Your Pet Loss Stories

by Jennifer
(Ohio)

About a year ago my 14 year old Lab was lonely after losing his brother Bailey to cancer a year earlier, he was getting worse with his arthritis and we knew that soon we would have to face a lonely dogless house without Carter. We went to the shelter just to see if they had any young puppies available... just to look not to bring one home.

Well Millie was taking a walk hopping along on her three good legs. She was a medium sized black and white dog and super good with my small children. We left the shelter but I couldn't stop thinking about her. I called the shelter and said we would be back to get poor three legged Millie. She would be perfect for Carter as he was old and she only had three good legs!

Millie and Carter were not friends, they often got in bloody brawls and it scared me and my kids. Carter has since died and Millie seemed very lonely afterward. She stopped eating, laid on the couch he laid... it was time to get a new puppy. We got another Lab like Carter and hoped this would cheer Millie up. Millie did not get cheered up, instead her habits got worse, instead of peeing once a day in my kids bedrooms, she was only peeing in their bedrooms and pooping near their beds. She was getting more used to the puppy but the peeing and pooping were out of hand and the two dogs had to be separated at all times. Not possible with my 2 year old letting the puppy and Millie together.

I couldn't seem to find reasons that keeping Millie would work for us. We loved Millie so much, even with her many flaws. Yes she ran off for hours on end, yes she barked at every living creature, yes she used our house as a bathroom, yes she fought to the death with every dog she encountered, but she did one thing that made this the most awful and painful decision... she LOVED every one of us. I had to take her to the humane society and they were reluctant to even take her because of her aggression.

I don't know what happened to Millie's leg or how she ended up in the shelter in the first place, but the last thing I ever wanted was to add to Millie's sad story. I am so sorry Millie my friend... I had to surrender you because my kids safety comes first. I will always love you and hope that you either find a wonderful owner or can be up in heaven with your old friend Carter. I miss your lazy way of just laying on the bed, your beady orange eyes staring at me as if you knew my pain, the way you sat like a person in the car, the way you hopped along with your three legs, the way you licked my kids and kissed them even after they pulled your tail.

You were a good dog Millie and deserve to be happy. I am so sorry Millie.