Her name was Dotty
I remember first holding her
Petting her soft, velvety, spotted fur
Teaching her how to sit and stay
Taking her to play with my grandparent's dogs
Swimming in the pool, while she watched close by
And pestering me to feed her all of the time
Like many other things, this would not last
More veterinary clinic visits than when she was young
Arthritis, blindness, overactive thyroid, limping
And for a long time, she lived with all of those afflictions
But, it changed again, for the worse
I could not stand to see her not being able to walk, to eat, or drink
Dotty was suffering
The veterinary clinic told my parents and I that she possibly had cancer
My heart was ripped out of my chest, torn apart like a dog toy
We had the choice- between chemotherapy or the choice no one wants to choose
Euthanasia
A needle to knock an animal out and another for stopping the heart
I knew that she didn't deserve to be left in the clinic being poked and prodded
I didn't want to put her to sleep, neither did my parents
But, it was the only mercy we could show her
I remember saying my final goodbye
Holding her and never wanting to let go
She left that Saturday
And rose up to the sky
She became an angel
Because that was who she was
A sweet, loving, tail- wagging angel
My tail-wagging angel