The following is a beautiful tribute from a volunteer who truly cared about Jimmy until his final moments.
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As I reached home that night, I lost it. Not the kind of "lose it" for 10 minutes and then make some dinner and watch Jeopardy. No, I lost it to the point where I was seriously considering terminating my Peace Corps service early, as I could not bear living in a country any longer where people treated animals so poorly.
Jimmy died in my hands after a battle with a horrible and painful poison ingested called gramoxone on the Grenadine island of Canouan****. He was a fighter. Although the vet has only had a handful of survival cases from this poison, we all thought Jimmy would pull through. He even went home to his loving companions, only to be returned days later with worsening symptoms. It did not look good, but Jimmy and I had many a talk in that concrete, florescent-lit holding kennel about our big plans for life post-poisoning.
His kind eyes and gentle spirit are unforgettable, and remind me why I am here: to assist in preventing this suffering on others, two and four-legged, through the Vincentian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
As Jimmy took his final breaths, head heavy and sunken into my palm, I did my best to comfort him and assure him that he would be out of pain soon. Inhale…Exhale. Inhale…Exhale. Chest cavity rising, falling. Rising slower, with more effort, falling with less. Climbing one more time, and then we both knew that was it. His body tensed, muscles engaged in shock, as if to try to just one more time to be here with us, but his strength was gone, and so was he.
It was after hours at the only clinic on the island available to VSPCA, so the loneliness and tears rolled in without thinking. I shut his eyes, and closed mine for a few moments, as if to preserve those final few minutes together. It is imprinted on my memory, and not a day goes by that Jimmy does not come into my mind and remind me of all the work that needs to be done to help his friends.
I've never cradled a dying being before. This memory will be with me forever, but I hope it is joined by memories of successful rescues, the elimination of abuse towards non-human animals, and a kinder world for all inhabitants.
RIP Jimmy boy, you are loved and deeply missed, but live on in our hearts.
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**** Canouan (pronounced "can - ah - wan") where Jimmy died is an island in the Grenadines Islands belonging to St Vincent. It is a small island, measuring only 3.5 miles (5.6 km) by 1.25 miles (2 km). The population is about 1,200 people.
------------------------------------------
As I reached home that night, I lost it. Not the kind of "lose it" for 10 minutes and then make some dinner and watch Jeopardy. No, I lost it to the point where I was seriously considering terminating my Peace Corps service early, as I could not bear living in a country any longer where people treated animals so poorly.
Jimmy died in my hands after a battle with a horrible and painful poison ingested called gramoxone on the Grenadine island of Canouan****. He was a fighter. Although the vet has only had a handful of survival cases from this poison, we all thought Jimmy would pull through. He even went home to his loving companions, only to be returned days later with worsening symptoms. It did not look good, but Jimmy and I had many a talk in that concrete, florescent-lit holding kennel about our big plans for life post-poisoning.
His kind eyes and gentle spirit are unforgettable, and remind me why I am here: to assist in preventing this suffering on others, two and four-legged, through the Vincentian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
As Jimmy took his final breaths, head heavy and sunken into my palm, I did my best to comfort him and assure him that he would be out of pain soon. Inhale…Exhale. Inhale…Exhale. Chest cavity rising, falling. Rising slower, with more effort, falling with less. Climbing one more time, and then we both knew that was it. His body tensed, muscles engaged in shock, as if to try to just one more time to be here with us, but his strength was gone, and so was he.
It was after hours at the only clinic on the island available to VSPCA, so the loneliness and tears rolled in without thinking. I shut his eyes, and closed mine for a few moments, as if to preserve those final few minutes together. It is imprinted on my memory, and not a day goes by that Jimmy does not come into my mind and remind me of all the work that needs to be done to help his friends.
I've never cradled a dying being before. This memory will be with me forever, but I hope it is joined by memories of successful rescues, the elimination of abuse towards non-human animals, and a kinder world for all inhabitants.
RIP Jimmy boy, you are loved and deeply missed, but live on in our hearts.
------------------------
**** Canouan (pronounced "can - ah - wan") where Jimmy died is an island in the Grenadines Islands belonging to St Vincent. It is a small island, measuring only 3.5 miles (5.6 km) by 1.25 miles (2 km). The population is about 1,200 people.
The following is a beautiful tribute from a volunteer who truly cared about Jimmy until his final moments.
------------------------------------------
As I reached home that night, I lost it. Not the kind of "lose it" for 10 minutes and then make some dinner and watch Jeopardy. No, I lost it to the point where I was seriously considering terminating my Peace Corps service early, as I could not bear living in a country any longer where people treated animals so poorly.
Jimmy died in my hands after a battle with a horrible and painful poison ingested called gramoxone on the Grenadine island of Canouan****. He was a fighter. Although the vet has only had a handful of survival cases from this poison, we all thought Jimmy would pull through. He even went home to his loving companions, only to be returned days later with worsening symptoms. It did not look good, but Jimmy and I had many a talk in that concrete, florescent-lit holding kennel about our big plans for life post-poisoning.
His kind eyes and gentle spirit are unforgettable, and remind me why I am here: to assist in preventing this suffering on others, two and four-legged, through the Vincentian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
As Jimmy took his final breaths, head heavy and sunken into my palm, I did my best to comfort him and assure him that he would be out of pain soon. Inhale…Exhale. Inhale…Exhale. Chest cavity rising, falling. Rising slower, with more effort, falling with less. Climbing one more time, and then we both knew that was it. His body tensed, muscles engaged in shock, as if to try to just one more time to be here with us, but his strength was gone, and so was he.
It was after hours at the only clinic on the island available to VSPCA, so the loneliness and tears rolled in without thinking. I shut his eyes, and closed mine for a few moments, as if to preserve those final few minutes together. It is imprinted on my memory, and not a day goes by that Jimmy does not come into my mind and remind me of all the work that needs to be done to help his friends.
I've never cradled a dying being before. This memory will be with me forever, but I hope it is joined by memories of successful rescues, the elimination of abuse towards non-human animals, and a kinder world for all inhabitants.
RIP Jimmy boy, you are loved and deeply missed, but live on in our hearts.
------------------------
**** Canouan (pronounced "can - ah - wan") where Jimmy died is an island in the Grenadines Islands belonging to St Vincent. It is a small island, measuring only 3.5 miles (5.6 km) by 1.25 miles (2 km). The population is about 1,200 people.
------------------------------------------
As I reached home that night, I lost it. Not the kind of "lose it" for 10 minutes and then make some dinner and watch Jeopardy. No, I lost it to the point where I was seriously considering terminating my Peace Corps service early, as I could not bear living in a country any longer where people treated animals so poorly.
Jimmy died in my hands after a battle with a horrible and painful poison ingested called gramoxone on the Grenadine island of Canouan****. He was a fighter. Although the vet has only had a handful of survival cases from this poison, we all thought Jimmy would pull through. He even went home to his loving companions, only to be returned days later with worsening symptoms. It did not look good, but Jimmy and I had many a talk in that concrete, florescent-lit holding kennel about our big plans for life post-poisoning.
His kind eyes and gentle spirit are unforgettable, and remind me why I am here: to assist in preventing this suffering on others, two and four-legged, through the Vincentian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
As Jimmy took his final breaths, head heavy and sunken into my palm, I did my best to comfort him and assure him that he would be out of pain soon. Inhale…Exhale. Inhale…Exhale. Chest cavity rising, falling. Rising slower, with more effort, falling with less. Climbing one more time, and then we both knew that was it. His body tensed, muscles engaged in shock, as if to try to just one more time to be here with us, but his strength was gone, and so was he.
It was after hours at the only clinic on the island available to VSPCA, so the loneliness and tears rolled in without thinking. I shut his eyes, and closed mine for a few moments, as if to preserve those final few minutes together. It is imprinted on my memory, and not a day goes by that Jimmy does not come into my mind and remind me of all the work that needs to be done to help his friends.
I've never cradled a dying being before. This memory will be with me forever, but I hope it is joined by memories of successful rescues, the elimination of abuse towards non-human animals, and a kinder world for all inhabitants.
RIP Jimmy boy, you are loved and deeply missed, but live on in our hearts.
------------------------
**** Canouan (pronounced "can - ah - wan") where Jimmy died is an island in the Grenadines Islands belonging to St Vincent. It is a small island, measuring only 3.5 miles (5.6 km) by 1.25 miles (2 km). The population is about 1,200 people.
