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Buster- My dear friend for a short while

Written by Suzanne Hart

Buster, I only knew him for a short while, but loved him dearly for his bravery. He is in a better place.

I had a real emotional experience with an abused dog last week. A friend of mine has been having trouble with a neighbor of hers. A mentally challenged boy has been abusing their dog and the parents would not believe her when she called them, they were very rude and nasty to her. Another neighbor saw the boy hit the dog, she went to the people and told them, they didn't believe her either. A few days later the dog fell down a small hill and the neighbor went to help the boy get him up and help him to the house. She was astonished to see the poor dogs mouth. She called my friend and said she wondered if there was a Veterinarian who would euthanize a dog for free or if funding was available anywhere, The owners said they were kind of waiting for him to die, they could not afford to have him euthanized. We called our Vet. The receptionist said our Vet. could do it for them. They have no car, my friend doesn't drive and her neighbor was babysitting so I said I would take the dog to the Vet. Linda, I have never seen anything so sad in my life, Buster's ( the poor dog) mouth was like something out of a horror movie. His lower jaw was huge and his teeth were all sticking out, he couldn't close his mouth. I doubt if he could eat or drink. The people said he had a tumor. I don't know for sure but I think his jaw had been broken. A young man brought Buster to my car and put him in the back seat. The ignorant people never said thank you for taking him or even spoke to me. On the way to the Vet. Buster got into the front seat with me, I kept petting and talking to him through tears, it was so difficult to see him and know what pain and agony he must have gone through, his jaw was dripping blood. He wanted to be close to me .and have me pet him. It was so awful. I kept telling him he was a good boy and I was taking him to a better place. When we got there I was crying so hard the Vet. who I've known for 20 some years asked me what I was doing? He said you have to big of a heart and not many brains to do this to yourself. I told him I had to do it for Buster. To make an even longer story shorter, I was holding him when he died. I was so grateful he wasn't suffering any more and so devastated he had such an awful life. The owners will be charged and hopefully prosecuted for abuse and neglect. They will probably not get much for their crime as the laws here to protect animals are very poor. If anything they'll get a small fine and not be allowed to have any animals for 2 years. They should have much stiffer consequences for their crime. I am so glad Buster is in heaven and running and playing with all of the others there. I still see his disfigured face and sad eyes asking for love and affection. I still cry for him. I know I did the right thing. I took him to my sister's woods and buried him. My nephew made a cross for his grave. We need to work hard and try to change the laws and to teach people to be more responsible. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done.