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My Last Day As Bernie The Dog

A heart-wrenching 'tail' which you'll never forget.

By Emily WyattPublished 6 years ago 4 min read
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Euthanasia, that is all I heard other than my families tears rolling from their cheeks. I wanted to beat this cancer and live at least another 3 years.

My hearts pounding, not only am I scared of leaving my family but I'm scared of it coming to an end, I don't want to be alone.

4.30PM is when I come back to this cold hard veterinary table to close my eyes for the last time.

1.00PM Leaving the vet, I'm appreciating every step my paws taking on this rough surface, and every tree which is blowing in the wind. I'm Expecting to go back home and lay in my old brown threaded bed I've had since I was a puppy, but Lily my human sister bends down on one knee looking at me with her piercing blue eyes and says "It may be you're last day, but were going to make it one to remember Bernie."

1.40PM The beach, I love the beach. The soft sand on my paws and the salty water splashing up the back of my legs. I'm not as energetic as I was a few years ago, but ill try to regain the sprint in my legs. I'm running along the edge of the blue sea, looking at every wave in the distance. I'm so happy, I don’t want it to come to an end.

2.20PM All I can think about is the time which keeps ticking, ticking and ticking until it no longer will. Burgers! That’s what I could smell, I remember my first time eating this, on a hot summers day with all my family. Wow, this is the best burger ever. Lily is softly stroking my head as she's eating away, this is truly turning into the best day ever.

3.00PM After getting all the sand brushed from my fur its time to get into the car. I’m going to miss this, I love how compact we all are. Mum in the front, Dad driving and Lily keeping me company in the back seat. I’ve always wanted to stick my head out the window, I’ve always hinted by rubbing my wet nose against the glass and making whining noises. Today is my lucky day, Lily has rolled down the window right to the bottom! I feel like a film star with my fur blowing in the wind, it’s funny now that I’m appreciating ever breath I take.

3.30PM I see the sadness in their eyes, I can sense it. I’m starting to ache and feeling more and more tired. I haven’t been this active since I became ill. Were now at the woods, this is where the family took me for my first ever walk. The crispy leaves crunch beneath my paws while the birds are singing in the trees, the sunlight beaming through the tree tops looks like rays from heaven. Heaven, I wonder if this is what its going to be like.

3.30PM My old tatty brown bed. I love my old tatty brown bead, they must of known I was missing it. Thinking this will be the last time I lay here is quite upsetting really. Lily is now sitting on the cold hard kitchen floor opposite me, crying. I feel so guilty I didn’t want it to end like this, they must sense my sadness to. Mum and dad enter the room, with blood shot eyes and snotty noses, the words stammer from their mouths “come on Bernie we need to get going” with my old rusty lead handing from there sweaty palm.

4.15PM The reception phone constantly ringing, all the dogs barking and cats meowing. All these happy dogs leaving with there tails wagging, owners smiling. I love how mum is rubbing behind my ears, feels so relaxing. To many today would of just been an ordinary day, but today has been the best day of my life. I sit down on this clinical looking floor, with my proud family behind me. Then I heard “ Bernie, its time”.

4.30PM I want to be brave, for my family. I'm now laying here on this cold hard table, with this tube in my right paw. The vet looking at me, feeling sorry for me. I look over to my devastated family, they wanted to watch me take my last breath seeing as they seen me take my first.

Mum, dad, Lily I love you.

4.31PM I feel the vet grab the tube ready to inject me, I take one last glance at my family then feel the cold fluid enter my body. It's shutting down, I can hardly breath in the air. My nose is no longer wet like it was earlier pressed against the window, my tongue now going dry. Eyes slowly closing, heart slowly stopping. I can no longer hear the cries coming from my family, I'm cold and limp. No more pain for me, I'm free.

This was my life, the life of Bernie.

dog
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