Following are excerpts from the 1881 poem Geist's Grave by Matthew Arnold (1822-1888). Geist was the family's beloved pet dachshund who died at the age of four. These are the lines that most spoke to me and that I thought would appeal to a wide audience. Yet would we keep thee in our heart—Would fix … Continue reading From “Geist’s Grave”
Category: memorial
March 12, 1888: Henry Bergh Dies
From Forest and Stream, March 22, 1888 edition The following is snipped from Our Dumb Animals, the publication of The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, April 1888:
Memorial for a Pointer
This touching tribute to a hunting dog gave me pause in an otherwise too fast world. I hope it will do some good for you too. Taken from Forest and Stream, May 23, 1889:
Personal News
Nothing animal shelter related here. Just a note to touch base with everyone and to say I'm still here. I'm not ready to return to blogging and honestly don't know when or if I might be ready. I've been struggling over the past year personally, professionally - basically all the -llys. I was laid off … Continue reading Personal News
Be Seeing You, Wendy
Wendy was diagnosed with kidney failure in May and, though she did very well all summer, she declined rapidly over the past week and it was time to let her go. I held her in my lap as our vet gave her the injections and the last thing Wendy felt in this world was a … Continue reading Be Seeing You, Wendy
Be Seeing You, Surrey
Surrey was about to give birth and on the kill list at the pound in Tipton Co, TN when I saw her photo in an email. With the help of area rescuers and several blog readers, we were able to welcome her home in SC in December 2011. She has been a very easy keeper … Continue reading Be Seeing You, Surrey
Be Seeing You, Patty
We said goodbye to Patty today. She had been declining at a rapid pace recently and the vet determined she was riddled with cancer with no reasonable options for treatment. She was 9 years old. Nicknamed Peanut Butter Patty because of her love of skillfully polishing the insides of peanut butter jars, she was very … Continue reading Be Seeing You, Patty
Police Department in CT Leads by Example
There have been far too many tragic stories on this blog where police officers needlessly kill pets and are not held accountable by their own departments despite the irreversible damage they have inflicted upon families in their communities. But there are occasional stories where police do right by pets and I like to bring attention … Continue reading Police Department in CT Leads by Example
Be Seeing You, Randi
Randi was my longest lived Flatcoat. She remained very active and healthy until just recently and I am thankful for that. Yesterday, we had to make the singularly difficult decision to euthanize our beloved pet. The emergency clinic placed her in a cardboard coffin for us to take home. As always, we allow the other … Continue reading Be Seeing You, Randi
In Memoriam: Dr. Sophia Yin
Widely popular California veterinarian and behaviorist Sophia Yin tragically committed suicide on Sunday. From her obituary in the Sac Bee: Dr. Sophia Yin, a veterinarian and internationally recognized pioneer in the field of animal behavior as it relates to training pets, died Sept. 28 of suicide at her Davis home, according to the Yolo County … Continue reading In Memoriam: Dr. Sophia Yin