A series of essays….
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BREE’S ELIZABETHAN COLLAR COULD MAKE A CUTE LAMPSHADE, RIGHT? |
….as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E Hughes
If having a soul means being able to feel love, loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.
~James Herriot
As I nuzzled into her soft, ruby-colored face offering gentle kisses and whispered reassurances, I could smell the scent of almost every female in the place gathered within Bree’s collective coat; at this moment, a small receptacle used to store kindness, concern, and masses amounts of love. Each person had hugged and cared about Bree all morning long. By the time we came to pick her up and bring her home, it seemed the entire clinic would be coming home with us in this very special way.
Is it possible to work in a veterinarian clinic and not feel affection for each pet that comes through the front door accompanied by the humans who love them?
Following being gifted Bree on Christmas Eve morning, finding a veterinarian was the next logical step. With Covid-19 complications and, quite frankly, so many of us having a pet (even multiple pets), made it difficult to get Bree into a clinic. Actually, we had little time to prepare considering our three-month old bundle of Mini-Goldendoodle came as a complete surprise to us! Our family unit grew to three, literally, overnight.
By the time we were fortunate to find a veterinarian not far away who could see her and proceed with her vaccinations and boosters, we knew it was time to seriously consider having her spayed. Running a puppy farm was not in the cards for us, even though having more tiny Doodles to love would be very satisfying—it just wasn’t going to happen. So, by her first visit to the clinic in early March, we found ourselves setting-up the appointment to have Bree spayed.
Originally, we were given an appointment in late April, but they called to ask if the eleventh of April would work for us. Sure, sure, why not? The sooner the better because all we wanted to do was get this over with and not drag it out any longer then it needed to be. No matter what, Bree would be blindsided; even though we would not be, my emotional status became more and more delicate with each passing day. I was hampered with thoughts of Bree losing her gregarious and joyful personality, let alone the pain and recuperation time she was going to go through after surgery.
Dan and I have had two male puppies within the last thirty-some years. Loved both, dearly. Maybe because this puppy is female, I can better identify with her anatomy and create the possibility of different medical scenarios associated with being female. Besides, a parent (including parents of fur babies) will never feel comfortable when their children are in pain. Rather, they will choose to make them feel better, more safe and secure. Would she even love me after this was all said and, finally, done?
Our family and friends reassured us that she would love us, always. With this in mind, we woke-up early this past Monday to be at the clinic by seven-thirty, just as the sun was rising and bathing Bree’s fur in its golden richness. Her swirling, red tones were enhanced and decorated as if bejeweled with precious stones as she pranced along the parking lot toward the clinic’s front door. Ah, such happiness and uncomplicated bliss. At this point, her confidence in us was totally unspoiled.
The doctor called Dan’s cell phone around eleven thirty telling us Bree had done very well and that we could come pick her up at two-thirty. I remember thinking to myself that of course she did! She’s our Bree, after all.
The doctor’s call had gone to voicemail because we were inside a large retail store with poor cell signal and on a wild, slightly guilt ridden, shopping spree for new puppy toys, a soft and comfortable puppy bed, a blue feeding dish designed with a swirl pattern guaranteed to slow her eating frenzy habits, and, maybe, a few more items thrown in for good measure. Did you know you could purchase a small, very comfortable looking doggy bed made by Lazy-Boy for slightly over 125 dollars? I didn’t either. Sorry to say it’s not part of Bree’s furniture inventory. Even practicality can transcend the amount of guilt I was feeling about all of this.
After consulting with Nicky, the technician who had assisted the doctor several hours earlier, Bree was brought out to us…looking as though all life and good cheer had been kicked several light years away, never to return. Her once sparkling, brown eyes, now glassy and blank, were swimming in a breathless sea of oblivion. She had yet to come down from the effects of the anesthesia and this once vivacious little peanut looked as though she’d lost the will to flourish.
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BREE NEEDED A SOFT, QUIET SPOT TO REST |
When Nicky handed me the soft, Elizabethan collar decorated with colorful caricatures of cute puppies and kittens, the first thing that popped into my head wasn’t that it looked kinder and more comfortable than the older version of hard, white plastic. No, all I could think to say was that it would make an adorable lampshade after Bree no longer needs it. Well, I’m all about repurposing and this (cone) was so cute!
After paying for her post surgery medication and snuggling her close to my chest I, once again, could sense the scent of sweet caring emanating from each young person who helped our Bree make it through this day. With smiles and good cheer they waved good-bye to their little patient and wished her well. The look of stoic resignation on Bree’s face said it all! She just wanted to go home, settle into a soft place, and sleep.
That is how we celebrated our precious animal companion on National Pet Day, April 11, 2022. National Pet Day was founded in 2006 by animal welfare advocate, Colleen Paige, to celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives, as well as to create public awareness about the plight of many different kinds of animals awaiting a forever home in shelters and rescues all around the world.
I’m not sure that Bree would necessarily agree with us, but having her spayed was an important step to help stop the overpopulation of unwanted animals and that is a very good thing. Please help by having your pets spayed and neutered!
By the way—Bree is doing just fine. Wishing you a Happy Easter Sunday with Love and Kindness to all!
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MAY I HAVE THIS DANCE? |
Copyright © 2022 by Jacqueline E Hughes
All rights reserved
