Question of the day

by | Wednesday | September 8, 2010 | 11 comments

“After my dog is euthanized, can you cut off its tail for me to keep?”

That was a new one.

Resisting the urge to scream in horror and drop the phone, we took a Vulcan-like approach and tried to deduce what, exactly, this person was hoping to accomplish.

Perhaps they really were some sort of sicko, in which case I would keep them on the phone long enough to trace the phone number and notify the proper authorities.

Or maybe, just maybe, it was a person sick with grief and wanting something to remember their pet by but not sure what to ask for.

My RVT, a wise and compassionate woman, got on the phone and spoke with the person for a few minutes. “She would like for us to shave a lock of hair instead,” she said, “and make a little pawprint.”

I am glad I work with people who assume the best, rather than the worst. It’s a good way to live.

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  • http://somethingwagging.wordpress.com Pamela

    I remember a couple who had their pet raccoon stuffed and mounted so they could keep him forever on their fireplace mantle.

    Sometimes grieving people get so interesting ideas, huh?

  • JaneK

    At first I, too, was horrified at the question. Then, I put myself back to the moments/days before I had to put my beloved horse and dog (not at the same time) down. And saw how that could also come out of my mouth. Yes, it is nice to assume the best out of people. One of the companies that does cremating down here sends back the ashes in a really nice urn and also takes a pawprint impression in some clay and sends that in a nice black velvet sack. I didn’t know this and was overwhelmed (in a good way) when I saw my sweet baby’s pawprint. Even though it is all going to burn up anyway someday…..it is only human nature to immortalize the ones we love…….

    • Lisa W

      I had the same reaction to the question at first! I had the vet shave a lock of Bailey’s hair after she passed, but I don’t think I would have ever asked for her tail. Yikes! But I also know how grief can make sure you don’t think straight sometimes. I got an unexpected paw print impression of my Bailey when I picked up her ashes also, and it meant more than anyone could know who hasn’t faced the loss of a beloved animal.

      I’m glad there was further conversation with this lady so you could help her.

  • Cathey

    You have some great staff, Dr. V! They listened with their heart instead of their ears; not the literal question, but what the client’s heart was asking for. I have never heard of the paw print thing before here but I’m going to remember it for the future. I’d give almost anything to have a print of my 17 yr. old golden, Brea. It would be a nice memento from a sweet soul.

  • http://www.vetwisdomcafe.com Tammy

    Wow! I hadn’t heard that particular request before. There were a number of very odd ones though while I was working at the Argus Institute.

    I have to plug ClayPaws though, as a good alternative :) I work for the company, so it’s not totally altruistic, but I really do love having the paw prints of my passed buddies. It’s such a great memory!

  • regina sanchez

    Ive been lucky enough to have my last 4 dogs that passed away creamated and will have all the rest as they pass on.They will be spread along with mine when I go.Ive done this so I can always have them with me its hard to let go.Im glad it all worked out foe the customer and hugs to who ever handled it in such a good manner

  • Jamie

    When we put Chase to sleep, I had no idea that the vet had ClayPaws right in his office. He took a paw print of Chase’s, just a few seconds after he passed. It was the most sweetest thing ever, and I had never heard of such a thing. It is still nice to have, and I actually plan on taking and getting a tattoo of the paw print sometime soon. We always knew we would cremate our animals, but the ClayPaws just an extra nice thing to have.

    I hope our current vet (the above was a holistic vet, treating Chase for his cancer) does the same thing. I’ll be bummed if they don’t.

  • http://peggyfrezon.blogspot.com Peggy @Peggy’s Pet Place

    I’m so glad you came to a good compromise for this woman. I have a lock of hair from our yellow lab who passed away (I actually found it in my slipper) which is comforting, but I don’t know what to do with it. Any ideas?

  • http://littledogsonlongleashes.blogspot.com/ ai-shih

    i kept a little bag of jordan’s fur for ages until it started to look funny. i still have his [unwashed] bed on my favourite couch so i can sleep with him every day. it’s only been 19 months. *sigh*

  • http://dawgbusiness.blogspot.com/ Jana Rade

    When I knew that Jasmine was going to be hospitalized I saved some of the fur I combed out of her, put it in a little cloth bag and carried with me at all times. It was my way of keeping connected. Same as she got a t-shirt which I spend a week ‘stinking up’ as much as possible for her to have something to connect her to her home.

  • http://justpawfect.blogspot.com maria

    Three yeard ago our 4 year old bull mastiff died suddenly and unexpectedly from bloat. It was the middle of the night when i received the phone call from my partner who had arrived home to find Rex on the floor dying, we felt he some how held on for as long as he could because he wanted to see us. When we arrived at the vet he had passed away before we arrived and I actually had the same thought pop into my mind as i pet him for the last time. You just want to hold on to something I knew I didn’t literally want a piece of his tale what I wanted was to hold on to that pup I knew and loved.