James was my heart kitty. He was like a little person. He had stress-induced asthma and I used to sing to him (“Sweet Baby James”) in the car – when we drove cross-country from California, where he was born in an old church, or when I had to take him to the emergency clinic… Read More
Perspective
My Greatest Service Was Sending You Away
When we met, you were dying. Not in the existential ‘a little every day’ or a slow fade of light, but in the ‘Poo is hitting the fan, move. Now.’ kind of way. I quickly went to work. Your eyes were screaming for help, and you let us. Thank you for letting us, I know it… Read More
When Relinquishment Punishes Everyone
It happened again. A family could not afford the care of their pet and the veterinarian offered relinquishment instead of having to euthanize the animal. It should be a feel-good story. It should make you say, “Wow that veterinarian is so nice to do that for that animal instead of euthanizing.” But instead, people get… Read More
When Mastery Takes Time and Lots, Lots, Lots of Practice
It is a rainy day in 2008. It is cold and damp outside. You are walking down a busy city street. You see a veterinary hospital. You decide to go inside. You pull on the wet door handle. You brush the raindrops off your coat. It is very quiet inside. At first you don’t… Read More
How I Respond Every Time a Dog Hurts a Child
Any time I hear of a dog injuring or killing a child, my heart breaks. As a human, it breaks for the child, who has either been physically and emotionally scarred or taken from this earth far too early. Read More
What a Puddle of Pee Taught Me About Trust
“Uh oh!” I look to my right, and a distressed stranger is pointing at the ground next to me. Read More