Requiem in Pax (kind of depressing)

[Hospital_Rocket]

I 'll probably end up pulling this thread, but I just wanted to tell the world I lost my buddy today. After 8 years of owning him, I had to let my dog Bruno go today. I got him when he was seven as a rescue from our vet and at 15 years old we had a great run. They say when we have to let our pets rest, we do what is best, so why does it hurt so?

It was so weird as he taught himself to play frisbee and loved a rocket launch with the best of us.

Gonna Miss Ya Boy...

 

[OKTurbo]

Sorry to hear that Al. Pets are a part of the family, and when they go, it's just as difficult.

Hang in there,
John

 

[rstaff3]

I'm so sorry to hear that. We lost our Katy a couple of years ago and still miss her. Getting another dog actually helped. But we still miss her.

 

[jflis]

don't pull the thread. It's all a part of what makes us "us"

This is the coffee house and the thread is appropriate. Not all news from our fellow rocketeers is good news. but I beleive that it helps to define each of us to the others.

I have lost many pets in the past. It is very upsetting. I am now worried about our cocker Snowy as she is getting on in age herself...

 

[cls]

C'mon Al, you gotta make a special Bruno rocket!

 

[rabidsheeep]

sorry to hear it bro, theres never an easy way to get over things like this

 

[hokkyokusei]

You have my sympathy. I agree with the sentiment that pets are family. Time is a healer.

 

[eugenefl]

I know it is tough to let go. A lot of us have been multiple pet owners so we understand where you are coming from.

You should take extreme pride in the fact that your dog lived out the better half of his life in a loving home. I am certain they were the warmest, healthiest, and most enjoyable years of companionship.

Posts like this truly make our online TRF community rich in diversity and understanding of one another. Thank you for sharing with us. You certainly have my sympathy.

 

[MetMan]

Sorry to hear that. We had Chamois for 13 years and she'd moved with us all over the country. It left a big hole in my life when she died. We only recently got a new pooch and he's a blast. A good friend of ours suprised us last year. She had an artist friend paint a portrait of Cham. I highly recommend some kind of remembrance like this.

MetMan

 

[mike_bar]

Al,
I am sorry to hear of your pet loss.

My cat, Mad Max will be 19-years old next month. I have had him since he was about 8-weeks old.

He is diabetic, has a thyroid problem, and limps with arthritis, but he is hanging in there, for now. The vet says he is OK, but I doubt he will be around much longer. He has been with me so long now it will be sad to see him go.

 

[North Star]

Al,
please don't pull this thread. Use it to tell us a bit more about Bruno and why he was so special to you.

My wife and I have had dogs for 19 years but that came to an end when our Border Collie, Jimmy died last October. We had him for nearly 14 years, he was a rescued dog too. At about 18 months old his previous owner had abandoned him and left him to wander in the countryside. Prior to him we had Caesar the German Shepherd, his owner left him alone all day until he destroyed the house.
If only those people knew what they had lost, two of the best friends and companions anyone could have wished for.

Caesar died in 1997 and I am proud to say that not a single day has gone by without a happy memory of him, the same now goes for Jimmy. I know by your post that Bruno will be remembered with the same affection.

There will be many people out there who will skip over this thread and wonder what all the fuss is about. But be assured there are many many of us who know EXACTLY how you feel at this moment and our thoughts are with you.

 

[Planet Andy]

Al,

Sorry about Bruno's loss. Yes it really hurts to do the humane thing and I do know from recent experience but eventually the grief is replaced by happy memories. Take Care.

Andy

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

Gee

I was feeling really sorry for myself and just wanted to tell some people about my loss. I never came close to expecting the warm sentiments which I appreciate to the bottom of my heart.

We have had Shelties for nigh on 23 years now. the first two left us about 8 years ago and after a brief period we picked up another. Well a lonely and bored Shetland Sheepdog rates right up there with a bored toddler with access to your West Systems Epoxy Pumps, a Jar of peanut butter, and some white shag carpet.

One day we took the puppy (Sammy) for his vet visit and the vet asked if we would be interested in another Shelti. It seems someone had brought a 7 yerar old purebread male to be destroyed because he barked too much.

C'mon folks, dogs bark. If you dont want that, get a fish.

I asked to see him and the vet pointed at this black ball under one of the chairs. This poor boy was scared, confused, and just wanted to be hugged. Well I took him out for a brief walk and knew we were going to be friends.

We took him home and for weeks he did not make a sound. Then once he figured it all out he came out of his shell. This dog had the most wonderful personality. First off, he was an indoor dog. If you left him outside, he would crouch on the porch and spring straight up to peer in the door with this dorky look on his face as to say "Don't Forget The Dog!"

Then one day, we were out in the park aand just tooling along when a couple of folks started to toss a disc. All of a sudden he took off with me running and yelling after him. He got abouit 5 feet from the floating disc and must of got 4-5 five feet in the air with a perfect catch. I guess the previous owner taught him.

From there life just went on.

As the years went by he aged (like we all do) and nature just caught up with him. When his time came, his hips were giving out, he had cataracts, my wife thought he was deaf, but I think he had selective hearing. yes he barked a bunch, and the vet said he had the dog equivalent of Alzheimers.

Yet to the last minute he was kind, gentle, and a good buddy.

All I know for sure is when my time comes and I walk to the pearly gates, I will see him sitting there with a toy in his mouth, and that stupid look on his face. We can all expect this from our pets.

We still have Sammy, and after NERRF I plan to find a new friend. Again I will look to the rescue societies as there will be somebody who needs me as much I do them.

Thanks for listening folks. It made a long weekend rather bearable.

Al

 

[tnrocketman]

You have my deepest sympathy. I know how you feel, too. We lost two cats in 2004. They become family members no matter what anyone might think.

Bruno lives on as long as you remember him and honor him. Take heart!

 

[MissileDaughter]

Al, you are going to make me cry. I know the pain that you are going through.
We had a lab/shepherd mix. Samson was his name. A strong golden bundle of pure loyalty and love. Remember the Peanuts cartoon where Snoopy would sit on top of his dog house? Well, Samson often copied that. The first time we noticed it when he was a puppy. He had stretched himself on the roof of his dog house and fell to sleep. To make a long story short, he was attacked by a pit bull mix. Was pretty bad. Thought he would recover from it. Sadly, not even three years old, we noticed a different personality coming through. He was a fear biter. He attacked (not badly) a two year old. I bawled my eyes out when the animal shelter took him away. Took me a long time to get over it.
Had a siberian husky too that was taken away from me. Miss that Shilo dog.
*Hugs Al* Time will make it easier. You and your friend had a unique bond. You knew it from the start. You took this poor dog and gave him a life fit for a king. That was one lucky dog. If you want, there is a place where you can leave a few lasting words about your pet. I have done so in the past. Helps with the grieving process.
https://www.bestfriends.org/Memorials/

 

[mike_bar]

Hi Al,

Does it get any easier a year later?

Sorry to hijack your thread but my cat is gone now too. I didn't feel like starting a new thread and I figure folks can read all the other pet stories in this thread.




Max is dead.

He was so sick and tired looking recently.

He stopped eating last week and did not even drink his water. I gave him fluids subcutaneously, but he still would not eat. The vet came yesterday to put him down. I buried him in the woods behind the back yard here. He always loved the outdoors. I will miss him so much.

I know he was only a cat, but I had Max from the spring of 1986 until July 10, 2006. He was with me for a long time. I miss him.


Max, February 2006

 

[MarkM]

Al,

Sorry to hear of your loss. It's never easy to put a pet down or lose them to natural causes. And you really never get over it, nor do you forget them.

My cat Susie has been gone for about 6 years now and I still think of her from time to time. She was 18 and was goiing through kidney failure when she passed. Still, her death came as a shock and that's all the more painful. She was the family pet from about 6 months old, but became mine when I left home after graduation from college. I still miss all the wacky - some of which were annoying - things she did. How she batted me on the head with her paw in the morning to be fed long before I was ready to get up, How she curled up on the couch next me. And how she LOVED licking the remains from chocolate pudding cups.

Bruno will always live in your heart. He may be physically gone, but I'm sure you'll never forget him.

 

[Donaldsrockets]

I know how it feels to lose a pet, back in March of this year, I lost a Silver Dollar (I know it's a fish) that I had since February of 2001.

He used to splash quite a bit and would eat like a pig and at times, I still can't believe he's gone.

Hopefully someday when I go to Heaven, I'll see him in the big fish tank containing every fish that I've lost.

 

[matthew]

My parents bought a puppy when I was about 4. I grew up with him, and he died when I was 15. I'm still cut about it. So much so that I have never owned another pet, and probably never will. Losing a best friend is something I will never get over, and is why I don't want to go through it again. For reference, I'm now 39.

 

[Pippen]

I'm glad you didn't pull the thread--it's a reminder to me again that there are real people with real life joys and sorrows behind every rocketry post at TRF.

My sympathies to you. A few months ago I wouldn't have understood but an early morning discovery in my backyard changed all of that.

 

[AKPilot]

My heartfelt sentiments go out to you.

On Christmas day of this past year, we found out that we had to put our 11 year old Beagle down. She had traveled everywhere with us, England, Japan, Alaska, and Missouri. We got her through the night so the kids wouldn't associate Christmas with her death, but we had to put her down the very next morning. Haven't cried so hard in a very long time.

 

[mike_bar]

Originally posted by Hospital_Rocket
[Snip]

It was so weird as he taught himself to play frisbee and loved a rocket launch with the best of us.

Gonna Miss Ya Boy...

Hey Al,

Do you have a photo of Bruno you could post here?

I would like to see the little guy.

Thanks…

Mike

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

Gosh its been a year and I still miss the dope. I do so hate how a dog can worm it's way into your heart and just stay there forever. I still have not found it in me to get a replacement although I am beginning to fell like the time is right. I'm gonna be on the prowl for a Sheltie or Sheltie mix about four years old that someone needs to get rid of. I have been watching the rescue league pages to see who needs a home.

I'll see if I have a picture.