The Other Coast by Adrian Raeside for July 26, 2014

Bummer. This srip is a real downer.

It is the hard truth and sadness about having pets, you outlive good friends.

They live on in your heart and you find new friends that need you just as much

I’ll add my kudos as well — THANK YOU ADRIAN — for the strip you create every day

I had a daughter oncebyTom Roachhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km1b1yZB5rY

Oh Renée Fleminghow you wrench my heartwhen from Rusalka you singthe aria to the Moon.

I had a daughter onceshe had four pawsher coat was shining goldand her name was Zoe.

A companion with gladness in her heartand joy forever in her stepshe was my moonchild.

We loved beyond the boundsof human understanding.A dog and man.

She died my moon childDied!I could not stop it.

We can loveand we can diewhat then is left?Emotions as ephemeral as a song.

Thus, when Rusalka singsher wish for mortal lovegrief fills my heartand tears run from my eyes.

I’ll be going with my sister and her dog, Dozer, for the last trip to the vet’s today…….. sniff

been there, done this twice. never an easy thing

Thank you for the nod to those that had to leave us and yet remain. For us it’s been three times, all due to illness. We miss them still.

THE LAST BATTLE

If it should be that I grow frail and weakAnd pain should keep me from my sleep.Then will you do what must be done,For this -the last battle - can’t be won.

You will be sad, I understand.But don’t let grief then stay you hand.For on this day, more than the rest,Your love and friendship must stand the test.

We have had so many happy years,You wouldn’t want me to suffer so.When the time comes, please let me go.Take to where to my needs they’ll tend.

Only stay with me until the endAnd hold me firm and speak to meUntil my eyes no longer see.

I know in time you will agreeIt is a kindness you do to me.Although my tail its last has waved,From pain and suffering I have been saved.

Don’t grieve that it must be you Who has to decide this thing to do;We’ve been so close— we two — these years,Don’t let your heart hold any tear.

My vet came to our house and did it. Nice of him and he was very sensitive to the ordeal. Funnily enough I cried more at this experience than when my mother died. Not that I don’t love my mother but somehow my cat’s passing was more emotional.

Think of the happy times and how well you cared for them.

Been there- and I bawled like a baby every time I had to take one of my fur-children in too.

Paul Harvey’s Ten Commandments for Pet Owners:

“1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainments. But I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, and yet I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too will grow old.

10. On the difficult journey, on the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there. Because I love you so.

Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them.

Life would be a much duller, less joyful thing without God’s critters."

My condolences, StelBel.

Our vet came to our house to help with each of our dogs’ euthanasia. The dogs were relaxed and happy in their home environment and we were able to be with then to the quick and painless end. They are buried in the back yard and we planted flowering shrubs on their graves.

A coworker just went through this a few weeks ago, he’s still grieving.

Well, it’s over…at least, here…and Dozer is on his way to join the rest of the family (humans and furry ones) who have passed on.

I’d like to thank everyone who left such nice, loving and comforting comments this morning. Each and every one of them was a comfort. I’ve had dogs all my life, and I’ve made this sad last trip to the vet’s 9 times with only 2 other dogs dying at home of old age/natural causes. It doesn’t get any easier…..but, it shouldn’t be easy. It is love and devotion.

Dozer considered my house his second home and lived here for 4 months while my sister was traveling cross-country. We will miss him terribly…..but, hopefully, we’ll meet again…

Thank you all so very, very much.

Dozer, the one-eyed PugR.I.P.October, 2000 — July 26, 2014

Stelbel: TL;DR

I’m a veterinarian and putting my own dog to sleep was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. He was 15 and had malignant melanoma that had metastasized everywhere, but it was still a very sad time.

It has been for me each time, but I compare it to watching my father suffer, cry and scream in pain and wish the law would be so generous with humans who are living in terminal pain as they are with animals.

This poem brings tears to my eyes every time I read it.

WAITINGI got to the gate of Heaven yesterday after we said good-bye. I began to miss you terribly, because I heard you cry.

Suddenly there was an Angel and she asked me to enter Heaven’s gate. I asked her if I could stay outside for someone who’d be late.

I wouldn’t make much noise you see, I wouldn’t bark or howl. I’ll only wait here patiently and play with my tennis ball.

The Angel said I could stay right here and wait for you to come Because Heaven just wouldn’t be Heaven if I went in alone.

So I’ll wait right here, you take your time, but keep me in your heart. Because Heaven just wouldn’t be Heaven without you to warm my heart.

~ Author Unknown ~

This is the best strip. One of a very few that I make the time to read every day. Thank you Adrian Raeside.Great comments today.

As difficult as it is in the end, I will always have room for dogs in my life.

I too have lost many furry loved ones and also both my parents. While it was difficult and I think of them, miss them and still grieve at times for both my mom and dad, losing my beloved horse and seven cats and two dogs over my lifetime was difficult in a very different way, as others have said. I think it’s because they are so dependent on us and we care for them much like we do our children. And they give us such innocent and unconditional love and joy. :-)

Thank you, Adrian for this panel today, and if you recently experienced this, we all send our condolences to you and thank you for sharing the emotion.

This is a very sweet strip – thank you for addressing the pain of people who have to make that difficult decisions about their animals.

I’ve had to do that more than I care to remember. And I DO remember every little soul who trusted me to always do the right thing.

I was sitting on the floor with my boy.He was lying against my leg, and I was petting him.It hurt me very much.

I held my favorite cat while the vet gave him the shot. That was over 6 years ago, and it still hurts.

WAYYYY to sad I thought these were supposed to be the “funnies” “comics” or something like that, not the “seriouses”.

OMG we are going through this right now with our beloved kitty. Went into congestive heart failure and at this moment, she’s day to day only because of the new meds.

But hubby and I both know that may only give us an extra month, week or day. We have accepted that we will not let her suffer like that again. When the meds stop working or the side effects become worse than the illness we will have to say goodbye. It is on my mind constantly, knowing what is coming…………..

Thank you for this. I too have had to do that for pets. Life is like that.

I can’t say anything that hasn’t already been said. All I can do is cry now! Been there, will be there again someday.

((((((((((((((((((Stel and her sister)))))))))))))))))))))))

Number 10 is necessary. My cat was almost 23.

If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went. ~ Will Rogers

@Egrayj That is the most beautiful goodbye to a dear, beloved pet. Thank you for sharing.

My parents went through this with their beloved golden retriever Ben two years ago. He was experiencing pain in his hind end when moving around, and the vet tried several different treatments. The last one seemed to have been working – I even took him for a walk one evening – but then it suddenly happened: They came home from the store and the dog was lying on the floor by the front door, paralysed in his hind end. The vet came to their house, too, and diagnosed him as having a tumour on his spine that finally ruptured. My mother called me at work because she wanted me to be there. I went, and it was one of the saddest things I’d ever experienced. When I got there you could almost read it on Ben’s face: “I’m happy to see you, but I can’t seem to wag my tail”. The vet had given him some very painful painkillers, and then administered the final needle when I got there. Everyone involved, including the vet, cried like babies.

My mother vowed to never own another dog because she didn’t want to be hurt again. I told her, “Don’t focus on the hurt, focus on the 13 years of love Ben gave you”. I think she’s coming around – she frequently “borrows” my dog for sleepovers, and I’ve heard my father comment that he wants another dog. My mother is also worried that they’re at the age now that the dog might outlive them, so I have tried to assure her that this is nothing to worry about. “I’d simply have him buried with you”, I said.

She knows I’m joking, but she smacked me anyway…

Very poignant.

I have had to do this with 10 cats and 8 dogs. It never gets any easier, but you have to be brave for them. I hold their heads in my hands and look into their eyes and tell them how much I love them and what a good kitty/dog they were. One comforting things is they don’t know they’re going to die. The last voice they hear is a voice they love and trust. I don’t care what anyone says, they all go to heaven and we will see them again!! I believe that with my heart and soul.

I always cry after but while it is happening, I smile and talk sweet so they won’t be scared. And I remember them always.

It’s the final act of love that we show our pets. When they come to the end of the line we mustn’t be selfish and try to hold onto them, but be as strong and brave as possible to see them on their way. The separation is temporary. I too believe – hope – they’ll all be there waiting for us when it’s our turn to cast off these mortal coils..

I lost my sweet Baby of 19 years just two weeks ago. It’s been rough and still grieving and crying over her every day. I hope more than anything to see her and my other babies when my times.

However, no matter how much I’m hurting right now, I would never give up the 19 years of wonderful memories I had with her.

Have lost innumerable little fluffy friends over the years, mostly to illness and most of the time I’ve been with them when they died. Only had to have two put to sleep and I was with them both. Those were the hardest. Always the question, am I doing the right thing? Is this what she wants? Or would it be better to let her ride it out to the end.

@Dry and DustyThank you for your kind thoughts >^..^<

I have really never recovered from the loss of my best friend five years ago. This is the third Saturday strip you’ve drawn that has reduced me to non stop tears for hours. You have a way of reminding me just how precious the unconditional love of a pet can be. Thank you!!!

A wonderfully heartfelt comic strip, so meaningful to anyone who has to say goodbye to a canine companion.

I’m late in reading these – but Adrian always manages to give me blurry monitor virus. Please, Bast, I will not lose any this year – but in a very small on-line community we have already lost 5 cats this year – all to cancer, none due to old age which would have at least given the comfort of the relatively long life our companions have compared to us. I don’t know what incident incited this strip – but hugs and condolences to Adrian and whoever lost their fur-baby.

It’s so hard to make that decision. You need to be there holding their paw so they are not scared.