Today we said goodbye to our dog, Sierra. She was one of us. Always greeting us with a smile, a real smile. She was happy to see us and be with us. She was happy to see the meter reader, the pest control guy, the UPS drivers,... everyone. Lately, she hasn't been smiling as much. She was 13 years old (human years).She was my wife, Christel's "arrow" (from a Harry Nilsson song in the 70s, "Me and My Arrow") and walking companion. I guess I am going to have to become that for her.
We got her as a puppy in October 1993 on Halloween and we brought her up to camp that following summer. She was about a year old, that first summer, and a bunch of us were out, late at night, laying on our backs, watching the meteor showers in late August, after a great night when many accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. At the end of watching the stars and laughing, we all got up and one of the guys hopped in his pickup, turned it on and immediately took off. No one knew Sierra was asleep under the truck and when the young man started up and quickly drove off, he didn't give Sierra enough time to wake up and get out from under the tires. He ran over her back leg, breaking it in several pieces. Sierra ran off, yelping, so fast, that we didn't see where she went. We all went off to find her.
When we did find her she was limping badly and her leg just hanging behind her. I wrapped her up and took her to our Coarsegold home to sleep. In the morning I took her to the veterinarian in town, where he took x-rays and showed me how messed up she was. He told us it would cost a couple of thousand to mend her and he doesn't accept insurance or payments. He also said it would cost $35 to put her down. We didn't have the money but I didn't want that night to end in death. He would keep her for a few days to put in pins and rods and monitor her and would need payment for that work when I picked her up. When I came to pick her up, I didn't have the money in full, he then said that I could pay it off by the end of the month. We borrowed some from my parents the rest we just kind of did without for the month.
It was worth the investment. Sierra was a great dog. A bit of a bear hunter (more of a bear barker than a hunter, I guess). We will miss her...
11 comments:
Oh I'm so sorry! I loved that dog too...I honestly can't imagine seeing Chrystal without Sierra at her heel...Beautiful tribute to her Tony.
And I can't believe I spelled Christel's name so poorly...ooops...sorry about that.I knew it didn't look right.;)
Tony and Christel--so sorry for your loss. I know the comfort of a good pet and the huge loss when it is gone.
Our friend Debbie recently had a similar sorrow... I just got through reading her account and then I read yours. Weird.
I like thinking about how God chose to give us the comfort of animals. Just one more thing He didn't have to do for us but did anyway.
Agreed. Seeing Christel walking along with Sierra by her side was seeing two old and intimate friends.
...and I SO remember Me and My Arrow. 'Straighter than narrow'. What did that mean, exactly? But man I loved that song.
I'm sorry about your loss. Sierra was a great dog indeed.
Tony, I was on the ball field that night Sierra got run over. She was a great dog. I am sorry for your loss.
What a great dog, the wagging of the tail and pat on the head will be missed on the office steps.
Thank you all for your kind words. I felt like she was also your dog in many ways.
It is sad to hear of Sierra's passing. I remember that night, too, Tony out under the stars. I'm sorry to hear that it was so expensive to treat her. Sierra was a great dog. Dave and I used to day dream about being Sierra and living up at camp during the summers.
Sierra inspired us to get golden retrievers. I remember you asking me once (as we were looking at a poorly trained dog) if I thought it was more loving to train a dog so that she could be with you or let them be untrained and have to keep them locked up. Sierra was a joy to have around, and even with the lure of kids and nature, she would heed your call and come lay down beside your chair.
I'm sorry she's gone. I am sure that is a big loss for your family. I too think she had a good life, though, and I'm glad I got to be with her.
To be straight
im proud of such people who exist under this very hood of mother earth
which treat animals as our equals with respect .
I have myself lost my Cat ....
i do understand what you are going through.
The joy that it brings just to know that someone loves you for who you are without giving a damn about what others say .
Hats off to you and Sierra
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