Recently my boyfriend had to put his cat (of 12 years) Dribbles to sleep, after months of daily subQ fluids and endles trips to the vet, finally her little heart just gave out. She was quit the fighter at just over 5lbs. We both loved her dearly, and the day we took her to the vet to put her down was one of the worst days of my life. Clayton (my boyfriend) could not even get out of the truck he was in such a state. I took her in myself and held her in my arms as she fell asleep for the last time. This was heartbreaking, but brought about the story I am about to tell of another loved one (doggy) that will haunt me for the rest of my life…

When I was still at home with mom, living on our poor/small farm we had many dogs. Growing up dogs were dogs. We did not by any means mistreat them, as kids loved our animals and were lucky that we did have so much love, because, living out in the boonies meant that many strays were dropped off near out home. We never had to go out looking for animals, they came to us! We never had more than two or three at a time, dog and cats, but loved each one. They ate table scrapes mostly. (This was a time when dinner was cooked every night and there was always plently of biscuits and gravy, or beans and potatoes for a dogs tummy! We did have bags of dry dog food that we would mix w the gravy with there wasnt enough bread to fill in. We were poor as far as having material things. We wore hand me downs from cousins, ect, and rarely got new clothes. But Rich we were with room to roam the hills and creeks (about 100 acres) and this will always be the times I loved most about my life.

Anyway, Dad died when I was fifteen, and after my brother and I graduated HS mom sold the farm and moved to town as it was too much for her to keep up and she didnt want to live alone so far away from people. At the time mom moved there was one dog left, Jack. Jack was dropped off at our house when I was a senior in HS so this made him about four or five as he came to us as a puppy. I loved Jack, as I love all animals great and small (Did I mention that I have 4 cats, a bird (of 22 years) and a german shepard now?) Jack was sweet and loving and never met a stranger.

When mom moved I had just got married and was living next door to my in-laws. We rented a house from them and there was plently of area to take care of a dog so I told mom I would gladly take Jack. I loved having him there. He was kinder and sweter than ever and I ruely loved him! It was like an old friend. My marriage lasted about 12 years, but I should have ended it after 12 days. I was young, and I need not tell anyone that story. Anyway Jack and I became close again. I bought him a dog house for outside and he had several acres of fenced in area that he shared w/the neighbors old mare.

One day my exs grandfather told me to get rid of him that he didnt like having dogs around and he was bothering the horse. I asked could I just keep him in the house and tied up outside during the day, and he agreed to that. So I thought everything was okay. A couple of week later I came home from work one day and Jack was gone. His colar had been umhooked and was still sttached to the leash. Someone had let him go. I looked for him for days, walking the area. My ex wouldn’t let me drive and look so I didnt get far. (He was mean that way) I do not know if the grandfather let him go, but I always wondered…

Debra from TN