Pet tributes received by the Humane Society of Ventura County

This area of our site is available for pet owners to share stories about their pets with other animal lovers. If you have a funny, touching or inspiring story about an animal, please e-mail it to animals@humanesocietyvc.org. Scanned images can accompany the story and will be included on this page whenever possible.

In memory of Freedom / Remember Me poem / The Little Dog Angel poem / Bethyanna the Yorkie

HELLO,

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE STORY OF A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE GIRL. BETHYANNA A LITTLE 8 LB YORKSHIRE TERRIER CAME TO LIVE WITH US ON NOV. 1,2001 A NICE LADY FOUND HER AMONGST HER TRASH CANS IN THE RAIN. SHE WAS VERY SCARED AND WET SO THE KIND LADY TOOK HER IN AND CLEANED HER UP AND TRIED TO FIND HER OWNERS (THEY NEVER EVEN BOTHERED LOOKING FOR HER). SO WE RECEIVED OUR BEAUTIFUL LITTLE GIRL ON NOV. 1, 2001 (I LIKE TO THINK OF HER AS AN EARLY X-MAS PRESENT). RIGHT AWAY I TOOK HER TO THE VET AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT SHE WAS 8 YRS OLD SHE ALSO HAD A TERRIBLE SKIN INFECTION AND A BAD CASE OF RINGWORM ON HER HEAD AND SHOULDER, SO SHE WAS GIVEN SOME MEDICINE AND A SPECIAL SHAMPOO, POOR BABY HAD TO HAVE A BATH EVERY TWO DAYS AND IT WASN'T HER FAVORITE THING. WELL WE FINALLY GOT HER HEALTHY ALTHOUGH SHE WAS STILL AFRAID OF MEN AND STRANGERS I THINK THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME SOMEONE PROBABLY A MAN HAD HURT HER. IN DECEMBER OF 2002 HER TUMMY BECAME VERY LARGE AND SWOLLEN SO WE AGAIN TOOK HER TO THE VET WERE SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN ENLARGED LIVER AND A THYROID CONDITION. SO SHE HAD TO START TAKING PILLS EVERY DAY. IN MARCH OF 2003 WE WERE TAKING HER FOR A WALK AND SHE WAS ATTACKED BY SOMEONES GERMAN SHEHERD WHO THEY DIDN'T FEEL NEEDED TO BE ON A LEASH OR SECURED IN THEIR BACKYARD. SO ONCE AGAIN SHE WAS RUSHED TO THE VET IN SHOCK AND HAD TO GET AROUND 30 STITCHES AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CUSHINGS DISEASE. EVERY DAY FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WE HAD TO PUT IODINE ON THOSE STITCHES AND I KNOW IT WASN'T A BED OF ROSES FOR HER BUT SHE LET US DO IT AND STILL REMAINED A VERY HAPPY LITTLE DOG. EVERY DAY WHEN I CAME HOME FROM WORK SHE WOULD BE WAITING FOR ME ON THE STAIRS AND FOLLOW ME AROUND THE HOUSE. IF I WENT UPSTAIRS SHE WOULD GO UPSTAIRS IF I WENT OUTSIDE SHE WOULD GO OUTSIDE. THEN ON MAY 11, 2003 SHE STARTED BREATHING FUNNY AND ALTHOUGH SHE WOULD STILL TRY TO GO UP THE STAIRS SHE JUST COULDN'T QUITE MAKE IT. SINCE IT WAS A SUNDAY WE TOOK HER TO THE EMERGENCY VETS OFFICE AND THEY SAID THAT HER LUNGS WERE VERY CONGESTED AND SHE WAS ALSO SUFFERING FROM CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE THEY SUGGESTED THAT SHE BE KEPT THERE IN AN OXYGEN KENNEL AND BE INJECTED WITH A DIURETIC. SO WE DECIDED TO LEAVE HER THERE OVERNIGHT AND PRAYED THAT SHE WOULD GET BETTER. HOWEVER AT 9:45 THAT NIGHT SHE WENT INTO CARDIAC ARREST AND PASSED AWAY. ALTHOUGH WE ONLY HAD HER A SHORT TIME SHE LIT UP OUR LIVES. SHE SUFFERED A LOT IN HER LIFE AND UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT SHE WAS FOUND I WOULDN'T HAVE BLAMED HER FOR NOT EVER TRUSTING OR LOVING ANYONE AGAIN BUT AMAZINGLY SHE DID. SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY PROTECTIVE AND THOUGH NOT AGGRESSIVE WOULD TRY TO STAND BETWEEN US AND ANY OTHER DOG WE ENCOUNTERED ON OUR WALKS ESPECIALLY AFTER HER ATTACK. SHE WANTED NOTHING MORE THAN TO LAY BY YOUR FEET AND HAVE HER TUMMY RUBBED. I LIKE TO THINK THAT WE MADE HER AS HAPPY AS SHE MADE US FOR AT LEAST A SHORT TIME.
Thomas Taylor

PEACEFUL JOURNEY "SPECIAL" LITTLE FRIEND

THIS IS "FREEDOM" WHO CAME INTO OUR LIVES BACK IN AUGUST OF '93. SHE BROUGHT US ALL UNSPOILED LOVE, CARING, JOY, AND ILLUMINATED OUR LIVES WITH ALL THE GLOW OF A "CANDLE". ON THURSDAY, APRIL 29, AT 7:45 A.M., OUR DEAR FRIEND "FREEDOM" DEPARTED OUR LIVES AND ALTHOUGH THE LIGHT FROM THAT VERY "SPECIAL" CANDLE HAS GONE OUT, THE WARMTH OF ITS GLOW SHALL LIVE ON EVERMORE.

SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE DEAR FREEDIE. WE LOVE YOU DEEPLY.

REMEMBER ME

Remember me always, but do not grieve for me too long.
I have tried to comfort you in times of sorrow and have made every effort to add joy to your life.
I never wanted to cause you pain.

Peace for me is certain now and I suspect I will have eternal rest in the earth I have loved so well.
Please, after your period of grieving for me, make room in you heart for another.
You are the kind of Human Being that should always have a friend like me to love.
Your kind and gentle heart should not be wasted on my memory for too long.

Give your love to another. I know your new friend will never take my place because we had something very special.
It may not be quite the same, but a new and loving companion will, in time, become special in their own way.

You loved me very much and I loved you. My spirit will always be with you.
And no matter how deep my sleep, my grateful heart will always be with you.

THE LITTLE DOG ANGEL

High up in the courts of heaven today a little dog angel waits.
with other dog angels he will not play, but sits alone at the gates.
"For I know my Master will come," says he. "And when he comes, he'll call for me."
And he sees the spirits pass him by as they hurry to the Throne. And he watches them with a wistful eye as he sits at the Gates alone.
"For I know my Master will come," says he. "If only I just wait patiently."
And his Master far on Earth below, as he sits in his easy chair, forgets sometimes and whistles low, for the little dog who is not there. And the little dog angel cocks his ears and dreams his Master's call he hears.
And I know when at last the Master waits, outside in the dark and cold for the hand of death to open the Gates, which lead to the those Courts of Gold. That the little dog Angel's eager bark, will comfort his soul in the shivering dark.

The Humane Society of Ventura County is a private, non-profit organization. We receive no monetary support from the government or national animal welfare organizations such as the Humane Society of The United States. We are funded entirely by private donations. Financial support is appreciated and may be sent to P.O. Box 297, Ojai, CA 93024.
The Humane Society of Ventura County, at 402 Bryant St. in Ojai, is open for adoptions Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For more information about the Shelter and the many services available, including the Spay and Neuter Clinic, call 646-6505 or 656-5031.

You can now make financial contributions to the Humane Society of Ventura County electronically. Simply click on the cat's face to the right and let Paypal.com do the rest. Thank you for helping us help animals.

You can also sign up online for the e-scrip program. Many leading retailers and credit card companies will donate a portion of your purchase totals to the Humane Society. Learn more about this program at http://www.escrip.com

Have a car you would like to donate? The Humane Society is happy to accept the donation of used automobiles, trailers, RVs, boats, motorcycles and other motor vehicles. Please click here to fill out our on-line donation form.