the X I would be there to help her. So I called dog warden and talked to them. Apparently he did not have a license for it (he did in AZ where had lived and thought he did here, but it was a rabies shot he got for her each year) and they said they would come pick up the dog for $20 - but there would be a $100 ticket for not having a license.

A wonderful lady finally made it out here. She could tell how upset the X was, and I was just barely able to hold it together myself. Said she could give me the ticket if she wanted, but X have her her ID and said it was fine.

She went to her truck, came back, and said "I am not going to issue a ticket, just get a license if you get another dog ok?" I went in and put the leash on Reese and brought her out to the truck and said goodbye.

This wonderful lady was compassionate and understanding, and more importantly gentle with the dog (she has a dog herself which was riding shotgun in the truck).

I felt like I betrayed her in some ways. She liked me, I put a collar and her and took her to the truck knowing what was going to come next.

Yeah, it was the right thing to do to end the pain she was in, and she was not even my dog but she knew me and trusted me.

So sorry if I seem a bit more assholish than usual today, just been trying to get rid of this nagging sense of sending a good animal to it's death when it trusted me enough to let me lead it to a strange truck.

I offered to drive it to the shelter myself, but was asked not to out of worry of being bitten if she got freaked out.

Sorry Reese - you were a good dog and living in extreme pain these last few weeks, and you were a good dog to my daughter who enjoyed playing with you day in and out.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. You did a good thing, not a bad one.

You ended the dog's pain. Maybe she knew, and that's why she trusted you to take her.

[nuxvomica]

4. I was thinking the same thing

There are those moments with a pet when you have to do something with them that's either painful or disagreeable in some way and they don't even protest because they trust you. Granted, that's not always the case, but when it happens that way I am always surprised and more than a little bit humbled by the experience.

[livetohike]

2. It's the hardest thing to do......

:hug: We know what the right thing is to do for an animal that is suffering in pain...it's just so hard to acknowledge it and take action.

Reese had a good life with so many people caring about her. I hope your good memories of Reese will cause you to smile and help ease the sadness.

[REP]

3. I don't understand; why didn't they have their terminally ill pet euthanized by their vet?

Was it necessary to do it this way, instead of being there with their pet while she was euthanized at her own vet? Sorry if I'm missing something; I've had to have my fair share if beloved companions euthanized due to horrible illnesses and I was always always with them.

[The Straight Story]

5. Money for one

And two, he could just not handle the whole thing.

[Maru Kitteh]

9. I'm sorry but that was REALLY selfish of him. His companion deserved better than to die with strang

strangers. That's just wrong.

SS, you did the best you could with the given circumstances and you are to be commended but the BF? Him, I do not think I like.

[elocs]

6. I have always been with mine also and my cat of almost 20 years was the hardest.

I had found her when she was only 3 days old, laying by the side of the road. Her eyes did not open for another week as I played mom to her.

After nearly 20 years had come when she had become very emaciated and sick. I had to stop on the way to the vet to cry it out so when I got there I would be OK. I was ready for it to be over and done as they got the needle out, but they couldn't find a vein, and then one collapsed. By the third time I was losing it badly and crying. I just couldn't deal with having to go through that final moment 3 times.

[rustydog]

7. You did a kind and caring thing for the X and Reese

The hardest thing for me was holding Rusty as he was put to sleep and saying goodbye.

[mike_c]

8. it's one of the hardest things on Earth....

Good on ya'. Having the courage to face that decision is one of the finest forms of compassion there is.

[Uben]

10. It's done, just keep the memories........

I had to have my two dogs put down. German Shepherds, boys, siblings. One had hip displasia (sp?) so bad he could no longer walk and the other had a severely ruptured bowel gland. It was a bloody mess, extremely painful for the dog, and nothing the vet seemed to do helped. The vet said it was the worst he had ever seen. So, it was time. The vet was a godsend. He came to our house to put them down. He said they would want to be in a familiar place. Though sad, it was a peaceful process.

[DoctorMyEyes]

11. That's our plan

Our dog is very large and very old and his time is coming soon. Yesterday we went to the vets, basically to make arrangements for when the time comes. And although just the thought of losing my best buddy has been a hard thing to face I'm glad we took the time to figure out the logistics in advance.

Thanks to our regular vet we now have the number of another vet in our cell phones who will come to our home when the time comes and now I don't have to worry about how to physically get him down the stairs and into the car. Or that I'll be scaring him or making him uncomfortable in his final moments. And now I feel more confident that I can enjoy the time we have left and that I won't have to second guess myself on whether I waited too long or not long enough.

I was surprised and grateful to learn too that the price for such a service was really reasonable and not very much more expensive than a regular vet visit.