We tell ourselves "It was just another dumb _______ animal".

bcabrobin

As we sit holding an animal that is dying and we have done everything, anyone could do. But anyone who has had animals, a homestead or farm, knows sometimes no matter what you, or the vets have done, saves every animal.

To protect ourselves, you keep saying "it's just a dumb animal". But If it's just a "dumb" animal why does it hurt so much when another ones dies? Why do you feel there was something else you should of done? Second, third and fourth guessing if I had only done this or that, would they of lived?

After a year when we have lost so many. Goats, chickens, ducks, cats and kittens, why did a stupid little kitten hit me the hardest? A little black thing not much bigger than my hand, with a squeaky meow, we past many hurdles, many times I thought this is it she can't make it though, but she would fight and survive. This week was to much, not sure it was the heat, more than likely it was air blowing over her from the fans. She tried, we tried but add another small grave to the ever growing plot.

Monek Marie

@bcabrobin Losing an animal, no matter what ever is was is never easy. I face the same questions every time. Could I have done something different?

You fought for the kitten, gave her chances to pull through and more important love. Maybe sometimes that is all we can do. We will never know, but thank you for trying.

I lost a quail last night. I have no idea why and it was a shock. I asked myself at that time if I will ever get used to losing an animal and I knew I never will.

Hugs to you.

water2world

@bcabrobin So sorry for your loss of animals. That feeling will make you question yourself, because their footprints are already on your heart. They were loved!!

RustBeltCowgirl

@bcabrobin Sorry for your loss. No, it was not another dumb animal; it was a piece of your heart.

blevinandwomba

@bcabrobin I'm so sorry. I'll pray for you; it is really hard.

I lost several kittens this spring; we're pretty sure that they got into something toxic at the neighbors. I don't think I cried until the last one- then I spent the evening sobbing. And ironically, it wasn't even losing my favorite one that set me off. There is a cumulative affect with losses.

LaurieLovesLearning

@bcabrobin The moment that you stop feeling that is the moment that you are no longer human. Remember that. You love living things and that is good. It sounds like it was a beautiful creature, full of determination.

I think we tend to see the innocence that animals possess and want to root for them. But, we can't beat death, even if we try. It reminds us as well of our own mortality. How can it not?

I have sat by calves, kittens, cows, horses, pigs, an old hedgehog, various little wild things, chicks, guinea keets, ducklings, and our best dog (I think that's all?) and got sad/frustrated/angry at deaths of my birds whatever the reason was. Those I never sat with.

With the dog, I gave her cow colostrum & egg yolks which gave her lots of energy, but she was end of life. She hated me trying to give it to her & growled (she would have normally loved it). In the end, we made a warm nest of straw in a sheltered spot (we couldn't leave her at the door when it was cold), removed her collar & "set her free". She had worked very hard for us and was super loyal. We let her die a peaceful death. To take her to a vet would have been cruel. She needed to be home. The next day, we gave her a special burial out at the end of the lane, as she loved to be, guarding us all.

I just recently tried to save a bullied silkie chick. It fought hard and lived a full week as I babied it & talked to it, but the others never accepted it. It was doing better at one point, so I let it free from the box in the brooder where the rest were and that was the beginning of the end. I tried to help further, but it made little difference.

Incubator lockdown is tonight, and I will again fight for those stuck in their shells and the late hatchers. This will never change. I hate to experience the losses of any animal. It never gets easier.

This year has been hard enough, even without animal losses. It is good and healthy to mourn any loss and it helps release the stress. It marks the end of one thing and leaves room for something else. You are not alone in doing this. We all understand. 💛

judsoncarroll4

It happens to most of us - be glad it does. As much as it hurts, as I said in my podcast on using herbs for pain, we are only truly pain free when we are dead or deadened.

monica197

I am sorry - losing an animal is so hard

I sent one of rabbits to bunny heaven a month or so ago - you always hope they pull through and sometimes they don't.

💙

Not a dumb animal for sure. When they come into our land - whether outside or in - they are a part of all that goes on, aren't they? And when they are lost, it leaves a little void.



💙

LaurieLovesLearning

I lost my last partridge colored (its hard to keep that color right), silkie hen. She was a good broody, & sitting on eggs.

I guess that she forgot to keep getting up for water in the heat and died from heat exhaustion. I can only hope that the eggs are still good and the others that were sitting beside her on eggs will continue their setting.

The rooster didn't try to protect the dead hen when we removed it, but when we poked the other two to see if they were still alive (sometimes you wonder with silkies), he got pretty protective.

karenjanicki

I'm sorry. It really does hurt.