The hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life to date
I am not a violent person.
I do understand that however sometimes you have to use violence to make everyone else safe.
As of yesterday morning I had 5 dogs.
Diamond - My mother hen old crone mutt.
Lucy - My miniature Dachshund
Betty - My Red healer
Piggy - My Half Dachshund half Chihuahua
Zelda - My Lab Catahoula mix.
Since about a 2 months ago Betty and Lucy have been fighting over various alpha female issues. Each fight had gotten progressively worse and the frequency had grown to just days apart. Typically the fight ended in Betty the red healer choking Lucy until my wife or myself were able to break it up. Until yesterday blood had never been drawn, but they had an all out brawl while I was on my way home.
My 10 year old son came home from school and unlocked the door. When he opened the door the red healer bolted past him and went straight for the miniature dachshund. He tried to break them up, but ended up getting scratched (not too bad). Eventually the fight ended with Betty going outside and Lucy bleeding from the neck.
Betty had finally broken the skin, and punctured her neck and esophagus.
Lucy bled a good bit before I was able to get home and treat her. She has this pocket of air collecting underneath her skin from the hole in her esophagus. I was able to calm her down enough to treat her wounds with antiseptics and place a bandage over the wound.
As heartless as it seems, I decided to see if she made it thru the night before taking her to the vet. I have too many trips to the 24 hour emergency vet, where they just can’t do anything and charge you $700.00 just to look at the animal. Well Lucy made it thru the night, and we took her to her normal vet this morning.
The Doctor is optimistic, but says she will need surgery to close the hole in her esophagus. He said she will need a heavy round of antibiotics because of respiratory bacteria escaping into her body. She is getting X-rays to see if there is any internal bleeding as well.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love my dogs.
So it broke my heart to do what I did yesterday after tending to Lucy.
I knew it had to be done, and I had played it out over and over in my head before hand.
We had tried to find another home for Betty, but with her history it’s hard to find someone willing to take in a dog who has attacked another dog.
Betty was a sweet and loving companion.
She would always run up to you in the driveway and let you know that she missed you while you were gone. She was gentle with all of the other dogs, as well as a role model for Zelda. Betty was also a trouble maker. She got into lots of things she should not have, and damaged a lot of nice things in the process.
The hardest part about putting her down was the way in which I did it.
I had to bring her outside thinking that we were going to play fetch out back.
I threw the stick for her a few times and she brought it back. Each time she came back it got harder for me to separate myself from the situation. Then as if someone else took over my hands I reached into my pocket and pulled out the pistol disabling the safety.
Betty came and sat in front of me, not knowing the fat which was about to befall her.
It was a quick shot to the head, and she was on the ground twitching. She let out an instant whimper when the shot was fired, but was instantly silenced. I fired a few more shots to end her life quickly and mercifully, but I still feel like a total monster for going it. What hurts the most is the fact that Betty was about a week pregnant, and I killed her embryonic puppies too.
My wife assures me that I’m not a monster, and I did the right thing to protect our family.
We have a baby of our own on the way, and we just could not have Betty attacking Lucy around the baby.
Lucy barely escaped with her life, and still may not make it.
I do understand that however sometimes you have to use violence to make everyone else safe.
As of yesterday morning I had 5 dogs.
Diamond - My mother hen old crone mutt.
Lucy - My miniature Dachshund
Betty - My Red healer
Piggy - My Half Dachshund half Chihuahua
Zelda - My Lab Catahoula mix.
Since about a 2 months ago Betty and Lucy have been fighting over various alpha female issues. Each fight had gotten progressively worse and the frequency had grown to just days apart. Typically the fight ended in Betty the red healer choking Lucy until my wife or myself were able to break it up. Until yesterday blood had never been drawn, but they had an all out brawl while I was on my way home.
My 10 year old son came home from school and unlocked the door. When he opened the door the red healer bolted past him and went straight for the miniature dachshund. He tried to break them up, but ended up getting scratched (not too bad). Eventually the fight ended with Betty going outside and Lucy bleeding from the neck.
Betty had finally broken the skin, and punctured her neck and esophagus.
Lucy bled a good bit before I was able to get home and treat her. She has this pocket of air collecting underneath her skin from the hole in her esophagus. I was able to calm her down enough to treat her wounds with antiseptics and place a bandage over the wound.
As heartless as it seems, I decided to see if she made it thru the night before taking her to the vet. I have too many trips to the 24 hour emergency vet, where they just can’t do anything and charge you $700.00 just to look at the animal. Well Lucy made it thru the night, and we took her to her normal vet this morning.
The Doctor is optimistic, but says she will need surgery to close the hole in her esophagus. He said she will need a heavy round of antibiotics because of respiratory bacteria escaping into her body. She is getting X-rays to see if there is any internal bleeding as well.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love my dogs.
So it broke my heart to do what I did yesterday after tending to Lucy.
I knew it had to be done, and I had played it out over and over in my head before hand.
We had tried to find another home for Betty, but with her history it’s hard to find someone willing to take in a dog who has attacked another dog.
Betty was a sweet and loving companion.
She would always run up to you in the driveway and let you know that she missed you while you were gone. She was gentle with all of the other dogs, as well as a role model for Zelda. Betty was also a trouble maker. She got into lots of things she should not have, and damaged a lot of nice things in the process.
The hardest part about putting her down was the way in which I did it.
I had to bring her outside thinking that we were going to play fetch out back.
I threw the stick for her a few times and she brought it back. Each time she came back it got harder for me to separate myself from the situation. Then as if someone else took over my hands I reached into my pocket and pulled out the pistol disabling the safety.
Betty came and sat in front of me, not knowing the fat which was about to befall her.
It was a quick shot to the head, and she was on the ground twitching. She let out an instant whimper when the shot was fired, but was instantly silenced. I fired a few more shots to end her life quickly and mercifully, but I still feel like a total monster for going it. What hurts the most is the fact that Betty was about a week pregnant, and I killed her embryonic puppies too.
My wife assures me that I’m not a monster, and I did the right thing to protect our family.
We have a baby of our own on the way, and we just could not have Betty attacking Lucy around the baby.
Lucy barely escaped with her life, and still may not make it.