Pet Owner's World 2008 - (Page 9) I couldn’t even watch him. I lived in fear of his falling over, but he didn’t like to be helped. He wanted to do it on his own. I would go out into the yard and call him, making sure there were no toys or lawn chairs in his way, because he couldn’t see where he was going. Outside, he would wander around for ages before he felt comfortable enough to eliminate. When we would go back inside, he would literally plop down on his bed, he’d be so worn out from the trip outside. I would bring him a treat and sit next to him, massaging his legs and talking softly to him. He loved it when I would sing (poor guy—I sing like a crow, but he put up with it). The last time I saw Domino, I actually prayed that God would take him; he was in so much pain and so tired. His mom called me a couple of days later to tell me that she was ready to let him go, and wanted me to know how much she appreciated my patience in caring for him. When she hung up, I cried for over an hour. I still miss dear Domino he was a grand old man.” Kim Sauer, Sit n’ Stay Pet Services, Hamburg, NY: “We’ve been in business long enough now that we’re having to say goodbye to quite a few of our regular clients’ pets, unfortunately. It’s really sad. You get so attached seeing them daily for several years that it definitely is a downside to the business. ”We pet sat a long time for one particular household that was a special needs household. The owner had a lot of anxiety problems. We had to be there at a special time each day and had to call her at the end of our visit. Her dog was older, and had digestive problems, needing medications and a special lunch each day. We took care of him for more than five years and saw him age gracefully. But when it got to the point that he had stopped eating, and could hardly walk anymore on his own, his owner knew it was time to say goodbye. She invited me over to spend some time with them. We sat outside and let him enjoy some time under his favorite tree. I took a plant to her to place under the tree to remember him by. We talked about the funny stories we remembered about him and we cried together. I offered to go with her to the vet, but she wanted to go alone. That was a very difficult day but one that I will never forget. It was really nice to get to say goodbye. He was a regular part of my life for so many years and I had cared about him as if he were my own dog.” Kara Lashley, Kritter Kare by Kara LLC, Huntersville, NC: “Jake was a rescue mix who lived with a single client of mine. Jenny adopted Jake even though she knew he had severe epilepsy among other issues. She was as devoted as any dog mom I have ever met! She kept him on his meds and would try the latest advances in medical science for Jake whenever possible. She took him to do all of the things he loved to do like walks and going to visit her parents and buying special food and treats that would not upset his stomach. Whenever possible, Jenny took Jake with her when she would travel. If that was not an option, then I would stay at her home and take care of Jake for her. Nothing was too good for him and she only wanted the best and to make sure that whoever took care of him could also handle all of his medical issues. Jake had developed severe hip dysplasia in his later years and Jenny was very responsible in making sure everything was done to help with the situation. Over the summer Jake became ill, with recurring prostate and hip problems as well as his epilepsy. Jenny worked with her veterinarians to give Jake a quality of life and not just quantity, but Jake’s hips finally had all they could take. Jenny had to make one of the hardest decisions of her life and had Jake put to sleep. Jake and Jenny were the reason I started offering overnight stays to clients who had babies with special needs. I feel very privileged to have had Jake and Jenny as clients and as friends and would not trade for the times I got to spend with Jake and take care of him.” Rob Nager, Decadent Dog Inc., Needham, MA: “Dealing with the death of a client’s pet is a really important and difficult part of this job. In all the excitement of making the decision to follow my heart and enter the world of professional pet sitting, the thought that my new friends would pass on never crossed my mind. Consider that the average dog lives 10-11 years and multiply that by the number of dogs we care for and this is a huge setup for heartache! “My friend Sam is the most vivid example. Sam was a 10 year-old, (continued) 2008 • Pet Owner’s WORLD
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