Beloved pets

[ToAutumn]

This is something to add to snowmom and ginger's post after they have lost their beloved pets. I feel so sorry for both of you. I had to help my sister bury her beloved dog 2 months ago. Prissy was only 10 but my 15 year old nephew had grown up with her, she slept on his bed every night and we were all heartbroken. My sister called up in tears to tell us she had died and asked my husband if he had any scrap wood because my nephew was determined she had to have a casket instead of a shoe box. My husband immediately went out to his shop to make her one. My nephew showed up to help. My husband had a scrap he had been practicing woodburning on, on it was an angel with her wings stretched wide, he tacked it on the lid and burned Prissy's name above it. My other nephew placed her inside wrapped in her favorite blanket with her favorite toy. As my sister and I walked to the spot the boys had picked out for her funeral, we cried and remembered funerals we had held as children. We had grown up with a great love for animals; birds, squirrels, ducks, rabbits anything that happened to be hurt or abandoned would find at home with our family. If we were able to save them we returned them to the wild where they belonged, if not, they were buried with a child's version of a funeral. My older brother played the trombone in the school band and everyone in the neighborhood knew when another funeral was being held, he always played Taps for every one of God's little creatures. As we buried Prissy we couldn't help but smile and remember how we had always read a Bible verse and then listen to Taps being played ove those tiny graves, we both said that we wished he was there to play it for Prissy even though we're all in our 40's. Prissy now has her own little tombstone with a solor angel to light her grave that I bought for my nephews in my sister's back yard. They just recently got another baby to fill the hole left by Prissy's death, Pudding is a toy chiauau ( can't spell worth nothing) it took a week or so for the boys to accept her in their lives but slowly the youngest has even let her sit in the child size recliner that was "Prissy's chair". But she has her own little bed, maybe someday he will take her to bed with him, but right now she sleeps beside my sister's bed. I hope that the description of our childhood funerals will give you a little smile in your time of loss, just remember, they gave their hearts and loyalty to your families, and as long as you remember them, they're never really gone.

[ozzzyyy]

Thank you, Karen! Your post is so thoughtful and timely. My heart goes out to your sister and family. My 14 yr. old daughter was 2 when we got our beloved golden retriever pup and they have grown up with one another. My 21 yr. old son has grown and moved away from home and yet he is mourning this loss right along with our family. It's been really a rough time losing our dog. But I keep telling my family that he gave us so much joy. We were blessed!

 

A friend shared with me when my Sonny died that I shouldn't give up on the hope that God prepares a heavenly place for animals...afterall Jesus returns riding a white horse! That filled me with such peace that our pets do indeed have a special place.

 

[Alawyn]

I think it was Will Rogers who said, "If dogs don't go to heaven, I want to go where they go."

 

Les