July
2011
"STORIES"

This past month we lost a dear member of our family. Our 14-year-old Shih Tzu, Roadie passed away on June 8, 2011. He was a cherished and much loved pet and we miss him already!

Roadie came to be a part of our family in 1997, not long after my older sister Wendy died. She died of complications from surgery at the very young age of 41 and my mom and dad were devastated. My mom was always on the verge of tears and spent a lot of time loving on our Shih Tzu Calli. She was inconsolable most of the time, but Calli gave her some of the comfort she needed. No matter where in America we happened to cross paths, Calli gave mom the all the love she could.

It led me to the conclusion that mom needed her own little Shih Tzu to love and care for, so I began the search for Roadie. Mom and dad had had a little dog, Tucker was his name, and he was a Sheltie/Pomeranian mix. He was such a sweet little guy that mom had said if she ever got another dog, she wanted a male, who was also the runt of the litter just like Tucker had been. She believed that his disposition was the result of his being the runt, so I had to find a male runt Shih Tzu!

I was successful in doing that, God had his hand in the entire thing, of course, and so I was able to find the perfect little puppy for my mom. It really was a series of miracles that brought us to him, but I knew instantly he was the one!

They named him Roadie since it was going to be his lifestyle to be on the road with mom and dad in their big Volvo truck. He was their constant companion until mom passed away in 2005. When she died, my dad decided to do some world traveling, so Roger and I got Roadie.

Roadie and Fancie (our black and white Shih Tzu) have been inseparable ever since. They kept each other company even though they had to stay behind, at home with doggie-sitters while we worked. (Our current employer doesn’t allow pets on the trucks) Fancie is an only child once again, since he left us last week, but whenever I begin to cry I remind myself that Roadie and my mom are at long last together again. I miss them both terribly but I am comforted in the knowledge that they are together. Mom loved that little dog so much I believe it would have killed her if he left this world before she did. Having him here was like having her here too, which makes losing him even harder.

I decided to write a tribute for him this month along with a couple of tips for traveling with your pet that could be very important someday. I always kept current copies of my animals shot records, along with their licenses and tags that had their names and our phone numbers on them in case they got lost somewhere. My friend Natalie also suggested that people do what she did which was to write out a card with pets names, address, veterinarian contact, and a description (along with a photo) of each pet you have in the truck with you. She also had her pets micro chipped because having that done helps to insure if they do get separated from you they will not be euthanized or used for experimental purposes, as well as having the odds of their being returned to you increased dramatically.

We witnessed an accident a decade or so ago where a family pet, terrified from the crash, took off for parts unknown and the woman in the vehicle was frantic for news of her beloved pet. I'll never forget it; the pet was a Rottweiler named Sable and the crash happened out on I 40 in Oklahoma at the 2-mile marker. I asked all the first responders if they had seen her along with anyone else at the scene and we had a vague idea which direction she had gone. We contacted the local law enforcement on their behalf, who put out feelers and Sable was, eventually reunited with her family.

Taking the necessary precautions could save you the pain of going through this type of thing as well as save your best friends life. Write out all the pertinent information and put it in the door pocket of your truck, so that, just in case you ever end up in a situation where you would be unable to communicate on behalf of your animal, they will be cared for properly until they can be returned to you or your family.

'Til next month, y'all stay safe out there, and God Bless!!!