The Time has Come...

Well, today was the day...

Riley, our long-loved pet, has been in our family his whole life. We got him when he was a puppy around April 1993. He was a golden retriever / black lab mix. He was the fluffiest golden I've seen, and the biggest paws on a golden I've seen. He has always been a good dog, and has never really been a pain. A few years ago, my mom got another dog, because she thought he was going to die. But he kept going for a few more years, and could have probably gone more, but he would not have been happy. I got a text from my mom saying that Riley had a stroke, and he was laying in his own pee because he could not move his back legs. My friend's mom came and picked me up and brought me to the vet. When we pulled up, it was my mom, dad, the vet, Erica, and Erica's assistant. They decided to put him down, and that we shouldn't let him struggle anymore.

So, Erica went and got the euthanasia to put him down, and injected the first one. My dad lost it, and had to walk away. I watched the liquid be forced into his body, and it was like somebody tearing chunks out of your heart. Then after a while, he was still awake, so they decided to give him another dose, but stayed with us. We waited for a while, after he fell asleep, because the darn dog would NOT let go!

Erica kept saying how much of a trouper he was, and how weird this was. The dog is 16 years old, great circulatory system...you'd think it'd just happen. NO. They went and got a third, and that's when his breathing started to lighten up, and the moment got intense. Then, the dreaded moment happend...

Riley Link

Golden Retriever / Black Lab

Born: April 1993

Died: September 2009

Age: 16 years old

We love you Riley, and you will be missed truly.