Sunday 14 January 2018

I LOST SCRAPPER YESTERDAY


SCRAPPER - 2003 - 2018


A RECENT SCRAPPER

Blog readers will be aware (maybe?) that I am a dog lover and yesterday I had the sad task of taking my 15-year-old Jack Russel, Scrapper, to the vet in order that he would not suffer.

He was born here in this house 15 years ago and he had never lived anywhere else or had any other master/owner.

Below is a picture of Scrapper as a puppy:



BABY SCRAPPER
Like all creatures, he had lost his puppy looks - but he retained, as all aging creatures ideally should, inner beauty.

Life and death is a great mystery. 

Of course, the death of a human being is always sadder than the death of an animal. I am not so foolish as to think in any other way.

But there is something so special about our pets - so special in fact, that we cannot always put it into words.

Personally, I find dogs the most attractive pets - although I know that others have very different views.

For me, it is the fact that dogs generally are so loving - especially to their "master". They seem to give without thought of reward. But they love their simple rewards too. 

Dogs have been known to sacrifice their lives for people.

I always remind myself that the fact that DOG is GOD spelled backward is not a coincidence. 

I am a believer. I believe in the Creator and His Creation.

I believe that when what is created ceases to be in this world it somehow, in ways I will never understand, return and rejoin the Creator.

Today I thank God for all his gifts - and especially in giving me the gift of Scrapper and his love for me for 15 years. 

Like old Job in the Bible, my prayer today is:

THE LORD HAS GIVEN.
THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY.
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.



SOME PICS OF SCRAPPER

CELEBRATING ST. PATRICK'S DAY



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MEETING HIS FIRST HEDGEHOG

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GETTING IN TOUCH WITH HIS FEMININE SIDE

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RELAXING AFTER CHRISTMAS DINNER





85 comments:

  1. When a pet has been so much part of your life for fifteen years, of course you are going to miss him. I am sorry you had to lose Scrapper after all that time.

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  2. My heart goes out to you.

    Nothing that lives is lost, for all that lives does by breath of the Spirit.

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  3. It's sad Scrapper has died. He had a good and love filled life. A week ago Clarice and I helped put a 30 year old Shetland Pony to sleep. His owner had him over 20 years. We thanked God for the joy he brought and was happy his suffering had ended. I don't know about horsie souls but all the other horses went quiet when he died. As you say. Life is a mystery. As stewards of creation we are called to respect and nurture it in all it's forms

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  4. Just this side of heaven
    is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

    When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together...

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    Replies
    1. What a beautiful and inspiring post!

      Thank you for taking the trouble to type it, 08:14.

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    2. 8.14 Thank You Thats amazing. Ill use it with your permission

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    3. Sean, it's not poster 8.14 's permission you should be seeking. The poem was copied from the Rainbows Bridge website of the American lady, Ginny Brancato from Florida. It would have been a courtesy to attribute the poem to her website but she was not mentioned. The poem is often quoted with poet described as "Unknown" but always accredited to Ginny's website.

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    4. rainbow bridge? how fabulous darling.

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    5. �� LOL Ha ha! Isn't it just!

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  5. It is very painful to lose your pet, dog or cat, and little Scrapper did have fifteen very good years.

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    1. Pat, I don't particularly like having dogs around but I know the incerdible companionship a dog gives to its owner and I've witnessed many an elderly person being comforted by the presence of a dog. Dogs make life bearable for many, so my sympathy to you on losing Scrapper. No doubt his photos will keep him alive in your heart.

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    2. Thank you.

      I understand that not everyone is a dog person.

      If you are, they get into the very centre of your being.

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    3. 08:19. Thank you. 15 great years and treated like a prince :-)

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  6. Sorry to hear of your loss Pat. This is the unfortunate price of love; and Scrapper was blessed to be so loved and to have such a good home and housemate.
    CR.

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  7. (Sadie on the sofa) Ah.. the poor darlin'. Fifteen is a good enough age for a dog they say.. It's tough when he doesn't walk in the door any more. In time to come, some other dog will choose you... But not yet.

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  8. will there be a service? will he be buried next to the other dog? it would be nice to leave him in the oratory overnight.

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    1. He was in The Oratory overnight and under the altar at 12 Mass today.

      We will bury him this afternoon beside him Mum, SHEBA.

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    2. thats lovely. be sure to post a picture tomorrow of the grave site. i remember you showing us shebas grave with the candle

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    3. 13.03 What a nice gesture. Im sure God smiled

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    4. The world is upside down...

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    5. Are you for real? @poster up at 12.02

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  9. have you anymore dogs?

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  10. + Pat, My heart goes out to you today and not just today after 15 years it will be very difficulty a dog gives unconditional love this year is the Big anniversary for the Great Grayfriers Bobby. nad he was amazing.
    sadly 3 years ago the vet put my Ben to sleep named after the Michael Jackson song he was 13.5 but I feel the vet put him to sleep early and I could have got another year out of my Best Friend but vet said he had Chronic Hip Dysplasia but that's vets.
    I ended up using Blue Cross Bereavement Services for a while and still 3 years on I have never managed to replace Ben.
    So my thoughts are with you at this sad time.
    However easy for everyone to say move on he is only a dog but he is our Best Friend and think of the Good Times.

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    Replies
    1. It's a most difficult decision.

      The secret is - not too early, not too late.

      Scrapper was so weak he died with 1/4 of the normal does.

      Have you got another dog?

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    2. Taking pets to the vet for the last time is both one of the hardest and humane/selfless things to do. I've heard that Jack Russells are a very affectionate and loyal breed.

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    3. It is heart breaking.

      I've had various breeds of dogs for over 50 years since I was a child.

      The JR'S are my all time favourite.

      The breed was started and named after a clergyman - Pastor Jack Russell.

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    4. Interesting, never knew that. I visited a friend who had one once. The dog took and instant liking to me, was showing off and decided that I should spend the whole evening handing it a ball which it would catch and return to me on the sofa. Great craic.

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    5. No! .. You((poster 19.13) decided that you would spend the whole evening showing off how much the dog, in your opinion, had "taken an instant liking to you". You decided to continually return the ball to the dog ad infinitum..

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    6. There are several breeds of jrt . The parsons jrt was bred by rev russell. Prince Charles breeds them also . My favourite is the wire haired jrt but they are all lovely

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    7. Are you nicer in real life 21:52?

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    8. Yep.. I am gorgeous beyond belief! . Probably too perceptive for my own good.

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  11. Commiserations on your loss, Pat

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  12. I applaud your sensitivity to animals and am sorry for your loss. Indeed dogs are especially affectionate. I've read somewhere that a dog's level of oxcytocin (bonding/love hormone) increases when their owner shows up. Thank God for these lovely creatures.

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  13. Well, there you are... It happens.

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  14. @8.14. That long quote from the the "Rainbow Bridge 'crowd and its website.. Yeah, sometimes people do sometimes copy out the whole spiel.
    Nice stuff, was originally intended for kids but it's there for anyone I suppose.

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  15. It's only a stupid dumb dog for christsakes

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    1. I am always deeply suspicious of someone who is ignorant about animals and pets.

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    2. 16.20 I was going to say not one negative comment today. Wish we could be the same about people. I suppose every poo has a distinctive smell

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    3. And so am I... "deeply suspicious".

      --of someone who is very ignorant about other people...

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  16. Yeah.. The poem "Rainbow Bridge" is on that American website that Ginny Brancato started. It's always attributed to unknown author...a bit fanciful for most people's tastes but hey--who knows!

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  17. Yep - - Ginny's in Forida.. Our global village, eh? @ poster 8.14
    Good job!

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  18. There's something wrong the Anon's are behaving like Christians today...

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    1. Anon’s (sic) like you “Big Hank”? Your fellow Anons
      don’t you mean?

      Sorry about your dog, Pat.

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    2. 20:37, I assume he meant 'those who sign themselves "Anonymous" '. So your smart remark wasn't quite smart after all.😆

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    3. Everyone here is anonymous. Except for Pat, Sean Page and that nice chap from England - Tom. And the very occasional other person.

      Everyone else is anonymous - including you, Magna Carta - you tosser.

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    4. Cappuccino time again, boyo!

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  19. I'm very disappointed that people are writing hurtful comments on this. Shameful.

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  20. Maybe Pat you should switch off the comment facility on this post if horrible people have arrived? Hateful comments are disrespectful to an innocent dog who did no harm to anyone and brought much happiness.

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    Replies
    1. Don't be so silly.. If the cooker is giving you a little bit of trouble, you don't decide to demolish the whole kitchen!

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  21. Commiserations for your loss Pat, pets always leave an irreplaceable print in our hearts. I recently lost my horse, a New Forest Pony, due to colic. He was 19, quite young for a pony, and became ill so unexpectedly. He had been with my family for almost a decade. We will never forget him.

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    1. His name was Sunny, he was a lovely chestnut pony. I am very sorry for your loss.

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    2. Rambo. we had him buried in the rare of the garden. Although not religious, we had a little 'service'. We looked into cremation but it was too expensive. Also we thought of burning him ourselves in a service. dust to dust I believe. Anyways, pets leave lasting memories on us and I'll miss riding him. RIP

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    3. The comment @22:44 is not the genuine response. I wrote both comments @19:27 and 22:04. To the individual above, losing Sunny was devastating, as is losing any animal. Fake comments, whether genuine or sarcastic, completely undermine that. Please be more considerate hereafter.

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  22. The S. James, Swinbridge, Devon has great little pics on its website about Parson Jack Russell. There used to be a London OC church that had a special ministry for animals. Somehow I think you can find more info on the Apostolic Episcopal Church site by +John Kersey.

    We independents can go places and do things that you official clergy can’t.

    A special Memory Eternal, Bishop Patrick, for your beloved Scrapper.

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  23. You might like this Pat.
    'A friend I know walked by today,
    It made me feel downcast,
    But when he turned and came to me
    The time sped by so fast.
    His joy and sparkle cheered me up,
    With such friends we can't fail,
    As he left to go, I waved my hand,
    But he just wagged his tail.'

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    1. What you might describe as "doggerel" - but what ho Jeeves!

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    2. the sexual euphemisms are unreal. waved my hand, wagged his tail,

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    3. 22:05, that might have been witty in another context, but, you poor fool, timing is germane; and you have no sense of timing.😆

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    4. They are certainly unintended and in your mind only. Jog on..

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  24. He looks like Kevin McElroy (Horny Andy)

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    1. Who? Scrapper? Scrapper is far better looking.

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  25. Pat, I lost my dearest King Charles after 15 years of happy life. I know what you are going through and I am convinced that there will be a place for our little friends in the New Earth promised to us by the Master of all creation.

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    1. King Charles was beheaded in a dreadful experience. Cut to the bone, he was

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    2. Great moments in sensitivity and respect towards suffering

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  26. I know that Jack Russell is your favourite breed of dog, Bishop Pat. And fair play to you, because they are very affectionate animals. But, for my money, you can't beat a Springer Spaniel. I love 'em!

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    1. My mother had a Springer Spaniel, MC. He was such fun and had unbelievable energy. He could be taken on walks for hours. People need to choose dogs carefully, to make sure that they can respond appropriately to the temperament of each breed.

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    2. It's best if the dog chooses you!

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  27. Pat, Lorna Byrne, the lady who writes of her experience with angels, has a lovely piece in one of her books about the link or the connection in light she once was shown between a dog and its owner.

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  28. A friend once told me that on the loss of a pet the greatest tribute you can pay to them is to give another pet a home immediately.By doing this you are honouring their memory and showing how difficult it is to live without them.You will never replace the pet you have lost as you have shared so many special memories together. But you can create more wonderful memories by giving a caring and loving home to another pet. I've always followed that advice Pat and you might consider doing the same. Sympathies on your great loss.

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