fall-2008 - PAWS Chicago

ershey
I have been a volunteer with PAWS Chicago for over six
years and I am now a Professional Board member.
Hershey was the sweetest, best friend a girl could have.
He was a beautiful Springer Spaniel that I shared my
life with for 16 years. One day we were far from home
and he was having a hard time breathing and making
odd noises. I took him to the nearest vet I could find.
After an X-ray it was found he had a large mass attached
to his liver that was altering his breathing. A little over
three weeks later I found myself sitting on the floor
dribbling water in his mouth. I told him it was okay to
go, I would miss him but he needed to rest. He refused.
My vet opened on Sunday morning and I took him in.
His eyes told me that he understood and it was okay
that I helped him. He went away quietly.
The hole he left in my life was huge. Reilley, my other
Springer who I had rescued a few years earlier, and I
sat and cried for a long time. Though it was the most
difficult thing I had ever done, I was glad that I made
the decision. I found consolation in relieving him from
pain. Unfortunately, three months later Reilley passed
in his sleep. I was devastated. I couldn’t go home. I hated
to walk in the house alone. I went into a local shelter
while waiting for my car to be repaired and found a
quiet beautiful female Tri-Color Springer that had
been relinquished only a day before. She came up and
licked my hand. I felt warmed by the experience and I
recognized that doors close in order to allow others to
open. She came to share my home.
Each person is different. Many ask, “how could you
volunteer at PAWS Chicago or English Springer Rescue
so soon?” I couldn’t stop helping. I wasn’t sure when/
if I wanted another pet. It just happened. You have to
know in your heart what you are ready for. Sometimes
it helps the pain to assist those
that are here. Assist
them to find others
like the loved one
you lost fulfilled
yours. You never
know what you’ll
find along the way.
Cathy
Skortz
Cherish
For many people, the death of their pet comes with
many difficult decisions. Because each pet is different,
as are his or her owners, options, feelings and coping
mechanisms vary. Experts predict that over half the
human population has a pet at home. The average life
expectancy for pets is 15-16 years. Given these statistics,
it’s safe to say that a great number of people will experience
the death of a pet at least once in their lifetimes.
The relationship between humans and their pets is
often described by psychologists as a simple one—free
of the complications that people experience in dealing
with each other and full of unconditional love. This can
often make the grieving process more intense when a pet
dies. A pet is a constant companion, and facing its loss
can be devastating. Angela, who is facing the impending
death of her own cat, says, “Stones is my baby. I got her
as a kitten and raised her, right after I moved out of my
parents’ house. She has lived my adult life with me and
this is, by far the most ‘adult’ decision I’ve ever made.
It’s terrible and nowadays I can’t look at her without
apologizing or crying.”
Dr. Amir Shanan, DVM, who runs the Compassionate
Veterinary Care facility and is one of the country’s leading
veterinarians on hospice practices, euthanasia and endof-life
conversations, urges grieving “pet parents,” as he
calls them, to consider all the options. “We don’t have
a lot of control over the fact that we’re losing our pet,”
Dr. Shanan explains. “We still have control over a lot
of things and having that control can make a really big
difference in how we experience the grief.”
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