RIP My Friend

[Granny Fish]

September 16th, 2008 we adopted Buddy from the animal shelter. He was not much more than a bag of bones when we brought him home from the shelter. He learned the house rules quickly and put up with us crating him when we went to work. He enjoyed going fishing with us and traveling with us on our treks back and forth to Reno.

Buddy became a good friend and a loved famliy member over the last 9 months. It brings us great sadness that his life was cut short when he was hit by a car in front of the house today. The person who hit him never knew they hit him and Buddy was dead instantly. We miss his unconditional love and companionship, his playful nature and sleeping in late together on weekends. Our laps and hearts are empty without him. It is a crazy thing the way a dog can own a piece of your heart.

Rest in peace, Buddy. We will always love you.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/cairnst/Picture011.jpg

[olfishergal]

So sorry to hear this bad news...Thank you for giving him a good home and love in his final months in life.......OFG

[Troutman65]

:Shocked::Shocked::Shocked::Shocked:


:Crying::Crying::Crying::Crying::Crying::Crying::C rying:



OMG. I am so sorry Tammy & Mike. I loved Buddy. He was such a cool doggie. I am so sad at hearing this . :Crying::Crying:

[DccFISHerMan]

sorry to hear about your loss, RIP Buddy!!!

[bruce watson]

Tammy and Mike, I'm sorry to hear of your loss.

[sansou]

Sorry to hear about this. It's a bummer.

[Fisherman57]

Tammy,

My dogs are a BIG part of my very small family and I know firsthand the pain of losing a beloved "best friend"......

Here's something I found many years ago .... thought I'd share it with you.



THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF AN EXTREMELY DISTINGUISHED DOG

by Eugene O'Neill

I, SILVERDENE EMBLEM O'NEILL (familiarly known to my family, friends, and acquaintances as "Blemie"), because the burden of my years and infirmities is heavy upon me, and I realize the end of my life is near, do hereby bury my last will and testament in the mind of my Master.

He will not know it is there until after I am dead. Then, remembering me in his loneliness, he will suddenly know of this testament, and I ask him then to inscribe it as a memorial to me.

I have little in the way of material things to leave. Dogs are wiser than men. They do not set great store upon things. They do not waste their days hoarding property.

They do not ruin their sleep worrying about how to keep the objects they have, and to obtain the objects they have not. There is nothing of value I have to bequeath except my love and my faith. These I leave to all those who have loved me, to my Master and Mistress, who I know will mourn me most, to Freeman who has been so good to me, to Cyn and Roy and Willie and Naomi and -- But if I should list all those who have loved me, it would force my Master to write a book.

Perhaps it is vain of me to boast when I am so near death, which returns all beasts and vanities to dust, but I have always been an extremely lovable dog.

I ask my Master and Mistress to remember me always, but not to grieve for me too long. In my life I have tried to be a comfort to them in time of sorrow, and a reason for added joy in their happiness. It is painful for me to think that even in death I should cause them pain. Let them remember that while no dog has ever had a happier life (and this I owe to their love and care for me), now that I have grown blind and deaf and lame, and even my sense of smell fails me so that a rabbit could be right under my nose and I might not know, my pride has sunk to a sick, bewildered humiliation.

I feel life is taunting me with having over-lingered my welcome. It is time I said good-bye, before I become too sick a burden on myself and on those who love me. It will be sorrow to leave them, but not a sorrow to die. Dogs do not fear death as men do. We accept it as part of life, not as something alien and terrible which destroys life. What may come after death, who knows?

I would like to believe with those my fellow Dalmatians who are devote Mohammedans, that there is a Paradise where one is always young and full-bladdered; where all the day one dillies and dallies with an amorous multitude of houris [lovely nymphs], beautifully spotted; where jack rabbits that run fast but not too fast (like the houris) are as the sands of the desert; where each blissful hour is mealtime; where in long evenings there are a million fireplaces with logs forever burning, and one curls oneself up and blinks into the flames and nods and dreams, remembering the old brave days on earth, and the love of one's Master and Mistress.

I am afraid this is too much for even such a dog as I am to expect. But peace, at least, is certain. Peace and long rest for weary old heart and head and limbs, and eternal sleep in the earth I have loved so well. Perhaps, after all, this is best.

One last request I earnestly make. I have heard my Mistress say, "When Blemie dies we must never have another dog. I love him so much I could never love another one." Now I would ask her, for love of me, to have another. It would be a poor tribute to my memory never to have a dog again.

What I would like to feel is that, having once had me in the family, now she cannot live without a dog! I have never had a narrow jealous spirit. I have always held that most dogs are good (and one cat, the black one I have permitted to share the living room rug during the evenings, whose affection I have tolerated in a kindly spirit, and in rare sentimental moods, even reciprocated a trifle).

Some dogs, of course, are better than others. Dalmatians, naturally, as everyone knows, are best. So I suggest a Dalmatian as my successor. He can hardly be as well bred or as well mannered or as distinguished and handsome as I was in my prime. My Master and Mistress must not ask the impossible. But he will do his best, I am sure, and even his inevitable defects will help by comparison to keep my memory green.

To him I bequeath my collar and leash and my overcoat and raincoat, made to order in 1929 at Hermes in Paris. He can never wear them with the distinction I did, walking around the Place Vendome, or later along Park Avenue, all eyes fixed on me in admiration; but again I am sure he will do his utmost not to appear a mere gauche provincial dog.

Here on the ranch, he may prove himself quite worthy of comparison, in some respects. He will, I presume, come closer to jack rabbits than I have been able to in recent years.

And for all his faults, I hereby wish him the happiness I know will be his in my old home.

One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved". No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.





57

[troutdog]

Sorry to hear about the bad news Mike and Tammy, the loss of a dog is always difficult especially under the circumstances. Lauren and I send our condolences.


TD

[CatchthatTrout]

Tammy & Mike......

I'm so sorry to hear of the lost of your beloved Buddy.

[saintarv]

Sorry about buddy. We have 2 dogs and they are a big part of our family.

[Sue]

Tammy, Mike - I'm so sorry to hear that.
All I can do is give internet hugs, but I mean it as if I see you in real life.

RIP Buddy, and I'm glad you had a wonderful few months with people who love you.

[BIGRED KILLA]

My heart just dropped after reading what happened. I had a few close calls on my two dogs. I am truly sorry for what happened and i wish for the best for you and your family for this tragedy. RIP Buddy.

[Wingnut]

I'm saddened to hear about your loss. Please accept my condolences. :Neutral:

Sincerely, WP

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r135/Wingnut32566/Wingnut2/Wingnut3/Picture105-1.jpg

[Santa Fe Eric]

So So Sorry for your loss!
We were just talking about getting a dog this week and how much love a dog brings a home. I haven't had a dog in 20 years!
Well you and your family gave Buddy the best home he could have!

RIP Buddy! Sorry once again for this unfortunate loss!

[Dodger Doggy]

Oh Tammy, my heart goes out to you and Mike. Both of you as well as Buddy will be in my prayers and thoughts tonight. I just went through this with my "boy" Bear, too - having had to "take him to a guy that knows how to get him to see Xena" (put him to sleep) March 13th. Bear found Troutdog and me 10 years ago while we were fishing at Irvine Lake, and had been my great friend ever since. I understand how close to one's heart a dog can become. Again, I sincerely hope the sadness of loss can be trumped by the joy of having loved each other in the first place.

Aaron, I want to thank you for emailing me this link, too......partly because when Bear was in process of transitioning, I looked everywhere for the poem that Fisherman 57 posted here on this link. I am so glad to see it again. And I did indeed end up getting another dog - like it says in that poem. A dog I picked up last month after seeing her and her male canine companion nearly getting hit by cars on a busy street.

Again Mike and Tammy, my condolences. You are right too.....you will always love Buddy. That's the good news.

Sincerely,

Alan, Bear, Xena, Woofie, Shadow, Blackjack, Bandit, Keiko, Pepper, Bella, Fred, Kema, Shassa, etc.

[JSAUCE818]

ughhh...sorry to hear about your loss,..My 2nd Pug (mimi) was just stolen friday, and im an emotional wreck over that...i can imagine how it feels like having a pet pass away:Confused:

[NICKYMOUSE8]

Sorry to hear about that's horrible I too as a child about 11 I think, witnessed my beloved puppy Tucker a beautiful pure lab get killed by a automobile right in front of me I carried his lifeless body four blocks back home I never cry ed so much and no one could comfort me for months never wanted a lab again not the same as my Tucker was my best friend it's hard to deal with even as a adult I still get teary thinking about that day

[bones]

Tammy and Mike......
My heart aches right along with yours. I've always had pets and have had one get killed by a car as a child (My cat) and have had to put many others to sleep due to cancer,old age and heart disease.I held each one in my arms as the doctor put them to sleep and cried every time. As I'm typing this I have tears rolling down my cheeks because I know how painfull it is. These "Little People" as my mom called them are so pure in their unconditional love. It's never easy by any meens but as life goes by we understand that it's not the QUANTITY of life but the QUALITY of life that makes life worth living.
Even though Buddy was only part of your life for 9 months ......I want to add some perspective to his passing away. If you hadn't rescued him from the shelter....He would have probably faced certain death if someone else didn't adopt him. They say that 1 human year is 8 years to a dog. In Buddy's heart....You gave him many years of love and affection.
Sometimes.....God has a plan.
We need not try to understand it but rather accept that everything happens for a reason.
Now is the time to grieve and heal.
In due time your hearts will lead you back to the shelter once again.......looking for that special connection with another animal who will rejoice in your kindness and love you the same way that Buddy did.Not a replacement for Buddy's life but rather an opportunity to save another beautiful animal from a cold and certain death.
Buddy would have wanted it that way.
Good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing you guys with another little dog who will be the luckiest dog in the world to be loved and cherished by you two.

Mike

[Nessie Hunter]

Tammy & Mike....

My deepest Condolences to you both...
I am very sorry to hear that..
I know how painful that can be...

[Hitts0n]

I have a mini pitcher/chi that most of you have seen.This is like my daughter.Dogs do bring love to a family.Me and my mother have become closer now that we have Puppy Cokes in our lives.My mother and I always share our stories about her.I think I would go into depression if I lost her.I remeber your dog was all wet from jumping into the water chasing a fish! Ride or die doggy! Sorry to hear about your lost. Dog spelled backwards = ?:Crying::Crying:

[PokerFish]

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss. I know firsthand the pain of losing a doggy best friend to a car accident. RIP

[Granny Fish]

I wanted to thank everyone for the kind and thoughtful comments. Adjusting to the emptiness left by Buddy's absence has been difficult for both of us, but especially for Mike. He seen the whole thing unfold in front of him and can't get the image out of his mind.

Apparently, Buddy slipped past Mike when he came in the house to take Buddy on his daily walk and ran across the street to greet a boy who was standing outside. When the boy saw that Mike was coming with the leash he told Buddy to go home. Buddy quickly obeyed and ran back towards Mike. At the same moment a truck went by and Buddy ran right under the back tire. The people in the truck never knew they hit him and Buddy was killed instantly.

Bones, your comment was especially meaningful to Mike, thank you. We have had many pets over the years. We have had to have some put down when they get old and ill, we have had pets run away, stolen and even had one that was poisoned, but none of them left us with as much saddness as losing this little guy. It seems like we had Buddy for such a short time and yet he filled our lives with so much love and joy and his companionship is sorely missed. There will be other dogs in our lives but Buddy will always have a special place.

[deanhall32]

Never met the guy but I can't imagine how sad you were and still are. Hope time heals.

[bullets_full]

Damn that sucks! Buddy was one cool dog. Sorry to hear it.

[dodoman]

im really sorry about your dog.
its a sad thing to hear.

[txcurry]

I've been around long enough to have lost a few animals myself. It is so hard, they DO become part of the family, like children.
My deepest and sincerest sympathies for your loss.