It turned out be an early departure this morning. It was time. I flew Home in the arms of my Lady and my OM. Thank you for giving me my beautiful life.
Here I am, just before I flew Home this morning.
Thank you, everyone, for your outpouring of love.
Because I was love.
Here's my Fetching Tags tag.
Scratch my butt was one
of my favorite things.
Here's my beautiful Paco Collar
with the green jewels that Ana Poe
picked out just for me, with my
Scratch My Butt Fetching Tags tag.
My favorite food
I love my Lady and my OM. Thank you for sending them love.
Dear Birdy - life will be so much easier across that rainbow bridge! We all love you and your Lady - I am so grateful there are Ladies like yours to provide the best days of your life. With tears rolling down my cheeks - much love to you Lady - we will miss Ms. Birdy!
ReplyDeleteBye, baby Bird. Much love to you to speed you on your way and so much (so much) love to your Lady.
ReplyDeleteBoy, are we going to miss you both so much. Such a great story of love and compassion and just plain fun with a dog you helped us get to know and love and miss horribly. Thanks to all of you for doing the right thing for this special dog and showing the world how great these animals are and what life is all about. Having compassion and love for the vulnerable and doing the right thing for them.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing Birdie with us, and for giving her a great retirement!
ReplyDeleteThank you for allowing us in to your and Birdie's life
ReplyDeleteI'm incredibly touched and grateful to be a syber witness to this love story
your courage, love and compassion are inspiring and make me believe there is kindness in this world.
thank you
Sweet Birdy, thank you for sharing your story with me. You have been so loved. Comfort to your Lady in this hard time.
ReplyDeleteI thought about you all day. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI had a feeling the day was going to be too long to endure for you both. No more sore feet, swollen belly, hard breathing now. Your story has been one of love,compassion, selflessness but most of all happiness for you both for a short time. I have truly loved reading this blog with all the ups and downs and I hope THIS VERY SPECIAL LADY knows you did everything and anything to make Birdie have a wonderful seven months. My love to you for being there for this little girl when she needed you the most.
ReplyDeleteCarla, you were right about your feeling. Bird got into a fair amount of respiratory distress in the middle of the night last night, and I couldn't make her wait until late afternoon. Our vet, Kathy Hinkle at Cotati Animal Hospital, was incredibly kind and caring. They have a special room there for euthanasias, and the entire staff was very sensitive. The room was like a living room with sofas and soft carpet. There was a nice big soft dog bed on the floor and we were able to sit on the floor with Bird and hold her as she let go. It was a very, very quick and painless death. Oh that we humans could choose such an easy death free of suffering.
DeleteAnneke, I lost a boy a few months ago and the disease was different(heart) but he looked just like Birdie, sore feet, labored breathing,bloat. I too was going to wait til the end of the day and have one last wonderful day with him but it was too hard to watch so I did what you did. I'm glad Birdie's end was peaceful for you both. I've been drawn to your story for quite some time and I hope you will find peace knowing what a wonderful life you gave her. I agree that it is a merciful way to leave and that humans should be able to choose it ,too. I hope we can stay in touch. Much love to you. Carla
DeleteThank you for sharing a special Birdy with us this past few months, thank you for giving her so much love that our hearts would burst. Thank you Bad Rap, Special Lady and OM. Thank you
ReplyDeleteFly strong and true, Birdy. Anneke, feel the power in the wake of her flight. Kisses to you both.
ReplyDeleteJanet in Cambridge
http://daisydog.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/sad-news/
ReplyDeleteWe put up a tribute for all of you today.
Out in the desert years ago, I was doing some fierce grieving over the loss of someone dear. I came across a wild haired woman who offered me a small apple that was sweet as rain. She was living out of a van that had these words painted on the side, "When the bird disappears, the flight remains." That whole scene including and especially the words on the van was a comfort to me then and seems somehow appropriate now. Hoping our messages can be your sweet apple today Anneke. Bless you and OM both. I hope you have a good bottle of red wine waiting for you tonight!
ReplyDeleteDonna, thank you for your message and the lovely image of comfort. I have been filled with the outpouring of love across the interwebs. On this blog, your Barn blog, on Facebook, Colleen's video and other postings. Really, all everyone wants is love, dogs and humans. There was something about Bird that opened us all up to that love. I know she made me a better person.
DeleteIt is so odd to be alone in the house now. As you know, she could be a very wild, untamed and scary girl, and I felt quite protected by her. I also loved sleeping with her, having her chunky body up close to mine all night.
Yes, I liked doing this and want to keep doing it, taking care of old and/or sick dogs. It feels just right for me.
Thank you, Donna, for letting me be the one who got to take care of Birdy and love her til the very end.
I hope this means we can look forward to more blog posts and a new doggie when you are ready. I had a cheeseburger last night and you were all in my thoughts. I think from now forward whenever I have a cheeseburger I will think of the Birdy and how you helped her live her life til the wheels fell off.
DeleteI have enjoyed reading about Birdy since the very beginning. Thank you for giving her a home and a voice to keep all of her fans updated. She was a beautiful soul and I hope she is eating many more burgers and fries at the Rainbow Bridge. Hugs to you for your loss.
ReplyDeleteAnneke, Birdy's story touched people from all walks of life. Everyone that met me in person today got a little bit of Birdy's story. There was a roomful of big, scary-looking tattoo guys in a shop (and two pit bulls) that grieved with me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for what you did. It was an inspiration and a check in the win column for believing in the innate goodness of mankind.
My blue boy has a bad heart, a twisted gut, and a mass in his abdomen. I may need to send him Home someday, earlier than I'm ready for, and I'll try to think of your strength.
I, too, thought about you all day today. Wishing beautiful Birdy a strong tail wind on her trip home and Nice Lady and OM loving memories to ease their loss.
ReplyDeleteWe lost 2 doggies to lymphoma this year--two brothers. They will be happy to meet you at Home. Sorry that you had to leave but so glad you had a good life at the end.
ReplyDeletelove & wags,
River the beagle
Fly free, girl.
ReplyDeleteBirdie has indeed crossed the great divide where pain and suffering does not exist. and while she was here- she had you to tend to her every need and now- she tends to yours- to watch over you and dispel her perfect timeless wisdom in unexpected ways. What an amazing Love Story. Thank you so much for sharing her with us!
ReplyDeleteDogs such as Birdie can teach us "intelligent" humans so much. I have learned from Birdie the greatest lesson of all. Live life large for you are not promised tomorrow. I have followed this pretty little girl since she found on the streets of Oakland and as I look my own little girl she looks just like Birdie except the ears. I will always make sure she lives life large.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anneke and OM for sharing your stories of love and devotion.
For Birdie, I know you are listening, I quote 2 Timothy 7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
God speed Birdie.
Birdie, know that you take much love with you on your journey home. Anneke, thank you for giving this sweet girl a chance.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thank you to OM for loving Birdie and being a part of her life.
ReplyDeleteThank you for opening your heart and your home to the beautiful Birdy. It was obvious how much love and joy you brought to each other - and to me through this blog. I loved how even to the end, Birdy had to dig holes in the yard :*)
ReplyDeleteSleep well, Birdy.