June 25, 2019

Goodbye, Diego

We said a tearful goodbye to Diego this afternoon.

He spent most of the day on the grass in the front yard, enjoying the warm sun.


Diego joined our family on April 21, 2011. This was the Petfinder photo that caught Laura's attention:


Summer 2011, staying close to Tala's crate as she rehabs

December 2011


October 2012 (after romping in the just-mowed backyard)


Spring 2012


Summer 2012


December 2013


March 2014 ("We Love The Car")


Summer 2014


2016, Cherry Beach, Toronto


September 2018, Ontario RV trip (Sudbury)


September 2018, RV trip in Ontario


September 2018, Ontario RV trip


November 2019, Manitoba


November 2019 (hotel room, after a long day of driving)


Spring 2019 (the law firm I work for did a story about my working-remotely arrangement for its internal newsletter, so Diego and I posed for a photo)


2019, San Josef Bay in BC


April 2019, with Kai


This afternoon, getting some love from Cookie


After driving across Canada with us last November, Diego was able to enjoy a back yard (once again!). Two wonderful beaches were both a short drive away. Diego loved the beach so much - during his first visit to Toronto's Cherry Beach, he zoomed around constantly, crashing through tall grass, splashing in and out of the water.


Seeing an irrepressibly happy dog get even more happy is a wonderful sight, possibly even more wonderful than watching Dave Roberts steal second base.

Diego was last at Storey's Beach two days ago (though he stayed on the leash) in a light rain. The injury to his other knee happened later in the day.

Our pack has had a lot of sudden change in the last two months. Diego was our only dog for more than two years. Then he and Kai were a duo for 36 days before Cookie joined the family. The three of them were together for only 48 days.

Now: The Kai and Cookie Show.

6 comments:

FenFan said...

As I stated in the game thread last night, it's a tough choice to make, but relieving a pet's suffering is a sign of love. Clearly, Diego led a good life and I'm so happy that he had the opportunity to spend time with Kai and Cookie. All the best to you and L.

laura k said...

Beautiful tribute and great pics. I'm so glad you got a pic of D getting Cookie love!

Here's mine.

johngoldfine said...

FenFan has it right about our responsibility to care for our dogs.

There is no evidence that could ever make me other than an atheist, but the evidence for the absence of a benevolent god is manifest in the disproportionate life spans of dogs and humans.

I also agree with Laura about the post and the tribute. I appreciate both the love it shows and the sentimentality it avoids, not that my eyes are dry right now, but that's not your fault.

allan said...

My comments from the game thread:

Diego saw 2 World Series titles, so that's pretty good.
It's horrible when the right thing to do is also the most heartbreaking thing to do. But we are steadfast believers in that ultimate responsibility, that it's something you agree to (to yourself) when you have a pet. They will love the hell out of you no matter what every single goddamn day and you have to honor that by not letting them suffer. Making that call is going to crush you no matter when you make it, so you have to think of the animal first.

commenter said...

Sorry to hear this. It's very hard losing a dog. From the photos, it looks like Diego was a wonderful companion.

laura k said...

John, everything you said, so true.

Our shorthand is "better a day early than a day late".

And oh yeah, fuck the rainbow bridge.