Curly, aka Spike, Died Quietly Today
Those of you who know my efforts at the ITPAA know this dog:
His yawn during the photoshoot became the symbol of my efforts to fight off-shoring and labor dumping. While the ITPAA is currently on hiatus, rest assured that the spirit behind it is alive now more than ever.
We adopted him nearly 3 years ago after he was found wondering the streets of Lancaster County. He was an older dog, about 9 when we adopted him, and probably had run away from – or been dumped – by his owner.
Curly loved to chase tennis balls. Even at his advanced age he ran like a dog possessed after tennis balls:
Over the past year Curly had become totally blind. In addition he had exhibited personality changes to the point where he would bite anyone who disturbed him – except when he was being bathed or “going bye-bye” in the car.
Last night he began walking clockwise in circles. Today the wife found him in respiratory distress and had to take him to the vet to be euthanized. The Kid is away with friends for the day, so he will arrive home to a house without Curly.
This is the price of responsible pet ownership. It’s a price I really, really hate paying on days like today.
Dean Esmay:
This is one of the most sacred duty any serious-minded pet-owner always has: to know when the time is to give the ultimate mercy.
It seems godlike, but so what? That is what you are to them. If you were truly selfish, you would have just “let nature take its course.” And just forgotten how cruel nature can be. That creature gave you so much, it would be selfish to just do that.
I wrote about this almost two years ago in The Long Walk. And it still makes me cry when I read it, but it’s the truth.
You bring these creatures into your life, and they bring you much joy. And if you’re doing your job right, you bring them at least as much joy, probably more. No ferel creature ever enjoys that much love and care and affection.
It usually falls to the dad to give the final moment of affection. So long as you don’t wuss out, you should remember that you really did the right thing. Imagine if that pup had died in a drainage ditch somewhere some years ago, unloved and unmourned, hungry and cold and scared. That is the real fate of most such creatures.
You did right by this pup. You did.
25 August 2006, 6:49 pmAdministrator:
Thanks, Dean.
I love animals. I’ve spent my entire life with dogs, cats, fish and an assortment of other animals – even monkeys and chimps in the Bush.
But days like today? Well, let’s just say it’s part of life. You don’t think about it much except when that puppy wags his tail or that kitten shines his big eyes on you. You know at the beginning that you will be there at the end. That’s part of the bargain in caring of animals.
I told Curly after he started going down hill that I would never desert him like his prior owners had – that he had me for better or worse. He wasn’t alone anymore – that he was part of the pack no matter what he did or didn’t do.
He was home after all those miles and years.
I kept my promise, and that takes some of the sting away from today.
25 August 2006, 7:35 pmDean Esmay:
You’re a good man, Scott Kirwin. And no moral coward.
I’d like to think there is an afterlife. I admit that this is entirely something I just like to believe.
But if there is one, then Curley will be there to lick your face and tell you how much he missed you.
And if not? Then it is poetically true anyway.
He could have died alone, unmourned and unloved, cold and hungry and scared, so very much sooner. But you were there to make sure that didn’t happen.
26 August 2006, 12:31 am