My heart is broken. My dog Molly has passed away

[Israel_B]

Sorry for your loss. My cat of 15+ years died this spring and I still expect he will jump into the futon every night.

[Ratel]

My condolences to all. This has been a terrible week for pets: we had to put down my girlfriend’s cat Max on Monday was well: the same day my girlfriend’s aunt had to put down her beloved dog. And now I see more tragedy at Boing Boing and Basic Instructions.

The Handsome Max:

1 part water
2 parts bourbon (fine)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
dash of cardamom bitters
1 Luxardo cherry

Roll, then add ice.

[IMB]

I wanted to add: After my 15 year old cat died a few years ago, I never thought I could open my heart in the same way. I used to get phantom shadows of her passing along aside me, I felt her brush across my legs. I found toys under couches and my heart would tear apart, (and yes, I guess that means I’m sloppy too). There was no way I wanted another animal for a while and then… a friend left a message on my phone; it was a chorus of baby mews. Within a month, I had new adoptees. They weren’t at all like my old baby. I initially judged them by that standard. But then I realized that that was the best part: the difference. They would never compare, but they would be wonderful individuals, with new traits and personalities.

My grief didn’t end, but my heart was open and engaged in caring for the next generation.
This was but a mere month later. When you are less heavy-hearted you might consider rescuing or caring for someone else. They need you and I think Molly would be happy about that.

[anon68952647]

I am so sorry for your loss. This time of year, 4 years ago, my best friend (HappyDog) passed away in my arms after a year plus of fighting a degenerative skin condition. He was my best friend, and I like to think I did everything I could for him.

The next few years brought loss and pain from other sources, like I never knew existed, and in the worst of the worst moments, he was still there for me. I could just take one of our old walks, and it was like he was there with me, loyal old man to the end.

[Victoria_Walker]

So sorry for your terrible loss of the precious Molly. There is no pain quite like that of losing a beloved pet. May your wonderful memories help you heal.

[gtron]

I feel like our cat Willow is "love itself’ - sweet from day one, never mean nor angry, always purr-able and hug-able. She’s only two, but I was thinking the other day how we’ll miss her when she goes, hopefully many years from now.
I feel your loneliness and loss.

[Nagurski]

My condolences. It hurts a lot, and you never really get over it. It’s the flip side of how much joy and love furred and feathered ones bring into your life. We’re all richer for it.

[Gregg_Bender]

I can SO understand your pain, Jason. We lost a beloved Sheltie only a month or so ago. He was 15 1/2, and died essentially of old age/multiple organ failure.We never get to keep them long enough.
Don’t let anyone tell you it’s wrong to grieve over a pet.

[Ryan_Draga]

You have my sincerest, most heartfelt condolences. My husky, Belle, passed away last year and I will always miss her. She was a puppy at heart until the day she died, and I cannot look at huskies anymore without thinking of her and wishing she was still here to jump and roll around on my bed and howl at me in argument.

Dogs really are “man’s best friend”.

[knox_will]

Molly Lama. I Love it. Sorry about the loss. I like this poem about Lord Byron’s dog, written by him:

"Near this Spot
are deposited the Remains of one
who possessed Beauty without Vanity,
Strength without Insolence,
Courage without Ferosity,
and all the virtues of Man without his Vices.

This praise, which would be unmeaning Flattery
if inscribed over human Ashes,
is but a just tribute to the Memory of
BOATSWAIN, a DOG,
who was born in Newfoundland May 1803
and died at Newstead Nov. 18, 1808."

[Studiobubble]

They say the loss of a dog can be worse than the loss of a person.
Dogs love you your whole life unconditionally and always.

[Ygret]

We’re all family animals is what you’re saying :).

[Ygret]

I have a sweet little Cavalier mix pup that looks a lot like Molly. Her name is Darla, and she is very similar in personality to the way you describe Molly. She is the most sweetest, gentlest, lovingest creature on god’s green earth. She can bring a smile to your face no matter how bad things get, and always wants to be near. She lives in a house with two other dogs that are both bigger than her, her big brother and sister, and she loves them the same – idolizes her big brother – everything he does is just fascinating to her, and she is always cleaning and grooming her big sis.

And she has sure had her fair share of scares. When she was only 4 months old I was out with the three dogs around 11pm on a frozen winter night. We were maybe 10 blocks from home and out of nowhere these two big dogs started trotting towards us from across the street. They felt shady and my little Darla panicked, wrapped her leash around a bush and somehow scampered out of her harness and in a second she was gone, running into the night. I freaked out, dragging the other two behind me calling her name with no result, running from street to street. She was so young and I didn’t know what was to become of her. I ran home eventually to get the car and a flashlight to continue the search and there she was, huddled on the stoop waiting for us. I ran up so exhausted and relieved she got scared of me and ran to the side of the house, where I swept her up in my arms and brought her into the warm house. She is such a smart cookie, finding her way home from so far away on a frozen snowy night like that. The really strange thing is my wife was sitting in the bedroom and told me she felt this strange warm glowy feeling emanating from the direction of the front door for the past 5-10 minutes before I came bursting in that kept interrupting her reading. She kept trying to ignore it because she thought she was going crazy. It was little Darla giving off her warm love I guess. I asked her not to ignore those feelings anymore :).

Then a few years later Darla got cut real bad – one of those endcaps you find on bleachers in a school field had come off and she had run too close to the stamped metal edge, ripping a huge gash across her back. She had run around that same field hundreds of times day and night so at first we didn’t know what had hurt her. I had to come back the next day to find what had done it. Anyhow she ran towards me yiping and crying (literally crying, like a baby). I rushed her to the 24 hour vet. Luckily the wound didn’t go below the fur/skin layer so there was very little blood loss and she made a full recovery. Needless to say I got those bleacher caps fixed and, after a few months of being afraid of the field she was back to her usual jaunts, although she does stay closer to me these days. Maybe I’m a bad parent I don’t know, but I love to let them off leash when its safe (or when I think its safe) so they can feel their true speed and freedom, even though I know its a bit of risk.

Anyhow all that sadness was years ago and we’ve been safe ever since thank God. Darla is famous among the little children of the neighborhood. We call Darla “Little One” much of the time (the kids get a real kick out of that nickname) and all the kids run up to the school fence and call to her when we come walking by. She’s so very sweet to them and they love her tenderness.

She’s sleeping sweetly by my side right now, and I can’t imagine life without her. She’s the little, sweet heart of the family. I truly feel for your loss Jason, and hope that you can carry on, for her sake, because I’m sure Molly would want you to.