My Soul Is Set Free
The next day we headed north to Yellowstone. It was just like the old days, traveling and hanging my head out the truck window.
I even made it up to the Continental Divide, for about the eighth time in our journey. Only this time, walking a few yards to the sign was all I had in me.
We took lots of pictures. As we got to Yellowstone, I was feeling OK, but very subdued from the bad episode the day before.
When we first started traveling with Jerry, we knew that his time would eventually come. If it happened while we were on the road, our biggest nightmare was that we would have to cope with it in some place we didn’t want to be in, some busy city with an unsympathetic vet who didn’t know anything about Jerry.
A few days before we got to Yellowstone, I called Calpurnia’s Mom, TC., whose sister lives just outside the park. She gave me the name of a vet there, in McAllister, Montana. I tucked it away in the “just in case” file.
That night, my breathing was a little raspy, and my heavy panting continued. My legs felt like jelly, and I was having a harder time getting up and turning around in bed.
Mom and Dad slept in the next morning. At 8:30 am when Mom woke up, she thought it was strange that I hadn’t made noises to go outside. I heard her get out of bed, and as she walked over to me saying “Morning Jerry!”, she looked down, and saw that I had wet my bed.
“Oh nooooooo! Jerry, baby!” Mom cried out. Our eyes met, and as I lay there, I looked up and told her; “Mom, I’m so sorry, I just couldn’t get up to tell you. Mom, I’m tired.”
Dad got up to see why Mom was crying. She hovered over me, tears running down her face. I was still laying there. I could not find it in me to get up out of my wet bed.
“It’s time,” Mom said to Dad. “This is it.”
We knew it. This was the sign that we needed to know that his dignity was slipping away.
We always knew that if Jerry’s health was going to decline because of this stupid cancer, we would measure his dignity by whether or not he could get up to go potty on his own.
We realize there are many dogs out there that need help in this area, but are still living otherwise healthy, happy lives. In Jerry’s case, we felt that if the cancer’s effects coincided with incontinence, he would not be living the kind of life he was born to live.
The events of the previous few weeks, along with the incontinence, was the sign that we needed to call the vet in McAllister.
Making that call to the vet was the hardest thing we ever had to do. Explaining our traveling situation to total strangers. Detailing Jerry’s health problems coherently, without going into hysterics. Asking them to help us say goodbye. Luckily, Dr. Cashman was incredibly sympathetic, and agreed to help us that day.
We cleaned up Jerry, put him in the truck, and drove away from Yellowstone. It took everything we had to stay calm and centered, for his sake.
We drove quietly for two hours through the beautiful mountains. The vet’s little office was located at the end of a rural country road, in a setting that felt like home. Puffy white clouds floated across the big blue sky. This was the classic picture of Big Sky Country, Montana.
We went inside to meet Dr. Cashman. Our fears were put aside as we met a wonderful group of women who run the Meadow Creek Vet Clinic. Showing a great deal of compassion, they understood our situation as traveling fulltime RVers, and took the time to explain the euthanasia procedure to us.
Dr. Cashman would use two injections: one to sedate Jerry, and then a second drug which would be responsible for saying goodbye. She gently suggested that we allow her to use a catheter for the injection (a nominal extra fee) as dogs who have been on steroids typically have collapsed veins that are hard to locate. A catheter would make the injection go a little smoother, and be less stressful for everyone involved. We are so grateful she told us about that, and followed her advice.
Mom and Dad went inside for a while, then came outside. I was surrounded by an adoring fan club, and Dr. Cashman was one of them. She was wonderful!
Dad helped me get out of the truck, and got my Barney blanket and some of my favorite stuffed toys. I plopped down on the lawn next to the office, and everyone loved and cuddled me.
Some dogs were barking out back, in the boarding kennels. I hopped over to them, and said “See ya on the other side, guys.” I plopped down tired, then went back to lay down on my blanket with my Dad’s help.
We spoke to each other in dog, that language that only pawrents and their furry kids understand. Mom and Dad’s eyes were all watery, and they thanked me for all that I’d done for them. We made promises to meet up again some day.
Then, Dr. Cashman and her assistant held me close, and gave me lots of love. I felt a tickle on my leg, but I wasn’t scared at all. I was just so tired.
One needs to be totally prepared for the final vet visit when the time comes. There is no second guessing at this point. We decided to remain with Jerry during the procedure, keeping our promise to be with him until the bitter end. Not knowing what to expect, we did the best to prepare ourselves for the worst. And though the tech had a difficult time finding a good vein for the catheter, once it was in, his passing was quick and peaceful.
“You’re going to be OK,” Mom told me. “Thank you Jerry,” said Dad. Tears began to flow, but they feigned strength as they stroked my fur and held me close.
Within a minute or two, I felt so much better. All of my pain was gone, and I was free again!
Up I went through the sky, my spirit soaring high above the big puffy clouds! I was running again! Chasing rabbits and chickens! Swimming! And then I saw Lalla . . .
Some harsh realities do exist that one must also be prepared for, if they choose to know. Being the first time for us, we found it therapeutic to know.
Once I was released from my broken body, my pawrents laid with me quietly for nearly a half hour. My muscles didn’t move as the vet mentioned they might. But my eyes didn’t close either, as she said they wouldn’t.
In search of total closure, my dad requested that he carry me inside. The vet cautiously told him that I would be kept in a freezer until the funeral home could pick me up the next day. He acknowledged the fact, and also understood my limp body must be put in a bag. He helped the vet do this, then gently laid me to rest, knowing that at this point I was free and my body was but a shell. A broken shell at that.
My pawrents made the smart decision to pay for the visit up front so they could just leave afterwords. And it was probably the least expensive vet visit I ever had! While they silently drove back to Yellowstone, my dad swears he sensed me running through the sky along side the truck, all the way.
As hard as it was, we were extremely fortunate for this to happen in such a beautiful place, with such wonderful people. Even the sweet folks from At Home on The Range pet cemetery helped make this more bearable than we ever thought it could be.
We said goodbye to Jerry on a Friday. When we inquired on Monday about his remains, they said he was ready and offered to meet us as we passed through town to deliver a beautiful tin in a velvet bag.
Jerry will keep traveling with us until we find that special piece of land with the large shady tree to call his forever home.
thank you for all you have shared about yourselves and jerry. many years ago, as i held a beloved cat– and wept– while the vet eased his passing, the dr. said to me, “we’re a lot kinder to animals than we are to people.”
at least in this situation, that’s certainly true.
Welcome to the pawsitive life of loving uncondictionally,It makes your heart runith over!!! Jerry will come back in a form of a new baby you aquire someday.Live love laugh always with hope and caring.Jerry is wHATwe call LUCK DOG,AND LUCKY MPM AND DAD.
We are sorry for your loss. When I saw the story on Nature, I had to look up the site and follow the ending. We have 2 “girls” of our own. One we adopted from the shelter, Minnie, a scared and lonely pup, is now the biggest defender of the family! Sadie, a loveable lab, was our second addition the year following the adoption of Minnie. My daughter is 12, Minnie is 11 and Sadie 10. They have grown up together and I don’t know what we’ll do when “the time comes”. Seeing your story made up happy and sad for you. After we talked about Jerry and how the outcome may be for us one day. It helped ease into the conversation for my daughter after watching. Thank you again and I’m sure Jerry is proud of yoy both for your strength and wisdom. Good luck to you!
I watched the story of your journey with Jerry last night. I’m still in tears. Two years ago I found a small “bump” on our beloved Bonny dog. She didn’t seem ill at all. The next day the “bumps” had multiplied…off to the vet. Six days later I got a 6:30 a.m. call from the vet hospital. The kind vet held the phone to Bonbon’s ear and let me say goodbye. Since that day I’ve never stopped grieving her absence. But reading Jerry’s blog of his passing has given me some comfort. Thank you for sharing his story and your heartbreak. If only every dog was so loved.
God Bless you both,
Colleen Keegan
I watched the show on February 15. It was great! I should have had our youngest son watch this show so he could get an idea of how animals are family and not just a dog or cat. We have 2 cats, almost 7. They are part of our family. This morning they went out on the cat walk with my husband while he got the newspaper. (We live on the 6th floor of a condo.) Tiger and Boots are indoor cats so this is a leap of faith for them to walk out there.
Sincerely, Karen
To the parents of Jerry: what a wonderful story and great life you gave Jerry, it looks as though he lived life to the fullest extent in his short life. We never had children so our dogs had a very special place in our family. I held my black lab in my arms as the vet gave her the final injection, as I will do when the time comes for our 12 year old yellow lab. What a rich legacy of historical memories you have to keep his spirit alive.
I’m a longtime fan of Nature, and “Why We Love Our Cats and Dogs” was one of the finest programs they’ve ever done. Jerry’s story was absolutely wonderful as were his unusually caring owners. The morning after the program I read the beautifully described finale of Jerry’s life and promptly bawled like a baby! Something deep within me obviously touched my very soul. Thanks for videotaping this dog’s journey and including it in the Nature program.
Thank you so much for sharing Jerry’s story with us! I watched the program last night and was so moved by the story that I had to come and find out the rest of the story. I sit here crying for Jerry and you both.
I just had to do put our sweet boy down on New Year’s Eve because of a inoperable mass in his spinal cord. We found it in the summer and like you had to wait for the signs. When he could no longer use his back legs and became incontintant we knew it was time. I hated doing it but he didn’t like living that way.
Thank you again for sharing your beautiful story story! Your wonderful Pawrents!
I cried while watching Jerry’s story on PBS and my husband was close to tears. It brought back the pain in my heart of losing our boys. I think Jerry’s legacy is touching so many because we’ve had to do what you have done and wondered if we were doing the right thing at the time. Once we read about the look in his eyes and how you knew, then we know we did the right thing at the right time.
We just lost our 2 Dachshunds last June and July…24 days apart. Sammy was 14 years old. He’d been with us since he was 5 weeks old. His kidney’s were failing and we were giving him fluids twice a day. His eyes told the story one day. We took him into the vet and she said we could leave him and they would give him massive fluids. It might help to keep him alive for another week. We asked, “To what end?”. We’d have done whatever it took if we could have kept him alive, pain free, but there was nothing anyone could do. We put him to sleep that day. We, too stayed with him and talked to him. He went so peacefully. That was the one plus to being with him, seeing the pain leave.
Joey was 11. We’d had him since he was 5 weeks old also. Joey was the one with all the problems. He was diabetic and had lost his sight a year earlier. He had relied on his brother to lead him around and let him know when to “protect” us and the house. A couple of weeks after Sammy died, Joey got pancreatitis. I took him to the vet and she said they had to keep him. I went to see him the day after they ran all his tests. He yipped and barked when he heard my voice. I picked him up and he laid his head on my shoulder and sighed. I sat with him for several hours. He began to cry in pain and the vet gave him pain medication and I put him back in his pen to sleep. She called me several hours later to tell me Joey had awakened, barked as if he was looking for me, and then stopped breathing. She said while they were trying to get a tube in him, his heart stopped. They couldn’t get it going again. I drove the 40 miles back to the vet’s to see our Joey once more. I sat with him for another couple of hours. We think he was just so lost without his brother and died from a broken heart.
On my drive home, I “saw” the two of them running and playing like they did when they were younger. I knew they were together and happy. Their ashes are together in one urn on top of our bookcase.
Your heart is broken and will be for awhile, but it will get a little easier with time. Then something will happen that will bring it all back (as this is doing to me) and you’ll cry again. Every now and then you will miss him terribly and have to go back through the pictures and cry. It’s healing.
I swore I wouldn’t do it again because the heartache is too much. But we now have another “kid”, Tootsie, another Dachsie, who we rescued from a shelter a few months ago. She’s a good substitute, but also a sad reminder sometimes. But we love her dearly and will do whatever it takes to keep her with us. Your life is better for having loved and cared for Jerry. I feel bad for people who have never been loved by a pet for they don’t know true love and companionship.
God bless you Jim and Rene.
What a wonderful story. I’m so sorry for your grief. I found a very helpful website after the loss of my 17 year old cat, Trooper. Petloss.com. It’s a great resource for those who are mourning the loss of a “furrbaby”. Experiencing grief over the loss of a beloved pet is the same experience as for the loss of a human. Sometimes people don’t understand, so the website offers support that may be lacking after the loss of a pet.
Good wishes in your remaining travels. Let us know if you find a new “furrbaby”.
DrEllen
I watched the the program on 2/15/09 and especially loved the story about Jerry, and just needed to find out more about your final adventures with him. My husband and I also lost our beloved four-legged child Tundra to bone cancer on 2/19/08, so it was heartwarming and uplifting to see another couple who loved and valued their dog so much as a member of their family. I know all too well about how you come to the decision to mercifully end their lives when their quality of life is no longer what it was meant to be. Thank you for sharing such a wonderfully touching story with all of us!
Thank you for sharing your story. I have a fur baby as well, an eleven-year-old Maltese whom I adopted when he was about a year old. My boy is a member of my family, like Jerry was of yours. I plan ahead for him, and take him into consideration when I’m making decisions on what to do. Reading your story made it easier for me to prepare myself for my boy’s end of life. Thanks again for sharing.
My husband and I understand. We have 2 Boston Terriers, Zoey & Zeke, who mean the world to us. We are passionate about keeping them happy and healthy. We absolutely adore them and would “take a bullet” for them if we had to. This is just the way it is. Something that cannot be explained in logical terms or rational states of mind. It all comes from the heart and that is a gift from God, as Jerry was a gift to you and Zoey & Zeke are to us. We would do exactly what you did to enjoy your final days with Jerry. God bless!
Like Andrea’s post, I watched the show on PBS last night and had to learn more about Jerry and his pawrents. My heart just breaks for you, but as a good friend told me when I had to say goodbye to my 16 year old cat, you can be thankful for what a great life you gave Jerry and all the great things he gave you that will always be with you! I’m sure it is too soon, but do you think you will one day meet another dog? Jerry might send you a friend, when the time is right. This happened to me, despite not looking for it to happen. He/she would be so lucky to have you for pawrents. My condolences to you for his loss. What a beautiful spirit!
Thanks so much for sharing your story. My wife, Jen, and I watched the PBS special last night along with our two terriers, Hammond and Darcy. Darcy, as usual just wanted to cuddle on our laps, while Hammond time and again leapt off the couch to run up to the TV, barking and asking Jerry to “COME PLAY WITH US!”
When I bought Darcy, our 2 year old JRT, I’ll admit I considered the purchase the same way I might any other product… “well, this should give a lot of enjoyment for a reasonable price”… little did I know that within a few short hours I would feel like I just won the lottery! These two scrappy pups have done so much to change the way I see the world, myself, and the relationships between all living things.
A month ago, my father-in-law’s two dogs died in a tragic, senseless traffic accident. In dealing with the family grief, I realized something that you mention on the show – when asked what time it is, a dog will reply “NOW NOW NOW!” These pups know what really matters – sharing and enjoying the here and now.
I’m so glad you made the choices you did with Jerry, that you gave him HAPPY, ENGAGED, FULL months rather than ignoring the inevitable. Many humans don’t have the luxury of really enjoying their lives, and you did the big thing, and gave that to Jerry.
I’m sure in the end, you feel that really, Jerry gave that gift right back to YOU.
I just want to thank you so much, for sharing Jerry’s story. I watched the program last night and then read the interview and visited the tripawds blog, and I have been moved to tears by your story of courage, compassion, and the best part of humanity. Jerry’s story just reminded me of what is most important in life: love.
much peace,
Gudren
Thank you for sharing Jerry’s story. Being owned by a German Shepherd myself, I just wanted to tell you how much I admire and respect the way you handled Jerry’s illness and that you made sure he was never robbed of his dignity. You are the kind of dog parents everyone should aspire to be. Jerry was a beautiful boy and his spirit will be with you always. He is waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge and you will all be together again someday. Bless you and thank you again for sharing Jerry’s story with us.
We are indeed thankful for the life Jerry gave us, even more so now that his story has reached so many. Thanks for the kind words. And yes, another dog will be out there somewhere waiting for us … someday, somewhere.
Hi Lynne. Thanks for taking the time to find out more about our story. Jerry and Tundra are probably romping around the rainbow bridge now, loving the afterlife as much as they did their time with us down here.
Thanks for commenting Maria! It’s an honor to think that Jerry’s story may help others prepare for the ultimate inevitable.
Thanks Pam! It’s simply wonderful to hear from so many pet lovers like you who get it.
Thanks for sharing the image of Hammond wanting to play with Jerry! 🙂 Jerry continues to give us the incredible gift of love, by bringing you and so many others here to share your stories with us. Thank you!
Admidst tear filled eyes, I just want to send you both a warm hug and extend my most sincere and heartfelt condolences on your loss. Your story was extremely touching to watch. The love you had for Jerry was almost palatable. I would say he won the gold medal in parents when he was adopted by you. Few dogs live such a full and happy life, congratulations on giving him your very best and allowing him to be his very best ! I remember with sadness the loss of my own shepherd mix, Sophie, five years ago, who coincidentally died of lung cancer, too. After she was gone, our wonderful vet let me stay with her for about 10 minutes. All I could do was bury my face in her fur and just howl. I’m sure you did, too.
Thank you for producing your story for all of us to share. I’m sure it must’ve taken a lot of courage to ‘bare your souls’ at such an emotional time in front of millions of people. On the other hand, I’m sure there are just as many people who have been helped through their own sadness and grief through watching and identifying with your story.
My prayers and thoughts for you both are for healing and happy memories to replace the hole in your hearts. You know he had the best parents he could’ve ever had and so did he !
May God bless you both very much.
Sincerely,
Fran Miles
Fredericton NB Canada
We are so happy that Jerry’s legacy has touched so many good people like you Gudren. Thank you for the wonderful comment!
And bless you for such kind words. We were only doing what was best for our furry boy. Thank you for making it a little easier to not have Jerry by our side for his big debut.
Last night’s episode on PBS brought back wonderful memories of our Black Lab, Belle, whom, at 14, we had to have euthanised in October 2006. Your description of the care and understanding provided at the veternarian’s was one we also were fortunate to encounter. Jerry’s and Belle’s last hours were similar in many respects. My heart weeps for you, while, at the same time, thanks you for the wonderful life you gave this truly devoted family member. Our bond with Belle was exceptional and we have yet to find the final resting place for her ashes. Perhaps one day we will. I tend to believe we’re still not ready to let her go completely. Thank you for sharing your heartwarming story.
Dorothy
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Thank you for your most sincere wishes Fran. It was surprisingly easy to bare our souls and share Jerry’s story because he taught us that every day is a great day, and we’ve made it our mission to help spread the word. And we have to thank Nature for helping make Jerry’s legacy become reality.
Thanks for sharing your love of Belle. Its OK to never completely let go. We are continuing our journey to find Jerry’s final resting place too. But even then – wherever and whenever that may be – he will always be near and dear to us.
Thank you for taking such good care of your pups, and knowing when to say when. I – Jim here – also saw and felt Jerry running alongside the truck on our way back to Yellowstone after we let him go. To this day, we can still feel him once in a while. Like the coyote we encountered on a hike the other day…
You too, were wonderful pawrents and will be again someday I’m sure. Thanks for the kind comments, and for sharing the wonderful care you gave your pup.
Cheers and empathetic thoughts from another viewer you touched on PBS last night. I paused a moment from my at-home on-line tutoring job to watch our neighbors romp the alley with their big goofy German Shepherd friend Smoky. Thanks for bring to the nation the message that we have this great-chain-of-being thing all wrong. Other beings are just as important as people and their deaths just as painful, just as meaningful.
Kelly, thank you for watching and taking the time to write. Smokey is a beautiful sight to envision, I can see him now. It’s our hope that those unfortunate souls who don’t get it, like you do, will watch the show and come to a better understanding of how animals can change our lives and help us grow, if we allow them to. Thank you for helping to bring pawsitive change to the universe, one critter at a time.
I’m sitting here crying reading this and know your pain and loss. I had to put my Susie (German Shepherd also), down in January 2006, and Max (German Shepherd also), in June 2004. Both had bad hips, and it was such a hard decision. My deepest condolences….
Maybe Max, Susie and Jerry are all playing together now. I still have their ashes on a table in my living room (can’t seem to part with them to disperse them anywhere). I plan on being cremated, so all my pets may be buried with me (that is what i’ve always thought i might want to do).
Again, my condolences.
Walt, you are very kind. Thanks for watching and coming here to share your thoughts. You have touched us as well.
Thank you for the compliment, but I really don’t think we are all that unusual. There are so many other pawrents out there who have also gone to extraordinary lengths to give their fur kids the best life they could. The Tripawds website has some great examples. Jerry’s story is symbolic of all of us, and we are so proud that he was able to share this love with the world. Thanks again.
Gosh, it was January of 2008 that Susie was laid to rest, and it was June 2006 for Max. Too fast for them both! My error. I’m still sad and miss them so much. I finally adopted another dog in November, but there will never be another Max and Susie.
Lisa, you are so sweet, thank you. I can’t imagine the kind of loss you’ve experienced, losing two beautiful babies in such a short period of time. We are so sorry. I do truly believe that all of our fur kids are out there in the universe, playing and being whole again, and pain free.
Jerry also had bad hips. We always assumed that it would be the displaysia that would cause his demise, not cancer.
I like your idea about keeping Max and Susie’s ashes. That is something I hadn’t even considered. We have Jerry’s ashes with us, and have talked about burying him on “his land,” but the thought makes me a little sad, because if we ever sold it…. Your idea is much more comforting.
Many hugs to you.
Yes, absolutely too fast. Our pups leave us far too soon.
Good to hear you opened up your heart to another dog. As different as s/he is to Max and Susie, your new dog will have all sorts of wonderful lessons and experiences to bring into your life that you will treasure just as much. These dogs, they all have their own special “assignments” when it comes to helping us get through life, don’t they?
Diane, thank you so much. As two people who also don’t have human kids, we too understand how important it is to be there for our dogs. They ask for so little, and we get so much in return. It’s the least we can do. Thank you for making the world a better place by demonstrating this to other members of the human race.
Sherri, thank you for writing and watching the show. We are so glad to know that there are people like you in the world who, through your love of pets, demonstrate to others how important pets are to our emotional and physical well being. Jerry is proud of you.
Wow. We are so touched by how you took the time to share your story about Bridget and your other fur kids. What a beautiful relationship you have with them all, how fortunate that you have those four special dogs in your life.
While it was very difficult to know that Jerry was approaching the end of his time on earth, we did our best to behave the way he taught us to; don’t dwell on the “what ifs”, live in the moment, and keep our hearts light by embracing the magic that we shared together. It was really hard to save our tears until after he passed, but it’s what he wanted.
You are absolutely a true friend to animals, and the kind of person that everyone should strive to be like. Thanks so much for writing. Many hugs to you and the pack, especially Bridget.
Ann, our hearts go out to you. Three years is just too soon, and we can’t even imagine that kind of grief.
In that short period of time, sounds like you and Chase were absolutely living life to the fullest. And we’ll be he taught you a lot about embracing each day, despite hardship like a medical condition. What gifts these furry critters give to us!
Thanks for sharing your story here. Yep, we’re betting that Jerry and Chase are definitely having a great time together.
Thank you Valerie, you are very sweet. Many hugs coming at you…
Elisabeth, that is such a true statement. As we knew we were approaching the end of Jerry’s time on earth, we took some comfort in knowing that he wouldn’t suffer the way sometimes humans do when it comes to terminal illness. As hard as it is to say goodbye, it’s the least we can do for our beloved family members. Thanks for writing and sharing your own story here.
So well said, Janet, thank you. Obviously you have learned the important lessons that animals have to teach humans.
Every day we feel the loss of not having Jerry around, but we do our best not to dwell on that heavy feeling, because Jerry taught us better than that. Our hearts are open to the pawsibilities of another fur kid sometime, when we are ready.
Thanks for writing.
Thank you Beth, you are so kind. You really are a great teacher to your daughter, by demonstrating that dogs are part of the family, and showing her that you’ll be there for them when they’re old and need you two the most, not just when they’re puppies. It’s good to know that there are such great parents out there. Thanks so much.
Thank God for pawrents like Rene and Jim who know our dog companions are not “property”; but part of the family. What a beautiful story. What special people to give up worldly things and spend your precious time with Jerry who was such a very special member of your family. He was truly blessed to have you as his pawrents… BUT I know that you know the two of you are the ones who were truly blessed. What valuable lessons they have for us. Petiecc, dogmom .
Please consider German Shepherd Rescue when looking for your Ben.
Colleen, thank you for writing and telling us about Bonny. Our deepest sympathies go out to you, we are so touched knowing that Jerry was able to lighten your grief just a little. Our dogs are angels in fur, aren’t they?
I absolutely LOVED the story about Jerry. I love all animals and have three cat children along with my two human kids as well. Two years ago we had a beautiful grey cat named Smokey who becam ill with megacolon. After major surgery and a terrible recovery it became quite clear that Smokey was ready to move on. My 17 year old daughter and I took him to the vet to be euthanized. Although it was sad it was also comforting too and gave us closure and peace. He was free from all his pain and suffering. We too have Smokey’s ashes in a beautiful cedar box that is monogramed. I will keep him always.
I believe that things happen for a reason. Soon after our mourning for Smokey we welcomed two lovely young kitties into our family. One was rescued from a terrible apartment in a bad neighborhood. She is the sweetest most lovely girl ever and most grateful!! I truly believe that Smokey’s passing allowed Molly (and Rocco her companion) to come into our lives. I hope in time you will welcome another pet into your family as well. good luck and best wishes! You ought to think about turning Jerry’s story into a book…it would be a great read!
Reading this made my tears flow……I was with my Samson (the first cat I had as an adult) while he was being released from his body, and it was, without a doubt, the hardest thing I have ever had to do and the worst day of my life (and that was over 20 years ago). I thank you both for telling your story on PBS. There are too many people out there who just cannot grasp what an animal means to a person, how they truly become your family……and many times, even closer than your family. Peace to you and Jerry…….enjoy the happy memories and spread the love to some more 4 legged family!!
Petie, you are so kind, thank you so much. It’s an honor to represent all of the cat and dog lovers out there who feel the same, by sharing Jerry’s story with the world. Yes, we are truly blessed for having such an incredible teacher. And I agree; GSD rescue is the way to go! Thanks for mentioning that. Take care.