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| - I had adopted Hank, my Golden mix when he was 2 years old when my also 2 year old Shepherd mix, Bindy was chewing furniture to let me know she was bored. They bonded immediately, could not be separated and did everything together. I came to find out that we were his 5th family and that his first 2 years were not happy ones. After a year of work to get him healthy from his previous abuse he became the most forgiving, protective and loving dog. So when Hank was diagnosed at barely 7 years old with Lymphoma I was referred to Happy Endings. I wanted to be sure that Bindy was with him the whole time and that neither of the dogs were stressed by a car ride to the vet. I include information about Bindy because I feel it is important for anyone with a surviving pet to know what to expect and that they too are a part of this transition.
I checked the Yelp reviews for Happy Endings and they were amazing. I spoke with Alicia who was not only very informative but was extremely compassionate about what to look for when it was time to call them and that they could be at my house very quickly if we needed. She made me feel at ease knowing I had a plan for Hank's end of life care and I had the remaining time with him to just enjoy and spoil him. Those two months flew by so fast and within days at the end, so did his condition. The day they came out I received a "we're on our way" call. When Dr. Fixler and his assistant Briana(?) arrived Bindy, who had been frantic over Hank's condition, smelled them and Dr. Fixler's bag and seemed to be begging them to do something. Unfortunately we did have to separate her from us but she was still very close to us and could see Hank. Dr. Fixler and Briana were happy to be where ever Hank was happy which was outside on his pillow.
Dr. Fixler examined Hank and confirmed that yes, it was his time and also told us that how we had taken care of him the last two months was the best course of action. I felt I had made the right decision from the beginning but when you're at the end you're always looking at the beginning and that made me feel better. He was very gentle with Hank and had his comfort as first priority. As we all sat around Hank he gave him an injection of a sedative so he would be asleep and comfortable. While waiting for the sedation to take effect we completed the paperwork and took care of the cost of the services we had decided on which went smoothly and quickly so we could return our attention back to Hank. Dr. Fixler kept checking Hank to see if the sedative had taken effect. Once Hank started to relax Bindy became absolutely silent.
Dr. Fixler inserted the catheter after Hank was under sedation so he would not feel a thing. We were given some privacy to pet him one last time and say goodbye before coming back out to administer the final injection. He told us everything we may see so we were prepared for what would happen next. Hank very peacefully passed in the comfort of his favorite spot, surrounded by his family. This is exactly what I wanted him to have. His life had started out so hard that I wanted him to have a very peaceful and well, happy ending. He was surrounded by love, respect and gentle hands. We once again had more time with him and despite the tears and runny noses we were given hugs and condolences. It was at this time that we let Bindy in to see Hank and she only made a few sniffs around him and that was it; exactly what Dr. Fixler told us she would do. When we had said our final goodbyes Hank was very carefully wrapped up and taken away.
After Hank was cremated he was couriered to me which the date and time was scheduled in advance. Inside the box, Hanks remains were very carefully packaged to ensure safe delivery, a letter from Happy Endings again expressing their condolences and an envelope containing the "Rainbow Bridge" poem with Hank's paw print next to it.
Despite this very sad time for us, Dr. Fixler, Alicia and Briana gave us and most importantly Hank the most peaceful and respectful experience I could have hoped for. I didn't have to worry about anything. Having Bindy there with us was also important because if we had taken Hank away in the condition he was in and not returned with him, Bindy would have searched and searched for him. When it's Bindy's time to meet up with Hank it will be through the gentle hands of Dr. Fixler.
I highly recommend that you visit their website. There is a wealth of information on grief, surviving pets, etc. Also know that your surviving pet will go through a grief period of their own. They will do things out of habit and you'll see them remember that their friend is not there to do those things with them. Be patient and don't force them into having a new friend too soon. They will be okay but they need you to guide them through their grief and they will help you through yours.
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