Don't read this if you just ate.

[Cactus Flower]

Ok here's a "Pet Cemetary" moment for you:

Last night my son came inside looking very disturbed, and said "Mom, I think you'd better see what's on my porch". (He has his own cabin just outside the house).
I followed him outside onto his wooden porch. He simply pointed down. To the foot that was there. A dog's foot. A rotting dogs foot.
The rotting foot of "Kiva" (my pitX), who I buried almost six months ago. I recognized it. (Things don't decompose so quickly, buried in the desert sand). It still had a fair amount of fur, with all of her very unique-colored nails jutting out.

We shuddered, and wondered briefly if Stephen King was writing this scene. If maybe Kiva was returning home, piece by piece. Sick humor, perhaps, but it helped us cope with the moment.

Eventually the shudders passed, and I called for Chloe (my Finnish Spitz). She came running around the corner, grinning proudly. I smelled her breath. Yep, dead animal stink. Chloe ran back to the corner of the yard and plunked down, clearly chewing on something. It was dark, and I couldn't see what it was.

Although I dreaded it, I went over to take a look.

I'll spare you the details.
Suffice is to say: CHLOE IS EATING KIVA.
(Is this some bizarre coping method?)

I went to Kiva's gravesite, down in the arroyo near our house where she used to hang out- and sure enough, there was a big empty hole. Little Chloe must have been working on it for some time, night after night. And apparently, she wants everyone to see the fruits of her labor.

Egads!

[Cinnabear]

Eewww, eewww, eewww. What a present from Chloe! How is your teenage mancub handling it? I still say eewww.

[Luba]

Ahh CF thats a heart tugger I'd rebury her in something and put some cement over it then refill the sand.

Musta been hard to see that, I'm sorry my friend.

[moontamara]

You are so strong! I'm so sorry for you and your son... how sad.

[Sneaky2006]

Yuck!!! I can't even imagine what that must have been like. If you're capable the cement may not be a bad idea. Sorry about that!

[Iggette]

Oh My

What a horrible thought I hope Chloe doesn't get sick.

I think I'll go out and put some heavy stones on Mama's grave site today

That must have been difficult for the both of you so sorry you had to see this, Did Chloe know the place of Kiva's burial or was it found by her?

Just know that these are just Kiva's remains, her soul rests in peace in a happier place.....just looks like Chloe is not ready to let go yet

[chico2]

CF,wow,that must have been a shock.....I have 4 cats buried in my backyard and always was worried something would dig them up.But I had hubby sweat and dig at least 3 feet down and it is soil,not sand.
I also have numerous birds and squirrels buried all over the place and on a lighter side,whoever buys our house could have a few surprises if they decide to change my garden
One of my sons,always insisted on scraping any dead squirrels off the road and give them a funeral and I never argued,but was proud of him...
CF,I might be a little concerned Chloe could get sick....Kiva's skeleton is just that,a skeleton..her soul is up there somewhere frolicking in dog/cat heaven..

[sammiec]

Oh CF!!! What an awful thing to have to see! I hope you and your son are coping fine. That cement thing sounds like a good idea, or even cremating the remaining remains.... So sorry that you're dealing with this!

[heeler's rock!]

Yikes CF!!! That must have been AWFUL!! I would'nt know what I would do! I agree with Chico and Iggette and get Chloe checked out! So sorry you had to see that!!

[Cactus Flower]

Thanks everyone!

No, Chloe didn't know where I buried Kiva. Apparently her little nose is more sensitive than I could have imagined? Or maybe some of the sand got worn away and Kiva wasn't as deep down anymore, and then Chloe detected her.
Who knows.

Yes, my son and I are coping ok, because what you say is true, and we believe it- that Kiva isn't "in" her body anymore. But it was a gruesome moment, that's for sure. I felt very conflicted. But there was Chloe, grinning like a fool, so happy.

Again, gallows humor runs rampant in our family as a coping mechanism. Once we realized that Chloe was indeed eating Kiva, and we were getting over the initial shock and disgust, the comments began: "I've heard of having to 'process' the death of a loved one, but I don't think this is quite what they meant, Chloe"..... Might seem irreverent, but honestly, humor has gotten us through times even tougher than this.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Yes, I did re-bury Kiva's parts. I know this is just going to creep you out even further, but.....I can't find her head! I hope it isn't going to turn up in the passenger seat of the Jeep or something...."Ok Mom, I'm ready for a ride!" LOL. Seriously, though, I can't imagine where it could be.

Edited to add: Chloe is acting perfectly fine and healthy. Will keep an eye on her, though.

[moontamara]

Oh dear!!! I don't know if I should hope that you find the head or not...

I know what you mean by coping with humour. My family is very much the same way, although I guess it doesn't work for everyone (my grandpa used to scowl at her hilarious cancer jokes while she was bed-confined with breast cancer). I love the "process" joke... although I still think it's all quite a terrible way to be reminded of your loss!

Glad you're both handling it so well! I think we're all proud of you here!

[Luba]

Chloe you come closer to the screen so I can give you a big 'NO'

[glasslass]

CF, I just read this thread and wow, what a shock that must have been! I totally relate to the stress relieving humor. While waiting for the paramedics to arrive after my pop died, I remember standing by the front door with my mom and my brother. My mom asked my brother "Are you sure? Did you take his pulse?" To which my brother replied, "No. He didn't have one." Try to keep your wonderful sense of humor through all this. It's a great coping mechanism! And Chico, when we had our patio cover built, I made a point to show the contractor exactly where he could NOT put a post. I didn't want to disturb Den-Den2's gravesite. Here, it's illegal to bury pets in the backyard but "don't ask, don't tell".

[Cactus Flower]

Illegal to bury pets in your OWN YARD??? That's a travesty!
I'm sorry for your losses, GlassLass (both your father and DenDen2).

LOL Luba, I'd bring her closer to the screen, but she is outside....doing God knows what . (KIDDING! I just let her out, she is probably just going potty .)

Thanks MoonDarlin!
I can imagine your Grandpa scowling...you don't know how to respond, sometimes, when someone is making light of their own condition. It's like you're afraid to laugh along. Who had breast cancer? Is she ok now?

HeelersRock, Chico, Sammie, Iggette, Sneaky, Cinnabear, MoonDarlin, Luba, GlassLass...........
Thanks, everyone for your comments and support. I was so afraid to post the humorous comments we made, for fear of seeming callous or it just being taken the wrong way. But I wanted to be fully honest, tell the whole story as it happened. Looks like I was silly to worry about that. You good people are so understanding. Thank you for that!

[Luba]

If people were more honest with their feelings and express them clearly 'then the world would be a better place'

[Sneaky2006]

Illegal to bury pets in your OWN YARD??? That's a travesty!

Yeah, tell me about it... whenever one of my mom's dogs died she had to pay hundreds of dollars to have them burried in a cemetary as it is illegal there (here) also! It's bad enough to lose a pet but then have to go through that, taking them and stuff.
It may be illegal but if anything happens to our pets, they will be burried at home where they belong!

[glasslass]

When my pop was cremated, we got his ashes back in a sealed cardboard box. When my brother's Akita was cremated, her ashes came back in a beautiful, dove-tailed, wood box. We should have had the vet cremate Pop!

[chico2]

I actually think you are not supposed to bury animals in you yard here too,but my vet was very understanding,she knew I could not leave my cats there,I needed to take them home,where they belonged.
After the third cat though,she started asking how big my backyard was
My Peppi was soo sick the last day,I could not find anything warm and soft to put in his carrier,so I took my husbands favourite bathrobe and Peppi took it with him in his grave,hubbie did not mind,he loved Peppi he just wished I had taken my housecoat,not his
I have a menagerie of animals in my yard,4 cats,lots of squirrels,tons of birds..even a poor little baby-skunk..

[Cactus Flower]

GlassLass, is it ok to laugh at your last post?

[glasslass]

Of course! Mom and I giggled our heads off when my brother called and told us .

[melanie]

wonder why no buriel in back yards, may be a population concentration tyhing perhaps?? in oz we can bury anything in the yard except humans and big animals such as horse and cow, i once had to help my friend bury her beloved horse under the light of a silvery moon in her back yard (huge yard, farm yard) as it was illeagle but she couldnt bear to have him anywhere else.

did you know that new technology allows for the ashes of a loved one to be turned into a man made diamond, diamonds are carbon and so is ashes so they just sort of compress the carbon under intense pressure and wala, a diamond, only $5000 US i have heard

[Sneaky2006]

Can you imagine explaining that one? "Yeah, I had my dog cremated and he's with me always" as you whip out your hand with a huge rock on it! That would be so cool... having uncle pete on your hand. LOL!

[Writing4Fun]

*chuckle* Gives a whole new meaning to the term "pet rock"!

[glasslass]

Hmmmmmm. Wonder what size stone? I could have had a mother's ring!