Back in the summer, father's day in fact, we had the car packed up to to grandma's house. I needed to fix her mower.
So, 8 month pregnant wife, kids from 4-7, tools, gear, loaded up, 1 1/2 hour drive pending....lets roll.
Wife backs up and we hear the dreaded yelp. I step out knowing what I'm about to see.
The family dog, a 17 year old dachshund in failing health, had scootered outside when we didn't realize and the wife has backed over him.
His condition was not survivable. I told her to pull forward and stay in the car.
Quick into the house to retrieve a suppressed .22.... because I needed him to look relatively normal in spite of what was about to take place... quiet shot and it was done.
Then I dug a hole for him on the hill not far from the house. I picked him up and carried him to the spot and laid him on his good side so the family could say goodbye without much visual trauma. Thankfully neither the car nor the bullet caused much externally notable damage.
They said their peace. I apologized to him for not providing a better last day, and placed him in the ground.
I've taken a lot of flak here in the past for not being gushingly pro pet.... in truth that was not the issue. Rather I knew not too far along this day would come and now it has.
I used to repo cars for banks and this dog, an abandoned 11 week old puppy, came from one of my first successful visits. I gave the dog to my girlfriend at the time - now wife - and he was the first thing we had together. Despite a rocky path to where we are now... He was a reminder of how much time we had spent trying to be who we now are.
So if you get the chance to run over, shoot and bury a dog you've had for most of your adult life... go ahead and pass.