Saying Goodbye

Posted by Joy Butler Jul 8, 2007

Just yesterday I had to say goodbye to an old friend and Heaven welcomed another sweet soul. Jethro was a black and white Collie/Lab mix who had lived almost his entire 13 years at the shelter where I work. Many times he had greeted us with happy noises and always offered a paw, lifting it high. That was just his way. He had enjoyed good times in the yard, standing around visiting with the other dogs or running to the fence to bark at whatever. He loved getting brushed. Through the years he'd had occasional ear problems which required medications and he was one of the few dogs I've known who never complained or resisted his meds. I'm not sure why he never got adopted but I know things finally reached a point where he would have been traumatized to live anywhere else and that's when we made him a permanent resident of the shelter. Some people feel sorry for shelter dogs but he had it pretty good. All his needs were met including food, water, climate-controlled shelter, medications, playtime, friends, and attention. He loved and was loved.

His sweet personality made him a favorite among the workers and, as word spread yesterday, all his friends came to say goodbye. We sat with him during his last hours, trying to make him comfortable. Things won't be the same without his kind brown eyes, his long nose, his offered paw, even his barks that became wheezy as he grew older. But it was just an earthly body that housed the sweet soul that is now cradled in God's hands. If you have an older dog, please give him the extra love and care he deserves. We have no control over death but we can love and be loved. And, after all, that's what endures.