Your Pet Tributes

by Linda Riley
(Washington CH, OH)

In May of 1998, Charlie was a gift to me for Mother's Day. She was a taupe Weimaraner and had just turned a year old. She had been in the care of a wonderful woman named Sandy. Sandy belonged to Pet Networking, which is an organization who takes in abused, lost, etc. dogs. Charlie was rescued by Pet Networking because a man who had been in the military bought her in the country of Panama and SEVERELY abused her. I guess her ears were shredded, she was full of worms and was left to feed on garbage.

Charlie, to me, was my little miracle. She so appreciated the nice new life she had. She was able to run in her fenced in back yard and stalk squirrels on a regular basis. Charlie's personailty was so warm that even my cockatiels adored her and sang to her on a regular basis. My cat beat up a dog who stepped on her injured foot one Christmas, which was a sight to see, let me tell you. Charlie would always follow me wherever I would go. She cleaned with me and sometimes would run smack dab into me if I stopped suddenly. She was spry and loved walks, she was gentle and loved everyone.

When she turned 12 I noticed that age was beginning to take it's toll. She was slower, not as energetic and began losing her bladder control a little. When she turned 13, I really began noticing her failing, my little baby was no longer a young, bouncey, little girl anymore, she was an elderly dog. At 14, this past April, her bladder was uncontrollable, her walking was very stiff and she was failing every month, it seemed. I looked into her eyes a week ago and could just tell she was tired. Her hearing was almost gone, her hips were having a hard time supporting her, and she was just tired. I talked to her and told her it was OK for her to go, I would be fine and well taken care of. I knew that I was keeping her tired soul alive for me and making one of the hardest decisions to make, knew I had to release her from her tormented, tired body.

The day had come, and I walked her around her yard for the last time. My fiance', Joe, drove us to the Vet, and while she was in my arms I whispered for her to run as fast as she could and never to look back once she was released. Again, I told her I would be fine and her brother Walter, Joe, and my new doberman Ben, would all take very good care of me in her abscence.

Thank you Charlie for entering my life, Thank you for being there for me unconditionally when no one else would, and thank you for being you, You have made my life richer just knowing you the short time I was blessed enough to know you. I love you and I will see you again...