Although Roxy was ‘just a dog’, and she died over 8 years ago, recalling her last day still feels heartbreaking for owner Jennifer Muldowney. In fact, she says it was one of the worst days of her life and has inspired her upcoming Tedx Talk in Tallaght this Thursday October 12th.
“She was 16 – quite old for any puppy – and she’d had a series of strokes,” says Jennifer, 35.
“I had just returned from the holiday of a lifetime in Cuba and when I arrived home Roxy came running out as usual to say hello. But everything wasn’t usual - I knew something was wrong. Four hours and another stroke later we were taking her to her death. We had her for 16 years, she was part of the family. She was my best friend through childhood, teenage years and adulthood. I felt like I was betraying her.”
Jennifer’s deep emotions regarding the day her dog was euthanized strikes a familiar chord with just about anyone who has ever lost a beloved pet to euthanasia — more commonly known as “putting a dog to sleep.”
The aftermath was even worse than the act itself, Jennifer says “I often ask myself did we do the right thing, could she have gotten better or was she saying thank you. Her eyes never left mine as she died. And then afterwards, people just don’t know what to do with you, theres no funeral or blueprint to follow. You feel awkward calling into work asking for some time off. You feel your friends look at you thinking “Just get over it, its only a dog” especially if they have had human loss. It seems self indulgent to even think of mourning a pet when faced with human loss so feelings get hidden and grief gets buried deep.”
Ireland is changing when it comes to pet loss as we see recognition of the grief people experience when a beloved pet dies where we never saw it before. There are helplines offering support and a listening ear. You can buy pet condolence cards, memorial jewellery. Pet funeral businesses are springing up: pet cemeteries and pet crematoriums with pet specific caskets, urns and keepsake jewellery.
One study by the Funeral Co-op in the UK found that more than a quarter of respondents had found their pet’s death as difficult as the death of a family member, and a third thought it was on a level with the loss of a friend. Nearly half of the bereaved owners were still mourning after two months, and 16 per cent were struggling a year later.
While it might seem self indulgent or the ‘world gone mad with millenials’ by older generations to mourn the loss of a pet or compare it to the loss of human life, to some it can be just as heartbreaking. All loss and grief is important and essential experiences of the human psych but grief that is dismissed by others can be more painful still.
Pets are often with us 24/7, reliant on us for food, water, exercise, and survival. They become our confidantes and in some cases have been known to prevent suicidal thoughts and help with mental illnesses. Here is a living being who will not judge, reprimand, or dismiss your thoughts, actions or feelings and yet when they pass the loss can be dismissed as ‘just a dog’. It’s not right.
Irish milliner Philip Treacy lost his jack russell, ‘Mr Pig’ in 2004 and said ‘I saw Mr Pig as my friend, not my dog. He was my everything; he was like my child. He was by my side, day and night, for 12 years. How many humans could you say that about?’ Treacy even went on to compose a book Dog Stories, which is an anthology of stories of well-known people (Lady Annabel Goldsmith, Sir Jackie Stewart, Lord Hattersley, Anna Pasternak, Petronella Wyatt, Edward du Cann and Tom Rubython) and their dogs. They recount the adventures of their pets, and the happiness and ultimate sadness they brought to the lives of their owners.
Jennifer used her grief to build a business helping others to grieve and started a company called Rainbow Bridge Memorials offering condolence cards, pet conscious cards and memorial jewellery but it is more than just a business as she says “It has become a community. We have a Facebook page where people will often post about their pet or their grief and others chime in and offer support. We all know the sadness of pet loss and the difficulty in speaking about it to others who don’t have pets. The emails I receive from my clients about my jewellery often overwhelm me as they tell me how much it helps them in their grieving process and some of the emails were heartbreaking to read. It brought the loss of Roxy up all over again but I guess I started the business because when we lost Roxy, I still wanted her with me every day and wherever I go and with the jewellery I can do that and it helps.”
We have been going for nearly 4 years now and what an amazing journey it has been and we are still going strong and developing our range to suit you, our customers. We've been through so much with you and we are thankful that you share some of your most heartbreakingly beautiful moments with us.
When trying to decide on designs for our collections we usually play around with different shapes and colours and as a result we have a few 'samples' that we don't need anymore because they have become a permanent part of our collections.
We have 4 beautiful pieces here (obviously with NO ash!) that we want to give to you in thanks for your support. All you have to do is comment on Facebook "LOVE", Leave the same comment below or send us an email to info@rainbowbridge-memorials.com with the Subject/Message LOVE and your address and that's it!
We will choose 4 lucky winners at random and who knows we might even be in the mood to give EVERYONE who enters a little something ;-)
Winner will be chosen from a hat LIVE on Facebook at 8pm on ThanksGiving which is Thursday 24th of November!
I have to say I was a lil bit anxious heading to Hartsdale - partly because it was a VERY (3 ft!!!) snowy January Morning and partly because I didn't know how upset I would be or how traumatised - lets be honest Im just like you guys - I know I might do cremation jewelery but at the end of the day Im the biggest ball of smoosh and anyone who has ever met me in life or at a show etc will completely know this!!
BUT I was overwhelmed - it was beautiful. It might have been the serene snow or the quiet calm as a result of the snow but either way - even though I couldn't initially get into hartsdale ( I went in the wrong way - which was in my opinion the front way!) I was blown away by the beauty and tranquility of it all. Honestly I might bring my blog to there - as in I might write it FROM there from now on.....its hard sometimes to find a quiet spot between NYC and Dublin!
And so began my conversation with Edward Martin Senior. A complete gentleman if ever I met one. So relaxed in my company I felt no inhibitions or eagerness to impress or interest in trying to ...well I don't know...what do people try to do?! Sell themselves or other things? I feel that is often the way in America..... :-(
I feel we fell into natural conversation with each other.
In 1896 A woman who owned some property - Emily Burset, a wealthy lady decided to allow her friends to bury their pets for a small fee. The Story goes that she contacts Dr Samuel Jackson and he referred other people to her. After 10/11 years he took it over and it became Hartsdale Canine Cemetary BUT the charter then dictated that ANY pet must be buried not just canine (thus making the name redundant).
As with ALL true historic moments there are TWO stories to every story.
Now here is STORY NUMBER 2 - A Vetinarian called Dr Samuel Johnson took care of animals when they were just used for physical labour. Unfortunately as with all living things, thy pass away and up to then most did not as “What happened to the body?” but one lady did. Never asked before – she kept enquiring and got told the truth – pets are put out with garbage can. Those who are probably reading to this point are horrifiied. Yup you and me both. My baby aint going in NO trash!!!! So in steps Dr Samuel Jackson.....
“Well I have a place in Westchester County” he said and so She buried the pet herself and then other people started asking could they do theirs. It made sense. It became a business as most opportunities do.....and so the story continues.....More next week!
Tuna the Chiweenie puppy that is bringing a cooless factor to underbites also rocks a whopping 1.6 million fallowers on Instagram!
Found on the side of a road in San Diego, he was a shadow of his current self. Tuna, who’s human bff is Courtney Dasher, found his luck changed the day an option agency brought him to a Farmers Market. It was love at first sight for Dasher who reckons he's loved because “he's so unconventional looking and because of his unique features he makes people laugh”. She reckons he “captivates people's hearts”.
But he's not just a cool pup, he's on a mission to help other rescue puppies just like him. Raising awareness for animal adoption through fundraising, writing books and travelling around doing appearances are his and Courtney's way of giving back. Find him on Instagram making all sorts of crazy faces @tunameltsmyheart
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