1.12.2017

January 12, 2017

White Dog pressed against me. "I still get sad when I think about Darby," she said. "I wonder how different things would have been if she had not been such a meteor in our lives."

Darby, aka Daisy, came to us as part of the Hospice Foster Program. She was 17 years old and her people had surrendered her to our city's animal welfare because she was old. It was right after the New Year in 2015. Darby was depressed and heartbroken. Plus the city had done a dental on her that was not healing; she was in pain.

We were warned when we brought her home to the White Dog Army that she was snappish and fearful. In consulting with our beloved Dr. Julia we decided to wean her off of the overload of pain medication so assess whether she would do better less muddled. She did and showed signs of feeling our love.

Darby was only with us three days. The changes and heartbreak were too much for her. The entire WDA mourned her abrupt departure and sang her a Warrior's Song as she was taken to her final rest by the Foster Coordinator.

She is proudly a member of the White Dog Army Tribute Wall and we believe that those three days were filled with love and family inclusion enough to allow her to cross the Bridge in peace. We feel her spirit with us at times and wonder, like WD said, how different things would have been had she stayed longer.

4 comments:

Random Felines said...

it is sad....but we also know that those days she had with all of you were so wonderful and filled with love

TimberLove said...

We remember Darby! Woo all did right by her and she took off in peace knowing love, that's worth celebrating, duck jerky all around!

Nuk

KB said...

I remember Darby too. Mostly I remember thinking about our Lab who lived to be 16 yrs old. He was a little old man at the end... shuffling around, but we loved him with all our hearts. Yes he had accidents, and yes he required extra time for us to give him good care.

In that context, I cannot imagine *ever* giving up an animal who has been with you for 16 or 17 years. Shame on those people.

Thank you for giving Darby such love in those last few days of her life. I know that she felt it - she was being embraced by the WDA - who could not love that?

Brian's Home Blog said...

Darby finally got to enjoy real love and that made it easier to that dear one to depart. we wish Darby would have had more time with you too.