Bless your heart, and Bud Light's, and your other furry friends. It's so unfair that their lives must be so short.
Other articles with keyword "DOGGIEPING" since 12/29/04
Posted on 09/20/2006 4:05:28 PM PDT by girlangler
To: All Kentucky Outdoor Press Association members From: ******
I just received word that Bud Light, the sweetest little dog in the world, and the official Kentucky Outdoor Press Association mascot, had to be euthanized today because he had cancer and it had spread rapidly, leaving him to face delibitating pain.
Nobody knows how old Bud Light was, since he was a "pound hound," adopted at the local animal shelter. It's also impossible to determine what breed he was, but he was a white, fluffy small bundle of joy.
Any of you who ever attended the KOPA meetings know that Bud Light usually caught more fish than his two-legged colleagues. Last year, during a KOPA meeting at Horse Creek Resort on Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee, the KOPA Board of Directors voted to honor his exploits by naming him as the first official KOPA mascot. Nobody can verify how many fish he was actually involved in catching, kissing, and releasing, because, like two-legged anglers, he'd probably stretch that number somewhat.
Bud Light was also one of the most entertaining of KOPA members, he would pray when commanded to do so, pretend he'd been shot when you pointed a finger at him and said "bang," and many other antics. When his human companions caught fish during these events, he would always "kiss" the fish before they were released, as well as KOPA meeting attendees. Attendees at the annual KOPA meetings have published Bud Light's photos in various newspapers and magazines, and he has been the subject of articles in magazines published by Hospice organizations and even an Anheiser Busch publication.
Human companion/owner ***** said there was one trip where he kissed so many fish his breath smelled for days. This writer remembers getting into a bluegill feeding frenzy off the dock at Horse Creek Resort, and Bud spotting the fly rod action and speeding to spot, where he became my official "catch and release" specialist. He also became quick friends with another KOPA member, Terry the Terror, who owns *******, when they attended their first KOPA member last spring.
He was more than entertaining. ***** was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago, so Bud Light and his owner were both cancer survivors. **** said Bud Light and his enthusiasm was what kept her spirits up during some very trying times after her diagnosis. It was then the pair decided they had a calling, and Bud Light was certified as an official Cancer Research Occupational Therapy Dog (in the U.S. and Canada).
Since becoming an occupational therapy dog Bud Light has brighten the day of an estimated 12,000 cancer patients, children in psychiatric wards, and nursing home patients in a two-year period. He has kissed an estimated 150 people a day in 20 different such facilities. He was named the "Active Outstanding Volunteer Therapy Dog," by VITAS, a national hospice advocacy organization, recently.
He went to his grave never revealing which KOPA members caught the most fish, and which were the biggest. Chances are, he was the one true witness to this burning question, since he made a point to examine, and "kiss," every one.
If you'd like to contact *******, you can email her at *******.
He will be sorely missed. I nominated him for the mascot position, and it passed unanimously.
Just wanted to let my freeper doggie lover friends know this was a sad day for me. His owner found out he had cancer in his teeth, of all places, and has been treating him for this for the past two months. Once they discovered it, it spread quickly. His owner said they were visiting nursing homes last week, that's how quickly it spread.
Please hug your little furry buddies now. I had yelled at one of mine today -- I was on deadline and she was just driving me crazy -- when I got word of this. So, I have loved her a lot since then. I'll never yell at my babies (two dogs and a cat) again.
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Bless your heart, and Bud Light's, and your other furry friends. It's so unfair that their lives must be so short.
It's a sad day when a good dog passes..
If I am so lucky as to meet my Creator, this is the foremost question I have: Why hath Thou given Your finest non-human creature such a short, short lifespan?
Could you all ping your doggie lists? I can't quit crying, this little guy was my buddy, he was awesome.
Condolences for Bud Light, poor baby.
Thanks for all the comments. He was so sweet, and so smart.
If you'd like to be on or off this outdoors list, largely rural midwestern issues, please FR mail me. And ping me is you see articles of interest.
It hurts a lot, I know.
If you want, I can post "the Rainbow Bridge" which makes me cry everytime I even *THINK* of it, much less read it.
But I get comfort from it.
Can I answer that for you? Because not all dogs get to lead a life where they are loved and cared for. Some lead lives of loneliness, some are beaten and abused, some are starved, some are worked to death. For them, a short life is a mercy.
Those of us who love and care for our dogs may have to experience a lot of pain at parting, but that parting is only temporary.
And I look forward to being on Rainbow Ridge with my best buds.
A hug for you, and for all our furry little buddies...
God in Heaven knows that they are truly angels in disguise.
As do I my friend, as do I.
If you peeked at my profile, you saw that I have a 24-yo cat at home (25 in February). Her sister passed 5 years ago and I still grieve (and she was 19!).
It is hard to picture what it means to have a pet who has been with you from your 20s to your 40s. Pretty astounding when you think about it.
Could you please post the Rainbow Bridge.
I use to have it, but don't have it available to me right now. I am not the cancer survivor who lost her cancer buddy "Bud Light, the mightiest fishing, kissing, performing," dog.
I just had to write the message to folks in our group.
I talked to her on the phone today, and she is devastated, like I was in 2001 when I lost my toy poodle after 13 years. Someone gave me a handwritten "Rainbow Bridge" then and I would like to send it to my friend. Please post it and I'll copy it into an email and send it to her.
It brought me great comfort when I lost my baby girl, my little teddy bear, my little woogidy pogidy, my little silver poodle, the little girl who used to love me so much she knew my every feeling, she'd lick the tears out of eyes when I was sad.
My friend would benefit greatly from that poem right now, like I did when I was grieving over my girl. I still miss my little silver toy poodle, I'll never quit missing her, she was so dedicated to me, the best friend I ever had.
Funny, I was just telling my friend, who lost this great little dog, on the phone that I believe dogs and cats, pets, are angels.
We discussed this --how they are always there to comfort you. How they have been recorded saving their human's lives from fires and other dangers.
The Bible speaks of angels. I happen to believe there are angels looking out for us . . And some of them have big brown eyes and cold noses.
Here is a great flash version: http://www.indigo.org/rainbowbridge_ver2.html
But the text version is as follows:
The Rainbow BridgeJust this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
And if you want so see just how wonderful FReepers are, look at all the prayers and support I got when my baby got ill: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1669330/posts
Please know your friend is in my prayers for comfort. People who love their pets are special. And of course I feel for your loss.
And I am crying just like I thought I would. ;)
Mu ugly but faithful mutt gets a rub on the head as I pass along my condolences.
*sniff*
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