Don't get me started - I know way too much about Thoroughbred horses and how they are raised, treated, used for $$$$$. My heart broke for this beautiful animal and what he had to go through for $$$$$$. I love that you see him galloping in horse heaven. He surely deserves it.

Bill, that is a beautiful thought. Also beautiful is the outpouring of love from around the country for Barbaro and the fact that his owner honored the horse and went through his earnings to support him with dignity and love.

Thanks for that post.

We can only believe, Bill.

Bill, btw, I sent you an email (it may have been an old address), you get?

I did NOW! :-) I don't go into my creativetile mailbox on a daily basis, like I do my hotmail account.

Answer will be on its way this evening. :-)

Yes, he is free of pain now. I felt so sorry for him. I always thought that if my dogs aren't allowed into Heaven then forget it. I remembered this Twilight Zone and maybe this is where I got the idea.

I found this story here along with other quotes.
Clare

In a similar vein:

An old man and his dog were walking down this dirt road with fences on both sides, they came to a gate in the fence and looked in, it was nice - grassy, woody areas, just what a 'huntin' dog and man would like, but, it had a sign saying 'no trespassing' so they walked on.

They came to a beautiful gate with a person in white robes standing there. "Welcome to Heaven" he said. The old man was happy and started in with his dog following him.

The gatekeeper stopped him. "Dogs aren't allowed,I'm sorry but he can't come with you." "What kind of Heaven won't allow dogs? If He can't come in,then I will stay out with him. He's been my faithful companion all his life, I can't desert him now." "Suit yourself, but I have to warn you, the Devil's on this road and he'll try to sweet talk you into his area, he'll promise you anything, but, the dog can't go there either. If you won't leave the dog, you'll spend Eternity on this road." So the old man and dog went on.

They came to a rundown fence with a gap in it, no gate, just a hole. Another old man was inside. "Scuse me Sir, my dog and I are getting mighty tired, mind if we come in and sit in the shade for awhile?" "Of course, there's some cold water under that tree over there. Make yourselves comfortable."

"You're sure my dog can come in? The man down the road said dogs weren't allowed anywhere." "Would you come in if you had to leave the dog?" "No sir, that's why I didn't go to Heaven, he said the dog couldn't come in. We'll be spending Eternity on this road, and a glass of cold water and some shade would be mighty fine right about now. But, I won't come in if my buddy here can't come too, and that's final."

The man smiled a big smile and said "Welcome to Heaven." "You mean this is Heaven? Dogs ARE allowed? How come that fellow down the road said they weren't?"

"That was the Devil and he gets all the people who are willing to give up a life long companion for a comfortable place to stay. They soon find out their mistake, but, then it's too late. The dogs come here, the fickle people stay there. GOD wouldn't allow dogs to be banned from Heaven. After all, HE created them to be man's companions in life, why would he separate them in death?"

Author Earl Hamner
The Twilight Zone

Along the same lines check out the movie What Dreams May Come with Robin WIlliams.

aptosca, I LOVE that story. Bill, I love that drawing.

I am soooo not a sentimental person. Not about anything at all and very little with people (very few people). But I love animals and I could not imagine any place being heavenly without animals. I can't imagine any animal lover being willing to give up their pets or not care about animals.
Almost anywhere I go, I wind up holed up with some animal or the other - whether a known person's pet or some dog taking their owner for a walk or a stray or something. Yah, nothing quite like spending time with an animal.

And man! but I cried like a baby when they put Barbaro down even though I was expecting that very thing to happen right from the first day but boy! was I rooting for him. Poor guy - eight months in IC! and every big step forward brought 2 steps back. & What a beauty that horse was!

I'm not trying to depress anyone but Clare's story reminded me of the hurricane Katrina pets. I can't imagine being told that I had to leave my cats behind. The stories of the people that were separated from their beloved pets broke my heart. My pets are my family.
Donna

Well, the Bible mentions all sorts of animals in the heavenly kingdom - lions and lambs and horses - and snakes and 2 yr olds getting along nicely. No more fighting like cats n dogs - although- come to think of it, my cats and dogs never fought - the cats, especially Mr. Black, would always discipline the two different dogs we had from the time they were puppies and it worked out well. I rather look forward to that aspect of eternity.

When we lost our two cats that I'd had since they were kittens (at ages 16 and 15 1/2), and then our new little kitten, within a four month period 3 years ago, the only thing that kept me going was the thought that someday I'd get to be with them and hold them in heaven (if I'm good enough to get in).

I have always believed my buddies were romping to their heart's content and joining other loved ones again. I also feel more pain for them when ill...they have noone but us to care. And yes, when there is devistation my heart goes out to all of the lost and injured animals. The post reminded me of when Charley Brown's creator died, there was a similar picture and story with it.

Emagineer-- Did you get my email? When I tried to reply to you, it got bounced back to me as undeliverable, so I sent it instead thru GW. I just wanted to make sure you got it.

cat_mom,
How did you get through the loss of your cats? I was told last year that my new kitten was going to die. I was devastated. I posted my situation with the vet on the pet forum. It is linked below.
Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: here is a link that might be helpful

Donna,
I sent you an email as well. I posted a follow up to Mari's thread (While planning a feeding zone), relating our tale of woe. It was absolutely awful, I honestly don't know how we got through it. I was recovering from major foot surgery, both feet, when we lost our first one, Misha that August. Our Suki had been battling fibrosarcoma since the beginning of the year, I had my surgery when school let out in June, and we lost Misha in August. She passed away the morning after having exploratory surgery. Found out in Sept that Suki's cancer had spread to her lungs. When I went to the vet's office to pick up some prednisone for her, I saw the most perfect little, tiny kitten available for adoption. We were going to wait to get a kitten(s) so we could give Suki lots of attention in the time she had left with us, but I knew I'd regret not bringing the little one home, so of course, home she came. While watching Suki deteriorate, our little one Mayu, kept on getting sick, and wasn't growing much. Almost a month to the day that we had to put Suki to sleep, we'd taken Mayu to another vet for a second opinion, and learned that she likely had FIP (always fatal, and no cure). We put her to sleep the day after Christmas that year.

We were literally toast for the longest time. To this day, DH has a hard time talking about it, and especially cannot mention Mayu. That was especially tough, because you just don't expect a new little kitten to to be gone within three months. Also, she just crawled right into our hearts from that first night, amd had made it seem that we would be okay, despite losing my first "baby" Misha, and my second "baby" Suki slowly dying.

I think we just got through it by living one moment at a time. We both cried our hearts out, and it took a long time before I could go a day without crying at least once. I still tear up when I think about them, and about that awful time in our lives. I love my girls now (Shizu and Miku), but not a day goes by that I don't have thought about our other girls, or that I don't miss them terribly.

You get through it because you have to, whether you want to or not, simple as that.

Doesn't mean it doesn't s**k though.

Bill, the first one didn't show up. The second was sent to spam. I found it yesterday and wrote back to you, but it must not have showed up at your end either. Just changed my ISPs and am using Yahoo until setting up main email. Guess it is time to "take the time" and get it done. Yahoo just isn't user friendly...or at least "my" friend.

Rather than answer here, I'll go set up email now and resend message.

There was a thanks from me...and now a thanks again for taking the time to ask about this. You're one great guy to get involved with helping us out.

Sandy

cat_mom,
I didn't get your e_mail, can you resend it? Your story just breaks my heart. I haven't had a pet in 25 years and now I have two cats. I live alone and my only sister lives out of state. I am too attached to these cats for my own good. I don't do well with loss and I am already fearing their death. This is not a healthy way to live. They are only 2 and 3 years old. I will be devastated when they die. I guess life is about loss but it really s**cks.
Your cats were very lucky to have had a home with you. They must of had wonderful lives. It's just so hard to not have those little fur babies to cuddle.
Donna

Donna--I just sent another email to you through the forum. Let me know if you get it (or not).