More Than A Pet

"He danced for those at minstrel shows

and county fairs throughout the south.

He spoke through tears of 15 years

how his dog and him traveled about.

The dog up and died, he up and died.

After 20 years he still grieves."

This verse from the song "Mr. Bojangles" captures in the simplest language the deep and abiding love we have for our pets.

Dear friends of ours took their cat to the vet yesterday, and based on the bleak diagnosis, made the heart-wrenching decision to have him put down. My heart goes out to them. It reminded me of our own experience with our beloved yellow labrador retriever, Molly.

Molly was a special member of our family for nearly 15 years, which is a long time for a lab. The girls picked her out of the litter, or as they will tell you and photos prove, she picked them. From that moment on, Molly brought incalculable joy to our lives. Her boundless energy and enthusiasm, her goofy tricks and at times almost human mannerisms, the unconditional love and devotion she gave us... all of these endeared her to us and are etched forever in our memories.

Time eventually took its toll on our dear dog, and in January 2004, after discussing it with her vet, we decided that we had to have her put down. It was one of the toughest decisions we've ever had to make. I remember her last day as if it were yesterday. A little statue - a sleeping pup with angel wings - marks the place in our back yard where she is buried.

Molly has been gone for nearly five years, but to this day, when I walk in the house, I half expect her to greet me. When Trudi's doing the laundry, every now and then she swears she hears Molly sniffing at the side door.

Even now as I type these words, the emotions come flooding back. But time has made the loss easier, and has made our memories of her that much sweeter.

To our friends who've lost their feline companion: we understand, and we're with you.