Paying tribute to our furry family members
By MITCH TRAPHAGEN
For the majority of households in the United States, their families include a pet. And those pets are often as much a part of any family as are children and siblings. Their life span is much shorter than ours so while we only get to spend a small part of our lives with them, to them we are their entire lives. And those lives deserve celebration, too.
And now, The Observer News is offering a new service in all of our newspapers reaching more than 50,000 households: Paws to Remember offers those who have lost a furry family member the permanent remembrance and respect that many pet owners have long sought. Paws to Remember is not a pet obituary, per se, but more of a tribute or a memorial for those whose hearts have been touched by the soul of a furry companion and have suffered a loss.
Dr. Dani McVety, founder of the veterinary home hospice service, “Lap of Love,” told me in 2012 that there are some people who believe that it was actually dogs who domesticated humans.
Dr. McVety was at our home for Sadie’s last day with us. Sadie was my girl, my best friend, who chose to remain alive in suffering far too long, because she knew that I needed her. It was time to let her go, despite my broken heart. Dr. McVety answered our call, allowing Sadie to be at home in our loving arms during her last moments.
Sadie was amazing because she seemed to understand everything I said to her. Almost anyone who has a much-loved pet can appreciate that. But Sadie was on a different level. She showed her happiness, with her butt wiggling her entire body and she showed her sadness in her eyes. While she understood me, she knew those were things I could understand from her. And I’m sure she understood how much she was loved.
When she passed away — all too young and all too suddenly — I wrote a column about her. Writing that column about Sadie provided a sense of permanence to the beautiful dog that I had loved and to our lives together. Ink on paper made it real for me; it was both sad and cathartic at the same time.
The week after she passed, I went into the office and was presented with a print of my article made by a young man who worked at the newspaper. To me, it wasn’t a sad reminder — the column I wrote was more about our lives together and how very fortunate I was to have that rather than merely focusing on my loss. It provided an enduring tribute to both Sadie and to our lives together. The printed word on paper. That now-framed article hangs on the wall in a place where I can always see it.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, nearly 67 percent of U.S. households include a dog or a cat, and often more than one. They are a part of American families in so many ways. When they leave us, that loss isn’t negligible. Their presence in our lives is permanent; as are the memories they give us.
Time heals all wounds, they say. But our memories remain with us, of those we have loved, including those with paws; they remain in our hearts and in our minds. As time passes, the forever memories become a comforting salve for our hearts and souls. For the pets in our lives and in our hearts, it is permanence they have earned through their devotion and their love for you.
For more information about Paws to Remember, or to submit your memorial, email paws@observernews.net.
For information about Lap of Love, visit lapoflove.com.