Danny with her buddy Richie

At my stage of life I like to believe
that as the days pass on by all are good
sure, there are some that are better than most
and are other not quite up to par
but as long as I wake up every day
then that day will be good in its own way.

That belief was sorely tested today
as one after the other, things went astray
for starters, my laptop was fried
and would not boot up even though I tried
everything I knew to get it to start
but alas, it had no change of heart
and so to the shop for others to see
what may be wrong and then the question I asked
can it be fixed or a new one must I buy
as I need a computer and that is no lie.

Then the phone rang as I picked it up
with much trepidation for I could see
the call was from the vet’s office near me
where I had two pets both very sick
in the hospital at the same time
a dog and a cat and not doing fine.

Both had been there for several days
the dog named Danny, short for Danielle
was my only large dog the rest being small
who at twelve was not eating at all
even though all her favorites I tried
in an effort to get her turn it around
but she worsened and so in the end
I took her in for my friends at the Vets
to work their magic and make her well.

Alas, it was not to be
as Dr. Vargas at the other end of the line
said that they could not turn it around
no matter what it was they tried
she would not respond and it was time
for us to take the life inside
from the beating heart so proud
so friendly and so full of love
and send her to her place above.

It was with a very heavy heart
I told my vet that I agreed
that I trusted him and his advice
and I knew that he had done his best
to try to delay her eternal rest
but the only humane thing to do
was to send her to a better place
where her suffering would be erased.

I sometimes think that as a race
we view animals in their place
and when they get sick and even though we try
we know that they will probably die
and to end their suffering and not draw it out
we choose to end their life on this earth
as we like to think that we know best
as we send them to their place of rest.

And so to the garden I went
to find a spot where Danielle would lay
and dug a hole both wide and deep
for her to lay in her eternal sleep
and even though my heart was sad
and the tears welled up as I worked along
thinking of the good times we had
over the twelve years we had sung our song.

Brown Cat

The second animal at the vets
was one of my cats who a while ago
had developed diabetes who knows how
and had suffered a seizure in front of my eyes
so I grabbed him and into his crate
and back to the vets we did go

After many extensive tests they found
that his glucose level was down
and that it had triggered the seizure so wild
which had caused him to tremble and shake
which required their care in order to find
what to do and what treatment we should mind.

The good news from the vet was that Brown Cat as he’s named
can go home with me later that day
and with him a new brand of insulin to apply
in order to control his diabetes we’ll try.

And so back to the vets I sadly went
to pick up the animals that I loved
and to pay the bill and thank my friends
at the Vet’s Office for their care
and the efforts they made and did their best
but Mother Nature as she usually does
has the last word on this day and the rest.

With Jillian’s help and with much care
we loaded the animals into the car
Danielle in her box taped tight and secure
Sleeping her everlasting sleep
and Brown Cat in his crate very much alive
yowling and complaining as home we did drive.

We buried Danielle in her grave
and the rest of the dogs all sniffed at her box
as if to say, farewell our friend
we know that your life you have lost
but in our own doggy ways
we will miss you for you were the boss
the head of the pack, the number one dog
not fierce or noisy but so gentle and kind
with a heart so big with much love for us all.
One crate for Brown Cat and one box for Danielle.