Today is the 3rd year anniversary of one of the hardest days of my life — the day we unexpectedly had to say good-bye to our first pug, Lily. At age 6 she suddenly developed tracheal collapse, a condtion we had never seen a symptom of until 2 days before her death.

I wrote this story about my Lily in my grief after her death.
The pain of the loss is a bit better now and I can say her name without tears but her ashes, leash, collar and photos have stayed right here next to me on my desk for the last 3 years. I have decided it is time to put them with the other precious dogs’ who have passed on yet my hands can’t seem to lift them to move them……

Lily left us two gifts behind — her daughters Sprout and Sprite (also known as “the Ink Spots”) and later sent me Buster, our rescue pug, to comfort me. Buster is nothing like Lily except in one important way — he knows exactly where to cuddle up with me at night and positions himself in almost the same spot as Lily did against my body. Had Lily not passed on maybe Buster would have not found a new home at least certainly with us. I can picture Lily nudging the person who e-mailed me Buster’s posting on Craig’s list a few months later and nudging the former “owner” to call me after he read my reply to his ad. I think Lily then visited Buster and said “this is what you need to do to help my mom”. Buster has some baggage but he has grown on me. I still miss my Lily though and always will. The special ones leave a very large hole that can never be totally filled. I would never have missed out on those 6 years with her no matter how much pain it caused me to lose her. Maybe tomorrow I’ll be able to move those ashes, maybe not…..

Chicago’s city council is about to vote on a PETA/Humane Society of the United States backed ordinance requiring ALL dogs and cats be spayed or neutered by 6 months of age. This includes purebred dogs who are show or breeding prospects.
This takes away the rights of pet owners and also takes away the decision of what is best for a pet from both the owner and their pet’s veterinarian.
Don’t live in Chicago? You should still worry as once a bad law is passed somewhere it often spreads to adjoining cities/states.
Here are some good blog posts by Chicagoans about why this ordinance would not solve the problems that the proponents claim it would:
From WGN Radio: http://wgnradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43910&Itemid=254
From the Chicago Tribune Editorial page:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-090310dale_briefs,0,3557678.story

Article on failed mandatory spay/neuter laws in other communities: http://saveourdogs.net/experience.html

To voice your opinion see this poll:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-sterilize-pets-vote,0,7639119.poll

Finally it is March and the light at the end of the long winter tunnel…….I was still suffering from “post traumatic stress” from last winter when the first winter storm arrived in November so this winter has seemed to go on forever but it’s March and that means SPRING!! The temperature doesn’t say “spring” this weekend with highs way below normal but at least it is light longer and the view isn’t all snow. The barnyard/outside agility area is a skating ring though courtesy of rain, melting snow then below freezing temps a couple of days ago so hard to picture the equipment up and classes running yet despite the inquiries.

The donkeys would not leave the barn the morning after the rain turned to ice. They are cautious and smart enough to know it is dangerous. It took Kent almost a half hour to convince them to go into a pasture and it wasn’t the one he wanted them to go into! Even the horses are treading quite carefully on the ice which I’m glad to see.

But it’s March so we can hopefully look forward to some better weather. In the meantime I’m going to Disneyland (World) and hoping when I get back winter will have left Wisconsin. In the meantime I plan to soak up enough Florida sun to last me until May!!!