I can only add that I agree with the rest, you were NOT to blame at all. And you did so much for Jake, and for Phoebe too. I also agree with getting another dog as soon as your heart is ready for it, or even before you’re sure your heart is ready for it. It will help you grieve, and it will honor Jake’s memory to share your wonderful love with another animal who needs it.
I am getting ready to go thru the first anniversary of my cat Sassy’s death, 2 days before Mr Bear went overseas, and now 4 days before he gets home again. I went out a week later and got another kitten from the Animal Defense League here, not to replace my companion of 14yrs, but to give me another cat to share my love with, and to keep me company while hubby was gone.I now have 2 wonderful cats, Heather and Wilbur, and a sweet dog, Crystal.
Hugs to all of you, a pat for Phoebe, and some more kleenexes for you.
Carina, just wanted to add my voice to those telling you you’re not to blame. I lost a dog in the exact same way years ago, and I know how terrible you’re feeling. I hope you’ve got understanding people around to help you deal with it. I’m sorry for your loss.
Carina,
I am so sorry you lost your pet. It wasn’t your fault. Sometimes these things happen.
Some dogs like to wander; my in-laws in California had a dog that could escape from any fenced in enclosure, no matter what. They thought about re-naming her “Houdini”.
Although it may hurt to think about it now, the best thing you can do to honor Jake is to bring home another orphan doggie to love, as soon as you are ready. Good people like you, who clearly love their pets are needed, desperately. Give a donation of cash or food to a no-kill shelter in Jake’s memory, if you can’t take on another dog just yet. Jake was loved— too many animals aren’t.
One other thing I’m going to do is find out what city drones I have to talk to to get a stop sign or light put along this stretch of street. There are 14 blocks between lights; my house is about in the middle of it, and people use it as a drag strip. There have been three dogs hit right by my house in the last couple of years (more possibly, but I’m at work a fair amount.) One was a neighbors dog who was hit, car kept going, dog raced towards me & collapsed at my feet. Had I been a couple of minutes later getting him to the vet he would have died, because his lungs were collapsed. There are also a lot of kids in the 'hood.That’s something else I can look into, besides getting another foster mutt (I foster dogs for a local shelter; that’s how I got Jake.)
And, Sophie: I’m sorry that your big black lab isn’t working out for you. But it sounds like you’re really caring & he’ll be going to some wonderful people, so kudos to you for not just abandoning him at the pound for being “inconvenient.” Hope it works out for you & Adam & his new family.
I’m so sorry Carina. I can’t add anything to what the others have already said, only echoing that it was not your fault. As careful as I am with my 2 dogs, things sometimes happen.
I liberated one of my dogs from a bad situation in a junkyard, and got the other from the pound. I can tell you with all my heart that even if you only had Jake for a day, you made his life better than it would have been. There’s nothing anyone can say to make the pain any less, but always remember that you gave him quality of life that he never would have had without you. He likely would have died long before this, but you showed him the kindness of your heart, and I know that he’ll always be grateful for the second chance that you gave him.
Eventually, the grief will be replaced by happy memories, and perhaps at that time you’ll be ready to take home another dog. You can never replace a pet, but you can know that you’re saving another life. When you do, Jake will be wagging his tail with approval.
{{{Carina}}}
Some kids opened my back gate & let my dogs out a few years ago. We got one back within an hour (a friend caught him running across a busy road), but the other was shy & ran off. I didn’t get her back for days - someone had found her & decided to keep her…until her daughter saw one of my lost dog posters in the local shops and told her that she had to give it back.
Don’t feel guilty about the gate - it can happen to anyone…if I had locked my back gate, the kids wouldn’t have been able to open it, but I was lucky.
Do get another dog to keep your remaining dog company…I have had two rescue dogs & both have been beautiful.
{{{Carina}}}
<where’s a crying face when you need one?>