Dear Dr. Forslund,
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving Ozzie (and his parents) such a compassionate farewell. Yesterday was probably the most difficult day of my life. I have had many pets pass away over the years, but never before have I had to make the decision myself. I was hoping that Ozzie would spare me that decision also, but I just couldn't bear to see him suffer any longer. You could not have been more caring. I can't imagine how you hold up emotionally, doing what you do. But I'm so thankful that you do. As I said, you are a very special person.
Ozzie was a Christmas Eve puppy. Richard had met the owners of his mother, Freckles, purely by chance while walking our previous dog, Monty, around Balboa Island. He and the couple exchanged praise for each other's Australian shepherds and Richard asked them if they knew a good breeder, as we were thinking of adopting another puppy. As it so happened, they were planning to breed their dog with the dog of a friend! They gave Richard their phone number, and thus we received updates throughout the entire process, from mating, to pregnancy and whelping. I held Ozzie in the palm of my hand when he was 3 days old and knew that he was the one I wanted, but Richard had always wanted a female red merle. There was actually one in Ozzie's litter--but it turned out that she had a heart defect and they had to put her down when she was 5 days old. If that little female had been strong, we would not have adopted Ozzie--or Jordan! We adopted Jordan from a shelter 2 years later and Richard finally got his little red-haired girl.
Ozzie had a great life. For years we lived part-time here but most of the year in Aspen, Colorado. We had 37 acres up there and it was canine heaven! Monty, Ozzie, and Jordan absolutely loved it and each time we let them out of the car after our 15-hour drive back from California they would take off barking, as if to say, "Yay!! We're home!" When we finally sold the place and bought the house which Richard currently lives in, with only a cemented central patio, they were all like, "Hey, what's the deal with THIS?!" From then on, it was major "walkies" for Mom and the kids every day.
Anyway, I am very sad but I'll be O.K. Everyone has been so supportive and I actually feel closer to Richard than I have in years. I had dinner with him and Jordan last night. He, as do I, feels that you are an exceptional person. Under the circumstances, neither of us could have been more pleased with how you handled this event.
I've attached my very favorite photo of Ozzie and Jordan, taken around 1999. Although Jordan looks very coy and seductive, in reality she was in mid-dive for her butt! I thought that the photo was a total loss, but when it came back from the developer I was pleasantly surprised.
Ozzie was such a great dog. I miss him so much.
Thank you so much.
love,
Donna Allen
Newport Beach