Your Pet Loss Stories

by Erin
(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US)

I was 5 when we picked up Fudge up from an Animal Rescue Shelter. I am now 20. Within those 15 years, my dog Fudge gave me the best years of my life. He was my best friend. I never wanted to see what my life would be like without him. However, I now know.

Fudge was put to sleep May 27, 2009. It was incredibly hard for me. My parents had to pull me up from the ground to leave the room after he was injected. I suddenly felt like I couldn't walk. My greatest fear had come true. I had to start learning to live my life without him by my side all the time.

When Fudge was young, he used to bark when the school bus was coming around my block to pick me up in the morning. He was my lookout. He sat at the front door with eyes locked on the bottom of the street. When I came home, he barked until I got inside the house, where I was greeted with many kisses and tail waggings. When vacations arrived, he was the last person I kissed goodbye and said I loved him. I always couldn't wait to get home to him. He was the first person I went to to give him a hug and kiss and say "I'm HOME!"

As the years went on, he got older. He developed arthritus in his back legs, was completely deaf in both ears, had cataracts, he refused dog food, so we had to start feeding him "people food". The pain just started getting worse and worse to the point where he couldn't walk, we had to pick him up to go outside. For the first time since he was a puppy he went to the bathroom in the house twice. #1 and #2. At that point, my parents didn't want him to suffer any longer.

Fudge and I have shared many great memories that I will never forget, and I will always cherish. I stayed in the room with him while the injected him and made sure he knew I loved him more than myself. I gave him many kisses, and he rubbed his nose on my face one last time before he took his last breath.

I know he's in a better place right now. I hope to be with him again in heaven.