It's Hard to Say Goodbye...

Being an animal lover and owner, we get to experience parts of life that some people never see. The lessons our children learn through animals are unequaled anywhere else.

 

The consistent, daily care teaches them responsibility, discipline, and nurturing skills.

 

They learn to detect the subtle (and sometimes the not-so-subtle) ways animals may communicate with us. They observe their natural behavior and learn to tell when something isn't "quite right."

 

Animals and pets help teach confidence to our children. They are always happy to see us, and never judge us.

 

I believe most importantly, in this day and age, where it seems as though our younger generations have such a selfish, "me" attitude, animals teach our children empathy and compassion. To truly FEEL for something (or someone) other than ourselves-  is a very precious thing- and that compassion can come from caring for a sick, disabled, or even a dying animal.

 

And it is that lesson that brings us to the hardest part of owning an animal.... letting go.

 

We had to say goodbye to our dear, sweet Lucky today. Watching her struggle with something that we knew she could not recover from was so difficult. It never gets easy to see something or someone you love die. But knowing that they are in a better place and are no longer suffering in pain is really the only way to get through it. This was the lesson the kids learned over the last couple of days... determining when "enough is enough"... when the medications you keep pumping into an animal are only prolonging her suffering, and ultimately, her death. We have to ask ourselves: are we doing it for us? Or for her?

 

Lucky showed us that she had had enough medications. Her body just couldn't go on. When it became obvious that our efforts at saving her were fruitless, that there was nothing more we could do... then the hard decision had to be made. It wasn't easy for any of us, but we've all seen her suffering for far too long, and knowing that we could help her in this one final way, we knew what we had to do.

 

 

 

We will love you forever Lucky girl.

To us you will always be "the goat who thought she was human."

RIP sweet girl.