NOTE: This post is not about weather or Little Miss Molly, even though it is under her category. Instead, I want to tell the story of one of our reader families that just lost a much beloved dog. When James set up this Weather BLOG, he provided a category for me to occasionally write about Molly or similar subjects. I appreciate that very much and if you click on “Miss Molly” on the left side category on this page, you will see I have not abused it.
A few days ago, I received an e-mail from David and Susan Simpson in Leeds. This is their story word for word and it should make all of us stop and think and ask ourselves if we are giving enough time to our pets to play with them and love them. Here is their story:
“My wife, Susan, suggested that I write you about our Dalmatian-“Gus” who we lost last Wednesday Feb 10th. (He was named Gus after my favorite character in Lonesome Dove.) We had Gus for 14 yrs. Gus was a good dog and never was sick. He loved to tree squirrels.) When I would take my pellet gun to the backyard, old Gus would run and look around for a squirrel, but I would have to tell him that he is keepting them away. I believe the squirrel community had put the word out to beware of the Simpson backyard. It seemed the squirrels just would not come to our backyard anymore.
About a year ago I started to notice his hips going bad, he could not really cloimb any steps. He still was eating well, but I could tell his old body was getting tired. Around Feb 6th we noticed he would not eat much of his food and he would not even come out of his dog house. Monday (Feb 8th) I went out and finally got him to come out and I just knelt and loved him and told him it was ok. I told him he had lived a good life and we were going to miss him. He looked up at me and I think he knew it was time. My two daughters found him Wednesday afternoon by his dog house. I think he just decided to come out to lie down and then went to sleep. My two daughters along with my wife are grieving over his passing.
I have been having a hard time dealing with the loss and this is why my wife strongly suggested I write you. I miss him so much. I cannot get him off my mind. I visit his grave in our backyard often. I’m sure this will pass, but you really never know how much they mean to you until they are gone. Our pets are our best friends and love us regardless of the day we had.
We do have two other dogs- Mugsy (Boston terrier) and Ellie (American Pit Terrier) and they both seem to be missing him as well.”
–Again, Thanks to David and Susan for letting us use their story.
