Lin announced that Beastie Baby, real name Lily aka Lily Belly, Belly Baby, Sissy and several more, lost her battle to old age this week. Her “rear end went out”. Not sure of the science behind that but pet owners know to what I refer. After a harrowing 18 hours, we had her euthanized. She was 14. Nothing was going to get better. She was suffering.
Lily lived ten weeks to the day after we were told she was dying of lung disease. Showed them!? Lung disease did not get her. She lasted four years after her ‘expiration date’ since life expectancy on giant breeds is about 10 years. If I dare say so myself, she had a very good life.
Since Lily was ever present when I was home, I expect to fall over her every time I turn around or to see her sitting in the front yard when I come home. (Part of her great life was being a ‘free range puppy’. There was no fence that could hold ‘Houdini Baby’ and we just gave up.) I miss her quite a bit right now now.
Many of us are pet parents. For many of us the most important relationships we have are with our animals. The loss of an animal can be devastating.
Of course, this is not my ‘first rodeo’. (Lots of quotes in this page. Sorry if am giving non-English as a first language people fits.) Lily was dog #7. I will recover and there will be dog #8.
I was going to include some references to grieving pet loss. There are good articles by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Humane Society. There are therapists who list grief over the loss of a pet as a specialty. Links, Lin? Please and thank you. However, after writing I will have dog #8, I had a brain sprinkle (never have anything grand enough to be called a brain storm). What would it be like if I could not afford another dog or needed help caring for another dog? Dog #8 may never be. That, to me, is a horrible thought!
Back to the web where I found a reference to the Pets for the Elderly Foundation. Now, remember I know nothing and I recommend nothing sight unseen, but this might be worthy of a second look. They list a number of participating shelters. (I found New York’s Humane Society of Lollipop Farm to be intriguing.) Their goal is twofold: saving shelter animals and combating loneliness in those over 60 years of age. It looks as if their financial help is mostly limited to adoption costs but that is certainly a start.
Seniors for Seniors looks like an adoption program for dogs over 7 by people over 60. This program offers post adoption services. [Lin/Linda: looks like this program is for Washington state only.] Purina’s Petcentric lists Seniors for Pets in Florida as a source of funds for vet care. There are probably more I did not find. Be sure to also check your local, no kill shelters and ask about fostering an animal. [Lin/Linda: I found another program pairing senior dogs with senior people, this one in Missouri. It’s called Senior Dogs 4 Seniors. Purina’s Petcentric website also has an article Helping Seniors with Their Pets.]
In the UK it appears the Cinnamon Trust is offering practical help such as dog walking, rides to the vet and even birdcage cleaning! The goat in the promo picture suggests services are offered regardless of race, creed,color or even species!
If you are an animal lover as I am, it may not be too late to have a pet. There are agencies that could help.
In memoriam:
Lily Mistibear
Whelped: July 26, 2003
Died: September 21, 2017
Written September 22nd, 2017
Next: Lots of Mayo
Home