I read more often than post here (***seriously sad post)

[MuseRider]

but I am just devastated and wanted to come in with a PSA that none of you need but, whatever.

I spent the morning yesterday breaking through the remaining ice on my pond with my little paddle boat on the way over to find out what that lump in the ice that had been in the pond for 2 days was. We thought it was maybe one of the beavers that died and floated up and got caught in the ice but then I got a call to see if I had seen the new neighbors brindle Mastiff. We are in the country but I cannot understand how anyone who lives with a highway a block away and on a street that goes by that is not busy but higher speed than normal does not think to protect their dogs. Their goats are fenced in, their chickens too but their 2, 8 month old littermates, were not kept up and apparently one night one of them decided going after the geese on my pond was a good idea. I spent yesterday morning hauling an 80 pound, beautiful drowned puppy out of my pond. The moment I got a hold of that back that was sticking up and rolled it a bit and saw those long legs come up to the surface almost killed me.

I can tell you, that was one hell of a way to meet your new neighbors.

They can do what they want with their animals, I cannot tell them what to do and I will not but I can say that it has certainly caused my feelings looking out on my beautiful big pond to change. That was the most soul killing experience I have had in a very long time. Just a PSA that nobody here needs but I feel compelled to post. I would wish that experience on no one. We keep loud firecracker type things here just to scare off any dog we see who tried to walk on the ice, it happens once in every long while and that works well. We were not awake all night, did not hear what must have been chaos as he struggled and the geese must have raised a huge ruckus, or we maybe could have helped him. It would have been an almost impossible task and perhaps that would have been worse than just finding him but we should not have had to deal with that. My soul is heavy, he was adorable and goofy and they loved him but did not even expect this I guess. With all the horrible news out there I feel badly about this has just taken the wind out of my life. Those legs.........

[50 Shades Of Blue]

1. How awful. :( Tragic for the poor dog and traumatic for you.

I won't say what I think about the owner.

[MuseRider]

3. Oh my, it really isn't all about me but I just re-read

and it sounds like that. I am sorry about that. It is thinking about that poor pup that is killing me, seeing those legs and thinking about him struggling. I am hoping the cold made his death less traumatic for him. I believe I have heard that when you get that cold you just kind of fall asleep or maybe just lose consciousness. Having to get him out of the pond was not fun but it was because of how we feel about all our critters and thinking how he must have struggled that made it that way.

The owners loved him, I just don't understand the way they were thinking. LOTS of people out here let their dogs run. We don't, the lady across the road does not but many do not.

[GentryDixon]

6. Your last two words told me what you were trying to convey.

I'm sorry the poor little pup had to go through the stark terror, and you for the shock of seeing those legs....💔

[localroger]

12. Hypothermia is about as merciful as it gets, fortunately

Cold water sucks the heat out of your body very quickly. They warn humans that the greatest danger of freezing to death begins when it begins to feel warmer and more comfortable -- that's your body shutting down. Pretty soon your heart stops, brain function ceases, and there is no pain. Which is why you need to be aware of the danger if there is a chance of saving yourself; it's too easy to surrender to what seems like an improving experience. But of course nobody could have told the dog that.

[MuseRider]

15. Thanks.

I hope and am telling myself he did start to feel better as he died. Poor ole big pup. I have not seen his brother outside, my hope is they are going to provide shelter and containment for him when he is out. They do have a big fenced in area for the kids.

[Stonepounder]

2. OMG. I can't imagine how horrible that must have been for you.

Some people just shouldn't own pets.

Sending hugs and healing vibes your way.

[MuseRider]

4. Thanks.

It simply breaks my heart.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. I'm sorry. I once, 32 years ago, had 2 6 month old Samoyed puppies

break through ice on a lake in Minnesota. I went after them and had the ice drop out from under me as well. I couldn't swim, but grabbed one of the dogs and managed to throw her on shore. Went back, but could no longer see the other.
I had to give up and get myself and Lacey up the hill and back to the house in below zero weather. We survived.
I believe the ice breaking under me pulled Kepie under the other edge of the ice and he couldn't surface again.
The pain this caused me was great. I refused to believe he was gone. Put out flyers and searched for signs of him for a week.
They were like kids. I had just checked on them and then in the next minute they had traveled across a couple of acres and down to the lake.
I will always feel guilt.

[MuseRider]

8. Oh god, I can understand.

That is why, until I see these new neighbors not making a shelter and keeping their remaining dog safe, I cannot make a judgement against them. Their pain was real. They should have known after all, but some people just don't always. You obviously did not have a thought they would do that. That is a long way for pups to run.

My husband had our dogs out on a walking trail at a local lake and the lab ran out on the ice and fell through. It was not real deep but he immediately went under the ice not coming up but swimming the wrong way. My husband jumped in and started breaking ice and finally got his collar and pulled him out. Meanwhile our Golden jumped in after my husband while our little beagle mix just stood on the shore howling at them all. It turned out OK but he was so frightened he never even thought about going under himself, he just wanted our dog back. Luckily he could still reach him.

It is easy to judge people about these things. Out here in the country with just a few of us in the "neighborhood" we all look out for each other in different ways. I had never seen those dogs way over on my land and was surprised that he did come over but those geese must have been a real temptation for him. Oddly, they have not been back and usually there are hundreds of them usually out there.

I am so sorry you carry this. ((hugs))

[Bayard]

7. Awww.........crap

So sorry, Muse. I understand how that would be tough for your mind's eye to let go of.

Over the years, I have found a number of my own animals that have passed on. It never gets any easier.

Have you talked to your neighbors?

[MuseRider]

9. Yes, I helped him drag the pup

up the bank and load him in the back of his little tractor cart. We talked a little but it was strained as you can imagine. I will stick a note in their mailbox next week asking how they are and giving my condolences because damn, even if it should never have happened it DID happen. They have 4 little kids who were apparently and understandably very upset.

Yeah, out here on the farm it does not take long for you to rack up a long list. Thankfully I have only had one in all the dogs and cats and horses and goats that has gone without a reason that anyone could find. This was the worst though and I did not even know the poor pup.

[coeur_de_lion]

10. So sorry you had to experience this

Happened to friends of mine. They had a cover on their pool for the winter. A beautiful Irish setter somehow got underneath the cover and couldn't get out.

Poor dogs are innocent. People need to take better care that their animals don't get out.

[Freddie]

13. My in-laws had indoor-outdoor cats

Until their neighbors found one of them floating in their pool. Unless they’re catching mice in a farm, cats belong inside.

[MuseRider]

16. :-(

We used to have a small pool at our old house and we kept it covered in winter but we also had a big fence around it. I think we found an odd rat or mouse in there but rarely. It doesn't matter, it always feels so horrible. Probably worse being a pool that was built. The pond was here long before I was. I don't know, feels worse today but I think this may be a turn around day where I can start to not look out the window and feel horrible sadness. It will always be there but as all grief, it will become one more thing I have to learn, and will, to live with. We all have those. Thanks.

[mopinko]

11. omg. how sad.

(((hugs))) that you had to be the one.

[MuseRider]

17. Hi Mo!

Good to see you.

It sucks but I always knew this could happen.

[mopinko]

19. good to see you, too.

sad circumstances, tho.

[peacebuzzard]

14. Tragic, so so sad.

I feel much empathy for you, I am raw from a recent despair very similar.

[MuseRider]

18. Oh no!

If you feel the need to talk about it you can post it here. It helped me just to talk about it. My husband cannot even think about it yet but he helped me.

There is so much tragedy in the world. It makes me wonder why we have to create so much of it in addition. I hope you feel better.

[peacebuzzard]

20. I will.

I have some intense grief processing to do yet.

[MuseRider]

21. I am so very sorry. n/t