05/06/2026
The hardest part of the job nobody talks about: all of the loss. We can all agree that our pets don’t live as long as they deserve. If I could have it my way, all pets would live forever. This week, I received another devastating update from a client: the sweet boy I had cared for six days prior passed away. The thing is- I knew when I left him last weekend, I wasn’t going to see him again. It was a horrible goodbye. I’ve had “goodbye” visits with many dogs I’ve loved. Laid on the floor with them, crying, stroking their head and telling them “you’re such a good boy”, “you’re such a good girl”. You love these animals as your own. As a caregiver, you notice everything. You must. Especially with the pets where I go weeks or months between visits- I can tell when they’re a little more unsteady on their paws, when their cataracts are more prominent. Suddenly they’re on medications for pain, and they’re sleeping more. They used to like 30 min walks, now they can barely tolerate 10. Some startle more easily, likely due to vision loss. They can no longer hear me call their name. It never gets any easier, saying goodbye to these angels. I’m just privileged enough to hold their paws for a short period of their lives 🐾 ❤️
