We said goodbye to Huxley the other day. Our twelve year old piebald dachshund needed to be euthanized so as not to suffer. If only we could do this for humans. Dr. Kevorkian, you were a persecuted man.

Making a decision such as this is heart-rending. To begin with, a pet is a member of one’s family. Secondly, YOU are the one deciding that he should live no more. Most people have trouble deciding what to order from a menu at a restaurant, let alone something as momentous as this. One can’t help but feel that to do such a thing is to play god and it is not a good feeling.

We all wrote something for Huxley. My daughter, who was actually his mom, produced a wonderful slide show with appropriate music. She made him a casket. I found an appropriate headstone as well as ground stones to cover the grave, which is in our small pet cemetery.


Just as with deceased humans, we want to remember the good things about the dear departed. He may have been a stubborn little pest who often caused us to be sleep-deprived, but he was a sweet boy, a good family protector, and he loved us.

Our pet cemetery – which I call Puss & Boot Hill – now holds two dogs and five cats. Each one was special and added to our lives in its own, unique way. Sleep well, little buddies.