I know the sadest day in my life to be the day in August when I lost Shivers my dog and in such barbaric way as well, so barbaric it took me several months to get over the initial shock and as I found out in November, I was still not entirely over.
Shivers and my cat Sylvester were the best of buddies, since they both had that Tuxedo Coat they looked like the Bopsy Twins indeed. Always running around the yard together and Shivers never knowing when Sylvester would attack him from the rear, driving him into the grass. Shivers would come up in force and chase Sylvester to no end, Sylvester always being just a little faster then what Shivers could run.
Or even in the house, Sylvester would linger on one of the kitchen table chairs, hiding out until the strike was right as Shivers would walk unaware under the chair. Down would come these long legs, claws extended! Wammo, right on the ass Shivers would take the strike, and let me tell you, Sylvester keeps those claws of his honed to the teeth, I mean they would draw blood on my old leather arms and calloused hands like they were razors when I would play with him as well, even though he would never strike real hard with them. Lord I can't imagine the damage they would cause to Shivers should he decide to let go and do so?
But, all and all they were inseparable, and when I would do my yard work or housework for that matter, they were always under foot, where ever I would go. Shivers loved to ride on my lap while I mowed the yard on the riding lawn mower, Sylvester the Pussy Cat drew the line where that went though, just sitting in a tree on on the side lines watching us go round and round the yard.
Anyway, one thing I had to watch with Shivers and as odd as it was since he was fixed, or neutered or spayed or what ever you call it, he lost his balls! But that would never stop him from getting the scent of a bitch in heat and away he would go. We own a lot of property and even though it is surrounded by cyclone fencing he would still find a way out from under it, no matter how many patch jobs I made in the fence. Well, it was only for a few months out of the year, and even when he would get out he would always return a few hours later, tired & sore. He would have something to eat then sleep for hours. A lot of times I would find his way out patch up the hole in the fence and end his little sex-apades. This went on for the 9 years I had Shivers and even the neighbors were used to it after all this time and would come to the door to let me know where he was at.
Some new people moved in on the next block, the regulars knew nothing about them besides they had six of those Pit Bull dogs chained up in their back yard with a tall wooden fence around it. So on one of Shiver excursions he found a way under their fence. When Shivers didn't come home that night I went looking for him, going to all his spots with the female dogs he knew. No one had seen him at all. Now I was really getting upset. The next day I put up some flyers around the neighborhood and still for another week there was no responce or Shivers.
Finally a young boy come to our door and informed me that the guy with the Pit Bull dogs had found a small dog resembling Shivers in his back yard. One hind leg had been torn off and his throat had been yanked out! It was Shivers.
Here is a dog that loved to play with any dog that come around, never hurt anyone and torn apart by some dogs that were only ment to be mean because an ******* of an owner choose to chain them like pieces of meat on a hook! God I was furious. I had even loaded my rifle and was truly going to put a demise to him and his dogs, but my wife finally talked me out of this recourse. As Janie said, it's not really the animals fault, it's the owner, but to shoot the owner would only mean loosing me, even if I only shot him just to mame and not kill it would mean having to eat slop for food and snuggling Bubba at night for about eight years or more. That kind of brought me back to reality!
Since Shivers had entered their property, the law and the A.S.P.C.A (whom I'm a Gold Member Of) could do nothing in Shivers defense. I WAS HEART BROKEN.
Shivers would sleep with us next to Sylvester at night on the king size bed at our feet. I know tears would well up in my eyes the first week solid, every night missing that silly little guy. As well, Sylvester walked around the house all day, meowing, and crying and looking in every room for him, that went on for almost two weeks before Sylvester adjusted to his absence. My wife, heart broken as well.
Well, in November, I thought I was pretty much over Shivers untimely, barbaric death and I decided instead of buying another dog for hundreds of dollars I would just go to our local dog pound and pick me out a mutt. You know, I wasn't in there more than ten minutes looking at all these unwanted dogs and cats before the tears started welling up in my eyes. The lady there come up and asked me if I was ok? I waived my arm in the air and said I was fine but had to leave, trying so hard for her not to see me start to cry as a full grown man never wants another to see.
I made it to my car, sat down in the drivers seat and proceeded to let the gusher go. I mean I just couldn't stop crying. Crying over Shivers, crying over these animals I see in pens, ready to die as well because so many people are ********* and shouldn't have pets anymore then they should probably have children!
I truly don't believe the responsibility is much greater between animal or child. They both need education, love & understanding, feeding, medical attention and to know they always have a home to come to in times of trouble. They are just like children, you can't go on an extened vacation without making sure they are taken care of and you have to watch them on a daily basis to make certain they are well, no splinters, no colds, no broken bones. A lot of people never take this into consideration when they get a dog or cat. The finacial burden alone, and can it fit into their budget?
I see people on welfare with two or three dogs and cats running all over and just wonder what the hell is going on in their minds. Youngsters mostly, newlyweds, wanting that animal to show they are protected, and most of the time some breed that is ment for only that purpose. No real yard for the pet, an apartment and most of the time the animal they get is on the sly from the land lord, until the animal is found out. So, where does it go? And how the **** do you survive on a welfare check and tend to that animal should he need Veterinary assistance. They have no clue that the initial visit is $50 to &100 dollars alone. I am sorry, I'm off on a small tangent I suppose, but I sure hope this makes it to even one young person out there with a wife and child and making minimum wage or welfare payments to support yourselves. Would you send your child to a place where he is pinned up in a two by two foot cage, has one week to live if no one adopts him or her and if not is put to sleep with a needle in his arm, just like we kill our convicts in prison in many states!
I had to call my wife on the cellular phone at work that day from the animal shelter. I told her what I had done and she said no honey, it's way to soon for that, I said, yes I realize that now, I just can't stop crying! I kept telling myself, Ron, you have been through a war, you have seen death a thousand times, now what the **** is the matter with you? Stop this! Get up and go home. The more I told myself, the more I cryed. My wife, Janie finally talked me back down to earth some thirty minutes or so later I finally was able to turn off the tears and gather my composure again. Janie never said a word to me about the incident later that day when she got home, but knew how I was feeling and let it go from there. I only thank God I have such a wonderful women.
Good Bye My Little Buddy. You will always have a place in my heart, soul and mind and another on my list I will never forget as long as I live, and I know Momma feels the same Shivers and Sylvester still looks for you from time to time, I watch him check the rooms and the corners where you would hide on him while you two played your silly cat and dog games.
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