~ Katie ~

Katie's Puppy Album

From an email on November 28:

"I'm writing today with sadness to share the loss of our 15-year old lab mix, Katie. Diane and I had long hoped she'd go one day in her sleep, but after a short illness Thursday and Friday, it was apparent that we'd reached a point where we had to consider her declining quality of life, and had to make that big decision no one wants to ever have to make.

"We were very lucky to get to spend some special time with Kate at the end. We all slept downstairs together on Friday night, and Saturday morning she was well enough that we took a last walk at Claude Moore Park before her appointment. The weather was chill but sunny, and her 'last meal' was deer poop that we didn't make her stop eating. She was so excited about it that she even managed one last little hop-skip. At her appointment, she went very peacefully with her head resting in my hand. We brought her body home for the afternoon so the other dogs could see her. I do think it helped them understand, especially Indie. It was more healing for me than I expected, too.

"Although Diane and have have gone through the loss of other pets together over the years, we never guessed how hard Katie's passing would hit us. We've had several years where we knew we could lose her to old age at any time, and a number of times where her health was bad enough that we thought we'd reached the end of the line. I truly thought it would, but none of that foreknowledge prepared us for this grief. I won't go as far to say that it's like losing a child, because it isn't, but we did not lose a pet; we lost a member of our family.

"We've spent a lot of time this past weekend reminiscing about Katie's life. Katie always wanted to be on the go, and she went absolutely everwhere with us. Before age slowed her down, the three of us were together for long walks every day, trips to the woods on the weekends, and lots of vacations and road trips. She was happiest when she was going someplace and exploring new territory. When Diane and I met, Katie was 3, and one of the special things Diane and I used to do when we were first together was take the dogs out in the woods. Katie has been a major part of everything we've done in our life together.

"We're incredibly lucky that we had Kate for as many years as we did, because we never dreamed that she'd make it to the ripe old age of 15 1/2. It was hard going at the end, but she was still getting out to the lake regularly, and she and Indie got to the W&OD Trail as recently as last Wednesday night. She had a damn good run of it, and I only hope that I can age so gracefully."

Erica