I was looking through your website at your lovely urns and keepsakes and read some of the stories people had submitted to your blog. It is so therapeutic to tell one’s story and shared grief often helps others so I wondered if you would like to know about my special friend and companion, Barney, who was by my side for 12 years.
It is more difficult, I feel, for a grown man to shown emotion over the loss of an animal but Barney was all I had after my wife died in tragic circumstances eight years ago.
Barney was a loving and faithful cross breed – his mother was a Briard but nobody knew who sired him. He was a gift from a friend from the litter of four pups; he was the only dog and much larger than his sisters. His personality was that of a clown and his energy was boundless!
Barney travelled with us wherever we went, unless it was abroad, in which case our friend (the owner of Barney’s mother) would take him in for a week or two until our return. When my wife departed, Barney tried to fill the gap by bringing me ‘gifts’ or toys to play with. One time, he brought me a kitten! It took a couple of days to track down its owner, who was very pleased that we found it, as they feared the worst. It had obviously escaped and wandered across the field behind us and into our garden – thank goodness Barney found it before a predator did.
When Barney was ten, he had an operation for a tumour, which was very worrying. He pulled through but it was a reminder that dogs have much shorter lives than humans. Alas, a few weeks ago, the signs re-appeared and this time it was inoperable.
My wife was buried in the local cemetery where Barney was never allowed when he was alive but I would like to share Barney’s ashes with her now. I have been looking through your pet memorial ashes containers and have decided which one to buy.
In time, I shall scatter some of the ashes on my wife’s grave.
I hope you don’t mind me writing.
Yours sincerely,
(Please withhold my name from publication, thank you.)
