Speedy - the passing of a great dog.

If you have ever lost a pet you know that it's like losing a member of the family. Most of us have gone through it or will go through it at some point. There are those of us that have been through the process numerous times. There is always risk in love; binding your heart to another living thing, whether human or otherwise, brings with it the chance of certain heartbreak. That's the only way it can be though. If you fail to give in to the relationship you fail to reap the benefits of it. That, I think, would be a far greater loss.

Speedy was a happy, energetic Jack Russel terrier. Dear friends of ours, new immigrants from the Netherlands, were looking for a dog that would meld with their family of five. The three school-aged children eagerly awaited the arrival of their new pet; they were not disappointed when she arrived. Friendly, playful, and full of life, she immediately became part of the family. The large backyard boasted plenty of space for the dog's missile-like sprints.

There was one thing Speedy loved more than going for walks; it was chasing a ball. She became an olympian at the task, being able to catch up to a ball in flight and wrestle it to the ground within a couple of bounces. She returned it with eager anticipation hoping that the game would never end. Inevitably she was never the first to give up. I had the pleasure of watching and photographing her while engaged in her favourite past-time. I shot this image back in 2009 when she was just into early adulthood. I provided the owners with a framed print that they still have up, now in memory of her.

Speedy developed diabetes in mid-life and soon lost her vision because of the disease. Although blind, she never stopped loving her adoptive family or being loved by them. It was tragic that she would never know her passion of ball chasing or going for long walks, but she still had an enormous back yard to explore and the love of a family to receive. Insulin injections became routine; her "mom and dad" called it jump juice because the needle meant the delivery of food. She would spring into the air jubilantly after a shot; supper was being served.

With Covid restricting the opportunity to visit friends and family, it was a long time before I saw Speedy again. I saw her two days ago and she was a shell of the former dog I had known. Frail, shaking, and on the verge of tipping over, she wandered aimlessly about. She still seemed happy though and certainly was not in any pain. I thought perhaps the end was near.

That same night she went into convulsions. Taken to the vet, she began another convulsion as if to say, "It's OK, my time has come." The decision made, the family pet and faithful companion went to sleep for the last time. It was hard, but it was the right thing to do.

A photograph, the same one as above, sits on the wall of a house now empty of pets. Gone, but not forgotten, her legacy still fills the hearts of those she left behind. She will never be forgotten.

Thanks for reading.     Ericspix     Eric Svendsen