Notifying Next of Kin

There are several reasons why we didn't bring Sophie with us to Florida. At 14, she didn't need the stress and confusion of living in an empty house for an indefinite period of time. She loved packing up and going to stay with MeeMaw and PapPaw English, but we didn't have childcare arrangements here. The lovely pond behind our new house held the potential for alligators, and...I don't even want to go there. Drew said we didn't have a closet big enough for her wardrobe. The girl loved to dress up, what can I say?

My mother recently lost her dog to cancer, and my sister's 16 year old Lhaso wasn't doing so well, so they offered to keep her in Lubbock at one house or the other. She often made the trip to west Texas and was lovingly known as The Uppity Cousin from Dallas. We knew she would be loved and dressed appropriately.

Linda called last Monday in tears. Sophie had been up all night sick to her stomach. When Linda went home to check on her at noon, she knew something was horribly wrong. She took her to the vet who diagnosed kidney failure. There were a couple of options of keeping her alive on an IV for a few weeks, but Linda made the right and difficult decision not to prolong her pain.

I felt so bad for Linda. Her dog, Sadie Mae had to be put to sleep just 6 weeks earlier. Sophie had only been sick a couple of days in her little Shih Tzu life, and one of those was because she OD'd on a leftover piece of pound cake. I called Drew and the boys and they were surprised and sad as I was. But, also grateful.

She was the family pet you hope for. Low maintenance, didn't shed, and had a great sense of fashion. Whenever we took her with us in the car, she hopped on her satin pillowcase and slept the whole way.

Sophie had her own Swankie Blankie with her name embroidered on it, an assortment of hair bows and sweaters, an Old Navy T-shirt, an Easter dress, a Sunday dress, a cheer leading outfit, an angel costume, a witch's hat and even a red boa that she wore to Karen H.'s 30th birthday party. Her recent additions included a little black taffeta number with spaghetti straps that she only pulled out for special occasions, (black was her signature color)and a cheetah print dress with hot pink trim.

She was patient with the little friends that came to our house. She taught us to be gentle and responsible. We surprised the boys with her Easter weekend 1993. They lifted the basket lid and out she hopped. (She looked more like a guinea pig than a puppy!) I kept her hair long until I was paying more to have hers done than mine.

Anyway, if you were in our home, you probably had Sophie in your lap, and we just wanted you to know. Linda said she held her while they administered the drugs, until she died.

"What was she wearing?" I asked.

"Her pink sweater."

"Oh, good. That was her favorite."

Sophie went out in style!