A Dog-Sized Hole in my Heart

TIA MARIA GOSLINE, MARCH 31st 1994 - JAN 21 2008)
Oh oh how we love our pets. And oh how sad it is when they are gone. More than three years ago, Anne lost her best canine friend Lamont. Two years ago, Katie lost her favourite cat, Boots. Today my family lost our standard poodle Tia. She was almost 14 (more than half my life!) and in complete kidney failure and not really eating any more. For a dog to refuse roast beef, gravy, pork chops and her even her favourite curry, we knew something was very wrong. My parents and I sat around crying like a bunch of preschoolers, but there you have it. She is gone.

I could cite papers about pet bereavement, pet bereavement in children or the fact that an Ontario court actually awarded damages to some lady for emotional distress after her pet was killed by tainted food. I mean it’s all very interesting.

I guess we could even clone her. Hopefully they’d be able to edit out that part where she howls when left alone (with anyone other than Mom and Dad), or starts to pant and shake when Mom puts in her curlers (because that means she was going to be left alone ALL NIGHT). But really I am just sad. There is a hole where a big fluffy poodle face used to be.