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Bajabus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 892
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: Elias Calles B.C.S. or NC USA
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Mood: My friends..it's good.
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I will tell you how we did it and why.
I had a beautiful white German Shepard since she was about 10 weeks old. She went everywhere with us and I loved that dog so much...every day for 13
years. we nursed her through many an illness and even a $900 cruciate ligament operation that put a pin in her knee when she was two years old. She
eventually got too old and sick while we were living in Elias Calles full time.
We had to make a very difficult decision. I felt like we had shared everything in the world for those 13 years and she trusted me with every bone in
her body. We took care of each other. There finally came a time when I knew she was in great pain and miserable, she could not get up on her own,
was going to the bathroom on herself had not eaten in days even though we offered steak and other favorite treats and I could tell from her look that
she was telling me she was ready to leave.
I knew that I could not in any good conscience bring her to a cold steel table in a strange vets office to do the deed, nor could I invite a total
stranger to our home to put her to sleep. I felt it was my responsibility to do it. I felt I owed it to her to be the one even though it was going
to be the hardest thing I could imagine.
Lynna and I prepared for it for a few more days. When the time came, it was late in the afternoon and we carried her down to the beach on a palo de
arco stretcher we had made, it was covered by her favorite blanket, torn and washed hundreds of times but always her special blanket.
We had a favorite spot down there where she had spent many a night curled up with us around a fire. We layed her down....still on her favorite
blanket and spent a few hours talking to her, putting her at ease, watching the sun get ready to set, petting her, brushing her, whispering to her,
telling her we loved her and I could tell she was at peace. she eventually fell asleep with her head in my lap. I slowly shifted her head off me and
kneeled down besides her while Lynna walked away. I quietly said good by to my faithful beautiful loyal companion of so many years, placed the muzzle
of a 38 caliber pistol against the back of her head and fired it twice rapidly. I cried so hard...it was so hard.....I felt like i was dying in that
instant......but I owed it to her......it had to be me, I knew that and I knew she was OK and even grateful that it was me. She died instantly.
I wrapped her up in her favorite blanket with her chewy toy and Lynna helped me place her on a very large funeral pyre of wood stacked well over 4 ft
tall. We then slowly covered her with more wood and finally after saying another good by set the pyre on fire.
We stayed down there the whole night adding wood. The fire burned continuously for a few days. Many of our Mexican neighbors came by to bring more
wood and they kept it burning for us. Some even brought us food seeing how profoundly sorrowful we were.
Eventually the fire burned out and I went down there alone to collect some of the ashes. I was soooo sad but I knew I did the right thing. As I was
sifting through the ashes I caught the glint of dull steel in the grey cinders, it was the pin that was put in her knee when she was 2 years old. I
still have that pin and the 2 shell casings in her jar of ashes on our bedroom dresser near some other personal mementos.
She died on May 23 1996 in beautiful Elias Calles Baja Mexico Sur on the beach near the 80 KM marker.
12 years ago and here I am still crying like a baby as I write this.
I will forever miss her love and loyalty and have no regrets about being the one to set her free of this earthly plain.
[Edited on 13-9-2008 by Bajabus]
[Edited on 13-9-2008 by Bajabus]
"Preventive war was an invention of Hitler. Frankly I would not even listen to anyone seriously that came and talked of such a thing."
Dwight David Eisenhower
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
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Mood: undecided
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Bajabus, Thanks for sharing your story. That's the way to put a pet down.
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
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Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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Oh my brother, you aren't the only one sobbing for your loss.
What responsibility you accepted. What accountability you a showed. Bless you for the heart you demonstrated. Your sad story holds richness. You
stand tall. Tears are good for any man.
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64859
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Max, that was something very special and very human & humane of you...
Thanks for sharing this with us!
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pacside
Nomad
Posts: 316
Registered: 1-16-2006
Location: N. Cal
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajabus
She died on May 23 1996 in beautiful Elias Calles Baja Mexico Sur on the beach near the 80 KM marker.
12 years ago and here I am still crying like a baby as I write this.
I will forever miss her love and loyalty and have no regrets about being the one to set her free of this earthly plain.
[Edited on 13-9-2008 by Bajabus]
Bajabus,
Can't imagine a nicer place to go to doggy heaven then on the beach in beautiful Elias Calles. Good on you for having the courage do the right thing
by your best friend.
Curious did you get another pup?
pacside |
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Cypress
Bajabus, Thanks for sharing your story. That's the way to put a pet down. |
Everyone deals with this difficult problem in a different way---never easy.
Yes, for you and some others, that was the way to put a pet down. But for others, it would be the wrong way. It is such a personal decision.
My thoughts will be with Astrobaja all weekend----no matter how it happens, it will be heatbreaking.
Diane
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Bajabus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 892
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: Elias Calles B.C.S. or NC USA
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Mood: My friends..it's good.
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Diane...understood. it really is a personal decision, just wanted to share how and why we did it our way and you are right, no matter how it happens
it will be heartbreaking.
Pacside, no we have not really brought another dog into our life.
I suspect soon we will now that our son is approaching 2 years old in October.
We have some stray cats that hang around our place down there. we have grown to love them and there is the occasional stray dog that wanders by for
awhile..........
"Preventive war was an invention of Hitler. Frankly I would not even listen to anyone seriously that came and talked of such a thing."
Dwight David Eisenhower
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greybaby
Nomad
Posts: 182
Registered: 10-8-2004
Location: Idaho - formerly Cantu
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Mood: Missing Baja
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Thank you for sharing something so personal with us. I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult this experience had to be and yet so selfless for
your beloved dog. My thoughts and prayers are with Astrobaja also. We are never ready to lose a loved one. Never.
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astrobaja
Senior Nomad
Posts: 952
Registered: 5-22-2006
Location: near San Pedro Martir Park
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Mood: beam me up
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Hi everyone,
We are both exhausted and a bit in shock I guess, but our old girl Asha is gone...... We had Her for almost 18 years!
I'm sorry I'm too torn up to do a long post but it was the right decision, and our wonderful neigbors helped us through it.
Thank you for all your most heartfelt support and love
I attached a pic of where we buried Asha, Shes resting below a magnificent old 700 year old Encino.
-Mike
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greybaby
Nomad
Posts: 182
Registered: 10-8-2004
Location: Idaho - formerly Cantu
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Mood: Missing Baja
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May she rest in peace - and my wish is the same for you and your family. What a beautiful place for you to go visit her. Thanks for taking the time
to let us know you had made it through her final moments together. That's all we need to know. We've been pulling for you, knowing this had to be
the toughest weekend of your life.
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
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Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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So very, very sorry about your loss. We love our animals as if they were our own children. They offer unconditional love and companionship. They
provide entertainment, a friendly ear always willing to listen and seem to know exactly what we are thinking and feeling. We mourn your loss with you
and can only offer you the comfort of knowing that you provided her a home filled with love for all these years. Keep the photos handy and in time you
will be able to balance the sorrow with celebration of the wonderful memories. We wish you God's peace...
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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You obviouly picked her final resting place with lots of love and care----you made a very difficult decision, but it was a loving one.
Time, time, and time is what you need, but she will always have a special little corner in your heart.
My thoughts were with you all weekend.
Diane
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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DEP.....Asha....Thanks for the memorys
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Bajabus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 892
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: Elias Calles B.C.S. or NC USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: My friends..it's good.
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Love the magician knows this special trick whereby 2 beings are always side by side even though they may now walk separate paths.......
"Preventive war was an invention of Hitler. Frankly I would not even listen to anyone seriously that came and talked of such a thing."
Dwight David Eisenhower
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64859
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks for sharing with us Mike... It is a hard thing to lose a member of ones family... Asha was very fortunate to have you guys in her life!
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