My best friend

The loss of a pet can be just as difficult as the death of a human, and is something anyone who has had an animal companion knows about since we as humans have life spans much longer than our dear animal friends.

On Friday May 22, my dear beloved Black Labrador Oreo had moved on to the other side while laying next to my mother at our country home in Hillsboro. There is nothing to prepare one for the emotions and feelings you face when the moment happens even if you think you're prepared.

Oreo was 12-year-old pure black lab with a white spot on the chest, hence the name Oreo. We picked him from a breeder when I was just a boy in elementary school. As a puppy he loved to play cause mischief, and that mentality stayed with him all his life. He didn't know a lot "trained" tricks, he just knew a few. However the tricks and skills he did know must have been self taught, for he could open any soda or water bottle and drink its contents, as well as get into coolers for subway sandwiches.

Having a lot of land to roam did not hurt either, as Oreo had abundant access to fields, forest's, and to a large pond to swim and loath in during the summer months. Oreo never wore a leash or even a collar because he was so loyal he would never run off, and he was also an outdoor only dog. The times he had to wear any of those items was to go visit the veterinarian and it never went very smooth.

In the later months of his life Oreo had developed cancer that formed a tumor and spread like wildfire. And as a family we decided not to put him down right away because he showed almost no signs of stress or pain, and as long as he was happy then we would enjoy his company until there is no other choice.

When Oreo's illness was taking the best of him, leaving him drained of energy and not eating.
So on May 22, a veterinarian from Companion Pets came to our house and re-assured us he was "ready to go," and we knew he would be miserable having a high fever and being ill in the hot months of summer.

My family buried him behind the creek that runs through our backyard. They made him a very nice little spot in the shade of the trees and covered his area with flowers all around. His spot is peaceful and is good reminder of the way Oreo was.

They say pets mirrors their owner, but maybe it's the owner that mirrors the pet. However it goes, it was a blessing to have friend like Oreo, he will be missed dearly.