# My dog got out and hasn't come home... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 5, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553 "2008-10-05T15:12:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/41 "2008-10-09T20:40:06Z")
How awful. I’m so very sorry. StG ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/42 "2008-10-09T20:44:16Z")
I’m so sorry, what a sad ending. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/43 "2008-10-09T20:52:45Z")
I’m so sorry for your loss. I was really hoping for a different ending to this story. ☹ Take comfort in the thought that Princess had a long, happy life thanks to you. This is just the awful price we pay for having these wonderful furry beings in our lives. And at least you _know_. You won’t always be wondering what happened to her, and maybe you can have a little closure. Doesn’t make it any easier right now, I know. {{{Mrs Johnson}}} ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/44 "2008-10-09T20:53:20Z")
Aw geez. My sympathies on this very sad turn of events. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/45 "2008-10-09T20:59:24Z")
{{{Hugs}}} I’m so sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/46 "2008-10-09T21:02:30Z")
Darn. Certainly not the ending anyone was hoping for. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. ---
**Author:** ![Foxy40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Foxy40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foxy40)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/47 "2008-10-09T21:07:56Z")
I’ve been checking your post each day to see if your baby made it home safe. What a terrible thing that happened. Being very attached to an animal myself, I can only imagine your grief. I guess it is a small blessing that you know what ultimately happened and can have a burial. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/48 "2008-10-09T21:24:48Z")
I am so sorry to hear your news. Nothing that I can say will make the pain any less, but know anyway that you are in my thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/49 "2008-10-09T21:39:55Z")
I’m so, so, so very sorry. ☹ I’d been checking this thread from time to time to see if you’d gotten your happy ending, and my heart just broke to see it wasn’t going to happen after all. Small comfort, I know, but at least Princess made it home in the end and you have some closure. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Daffyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daffyd/32/8923_2.png) [@Daffyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daffyd)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/50 "2008-10-09T21:49:12Z")
I am **so** sorry… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Lavender\_Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b782af/32.png) [@Lavender\_Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lavender_Falcon)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/51 "2008-10-09T21:53:26Z")
> [@Mrs\_Johnson](#): > > I know I can’t change anything - but she was just _so close_ to home last night… I feel awful. Oh, man. ☹ You did what you could, but she was a little dog and when they take off, there’s no way to know which direction they went or how far they’ve gone. Think of how hard it is to find lost people, even when there are hundreds of experts and volunteers looking for them. Sending lots of good thoughts your way. I’m glad that at least you know for sure that’s she’s gone and you have her body for burial so you don’t have the agony of wondering. Still, I’m sure that’s little comfort right now, and I’m very sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/52 "2008-10-09T22:13:27Z")
Oh dear!!! What a heartbreak. So sorry, Mrs. Johnson. It’s way too soon now, but once you’re done grieving for Princess, I do hope that you’ll consider returning to the shelter that you visited and maybe adopting one of those poor dogs. RIP Princess. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/53 "2008-10-09T22:24:42Z")
I’m so sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/54 "2008-10-09T22:42:08Z")
Damn, damn, damn. I’m so sorry, Mrs. Johnson. You did everything you could, and Princess is at peace. She doesn’t hurt, and she knew, flat-out _knew_, how much you loved her, every minute, even when she went adventuring. Dogs are very whole-hearted in their love and devotion to their human pack. Take as much time as you need to grieve. You’ll never replace her but someday–and you’ll know when–you’ll come across the pup who’s your pack and waiting to come home with you. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/55 "2008-10-09T23:45:43Z")
Oh god, I’m just heartbroken for you. I’ve been following this story and holding out hope for the best. You have my deepest and most heartfelt sympathy. **{{{{Mrs. Johnson}}}}** ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_Johnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Mrs\_Johnson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_Johnson)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/56 "2008-10-10T00:16:31Z")
Thank you everyone for your sympathy. I don’t have many friends and it is a great comfort to have all of the kind words and thoughts from you Dopers. We buried her next to a tree that was planted just a few months ago. I think it’ll be a beautiful spot when Spring comes around. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/57 "2008-10-10T00:30:02Z")
I’m so very very sorry. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/58 "2008-10-10T00:55:09Z")
I’m so very sorry for the loss of your Princess. It’s a good thing that you were able to recover her body and bury her in your yard, it’s a small mercy. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/59 "2008-10-10T01:31:44Z")
I hate to do a “me too”, but I just wanted to say, I’m so very sorry. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553/60 "2008-10-10T03:56:26Z")
I haven’t had a lot of time to write, but I have been reading along, hoping Princess would find her way home. I am so very sorry for your loss. To me there is nothing like the pain of losing a much loved dog. I have to agree with the posters that encourage you to return to the shelter. Give yourself time to grieve, then adopt another friend. Princess would like that. ((((hugs)))) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dog-got-out-and-hasnt-come-home/466553.md?page=4)