by A mother’s post about her adopted son and the loss of a pet is touching the hearts of people around the world.
Maria Henry Gay recently shared that her family had to say goodbye to their senior dog after some unexpected news. Maria had taken their dog, Buffy, to the vet for a routine teeth cleaning.
Given Buffy’s age, the veterinarian ran bloodwork first. But the results revealed that Buffy was suffering advanced kidney failure. Maria said that a difficult decision needed to be made.
“…we decided that the kindest and most loving thing to do would be to let her go before she lost her will to live and stopped eating and drinking,” she wrote on Facebook.
After learning they would need to say goodbye to Buffy Maria wanted to make sure her son, Robbie was part of the decision-making and immediately picked him up from school.
Her son Robbie knows much about the hardships facing senior pets in shelters, having gone through a similar experience himself. He spent years in the foster care system where he suffered years of neglect and abuse until Maria and her husband began to care for him. So it came as no surprise to her that her son told her that he wanted to be the one to “hold her when she went to heaven.” Maria shared the heartbreaking scene of her son crying as Buffy passed away in his lap.
proud I was of him for understanding the importance of caring for old animals and helping to make sure they never ever suffer.
Afterwards, Maria told her son how proud of him she was and “for understanding the importance of caring for old animals and helping to make sure they never ever suffer.”
But it was his reply that moved his mom even more. He said:
“I know how it feels not to be loved or cared for and I don’t want any animal of mine to ever feel that way. It’s only sad for us when they go to heaven. It’s a happy day for them. Thank you for being proud of me. Are you ok, Mom?”
Robbie’s words and actions have not only impressed his parents but many others.
One person commented, “So sorry for the young man and your family. Sounds like he has a good head on his shoulders and a great heart.”
Another said, “He is a special little man. God bless him, and his awesome heart.”
And another reflected on what it’s like to lose a pet, saying, “They give us so much during their too short lives, you gave her a peaceful and kind goodbye in return. You came through when she needed you, even though it hurt. Both of you were very brave today. I’m so sorry about your loss.”
Robbie’s personal experience has given him a wisdom and insight beyond his years. Maria explains that for her son it doesn’t matter how long a dog is in your life, but how much you love them during that time. He pointed out to his mom that she’s “only known me for two years but you love me like it’s been forever.”
It should be noted that the family only adopts senior dogs, who they call “our ‘old people’.” And Maria says her family plan to continue to adopt senior dogs, ensuring that dogs like Buffy will be loved and cherished for as long as they are with them.
You can read Maria’s full post here.
