Yesterday we lost our best furry friend in a tragic accident. We were unloading my car after shopping and Blackberry slipped out of the house, unnoticed, and uncharacteristically chased something out onto the busy road in front of our subdivision and was struck by a car. She died instantly.
When we adopted Blackberry about five years ago she had been stuck in a small cage at the animal shelter for months and had mange and constant diarrhea. No one wanted this black mangy mutt. But for some reason Blackberry caught our eye and we brought her home. We treated her mange, her digestive issues instantly cleared up, and she became my husband's and my fur daughter and the boys' best friend.
I keep on feeling like I just woke up from a bad dream and she is in her favorite napping spot upstairs on Duke's bed. I keep on glancing out the back door expecting to see her smiling face and wagging tail, ready to come back in with her family. She always follows me everywhere and I keep on looking down at my feet, shocked that she is not there. Last night I told the boys to give her their leftovers. I keep on hearing sounds of her moving around the house. I moved her dog bed to our breakfast room this morning so she could join us. I keep on having flashbacks of her looking at me with her ears up, excited because I told her we were going on a walk and I burst into tears. Or how she would throw herself on her back, wigging around with joy, begging for us to give her a tummy rub.
Duke cried himself to sleep last night and Imp walks around like he is lost. My husband is the first one to see her every morning as he makes the coffee, and today he told me it made him so sad to not see his morning buddy. And I am eaten up with remorse for not noticing that my beloved Blackberry was not safe inside with her family. She trusted me to take care of her and I failed.
I loved that dog.
Blackberry had a giant heart and loved us unconditionally. We are heart-broken.
Last night we buried her in the pouring rain on my parent's land where we would often walk her unleashed so she could run free in the woods. We all wrote her a love note and buried them with her, along with some of her favorite dog treats.
Rest in peace little girl. We love you so much and it breaks our heart that you are gone. May you have unlimited cats, rabbits, squirrels, and UPS trucks to chase in heaven.
