More Bitter Than Bittersweet (Open - Stories Encouraged)

[Regal Renegade]

Dear me, I didn't know exactly what to expect upon opening this thread but whatever I was thinking I ended up with a box of tissues and an ache in my heart. Your Kai sounds like the best friend anyone could as for, I am sorry for your loss. Whenever I lose a friend (namely pets) I always imagine them up in the clouds running through the sagebrush chasing rabbits or quail or being scratched by Heath Ledger or Elvis and looking down at me with a big "Look who I'm with!" smile.

I have a story I would like to share.

I live in Reno, Nevada a state comprised completely of desert. My father, dog and I live out in the country far from the city where the traffic is light and the crime is at its lowest. One of my father's hobbies was taking my dog up into the mountains and letting him run around for about an hour so he could pretend to be a hunter like the Vizsla he is. My little Copper was trained to hunt quail out in the open brush but upon his first outing decided he was afraid of guns and hid as best he could the first time my dad fired a shot. We do not hold this against him but love him even more for it. Now even when he sees my dad taking a gun out to clean he begins rubbing up against my dad or barking at him as if telling him to put it away.

One day my dad took Copper up into the mountains behind our neighborhood, just like he normally would. I was with my mother at the time (divorced) and had called my dad to ask him a question. The phone call lasted less than twenty seconds, yet it was one of the phone calls I most regret making for only moments later my dad called me back with the news that he had lost Copper. Somehow within that timeframe he had taken his eyes off of our puppy and when he turned around the dog was nowhere to be seen. Now, I wasn't worried he would be hit by a car but I was worried he would die of dehydration, get killed by a Mountain Lion or Coyotes, or even starve to death. My mind was sent spinning in all directions and I suddenly felt light headed.

Taking my cousin and my Jeep up into the backhills I drove around for hours, scanning the brush for my dog and shouting out the window, hoping he could hear me. We parked up on the hilltop where he was last seen and shouted until we could no longer raise our voices that high, we then graduated to using a whistle. That night all I could do was lean against my bed and cry while my cousin and mother cradled me and joined me in my sorrow. As I lay my head down to sleep I noticed it had begun to rain and suddenly fear for my little man grew even more prominent. He was out there, alone......wondering why we had abandoned him....probably scared out of his witts as the coyotes began closing in around him.

The next few days consisted of much of the same activities. Unfortunately I had to go to school so I could not help in the search. My father went around posting 'Lost Dog' posters anywhere and everywhere. We got phone calls of sightings but people just let him walk away without even a care. The only comfort we had was that he was in a neighborhood twenty minutes away from us. Then the calls stopped and our hope began to fade much like the stars fade when the sun rises. I cried myself to sleep, hugged his toys and prayed to a god I didn't even believe in to return my boy to his place. My nights were twisted, I was so used to having his warm little body curled beneath my sheets right beside me it was hard remembering he was gone. At the time he was about eight years old, making his chances all the more slim.

Five days marched on and still nothing, I thought for sure he had died or had been killed somehow. My father would sit down and stare at the floor each night, willing himself not to cry for the loss of yet another best friend. The night of the fifth day I laid down and willed myself to sleep. Suddenly, something leapt onto the bed and my grandmother and dad had flicked on the lights. There was my baby, ribs protruding and a couple of scratches on his paws, tail wagging and tongue lolling out of his mouth. I reached over, grabbing his collar and dragging him near me so I could wrap my arms around him.

A young man named Tommy had heard the jingle from Copper's collar and had gone out to inspect. My dog luckily had entered onto his property, which happened to be a vietnamese temple. This temple was located by one of the busiest (by my neighborhood's stanards.) with speeds topping out to at least seventy miles per hour. Not to far from the place was a known Mountain Lion's den, a mark of certain doom for Copper. Tommy knew all of this and was solid in the idea that he needed to save this dog. At first he tried calling to him but my little man only wished to run in fear. That is when Tommy went into his house, grabbed a couple of biscuits and lured Copper in. My dad and I were not home that night, we had gone to stay with my grandmother and the number on our poster was only for our house. This young man was so set on returning our pup that, upon getting no answer, drove around in search of our home. When he saw the lights were off he went to some of the stores my dad had posted the pictures in and asked the clerks. Luckily my dad had left his cell number with them and Tommy was able to tell my dad the good news at nearly one o' clock in the morning.

To this day I shall never forget the fear I felt, I had already lost one dog. Turquoise, or Turq as we all called him was my guardian from my birth, leaning his head over my bassonett and protecting my premature little form. He died nine years ago of lymphoma. I now stop for every lost dog I find because I know somewhere there is an owner just as afraid as I was. Copper is now nine years old and is grounded permanently from going to the mountains, the back yard will just have to do. The average lifespan of a Vizsla is about twelve years, so as he gets older I fear losing him. I know, I must enjoy what time I have with him and attempt to push the thought of his death out of my mind. It is the same with my Morgan Maximus, I try and focus only on the good.

I hope you and your pets will be together for many many years from now on. Our time with them is very brief and unfair, but I suppose that is what makes it so great. -Sends Kai a hug-- She waits for you in the clouds, tail wagging and eyes bright.

 

[`Swirly]

@Lita - I've seen Mr. Wookie before but never knew the story behind him.. I think I'dve been heartbroken for that sweet boy but your Usdia is such a lovely reminder <3
Ohdear... poor little kitty... I'm just glad you guys were able to give her a few weeks of happiness, she deserved that.
Bunnies<333 I know what you mean.. I had a few growing up that weren't -meant- to be pets but that's what they became.. the heartbreak of losing them ;o; oii...
I'm so glad you shared wiff me

Magna - it was lovely and again I'm glad you shared.~ I'm sure any animal or bird lover (especially) would be misty-eyed by your story.. I've not even looked into bird breeds yet since I can't have one at the moment.. I figure if I get my heart set on one then can't have it I'll be sulky, you know?

Mahogany - I would have bawled if I hadn't gotten my good-bye time... ;o; *snuggles*
We have coyotes around our house at night and I'm too much of a wuss and overprotective mamma to let the animals out at night off-leash.. they really are too far away .. because the property is extensive but man... ;o; I'm so sorry.. <3 beautiful lil terrier.

Lyda - I know the hardened heart feeling... I refuse to bond much with the dachschunds that my parents have.. of course I'm nice to them but I'm scared of that real bond again it's difficult and it'll take me more time.. that poor lil kitten.
D'eeee those two remind me of Si and Am from Lady and the Tramp (not 'cuz they're mean but they just look like they complete each other) Not going to lie, I busted up laughing when you put that your other lady is too mean to die. Perhaps she'll outlive you for spite XDD "World record, cat lives to be 140"

Darkness - I was so scared reading your story that you wouldn't get him back. The man that went to all that trouble to get Copper back deserves so much praise... Copper is beautiful, and I'd probably ground his butt to my bedroom for a month for that XD I'm so glad he came back. Oh god, lymphoma is such a sad horrible thing... that was what took my Kai to be exact.. I hate that word, I'm sure you do too....


Again, thanks to -all- of you.. I really am loving the stories, even the ones that make my cry like a leaky faucet.. they're beautiful<3  

[[Eskimo]]

I'm keeping you in my prayers. Just remember that your dog loved you more than she could ever say, too,
and no dog ever wants their best friend to be sad. So try to be happy for her sake. heart

God bless, honey.

 

[Lunadriel]

When I was reading this, I couldn't help but think over and over, that Kai was your Angel.

She might of been sent to you, to possibly take your dads cancer, take that burden from him. Not claiming to say she was, but just maybe..

Beautiful sadness my friend. Thanks for sharing this. We all bond through sharing the pain.  

[moineau bavarde]

I'm really sorry to hear about your loss. sad Kai sounds she was an amazing dog, one that led a good life.

I don't really have any stories to share, but I do have one thing:

uncert
(I don't own/work for any dog shops, so hopefully a dragon isn't too far off.)

I'm supposed to be on hiatus (and not doing so well at that, lawl) so growths might be kind of irregular.

Edit: Baby uncert. She won't grow again for another four weeks, by which time I'll probably lose the link to this page, so you should check here or here for uncerts.  

[Moon_Princess_Yuki]

This was a very touching story and I hope you know that even though she's no longer with you physically she'll alway's live on in your heart and in the heart's of those who were touched by this thread. I know this isn't as good as having her by your side but I hope it help's some.

I lost a pet too, a cute little rat named Tina, when I got her the shop keeper thought she might be pregnant, but I got her any way and she was she had 17 adorable little rat's, one was so smart she opened the cadge from the inside, we had to tie it shut, and another was my sister's baby. She her self was an alway's adorable girl. When placed on the ground she'd look side to side for a minute before moving, and she was alway's loving and adorable. She was so healthy she managed to out live all 17 of those children and beat breast cancer twice before she was finally taken when she was 4, ancient for a rat and my best friend.

And before her we had a rat named Ratty she was like a dog, we even let her run free around the house, she;d beg for table scrapes and drink wine on the porch with my mom, she was alway's there till like most rat's she died at 3 from breast cancer.

We've never had a rat since right now though we have a cat an adorable cat, don't know what I'll do when she passes.

Good luck in your quest I'll send something to help.  

[Yuuka Kurokawa]

*sneaks in with a present for Swirly* This is on my shop's lines. I hope to open the shop soon. I just need to get some certs made.




She doesn't have a shiny or her dark brown marks, but I thought you'd like her anyway.  

[`Swirly]

omgtooprecious. The expression is so happy, I love her Yuuka <33 thankyouuuu  

[Yuuka Kurokawa]

Welcome sweetie. I felt bad that the other one I made you I didn't get the okay to gift you so I thought I'd make it up to you this way. I'm still learning, but I just -had- to do Kai on our Kitsu lines.  

[Phoenix_soarys]

On behalf Of Nocturna (with permission from juls)



We express our Sympathies for your loss.  

[`Swirly]

oh god... I just teared up like a simpleton.. again.. the Kitsu and the Nocturna ;o;

Thank you guys... somuch ;o;

*cuddles all her Kai-larks*  

[Yuuka Kurokawa]

*huggles Swirly*  

[Phoenix_soarys]

My story is a VERY sad one..
I grew up with Great Danes... My mom was a Breeder.

Against her pleadings and pullings, I picked the one puppy she didn't want in the litter as my dog. She was to long, my mother said... and her coat wasn't very cleanly marked...

That dog was my best friend. I was one of those Strange geeky kids, and was picked on for being the new kid on the rich side of town.

I named her Waneta, Which means Charger in Cherokee.And she was a charger. First one to figure out how to get in and out of things, and always in trouble! *shakes head and chuckles*

When I married my husband, I had to leave her at my parents. My husband and i lived in a small 2 bedroom apt. My husband and i had been married a year.. when my mom asked me to house sit. I noticed Charger looked Rather like a sausage she was just under 9 years old at the time, and we had attributed it to her being an OLD lady (danes only live to be 9 or 10) She was still eating and Drinking, and still bossing all the other dogs around, so we let her be.
My mom put her on a Diet.. she went back to her skinny LONG self, then about March, She stopped eating. She was Drinking and drinking water, and my mom KNEW something was wrong.

I got a Call from the Vet's office
"It looks like she has an obsrtuction, your stupid dog ate something again" (to this day.. i hear that in my head... and i laugh a little my "stupid dog" as we fondly called her.. was always eating something she shouldn't have) My mom told me... "we have to operate to get it out... the apt is set for tomoorw, i will come get you"

I waited in the Front room, for 4 hours... the vet came out ... Dr. Amber was her name, a very good family friend. "Heidi, " she sits next to me, and I know that means it's not good "she's full of cancer. It ate through her liver already. We are thinking that when she got fat in october, it was her body filling with blood. For 6 months... her body recycled her own blood. I've never seen that happen before. " she pause and i started to cry (is crying now) "we can sew her back up... and give her medication... but there will come a time, when she is going to hurt, and the medication isn't going to work... but it will buy you some time... " Dr. Amber paused

"No," i told her, "that's not fair. She hung on Long enough." I said through my tears.

Dr. Amber handed me a cleanex... and Said... "give us a few minutes to close her up, and we will let you in there to say good bye..."

They closed her... I walked and pet her as they unplugged her, And gave her the Good night Drug. She Fought it... Untill i wispered " Go to sleep I'll see you later, i promise"

and away she went...

I have her ashes with me, They sit on my Book case, Right next to a picture of me and her together as "kids"