Why Do People Have Pets?: Recent Episodes

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When a hurricane rolls into town, it reminds us of many things we should have done but put off for one reason or another, like photographing or creating a video of personal property for insurance purposes or finally meeting with an estate attorney to create a will, so relatives don’t have to struggle through a prolonged probate process.

Something else we tend to put off is either getting our pets microchipped or updating the information saved to an existing microchip, should there be a change in contact information. I was guilty of this myself. We rescued our Golden Lab, Max, in Charlotte, NC. This is where he was also microchipped as a six-month-old pup. We have relocated to two different states since then, and it wasn’t until we moved to Port Orange that I finally contacted the microchip company and updated the contact information. Before updating, if Max was lost and someone had found him or brought him to Halifax Humane Society, the chip would have had incorrect information, and our chance of reuniting with him would have been greatly diminished.

A microchip is only as good as the information that is stored inside of it. The next time you take your dog or cat to your veterinarian, ask them to scan the chip to verify the information is still accurate. As well, the scan will verify that the chip is still working. Chips are designed to last up to 20-years. However, like any technology, there are exceptions. A scan doesn’t hurt your pet and shouldn’t cost anything to perform but ask your vet first if there is a charge for the scan. You can also visit the website of the service provider of the chip to verify the information. Their website and phone number are located on the tag provided for your pets’ collar. (not attaching this tag on the pets’ collar is another thing people tend to put off, so make sure to do that today! If you have lost the tag, contact the provider for a replacement tag. Your vet can give you the provider’s contact information for it, too, is on the chip.)

A microchip is easily injected into the animals’ shoulder area and is anchored in place as a thin layer of connective tissue forms around it. The chip requires no care. All three of my dogs have chips, and not one cried or displayed any discomfort at the time of injection.

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After your beloved pet has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, there are still many decisions that need to be made. If the pet is to be cremated, many people would like to have the ashes. You can contact local crematoriums directly, and Halifax Humane Society does offer services to coordinate your pet's cremation. Many different packages are available, ranging from a mass cremation to a communal cremation to only your pets’ ashes in various available urns. Crematoriums will offer these same options, and they vary in cost. If you use HHS, all proceeds go to support our community’s animals.

There are also pet cemeteries available if you wish to have your pet buried in a casket and the grave marked with a headstone. You can visit when you wish and lay flowers on the grave as you would at a traditional cemetery. I prefer the ashes in an urn, and I will eventually release most of the ashes in a place where my pet had the best times of its’ life. At the ocean, at the dog park, etc.

I would like to thank all the people who have sent me emails most recently. The stories of how you love your pets have been very touching. I answered an email from Bob with the following story of my own.

*“I have had to deal with losing many pets over the years, but my first dog was still the most difficult to handle. I received him as a Christmas puppy when I was just 10-years old. He was a miniature Schnauzer, and I named him Lucky because I thought I was so lucky to have a puppy. Fast forward 7-years, and in this period, I had lost my only brother and my parents to different illnesses. Fast forward again to when I turned 32-years old and needed to put Lucky down, for the now the 22-year old dog could barely see or hear and needed to wear a diaper but refused to die on his own. I had to take my most constant friend to the vet, and I never cried so hard in my entire life. Even after saying goodbye and watching him pass, I sat in the veterinarian's parking lot for an hour just balling. Until this day, I still have a statue of Lucky on my desk at home. I look so forward to be reunited with him again when I too pass on from this earth.”

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Saying goodbye to your beloved pet can be one of the most challenging times a pet lover will experience. People who do not own a pet do not understand the bond pet owners have with their best four-legged friends. Many people will grieve and mourn for many months, even years. As pet owners know, your animals are there for you no matter the circumstance. Unconditional love is often used to describe the way pets commit to their owners.

So, how does one deal with the loss of a pet or, even worse, having to decide to have your pet put down to minimize its’ suffering? Some people may have a dog in their life for as long as 15 years or longer. Cats can last into their twenties, so saying a final goodbye is something owners tend to avoid. If you love your pet, you will do almost anything to prevent them from dying. Unfortunately, we all die one day, but pets have an option that is not available to humans in most states: euthanasia. The process of letting the dog or cat cross over the Rainbow Bridge in peace and with minimal pain or anxiety. Here are some tips that may help ease your pain when losing a pet.

1. Waiting too long can be painful to you and your pet. We know our pet is coming to the end of its’ time with us in our hearts. They will have some awful days, and you must prepare yourself to take them in and have them put down. But then, they will have a really good day, and you think, okay, I’ll wait. There is nothing wrong with waiting, but there will come a time when waiting is no longer an option. You will know when that time has come.

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