After the kidney infection episode and I was out of hospital, Anthony rang to say he would come and get me and bring me down to the farm to convalesce. I was surprised at this gesture as (a) in those days Ants would not leave the farm; (b) he wasn’t that great with generous gestures; and (c) he never bothered to see me when I was actually in hospital.
“Do you have to come to Perth anyway?” I asked on the phone.
“Well, yes, to pick up Pip.”
“What do you mean?” (Pip was my own little mini-dachshund who Ants was looking after while I worked and undertook my postgraduate studies in Perth.)
“I’ve just had her mated, Jules – it’s no big deal.”
“Okay, but she is my dog, Ants – you could have asked me!”
The next day he came up to my flat to pick me up and, expecting to see Pip in his arms, I became a bit alarmed. Ants sat down at my little table and sipped the coffee I gave him and then told me she was dead – that she had tried to get out of the pen she was in and strangled herself. He wiped at his eyes as I sobbed, then took my hand in his and said, repeatedly, ‘I’m so sorry, Jules.”
jmgoyder 
awwwww- sob sob
yes
Hard to press the ‘like’ button for this one.
So sad.
It was such a shock
Oh, sad 😦
Awful
Awful thing.
One of my dogs died this week while I’ve been across the country with my job. It was a similar shock. I understand your pain. I’m sorry.
It was long ago for me but for you so recent – so sorry.
So sorry. Our pets… the pain of loss dulls but they are always a part of us.
oh no 😦 devastating – so sorry – sad ..
😥
Boy, I’d have a hard time with this one. It’s a good thing you loved him.
So sad 😦
Julie, now you have me in tears again – poor Pip – what a way to go … poor you. Did you forgive Ant completely ?????
I had to.
I understand that !
What a sad story and I bet Ants felt bad he decided to have her mated and she wond up dead not good………………….
omg, that is terrible,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,she strangled herself from fear of the mating process??? oh how sad
I think she was fine with the mating but didn’t like being penned in. It was unbearably sad at the time and still haunts me a bit.
i would imagine so, being penned in can be bad for animals as well as humans………..
Very true on both levels!
Dislike, dislike! What a horrible end for Pip. I hope you made Ants feel really bad about this one. 😦
I’m going to have to catch back up when I return from the out back… don’t know how much I’ve missed… I just love this story…
that had to be one of the hardest things he ever had to tell you. i’m sorry you both went thru that, it’s horrible.
It was awful but long ago
😦 I’m terribly sorry!
It was a long time ago.
At least “Time heals all wounds” (or most of them anyways) is a fairly true cliche!
oh my goodness, this is so sad…
It was years ago but still….
😦