Saying Goodbye to Cassie

This post will be a considerably different one for this blog as I'd like to step away from the world of herpetology and biological conservation and share a much more personal story. It's hard to put into words how much of a whirlwind the past 24 hours has been for both me and my family. At this time yesterday, I was cooking dinner at my residence in New Jersey more than six hundred miles from home. And today, I sit in my room pondering how to express my feelings about what has taken place in this short period of time. One must wonder, what would warrant a nine hour drive through the night to make it home so quickly? Unfortunately, the reason is not one of a pleasant nature. After being a member of our family for more than twelve years, our beloved dog; Cassie, passed away very suddenly yesterday evening.

For those of you who know me on a personal level, you know that any visit to my house included a joyful greeting from Cassie. Before you could get yourself in the door, she would be at your feet with her body leaned against you in hopes of being loved. That is Cassie in a nutshell, a people friendly dog that was always looking for someone to be close to. If I had to choose one word to describe Cassie, it would be loving. She was sweet, gentle, and affectionate. Our next door neighbors have three kids who range from ages 3-7 and they would often wander into our backyard to see Cassie, and I was always amazed how gentle and tolerant she was when they would grab her and hug her during their visits. She would often lay on her side and let them scratch her belly or lay their heads on her without ever making a fuss.

One of the hardest things for me about losing Cassie is that I was unable to make it home in time to see her go. However, her condition went downhill so rapidly that my family had no choice but to act quickly to ensure that she did not suffer more than she already had. When I walked in the door this morning after driving through the night to get home, I was still expecting see her white face peering through the window, tail wagging excitedly.

Cassie was loved dearly by my family and words cannot express the hole that losing her has left us with. I want to thank all of you who have been so kind and supportive in this time of great sorrow for me and my family. I don't think we could have asked for a better companion for the past twelve years. Cassie left us with many wonderful memories and times that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Goodbye my friend, we will always love you.