by Ursula Thompson
This is for Flynn and Skye. Both of them were far too young to die. Flynn, a very unique looking Chihuahua/Cocker mix, died last year 2 weeks before Xmas. Two weeks before that he was hit by a car after chasing a neighbor's dog out of our yard. It was early in the morning and still dark when I let him out to go potty. I still don't know how I found him hiding in the ditch, in the weeds, his back end paralyzed. The vet said he might recover, and he did fine. Then, one morning, I was gone for 30 minutes; when I came back, my boy was dead in his crate - just like that, after starting the day completely normal. I still don't know why and how.
Skye, my 14 months old Border Collie, died on the road, too. I went shopping and left him in the fenced in backyard. I thought about taking him with me, but it was a hot day, and I didn't want to make him wait in the hot car. If only I had! He climbed the fence, obviously planning to follow me, and never made it across the road. When I found him, he was already dead. His loss is even worse - he was my first ever BC, and it was so terribly unexpected. Just an hour before we were playing ball and frisbee. All summer long I got frisbees from yardsales for him to keep him busy during the winter. For what? Now they collect dust, my 2 girls that I have left don't know what to do with a frisbee. He passed two obedience classes with flying colors, I had so many hopes for him, like agility and flyball. He never had the chance to live up to his name, "The Skye's the Limit".
It's been over 2 months now, and I still cry just thinking about him.