Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Good bye, Zephyr




It was a painful weekend for me. Zephyr (female, 10-month Ridgeback mix) impounded on 10/27/07 at Carson was dead in her kennel Saturday morning 12/1/07. She couldn't wait for me to get her to the emergency vet.

Up until her lonely, cold and early death - she was only known as A3745343. A stray dog who was considered by someone at the Carson shelter as a "plain-Jane, generic brown dog". To me she was beautiful and vibrant. I named her Zephyr after her death. She needed a name so that people who I will tell her story to won't ever forget her - what her life (and death) meant.

The media did a story on Zephyr yesterday. It is my hope and my determination to make Zephyr's legacy a meaningful, lasting one that will save many, many more lives.

Zephyr, I am sorry you had to endure so much in such a short time. I am sorry that while you were still alive, you were deprived of human kindness, because not all of us humans are bad and cruel. I am sorry that help did not come in time and you had to go because it was just too cold and too painful to wait any longer. I promise you I will do all that I can to keep others who are there now and who will come after - from having to experience what you went through.

Good bye, sweet girl, good bye.

1 comment:

Juliette said...

Cathy, along with many others, I'm sure, I am very grateful to you for this post. While much has appeared online and off today about this sweet dog's unnecessary death, your post was my first encounter with the news.

I just want you to know that within my own small piece of the universe, I plan to do something to make Zephyr's death count.

Sweet Zephyr girl, I am glad you are now safe and warm. Please know that while you may not have seen much human love or kindness in your short time here on earth, in leaving us, you have opened many people's hearts.

Let us hope that as a result, animal caretakers everywhere will think twice before they allow another of your kind to experience such cruel and needless suffering.

Rest in peace...