Seamus Has Gone To The Rainbow Bridge

Thirteen years ago I made an unplanned visit to the humane society. We had been thinking about getting a companion dog for Duffy our basset. As I walked through the kennel I came upon a small brown and black pup whose breed was indistinguishable, he was a mutt. He was eating, but I reached into the cage anyhow to pet him. He wagged his tail and stopped chewing long enough to lick my hand.

It was spring and he was found wandering the streets around the university campus. The humane officer thought that he was "turned loose" by some college student who had gone home on break. As I recall my brother Jim, friend Charlie, Ann, and I did a second trip to the shelter, at which time I signed the adoption papers. Because it was close to St. Patrick's day the pup was appropriately named "Seamus".

Seamus lived large. He never needed a leash. He knew our twenty acres of woods and the adjacent fields and prairies and never strayed. He loved to run. He would get ahead of the rest of us on dog walks, but always looked and doubled back to be sure we were coming.

Seamus was a cancer survivor. For a time a half a dozen years ago we thought he might have to have a front leg amputated. But the wonderful veterinarians, Diane and Kris at Oakview Clinic cured him with chemotherapy. He later had to have a tendon in another leg operated on that he tore running on ice. But there was no slowing him down...that is until a week ago when he started to show signs of discomfort, especially very labored breathing.

Ann took him to the emergency clinic in Appleton WI, where ultra-sound and other tests revealed the extent of his cancer. On Saturday afternoon, June 28th we had to let him go. Ann and I held him as he took his last breath, and we said "Goodbye".

We drove Seamus home in a driving rain and hail storm. That evening when the weather cleared up, we buried "The Skinny Man" on the hill under the pines by Duffy. There are lots of things I will miss about Seamus, especially the way he would plop down next to me in bed at night. He always laid close by my side...I think I will miss that the most.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...