Many of you have gotten to know Sally, our black labrador-German shepard friend of 12+ years. Perhaps she has licked you in your face when you came into our home or you have seen her at our side on hundreds of runs and bike rides up Mill Mountain in Roanoke.
Today, Missy and I made the very difficult decision to have her put to sleep as her physical condition has taken a turn for the worse over the past few months. While we’ve been away here in Mexico since August we have been so lucky to have her in the caring hands of our friends Donny and Katie who nursed her along with weekly baths, trips to the vet and much love.
It was impossible to imagine that when we said our good-byes in August it would be the last time we saw her. I was lucky to have seen her a couple of times over January while I was home, but it was obvious she had changed greatly. There was nothing more we could do for her from afar, and her condition required care beyond what we were willing to ask any of our friends to give her.
For a large dog we were lucky to have had her for so long but that kind of luck certainly doesn’t diminish our sadness over the past few weeks while we’ve tried to figure out what to do. It has been an especially difficult week for us as Missy lost her Grandpa George Warp earlier in the week.
When we return to Roanoke, we’ll spread her ashes along the paths that she loved to run. She will be forever missed.