The Chronicles Of Nay

If you are not in a good state of mind, or you are feeling blue today, this blog might not be a good one to read!

So the day that I have been dreading arrived. I came home from class wedesnday night to find my poor little Gabbana had passed away sometime during the day.

I didn’t know what to do. I had never had to deal with that situation before. So I called my mom! She suggested calling animal control. It was after 9 so I called the non emergency line. The lady said I would just have to call animal control in the morning. However, she did suggest, If I didn’t want her in my house I could wrap her in a towel or a blanket and leave her outside. She said “I mean obviously in the backyard she will be safer there.” Ma’am? is there a market for dead dogs that she might be swiped off my front porch? and also jsut wrap her up and leave her outside like a bag of trash?!?! I just said um ok thank you. She said, “yes, and I am sorry for your loss.” The whole interaction was strange. I mean she was friendly and nice and all but the protocol for this was strange!

I call my mom back and she is like um… ok… Then I was like wait I know someone that will know what to do! I called Amber! She is amazing and knows what to do. She is associated with a vets office not just a random friend that is like yeah I’ll burry your dog! haha So I call her, she gives me some options and then asks if I want to meet her some where so that Gabbana isn’t just laying on the floor of my living room.

So at 9:30ish I wrap her up in an old sheet and go meet Amber. She asked if I wanted my sheet back. I told her no because, honestly, I am not sure where this sheet came from, I am not even sure what size it is and if it fits any of the beds in my house! haha So Amber gives me a list of options again.

I spend a little while talking to Amber in the parking lot of this random gas station about halfway between our houses. So when I finally leave I call my mom and tell her the options that Amber gave You know: Do you want her ashes? NO… Do you want a paw print? NO… So a mass cremation? And before I can say anything else my mom says “Like a mass service for Gabbana?! You’re not even Catholic!” I pause for a moment because she cought me totally off guard then I responded with um… “no, like I think if they have multiple animals at a time?” We could NOT stop laughing. And anyone that knows me knows that I combat feelings with a little jokey joke. I just kept stirring the pot! “I mean not only am I not catholic I don’t think Gabbana was catholic either!” OMG! I tell you! in the midst of all the sadness we got a pretty good laugh!

I had a lot of great memories with her. She was a good little dog and she had a great life. She was such a great friend to me for the last 16 years. It is going to be weird for a little while coming home to an empty house. We didn’t do the pet thing really growing up so this was my first foray in to pet parenthood. Don’t get me wrong I loved it, she was great, adorable and over all great company. However, I do not think I need to continue that adventure. Just this past weekend I was talking to Molly about when Gabbana passes I don’t think I will replace her. I didn’t mean for that to happen like this week! Although I am sad, I am grateful for the time I had with her, I am grateful for the lessons she taught me, and most importantly I am grateful that she passed away at my house and not the Hester house while they were dog sitting!