A pet’s worldly possessions

“Putting their things away is one of the hardest parts,” a friend observed as we compared notes on pet loss. What do you do with the toys, the bed, the collar, the leftover medicines? There is no one right answer. After Emily died, I took a day off from work. I found it therapeutic to reorganize my pantry, and in the process I set aside the accumulation of medicines that eased her last years. There was Cosequin for arthritis and antibiotics for the bladder infections. There were ear meds and eye meds. Whatever was still usable I put in zip-lock bags and gave to a friend who is on the humane society board. “They’ll be glad to get them,” she assured me.

I put one of Emily’s beds out on the back porch. It was a month or so before I could bring myself to wash it, to let go of her smell and hairs still clinging to it. After I washed it I left the cover out on the porch, draped over a chair to dry. A few days ago I picked up the cover to put it away, and was startled when a Carolina wren flew out. She had built a nest underneath the cover. I loved this sign that life goes on. Without touching the nest, I moved it over to a corner of the porch where it would be safer. That evening I watched as the wren came back, another piece of nesting material in her beak, and looked around the porch. She abandoned that nest, but I’m sure she is nearby.

This past weekend I was looking for something in the garage. In the cabinet I came across a plastic bag with collars fromĀ  my former dogs. Along with the collars was Marmaduke’s favorite toy, a fuzzy little bear I bought her one day when she was undergoing chemotherapy. She carried it around in her mouth, and slept with it to her last day. After she died, I kept it next to the box containing her ashes, like a little guardian angel, until I finally put it away.

Marmaduke's fuzzy bear

Marmaduke's fuzzy bear

For 15 years I have kept that toy, and it brought a smile to my face to rediscover it. I let Alex sniff it, and it seemed to complete a circle somehow; my new dog connecting with those who have gone before, but are still much loved and missed.

Alex inspects Marmaduke's toy

Alex inspects Marmaduke's toy

Comments are closed.