# Owing a pet sucks **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 26, 2015, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495 "2015-06-26T00:38:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zerc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/82dd89/32.png) [@Zerc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zerc)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/1 "2015-06-26T00:38:41Z")
Actually, owning a pet is wonderful, it’s the last hours of owning a pet that suck big time. Titus our yellow Labrador was almost 13 and a half years old and although he had heart problems and arthritis, he was still going strong until just over a week ago he had a bout of pancreatitis that hospitalised him for five days. Last Friday he came home and seemed almost 100% healed. Last night he was feeling very bad and the vet said that it was a relapse of the pancreatitis and considering the prognosis and the pain he was in, the kindest thing to do was to put him down. It was horrible being with while they did it, but it would have been more horrible not to have been there. We lost a member of our family last night and it sucks. Titus we miss you. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/2 "2015-06-26T00:50:05Z")
Sorry for your loss. Until you own a pet, and know how much a member of the family they are, you have no idea what a loss it is losing one. Dogs are wonderful creatures. ---
**Author:** ![knitcrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2acd7d/32.png) [@knitcrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knitcrew)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/3 "2015-06-26T01:04:53Z")
Aw, I’m so sorry for your loss. I’ve had so many pets pass away too. My current pet puppy Chucky brings me so much joy I’m already dreading the day that he passes away. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/4 "2015-06-26T01:15:36Z")
I’m so, so sorry. I’ve been where you are. The best things for us to say seem heartless, but they’re true, nonetheless: You gave Titus the ultimate expression of love by taking care of him right up to the end and stopping his suffering. He will always be with you in your heart. Kudos for being brave when you needed to. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/5 "2015-06-26T01:23:27Z")
So sorry to hear of your loss. As many will tell you, having a beloved pet put to sleep is one of the hardest things we ever have done. You can’t replace Titus, but someday, maybe,when you are ready, others will need the love you have to give. [http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/power\_of\_dog.html](http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/power_of_dog.html) [http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/his\_apologies.html](http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/his_apologies.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/6 "2015-06-26T01:31:21Z")
Very sorry for your loss. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/7 "2015-06-26T01:36:39Z")
I’m sorry. ☹ It’s so hard. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/8 "2015-06-26T02:05:20Z")
Condolences. When we lost our Sadie last year we were desolate for a long time. But we were there at the end – wouldn’t have it any other way. When I was a teenager, and stupid, I once avoided being present for the euthanization of our childhood dog. I let my Mom take her instead. Decades later, it’s still one of the things for which I most reproach myself. Better to be there, for your friend, for yourself, for your vet. ---
**Author:** ![Whatever4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@Whatever4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whatever4)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/9 "2015-06-26T05:39:25Z")
This isn’t really pet related I don’t think, but I read it a few days ago and hope it helps. Someday, someone will hold you so tightly that all your broken parts will fit back together again. I know your heart is broken right now, so I hope I’m hugging you tightly enough. ---
**Author:** ![Zerc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/82dd89/32.png) [@Zerc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zerc)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/10 "2015-06-26T08:14:19Z")
Thanks for all the responses. It’s always nice to hear that people feel the same about their pets as we do. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/11 "2015-06-26T12:45:43Z")
Best wishes to you, **Zerc**. You did the right thing. All the good times you had with Titus are what you’ll remember. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/12 "2015-06-26T12:54:54Z")
So sorry for your loss, those guys can really get into your heart. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/13 "2015-06-26T13:29:04Z")
I’m sure Titus had the best life he could have imagined being part of your family. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/14 "2015-06-26T13:31:45Z")
He loved you, and you loved him, and you both knew it. That’s all there can be. That’s all there needs to be. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/15 "2015-06-26T13:35:44Z")
Done it twice and will never go through it again. Very sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/16 "2015-06-26T13:42:00Z")
Sorry. We just got a [lab puppy](https://dumpyourphoto.com/photo/rZfor9jDSd) 6 weeks ago and it’s plum amazing how much he’s become an integral part of our family and how much many of our activities and plans revolve around him. Plus I always know I’m going to have an excited little fella come bolting to me every time I walk in the door, sliding across the tile floor into my legs and covering me with happy paws and slobber. Labs are such intelligent dogs and amazingly devoted to pleasing their ‘master’. I’m really sorry about Titus but glad to know you had such a devoted friend for many, many years. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/17 "2015-06-26T15:56:17Z")
So sorry, **Zerc**. You’re right, it’s absolute hell to go through those last hours, or weeks or days. Hope you can find your peace soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/18 "2015-06-26T16:12:15Z")
You have my sincere condolences…I went through this two months ago. As a British author put it “when they leave us, the hardest thing to bear is that they take so many years of our lives with them…but be assured that whatever they take, they have deserved”. Sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/19 "2015-06-26T17:34:41Z")
So sorry. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495/20 "2015-06-26T18:13:26Z")
I’m glad Titus had such good doggie parents to help him along. Well done, **Zerc** , and I am sorry. > [@Baker](#): > > [http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/power\_of\_dog.html](http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/power_of_dog.html) > > [http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/his\_apologies.html](http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/his_apologies.html) These things are lethal. I don’t know that I’ve ever read the second one in its entirety because it makes me cry too hard to go on. That Kipling, hell of an author. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/owing-a-pet-sucks/723495.md?page=2)