We’ve suffered a cruel loss up here in Truchas. Someone has been poisoning dogs since last weekend. Seven have died, that I know of, and two of those were my dear and close friends–not my dogs–but family all the same.
I’ve been trying to come up with a way to write something about it for the blog, because it certainly is first and foremost on my mind, overriding and dominating everything else. And I don’t want to shy away from difficult issues. None of us wants the blog to become “fluff”I’m certain.
But I also want to take care with what I’m sending out into the blogosphere, because I believe thoughts and words carry energy and that energy has the power to affect the universe. It’s a responsibility I take very seriously. Added to that, I want to be conscious of the kind of energy I’m drawing to myself and to the blog. I have no doubt that whatever I put out there, calls the same back to me.
Clearly, we need to grieve, but we must grieve “cleanly.” It’s too easy to get angry and vengeful over something like this. We, obviously, don’t want to harbor thoughts of spoon-feeding this person strychnine. Well, maybe I do. The jury’s still out on that one.
Yet I want, in some small way, to mark the lives of these two truly incredible dogs. They were part of the same family–two rescue dogs taken on in separate years. They were as different from each other as they could be, but they became sister dogs all the same.
One of them was always worried. A very serious dog who took her duties seriously, she was vigilant in watching out for her family. Nothing slipped by her. But she was also afraid of thunder, fireworks, change… apparently, whenever she took refuge under the bed during such sieges, she expected the family would take care of itself. As macho as she was however, she was also very much a lady–very proper, delicate, assiduous. Her welcomes, upon arrival to her home, were often surreptitious. She would somehow slip in front of me, quiet and unseen, and then offer her pointy little wet nose in greeting.
The other was her sister’s polar opposite. She was big and gallumphy, loopy, playful and happy–an enormous puppy. Her greetings were very much in your face, a kind of, “Oh my gosh! I can’t believe JEANE’S here! You’re here! You’re here! You’re here! Let me be the first to tell you I’m THRILLED that you’re here! Oh my gosh… you came over!” But she wasn’t one of those dogs that bothered. After offering what she considered to be an appropriate greeting, she would go on to her own busy explorations. Through the course of an evening she would come by occasionally for a cuddle, which was comprised of a soft leaning toward and against me.
Both of these dogs were gentle and kind. Each of them was bright and inquisitive and funny and quirky and thoughtful. And loving. They rarely left their land except when with their people. They were young and hearty with many happy years ahead of them. It is a terrible heartbreak to lose them at all, and the manner of their loss is just too cruel to think about.
So I thought, as a kind of memoriam to these two sweet souls, I would ask each of you who live with pets, be they dogs, cats, birds or bunnies… to give them all a little extra loving in the name of these two angels–some extra pets, a few more treats… and tell them, specifically, how very happy you are that they are alive and with you. I like to think that if we all do that, somewhere, somehow, these two amazing girls will hear us and they will know how much they are loved.
Love to you all,
Jeane
I pray that peace reigns all across the land. All beings are safe, held with respect, adoration and joy by all. I hold this with gentle ardor. And so it is. XOXOX
Thank you, Grace, for your lovely prayer. I feel it all the way over here.
The cruelty of this world saddens my heart. We are all one….connected….humans…animals…fowl…Mother Earth….what we do to another we do to ourselves. The only grace in this hateful killing is the knowledge that these special angels chose this life lesson for a reason and will be reborn stronger for it…..Namaste little ones….
Thank you, Jody. You and I share the same beliefs. It offers comfort in the midst of loss. I love that you “saw the god” in them. Namaste to you.
Beauty and sadness abound.
What a poignant tribute to these pet angles and those who loved them.
Peace, my friend.
Thank you Julie.
I want you to know that I was very moved by your expression of support if my previous response didn’t show that. thank you for understanding.
This hurts to hear. I am so sorry for your community. Such a huge and painful loss. Please keep yours close to home. Where does that kind of evil come from? Why? I do hope the person(s) that do this are stopped.
That’s such a good question, Sherry, and one we should always ask in the face of such evil: what was done to this human being to break them so badly?
This is a very sad thing. It is also a very bad thing. I do not worry about my energy or karma when I say that there is a particularly nasty corner of Hell reserved for anyone who would do such a thing. You are a gentler soul than I. I agreed with your decision to not own a gun but I could now perhaps think otherwise. There is a bad, bad person loose in your piece of paradise. Please be watchful for your own safety as well as the pups.
Rob
It is so sad and very bad indeed. I will do everything in my power to keep my dogs safe, now that we know there is this danger, although it is happening in another area of the village.
For those of us who’ve lived in northern New Mexico for any length of time…we’ve heard the stories of racial tensions taken out on the innocents, usually the beloved pets of families and people not originally from the smaller communities. The reporting of such horrid acts, at least to my ears, has lessened in recent years…and I thought Truchas to be, the most progressive with ‘integration’ of people from different origins. Jean, is the “Law” and jurisdiction for Truchas, the Rio Arriba Co. sheriff’s office? And does Española Valley Humane’s service area reach to Truchas? I know the sheriff has dogs. And sadly, this news won’t be a surprise to the Shelter…yet, they may be of some help? Sending big prayers of healing for your community. Good is ALWAYS brighter and more powerful than evil. It’s time to shine the light on those who must be stopped.
Yes, Michelle, what you say is sadly true, but not in this case right now in Truchas. The deaths cut across all racial lines and include old families and no newcomers. Yes, Truchas is within Rio Arriba County. I’m sure my friends are contacting whatever groups, organizations or individuals they need at this difficult time. I’ve offered to help with that if they need me. I know they are taking time to grieve and are doing it all slowly.
Hi Jean…been thinking of you all up there, of the folks who lost their pups… and hoping there’s been a resolution and laying to rest of this sad chapter. xo
Thanks for thinking of us Michelle. As far as I know no other dogs have died, mercifully. I need to call my friends tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder.
I pray this person is found and arrested and jailed. There is no excuse.
Well, Alison, I’m afraid the punishments aren’t very severe even if the person is caught. But, you’re right, there is no excuse. Sherry de Bosque asks in a previous question what would create such evil? I think we all need to ponder that.
This is so sad. The two dogs are at peace, but I am so sorry that their families must live with the loss. I personally believe that …in the ultimate scheme of things…no life is any less valuable than any other…humans…dogs…beetles…but our society’s laws have a long way to go in recognizing this. So, I will think peaceful, loving thoughts of these two beloved dogs and dream of a day when everyone recognizes that life is precious.
Thank you, Kim. I believe that’s the best and, really, the only thing we can do. I agree with your thinking–that all lives are valuable. The receptionist at the vet’s yesterday told me she’s taken care of a stink bug for 3 years. It lives by her front door and she feeds it tomatoes. I guess he stands up on his hind legs and holds the pieces of tomato in his front “paws.” On a day of bad news, that made me happy.
That’s a wonderful story! It makes me happy too! I once saw a story on television about dung beetles and I fell in love with these lovely little hardworking creatures, so your story about the stink bug hits home.
You and I, I fear, are lost to our hearts. Not a bad place to be. Love life. All life.