When I talked to Mom on Sunday, she told me that they had to put Willie to sleep Saturday. He was a 16 year old Pomeranian. So he was 16–he lived a good and long life. In the past year or so he gradually lost his eyesight and hearing. While Mom and I were in Effingham, he started having urinary and bowel incontinence.
Because I live so far away, I probably only saw him a few times in the last year. Still, I miss him. I cried when Mom told me that Dennis held him when they gave him the shot, and brought him home from the vet, wrapped him in his blanket, and buried him in the back yard.
Pets become like part of the family and Willie was part of ours. He was such a happy dog and less so in the last year. The last couple times I was home, he didn’t even bark when I walked in the door. It was time. I knew it was coming. That doesn’t mean I was ready for it.
08/16/2005 — Update: Mom just told me that the vet sent them a sympathy card. That is really nice of them. They haven’t even sent a bill yet.