Furry Family Side part 2

[berryman]

A couple disclaimers on the first pic, ozzy was drinking milk not beer, Ashtrays in the pic, my brother-in-law was there I don't smoke, but anything goes in my basement bar. Last, Milwaukee's best, Hmm I think we were drinking that, that night.

[Kealia]

Our newest addition, almost 1 year ago - Bodie.

We rescued him at ~3months and now he's 14 months old. He will have been with us a year next month. Taken a few weeks ago while on a day trip up the coast:

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Parted ways for now, but never forgotten are Hagan and NaHoa. I lost both of them within 10 days of each other last December and it still brings me to tears to even type that....

Hagan

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NaHoa

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[D34THSPAWN]

Beautiful dogs Kealia, sorry to hear about your loss, our pets are family and losing family is always hard.

[Brewbirds]

Wow Kealia I'm moved by that post.
I lost my beloved boxer Hershey, a rescue, the same day my mom passed from cancer. I was at the vet with her getting an ultrasound of her chest after something happened in the wee hours of the morning and my brother called to say to that Mom passed so I left Hershey with my sister in law at the vet (she worked there) and rushed home to meet the hospice nurse.
While we were preparing my mom for the funeral home my sister in law called to say that Hershey also had cancer in her lung and something had ruptured and that the attack she'd had was bleeding into her chest.

I would post a picture of that sweet, gentle and beautiful girl on here but all my pics were on the PC when my hard drive crashed.

I can't find any of her or her wild and crazy "sister" an Airedale named Magic who also passed from cancer earlier.

I feel the pain of your loss. I've had so many dogs in my lifetime and we have always been the "they are like our children" type of animal lovers that the losses and grieving are tough but the memories never go away.

[Kealia]

Very sorry to hear about your losses as well.

Hagan had an injury that took one of his back legs about 4 years ago. After the surgery he was as good as new. Still loved to run and play and got around just find. As he aged the extra stress on back and other leg finally took its toll, though. His other knee gave out and he couldn't support his weight at all. Although he was still sharp as a tack mentally he had no quality of life left without being able to move around at all so we made the decision to let him go. I held his head on my lap as he took his last breath and looked at me one last time as if to let me know he was thankful and everything would be ok. He gave me 11 incredible years of joy.

NaHoa was his "little brother" (at 90lbs of pure muscle). When Hagan passed he immediately became very depressed and lethargic. I left town for work a week later and when I came back my wife let me know that she had our vet look at NaHoa because his breathing was labored. He had a heart condition that was causing the issue and there was nothing we could do. We couldn't stand to see him struggling to hang on and we're convinced of two things;
1) He hung on long enough to see us through the darkest days after Hagan's passing
2) He died of a broken heart after losing his brother

He gave us 10 amazing years. We were lucky enough to be able to hold him during his passing and be there for him, too.

Shortly after we lost Hagan I remembered something I had seen a while back:



I got a call the next day from a friend of a friend that had a puppy in need of rescue. Enter Bodie - who literally saved last Christmas.

Sorry for the downer guys. I don't really talk about it much because it still hurts and somehow this felt good to get out a bit. Even after 3 stops and countless wiping away of tears.

Tonight I think I'll raise (another) drink to my boys.

[Beer-lord]

Sorry for your loss Ron. I'm not drinking tonite (yesterday was too much) but I'll raise a glass of to your boys and to those of other Beerborg pets lost.

[philm00x]

so sad to hear when our 4-legged shadows part ways with us, and also our family. Sorry for your losses, Kealia and BBs.

[Kealia]

Thanks guys.

On a happier note, I forgot about our little Annie. Just over a year old herself and Bodie's bestest friend:
.

I wasn't a 'cat person' growing up, but between her and our previous cat (Kealia - where my username came from a long time ago...) I've grown to appreciate a cat that enjoys (rather than abhors) human interaction.

[philm00x]

I didn't dislike cats growing up, but I never really wanted one as a pet. But when I moved in with my girlfriend, now wife, 6 years ago, we decided a cat would be easier for us to take care of since they're so independent and we wouldn't be able to care for a dog so well since our work schedules always varied. We went to the Humane Society and Sebastian leapt at me from the pen where the kittens were held. The lady shouted for me not to pick them up, but I implored that he jumped into my arms. I knew we had to take him home. Since then, I've really been a fan of cats, especially since ours love to love on my wife and I, and play with us.

[D34THSPAWN]

I may have teared up at work reading your story Kealia, Ours are still so young that I don't even want to imagine losing them yet. We had had to put one dog down when I was young. One of three times I have seen my father cry, the other two were when my mom and grandma passed.

[Inkleg]

As well as sharing the love we have for our current pets, I also knew people would share the love of pets lost when I started this thread. The hurt never goes away, but it does lessen with time.

Yet even with the hurt in our hearts having lost a loved animal, we still will reach out to give another deserving animal the best life we can. Knowing that we will go through it all over again.

I Thank You all for the LOVE shared and the TEARS shed.

Just to let you know. When I loose this irritating, pesky, aggravating, little shit of a cat Bela, I'm GOING TO BE A TOTAL WRECK!

[jimjohson]

Kealia, i'm sorry for your loss. it hurts to hear other people losing pets, 'cause it kills me when it's mine.

[Gymrat]

Kealia I am really sorry to read about your loss. I do like that picture you posted about the dog's will. I am going on 3 years with Ralph now and I can't imagine losing him.

[mashani]

Dogs I own plus dogs I foster (who I am very fond of, they are like family too).

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Sometimes they go cross country skiing with me. Except for the king Charles, he is not big on going 10 miles in the snow.

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[mashani]

My dogs and other dogs that I like to babysit and take hiking.

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And this guy I helped rescued from crate in a dusty/dark basement where he lived for 20+ hours a day, and fostered and rehabbed him until I found him a good home. He now romps on acreage in PA. The white ring around his nose is unpigmented fur growing over scar tissue, where someone had put something around his muzzle and it cut into him. I was happy to help him. As I am happy to help many other dogs. I'm just very fond of this guy, even though he was totally insane at first - which was totally understandable. They all become family to me.

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I've got more, lots more... Non stop dog party is my house.