:( Sad news!

[RattieLova]

My neighbor asked me to go over to their house twice a day to check on their two animals, a cat and a dog. This was only for the weekend.
Everything went really fine until last night (sunday night, at about 5 pm)
Jojo (the dog) is kept in a large fenced in area and he is chained up to the fence. This dog is always trying to get out, dig, jump over the fence... well, let's just put it this way: Crazy!
Anyway, last night, he tried to escape twice, by digging a large deep hole under the fence AND unhooking himself somehow!
Since I am an early bird, I went over to my neighbors' house at about 8:30 am this morning (monday) to check on the animals. I always check on the cat first, give her fresh food and water and let her run around the house (since she was kept in the large laundry room, I wanted her to get some "free time" around the house, while I was there)
I walked out in the backyard to check on the dog. The moment I walked out there I knew something was totally wrong. I called his name, he didn't move! So, I ran over there and the second I saw his paws straight up in the air, I knew he was dead!
I ran inside, put the cat back, and locked up the doors. I ran as fast as I could back to my house, luckily my parents were there, sleeping. I ran into their room, in tears, shouting: "Jojo is dead!!!" They got up at once and asked me what happened.
My Dad and Brother went over with me to check it out. They carried the corpse away from the scene.
What happened was, since he was an escape artist, late last night he tried to escape from the fenced in area. He did this ok until he wanted to come back in. He had caught his collar on the bottom of the fence (where to hole was) and it was so tight on there he couldn't breathe!!!!!!! It was so tight, so tight! Poor thing!
My dad, and my neighbor, said it wasn't my fault at all, since he wanted to get out. But, I feel so bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Karen]

How awful for both you and the family! Our thoughts will be with you, and them. It wasn't your fault, you must know that in your heart.

[RattieLova]

Thank you so much! You made me feel much better!

[aly]

Oh gosh, please don't blame yourself. I'm in tears here remembering a painful experience of my own. I will tell you about it so I hope you understand it can happen to anybody.

I was a sophomore in high school and my neighbors had two beautiful Golden Retrievers named Amy and Abby. Amy was blind and Abby was her support. They were littermates and had been together their whole lives and loved each other SO much. My neighbors had me watch the dogs for 3 weeks while they were in Russia. Everything went fine for the first 2 weeks, then one morning I let them out into the backyard then went back to my house. In the afternoon when I went to go put them back in the house, Abby would not get up. I called and called to her but was too afraid to go up near her because I feared she was dead. I ran and got my parents and it turns out I was right. She died of old age from what the vet said. Well after that Amy wouldn't eat, sleep, or move. She just layed there and whined. I had to take her to the emergency vet where they eventually had to put her to sleep. This is so painful to bring up again and I blamed myself for the longest time. But I realize that there was nothing I could have done to prevent it. At least they are together at Rainbow Bridge now.

And Jojo is up at Rainbow Bridge too. Be at peace knowing that. I know its hard not to blame yourself, but try not to.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Heather Wallace]

I was so sorry to hear what had happened to the poor dog. Don't blame yourself, isn't your fault, a tragic accident.

I have heard a lot of this sort of thing happening when dogs are tied up and they try and escape.

[anna_66]

Oh, that's just awful. I can't imagine having to see that, like everyone else said, "It's not your fault"

[RattieLova]

Thanks so much for the comfort!
Yes, it isn't your fault the beautiful golden retreivers died, it's old age! Thats very sad, poor things! Poor you!
Thanks again for replying to my post, I appreciate it so much!

[Lando]

yes it wasn't your fault. I just feel bad for the dog that he died that way. But it was good that you went in the morning to check early.