It is with a sorrowful heart that I announce to my WordPress friends that my beloved Kyra has been sent to Heaven. She has lived at least 16 years, and I hope that I have given her the best life a dog could want.
Our paths crossed when I met her at the Delhi Animal Shelter in January 2005. She had been left there with a litter of pups; all of the pups were adopted while she remained at the animal shelter. As we walked out of the shelter, I removed her leash just outside of the office and she walked beside me right to my car, with her rainbow squeaky fish in her mouth. She curled up in the passenger seat of my mustang, seemingly getting comfortable for the ride of her life, back to my family’s 100-acre horse farm.
On the farm, Kyra adjusted easily to her new life. She met the pack of farm dogs, including a Great Dane named Max and a Golden Retriever named Scooter. She encountered horses for the first time, which she was skeptical of at first. She chased away any barn cat we ever thought of having, but in turn ate all of the mice, groundhogs, and rodents she could catch. She successfully took on coyotes and other neighboring dogs. She ran for hours in wide open fields and crowded woods. She climbed massive snow piles in the winter and covered herself in mud in the spring. Max taught her how to herd horses and Scooter taught her how to be a great house dog. She became the quintessential farm dog.
As life moved on for me, we met my soon-to-be-husband, Mike, and eventually left the farm. After a brief stay in an apartment, we moved into our new house. It was on a smaller piece of property, only 3 acres in comparison to the 100 Kyra was used to, but she soon introduced herself to our neighbors and their dogs. Kyra was social and apparently felt that daily neighborhood visits were vital to our homestead. * Thank you Sue and Buck Peters, as well as Eric and Beth Johnston, for being so patient with Kyra!
Soon, Kyra had to deal with other issues other than visiting the neighbors and the daily tormenting from the chipmunks. I became pregnant and the birth of our son meant another member of our pack. Not only did she deal well with a newborn, but she helped me get through post pardom depression. It was a difficult time for our little family, but in the end we came out a close group of four – Mike, Myself, Quinlan, and Kyra.
Kyra has been there when it matters most. She has been a loyal, but judgmental companion, a fierce and physical protector, a snobbish food connoisseur, a best friend and guiding light, as well as unknowing entertainer.
Rest easy my friend; You have earned it. I am heavy-hearted with sorrow and grief at your passing, but feel a little relief because I know you no longer ache. With tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat, an ache in my chest, and a quiver on my chin, I am happy to say I got to know you. Thank you for all that you have done for me. I don’t know what I am going to do without you. You can now be with your Alpha, Max, and your buddy, Scooter, and harass the herd of horses on the Wahl Road farm, and haunt the neighbors of Hessinger and Lare.
I miss you already, my dear. You have been my companion, my protector, my strength, If it’s possible, I hope you will greet me at the gate when it is my time to pass through it.
Sorry about your lost. Take care. She is in a nice resting place.