Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Pet Blogging Is Not Supposed to Hurt

   When I began writing and then blogging, I felt pretty confident that being a pet blogger was the happiest job on earth. I mean, who doesn’t love dogs and cats? It turns out that unlike baseball, there IS crying in blogging. Good bloggers have the ability to make you feel as if you know their pets. You are friends and you keep up with each other’s lives. When something great happens, you rejoice and when something bad happens, you weep. This past month has been really hard for a lot of us. We have lost some great four-legged friends. Pet blogging is not supposed to hurt this bad.
Forever Forrest badge
   Forrest was a wonderful senior dog loved by my friend Bev Green down under in Australia. He is a part of her All Fur One and One Fur All blog. He was a tough fellow who survived being bitten twice by Eastern Brown Snakes. Forrest had the best face with the perfect amount of white for a 12-year –old. He was the kind of dog that everyone wants to have in their lives. As it became evident that their time together was drawing to a close, his family was able to help him fulfill his Barkit List. Bev honored him in with a beautiful tribute that you can read here. We are joining Blogville for Wags and Waves for Forrest Day. 
Farewell Beloved Cinco badge

   Cinco was one-half of the team at Playful Kitty. He reminded me of my Miss Gitty so I loved him right away. His meme made me laugh and his funny cat antics were legendary. He became ill very quickly and it was such a shock to his family and all of us loyal readers. There is never enough time to prepare or say “good-bye” but when it happens so suddenly it is difficult to grasp. Manna is picking up the slack but a void has been left in our hearts. Cinco's mom shared her farewell here.   
Whitley the Westie Forever badge
   The loss last week of Whitley the Westie has hit me harder than I expected. She was one of my first friends when I began Barking from the Bayou. Being the best-dressed girl in Blogville was not a title that she or her mom took lightly. I have no idea how many dresses Whitley had, but she looked adorable in every single one of them. As a Westie lover, I enjoyed the stories that Whitley shared about chasing zombies and barking at everything that moves. I loved the photos of her playing ball in the pool or floating on her S.S. Whitley pool chair. She and Pierre had so much in common.             
   Perhaps that is why saying goodbye to her has hurt so much. It reminds me that my own best friends will someday have to cross that Rainbow Bridge without me. That is a day that no pet parent is ever ready to face. Whitley the Westie will always hold a very special place in my heart. You can read her tribute here
It is not free to cross the Rainbow Bridge meme

   I know that many other people have had to bid a final farewell to their beloved pets recently. My heart breaks a little each time I read about another friend leaving. The death of a pet is the loss of a family member and it is devastating. It takes time to heal and get back on solid ground. As much as it hurts, we would do it all again for the years of happy memories. 
   Farewell Forrest, Cinco, and Whitley. 
We will miss you all but heaven has some beautiful new shining stars. 

Thanks to Gentle Stitches and Sammy from One Spoiled Cat for organizing this tribute for Forrest. Drop by and comment on One Spoiled Cat’s post today and they will donate $1.00 to their local animal shelter. It is in celebration of their 5th blogiversary! 


54 comments :

  1. I feel the same... I never thought that I will cry bitter tears for pets and people I never met and I "only" know via their blog or facebook... but it happened... and I think it is a gift somehow too that we feel so much for the people and pets around us. Maybe that is the sign that we are really friends...

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    1. I agree with you 100%. We are the best of friends. ♥

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  2. Mum and us feel the same. Online friendship is real, not virtual. Wonderful post ! Purrs

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    1. I feel as if my online friends are my true friends and I love you all. ♥

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  3. It hurts to say good-by to our beloved furfriends♥ Beautiful post.

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    1. It is a pain that we can all relate to and share. The Rainbow Bridge is getting crowded. ♥

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  4. We have shed a lot of tears over out keyboard recently. It's amazing how those we have never met in the fur can leave such paw prints in our hearts.

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    1. It has opened my eyes to how much my "cyber" friends really mean to me. You know we LOVE your girls. ♥

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  5. I am so sorry for everyone's loss. They just never live long enough.

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  6. So sorry for their loss. It is not easy when part of your family passes on....we wonder why dogs and cats have a short life. Why do other animals like horses, elephants and parrot live longer. They take part of your heart with them when they pass but they have left us part of their heart and memories for us to cherish!

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    1. It is hard to understand why someone we love so much has to leave so soon. THey always leave us with more than they take. ♥

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  7. My sweet friend thankyou so very much for this beautiful tribute..it has been a sad week all over blogville..too many and we miss our boy awfully..but the love and support we have from you and our blog friends helps more than you can imagine..i know Forrest uis in good company and fear a wild party may be happening as we speak..him and Whitley..wowee trouble :) again we say thankyou and send our love and appreciation..always a blessing to have such friends..Love Bev and family xxxxx

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    1. It is always easier to know that your grief is shared among so many friends. Maybe we can lighten your burden just a bit. Much love! ♥

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  8. Blogville has been hit HARD in the last few weeks... We know how SAD times make everybuddy feel... butt then Blogville rallies around and we make those in pain feel BETTER and to see the Light at the end of the dark tunnel. THAT is what Blogville does fur its "residents".

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    1. The love and friendship found in Blogville is amazing. We are a lucky bunch to have each other.

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  9. My thoughts and prayers go out to all their families, its never easy saying good bye to a fur kid and that void in our hearts remain there forever, with love from Layla and Me

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    1. It is so difficult to lose a friend but our happy memories sustain us in the darkest times.

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  10. Its its so hard when we lose a friend
    Snorts,
    Lily & Edward

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  11. Often, the closest thing to unconditional love we see in this world is between a pet and his (or her or its) human. To paraphrase the old song, Dragons live forever, not so kittycats.

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  12. This tribute to some of the beloved pets who have left us is just so beautiful. It is so sad. I always tell my husband, that is the worst part about blogging. We get to know the pets better than the people (and we often enjoy them more...lmao.......!!!). Our tribute is over on Cody's blog because a certain Sheltie (who shall remain nameless) wouldn't cooperate. Yours was fabulous, thank you for writing this! xoxo catchatwithcarenandcody

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    1. I had no idea how attached that I would get to my blogging buddies and their pets. It is a wonderful friendship but can break our hearts too. I can't believe that Dakota wouldn't cooperate! BOL!

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  13. It is amazing how close we become to everyone, even though we haven't met any of them. This is such a beautiful tribute. The rainbow bridge just got a little brighter.

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    1. That is so true. We are going to meet you in Phoenix this summer, aren't we?

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  14. What a heartfelt post. We agree we have lost way too many furry friends lately.
    To all we say....
    Run free with warm breezes and chase butterflies.
    Hugs madi and mom

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    1. Running in the breeze chasing butterflies is exactly how I want to picture our friends at the Rainbow Bridge. ☺

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  15. Fank you for your tribute to our Whitley. <3 And fanks for always being our friend.

    P.S. Dis are da account of Whitley's kitty siblings - we'll be da ones commenting on blogs for now.

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    1. You are so welcome. Whitley took a huge piece of our hearts. We will always love and miss her. ♥

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  16. Such a beautiful tribute, and I have to admit before I started reading pet blogs a few years ago I had no idea how that heartache could spread to us, the readers.

    As we become faithful readers we really do grow attached, and that sorrow has been felt a lot stronger than I could have ever imagined. Words really do matter, and they have a way of bringing us closer together, whether we realize it or not.

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    1. Thank you so much. You're right, I had no idea how many great friendships would develop from blogging.

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  17. Thank you so much for adding my Cinco to this tribute! My heart is still broken over him, but I am beginning to mend. There has been a lot of loss in our pet blogging community lately. I cry every time someone announces that their pet has passed. In the end the compassion is worth it.
    -Purrs from your friends at www.PlayfulKitty.net

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    1. It never gets easier to lose a friend. I am glad that you are mending and I love following Manna. ♥

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  18. What a lovely tribute to some wonderful fur pals,its so sad when we loose our babies,xx Rachel and Speedy

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    1. Thanks, Speedy. It has been a tough few weeks in Blogville. ♥

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  19. I couldn't have said what you did better in your first paragraph! I never imagined I'd cry so many tears over the years I've been pet blogging. But it is worth it. <3

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  20. My heart breaks a little when I hear of the loss of a beloved pet. It is the saddest thing to me. It really has been a rough couple weeks in Blogville.

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  21. What a heartfelt post --I am so sorry for everyone's loss.

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  22. Yes, it does hurt. This is why we are doing the Remembrance Ceremony at BAR.

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  23. You have put into beautiful words what we all feel. We too did not expect the hurt that comes with getting to know our blogging friends and then having to say goodbye. But there is no place like blogville to rally around those who are greiving - it is like no place on earth
    hugs
    Mr Bailey, Hazel & Mabel

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  24. What beautiful tributes to Forrest, Cinco and Whitley. They all will be missed so much.

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  25. You are so very right. I think part of it is our own attachment to these cats and dogs we've fallen in love with because of their blogs, and part because we know how devastated their humans are because we've all been through it.

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  26. Very beautiful post. I love blogging, but it does get sad at times.

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  27. So sad to lose our friends - we become so close through their blogs it's almost like losing one of our own.

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  28. It is one of the saddest things to lose our fur family. I still cry for Daisy more than I thought I would. She is in my heart forever and the lives of these pups and kitties is such a blessing.

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  29. We know just how you feel. So many precious lives, so many good friends, and so many heartaches. Although I truly believe that the friendships we've forged help carry the burden and lessen the pain. Sending many healing purrs to all the families who have lost dear ones ....

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  30. When we got up this morning to start blogging again since the fire that took our home, all we own & our fursibling Miss Missy, we had no idea that we would need a box of tissues.
    Our hearts go out to Forrest, Cinco & Whitley's family & furiends <3
    You have done a pawsome job of honoring these special furiends in this post.
    <3 nose nudges <3
    Olivia

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  31. I never expected to get so attached to virtual friends, and to spend so much time at my computer in tears! So many have shared our tears as well, and that is very, very special, and one of the best parts of blogging.
    Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets

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  32. What a wonderful tribute to these fur friends, this was very touching and so beautifully written. I'm sure it means a lot to their fur moms & dads. It's so true, they really do take a piece of our hearts along with them when they leave us all too soon.
    Love & Biscuits,
    Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

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  33. <3 this tribute post. Yes, missing lots of our beloved pet pals especially Whitley. It's hard to deal with especially having a senior dog like Sugar. Her vet reminded us that "anything can happen at any time ..." I just continue to follow what Sugar taught me, enjoy and live in the moment ... Sending you Lots of Love <3

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  34. What an amazing an timely post! Last week as I sat catching up on some of my fav blogs I started bawling, hysterically, not pretty bawling. Scared mt hubby 1/2 to death... I was reading Whitley's "The Best Day Evah". I feel I know and am friends with so many bloggers and pets I've never met IRL and it tears a piece of my heart every time!

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  35. The Rainbow Bridge has become way too over-crowded lately but it has been remarkable how every corner of Blogville has come together to acknowledge with comfort these missed pets. We all mourn their loss and hope our words, as inadequate as they seem, provide some measure of comfort to their 'pawrents.' ღ

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