Today we had to lay Hank to rest. As I write this, I feel as if I am going to hyperventilate as I try not to cry anymore. Hank was a good dog. He was a good dog who was raised by bad people. I hope whoever his previous owners were are reading this right now. If I find out who you were, you best believe I will let everyone know. I hope no one ever sells you another animal and I hope your home is watched by every person who fell in love with Hank.
Best believe I am angry.
Today Hank attacked a larger breed puppy and it's owner (mostly the puppy). Hank and the dog had been checking each other out and it had been going OK. Lot's of tail wagging. Lot's of obedient sitting by both dogs. Everything was fine and then it was like something snapped. My heart was in my throat as we tried to get the pup away and as we all ran. The neighbor was very kind and reassuring as the snow by our shop was streaked with the dark red blood of his pretty pup, but dread settled over our farm. Dread that was thick with doom and gloom and pain. As they drove away to access the damage, Keith and I both looked at each other with pain and fear and knowledge in our eyes. What had happened was not OK.
We immediately started trying to connect with the proper channels, but the weekend comes along with plans, and it is hard to get ahold of people. I do not blame them for being busy, but I just didn't know what to do. I ended up calling one of the vets in my address books.
The vet said we had to put him down. He thought that the previous owners may have used starvation as a form of training to teach Hank to be a guard dog. We put him down within the last hour and it was one of the worst things I have had to do. The vet said that since we don't know his triggers, we wouldn't know what to avoid. :'(
If that would have been Bo or Cote on the ground, they would be dead right now. They wouldn't have been able to get away or defend themselves and Hank was too large for me to stop.
Here at our farm, we are all a mess. This was too much. This week we dealt with a forest fire, a snow storm, loss of electricity and a death in the family, but this is the thing that hit us the hardest. Within one short week, Hank had nestled into a warm soft place in my heart and he had become one of my babies... and I feel as if a piece of that very heart has been brutally ripped out. I have not cried this much in I don't know how long. I miss him already and I am never going ti be able to right all the wrongs he was put through.
My only hope is that this teaches us all a valuable lesson. If you ever know or hear of a dog that is being abused or neglected, do not hesitate to help him/her. Volunteer or donate to your local Humane Societies and consider adopting over buying. Report someone you think may be being cruel to an animal and above all, keep Hank in your thoughts.
Hank was a good dog. He was not born to be an attack dog... someone trained him to be that way. He suffered at the hand of someone abusing, neglecting and starving him over the last four years. He was a good baby and he had a good, loving heart.
Goodbye my sweet baby Hank.
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