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Stories
November 2007
A story that must be told
The story I am about to share with you is true, but very sad. It is a story that must be told and hopefully others can and will learn from our loss before they are faced with an unpleasant ending like we have just experienced. This day will never be forgotten and I pray we never have to relive this shocking, tragic, uncalled for event again in our lifetime. We still feel guilty, helpless, powerless, and betrayed by the very companies that state how good and nutritious their pet food is for our special pets. We must make all pet food companies accountable for their actions. We need better control of the food supply when it comes to our pets, if this can’t be monitored and kept in check then ask yourself what does this mean for all of us. Our pets trust us to care for them and many times we think we are doing a good job in caring for them. However, ask yourself these questions. Do you really know what you are buying and feeding your pets? Are the products safe enough to eat? Have you checked to see where the products are manufactured and where they are coming from? What kind of standards are in place for this food supply? Where is the pet food being processed and how and with what? Have you checked for recalls on the foods that you are feeding your pets? How can we be sure about all the products that we are feeding our pets? Is the recall list current and are all the foods that are bad really listed? Sometimes we have very little power or control to any of the questions I have listed above. There is one thing we can do and that is don’t let our guard down be extra careful, don’t assume anything, check and recheck, when in doubt don’t feed or buy.
Seems like only yesterday Ginger, my little Pomeranian was given to me from a friend who knew I would love and take care of her forever. Ginger came into my life when she was only 6 months old, a ball of fur with a personality all her own. I remember lying down on the floor that very first day looking her in the eye and having a talk with her about getting things understood from the very beginning. I told Ginger that I would love her unconditionally and become her very best friend, but in return I wanted her to obey me and try not to cause me any unwanted, unnecessary work or trouble. Ending with the statement that I hoped her and I could share a long and happy life together. Ginger tilted her little head and wagged her tail then licked my face, letting me know that she really understood what I had just said and that she agreed to the rules of her new home. That was five years ago.
Ginger, I must admit did more than keep up her part of the bargain. She was always eager to learn as we taught her new things. Some of her special talents included;
- Learning sign language
- Locking her paws and fingers together to pray
- Learning to spell the words treats and bones
- Dressing up for fun and loving to have her picture taken for her line of greeting cards known as, Ginger Snap Greeting Cards.
- Making sure each of us came to the table when it was time for a meal
- Going to the front door and spinning twice which meant she had to go out to potty, then waiting for a butt inspection before coming back inside the house
- Tucking each of us in bed every night before going to bed herself
- Going for a ride in the car every morning around the circle drive at least 2-3 times before allowing us go to work
- Sitting next to me in her own computer chair listening to me read to her as I read my many stories that I wrote monthly for publication
- Every morning waiting for me to wash her face with her very own wash rag
- Bath time once a week never missing her perfume and powder so she could go to each of us after her bath for a smell of approval.
- Performing her special little tricks that only Ginger could accomplish and feel so special after being able to do them all by herself. Some of her tricks were; Sitting up and saying her prayers, giving you a high five, holding your hand like a child, sitting on her butt with her legs crossed and acting like a lady, carrying her little purse in her paw, wrapping her paw completely around you finger and holding it when she wanted your attention, gently taping us with her paw on the back every morning until we were awake, wanting her hair rolled with rollers when I rolled my hair, having a doggie massage whenever I had my massage, pushing the button on her little stuffed toy that sang Happy Birthday to her.
- Ginger learned at a young age how to smell the roses when she and I would take our morning walks. Her and I always stopping to smell each rose on the three different rose bushes. Ginger would smell the roses and then wait for me to do the same thing before moving on.( I taught her this as a pup, she NEVER forgot to do this as we went by the three rose bushes together)
Ginger always tried to please me and the rest of the family showing us that she could and would try whatever we expected of her. Ginger won over all of our hearts. She became one of the smartest little dogs we ever owned and sometimes she was more like a little child than the title she was born with, known as dog. Ginger will never be forgotten and will live on within our souls forever. She was a family pleaser never wanting to leave anyone out sharing her love with each of us. The love and joy she brought into our home will never be forgotten and her personality was and always will be one of a kind.
On October 4th 2007 Ginger turned 5 years old and of course she loved presents and for her fifth birthday our daughter brought her a pretty new dress which Ginger fell in love with and wanted to wear almost all of the time, she also received a box of her favorite little milk bones and two other packages of treats she loved so much. However those gifts turned her life and ours into a night mare we will never forget.
On Saturday, October 27th 2007 Ginger woke up and after doing several tricks and giving us some kisses and loving she wanted a treat so we gave her several treats from the new box that she received on her birthday. Several hours later Ginger seemed to be a little restless. We thought that was a little strange, but then she went to lie down so we thought maybe she was just tired. I was cleaning out some cupboards and while sitting on the floor she came over to me and just wanted to be held. I stopped what I was doing gave her a hug and told her I loved her. She then went to our daughter and did the same thing as she was walking back through the kitchen her back legs just went completely out from under her and she slumped to the floor. We picked her up; she was limp and incoherent almost like she had fainted. We washed her face and took her outside where she went potty and threw up several times. We sat with her and within a few minutes she seemed to be better so we decided that maybe she had just eaten her treats too fast earlier. Ginger was quite the rest of the day. She really didn’t seem too much like herself. Later in the day she had dry heaves and then towards evening she threw up white foam like substance twice. After several hours passed she seemed to be some what better. But wanted to be held and loved.
On Sunday morning Ginger wanted to go outside and again seemed a little uneasy. She didn’t eat anything all day Sunday and would not drink. Throughout the day Ginger threw up yellow mucus on and off into the evening. Ginger’s paws and lower legs were cold to the touch we wrapped her in a blanket to try and keep her warm. She seemed to be getting weaker. We went to bed around 11:30 p.m. Ginger wanted to lie close to both my husband and myself. I woke up around 2:25 a.m. to check on Ginger she raised her head and looked at me. She seemed a little cool so I covered her up and laid back down patting her head gently and telling her its okay, go back to sleep. At 3:00 a.m. my husband woke me up and told me Ginger was not breathing. She had passed away.
This never should have happened. We feel guilty, helpless, and the loss is unbearable. Ginger had lived up to all her promises with us, it was us who let her down by putting trust into the very pet food companies who should have made a safe and nutritious product like they have stated and promised on their packaged foods. We want everyone who is a pet owner to read the website on pet food recalls. You will be shocked to read what is really happening to the food you are giving your pets. The news media isn’t reporting everything to us, why? We are not the only sad pet owners who have experienced this loss, but from this day on we will pass this information to everyone we meet and we will make sure people know about the dog food companies who are doing wrong. Think twice about giving your dog pet food and treats made available on the market from ALL the many pet food companies.
We have since found out that the same week we lost our dog there have been many others throughout our surrounding area, as well as throughout the United States who have experienced the very same terrible misfortune due to the unhealthy pet foods and treats being sold with tainted contents. The people we have talked to gave their pets the very same treats. We called the store where the products were purchased and they assured us that the treats have been taken off the shelves now, we asked why they sold them in the first place. It will take us a long time to ever get over this terrible loss if ever; please don’t let this happen to you or your pets. Our animals love us unconditionally and trust us we need to remember that just because we are told that food products are safe doesn’t mean they are.
You can also check out Ginger on this website please share some of her latest memories with us. God Bless you Ginger. Please forgive us for ever buying and then feeding you those poisonous treats that you received on your 5th birthday.
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