I have decided that if you can't find a place in your heart to love an animal, any animal, you are not human!
Six years ago I dragged my husband and kids up to a place in Northern Oregon to be the first to pick up a little black lab, something I can't resist. As we drove, the thought of getting a puppy just made me ecstatic. I couldn't wait to see those little critters as I envisioned them in their excitement to have a visitor, but I was a little apprehensive knowing that I could only take one. We looked at the litter of pups and all their little, black tails wagging rambunctiously as we neared them. As we looked, I spotted one particular dog quite a bit calmer than the rest just sitting over by herself, not in any hurry to get up and greet us. Because she was so calm I picked her up and that was it. She was mine to take home.
As with all puppies I dreaded the house training, the chewing, the messes etc., but from the beginning Tara was different. She learned quickly. She was calm. She didn't chew. She wasn't hyper.
As the years went on Tara stayed loyal as dogs do and learned the tricks that I taught her: whisper(soft bark), close the door, shake, lay, sit etc. I had the dog of my dreams and she was so good with my little kids.
She grew like a weed and soon was a full-grown puppy in a big doggies body. Nothing much changed, but we noticed that unlike ALL labs Tara didn't like the water. We didn't question it---just accepted it. Her favorite things however were: playing tug, playing fetch and begging for food as dinner simmered on the stove.
To make a long story short, but full of the love that I have for her, we discovered that she was born with very bad hips(hip dysplasia). She never had the correct amount of cartilage that is needed to prevent bone rubbing on bone. The thing that still bothers me today is that we never really realized how bad it was for her (pain wise). Dogs don't complain.....they just cope. That is what Tara did, she coped.
Wednesday, March 25th, Tara broke her hip while we were out of town. We arrived home on Thursday @ approximately 3:00 pm only to find her down at the local vet whimpering in the back room. As if that wasn't enough to send me over the edge the vet showed us the x-rays of Tara's hind end and the proof was right there. Broken hip on her left side, no cartilage left on the right side, and bone spurs from her mid spine into her tail that she never complained once. Not a whimper. We took her home for the night with major pain meds hoping that she would miraculously recover only to find that it was the last night that she would be with us--physically.
We prepared ourselves to say goodbye, took many last pictures, many kisses were exchanged, many words said to her in the hopes that they would later be translated the minute she arrived at her new home above. Many, many tears and headaches.
At 9:30 am, Thursday March 26th Tara left her body lying on the table at the vets office while her spirit ascended straight up to heaven. I say heaven because heaven is where perfect souls go and I know Tara was perfect.
We carefully tucked her body with blankets, balls, chewies and letters from each of us into a box and wrapped it with love and gently placed her out back in the hole that we dug where, if I need to go talk to her....I still can. I am left with an emptiness that is indescribable, but a knowledge that I will see her again someday.
My hope from all of this is to tell you, the reader....love your pets.....unconditionally! Kiss more, play more, treasure your four-legged friends, look deeper, hang out more, never forget that they love you more than you can imagine. I believe that they see you in a way that others never will.
For my best friend, Tara--- February 2003-March 2009. I gave her my whole heart and soul---and I have hers tenderly wrapped, tucked and placed next to what is left of my own heart. I love you Tara Lee Crofts to the moon and back!
I want to thank my husband and strong kids for their support in this hard endeavor. They are my strong foundation and I love them all.
