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RE: [pyrnet] CHAT; STOCKGUARD; BEHAVIOR: Sampson's passing and thereaction of the other animals
Title: Message
Linda;
Heartfelt condolences to you and Jon on the passing of Sampson. Oh
the tears in reading your story below; I am so very sorry. I am sure Toby was
there to greet Sampson on the bridge and they are pain free, running and playing
and guarding everything in sight. The gardens and its guests over the
bridge are so very well protected!
Your account of what transpired between yesterday
and today with Molly, the goats and the donkeys, is so eloquent and so
very insightful into animal behavior, and the varied responses in the passing of
a companion. What a fitting tribute to have all who knew Sampson be
witness to his transition, and have such an emotional response, even
today. Your photo is beautiful, peaceful; as though a receiving line
was being formed to pay their formal respects.
We
send big working dog hugs to you, Jon and Molly. Please keep us posted on
Molly, as time passes. I hope you find comfort in knowing that one day, you will
be reunited and meet again.
In
sympathy,
Beth,
Czar (Pyr), Osa (Newf) and Tundra (Pyr) in Rural Wisconsin
Well, I
really didn't plan on posting anything else about Sampson, but the reaction of
the animals at our place was so moving and interesting, I had to share.
Most of you know, but quick background: Sampson, just turned 5 :Great
Pyr - Bone Cancer. Nothing could be done and we had to put him down. We
planned to do that here at the farm and bury him in the woodland meadow where
he could guard forever.
I asked all of you on the lists: - what about
his soul mate Molly? Should she see him after? I got so many replies and
pretty much all of them said yes. So we decided we would do that.
We put Sampson on a blanket in our small tractor cart and drove into the
field. Jon stopped once he got in there and turned off the
tractor. It was so moving, but not because of Molly. She came over
and sniffed his face and wagged and touched his face with her nose. But
perhaps the most interesting and moving thing to us was the two miniature
donkeys and the two goats.
They also came over and suddenly
there were five noses, quietly leaning into the cart, touching his nose, his
face. Not scared or skittish... just touching. Elmo the goat raised his
head to peer into my eyes and then dropped his head again to touch
Sammy. They followed us across the field, to the back gate into the
woodland.
The woodland has a meadow and we rotate our few critters in
and out of there... but they are all very sociable and prefer to stay in our
front pasture. If I DO want them there for the day, I have to entice
them back with food. Especially the donkeys like to stay in the front
pasture.
Not this time. They followed and we left all of them
behind the gate because our neighbor who does excavation etc. for a living had
dug a large and deep hole for us and I didn't want anybody falling in.
But as we went through the gate and I closed it, I called to Jon to stop the
tractor and look back. Both donkeys and both goats we right there - looking
through the gate, noses literally pressed up to it. Ears forward,
watching.
I added the ashes of Toby who we lost 3 1/2 years ago, (first
time I ever had an animal cremated) and who I just never seemed to get around
to spreading. This felt right and I put him with Sammy's body. It was
dark when we left the field. No predator ever DARE visit that meadow
now.
Finally, this morning we went out and opened the back gate,
Molly at our side. Her head went to the ground, following the path the
little tractor had taken the night before and she went to the grave.
Sniffed and checked it out. But then, guess what? Here came both
goats and both donkeys - directly to the grave, walking there, sniffing the
dirt and sticking to Jon and I like glue. They seemed to want and need extra
love and attention. They stayed right with us all the time, until we
finally walked out of the woodland and across the front pasture and into the
house.
So, a chapter ends and now the healing can begin.
I've included a photo of the meadow and Elmo and Chloe the goats, Little John
and Snowman the donkeys.
http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m397/elmochloe/RMomsMeadowJune.jpg
--
Linda Anderson
Nightsky Farm
Stanwood,
Wash.