i lost my german shepard on 6/12/2006.we went out,she had her breakfast,then half hour later ,kept trying to be sick,started bringing up froth and in so much pain.she was in vets two minutes later.they phoned me ten minutes later .said she had a lot of trapped wind in her stomach ,and that her stomach was twisted.can,t do anything for her.she was fourteen and a quarter.i had three phone numbers to get my partner,which i rang and rang endlessly,even the vets tried her.i wanted to get hold of her ,cause i couldn,t bear being the one to be with my dog when they put her to sleep.but in the end i had to.seems like she only wanted me there.i had her cremated with dignity and brought her ashes home.she was with me day and night everywhere i went for over 14 years.i now i had to let her go,and we had the most wonderfull life together,but there is no where i can go where she wasn,t with me.it,s been eating me up day and night that she was out there on her own somewhere.i keep looking and searching,everything is numb.
A STRANGE THING HAPPERNED,outside my door i have a big garden canopy,i was standing at the door with it open,and a white balloon dropped down from nowhere and blew up to the door,just a normal one blown up,not filled with healiam,there was no wind,it didn,t come down from garden into door.it just dropped from above canopy.put it back outside and forgot about it.woke up 5.30 next day and balloon came into my head,went to door and it was still there about 16 hours later.i laid it on the shelf,not sure why ,just hanging onto anything.took my other dog out lunchtime.for some reason my partner went to it.she held it up to light and the exact image of my dog was in it ,just pale lines of the outline of her face how she laid in crematorium.the most prominent was her ear.when i said goodbye to her i was coaching that ear and talking into it.you could see the outline of her face and her eye just how she lay.her body had a blanket over it.evertime i touched the balloon it left a fingerprint,but they were inside and couldn,t be wiped off,but nothing happerned when she touched it.took it to her mothers,but ididn,t leave prints anymore,but she saw the outline as well.we went shopping and within half an hour the balloon had de-flated to the size of a large orange.
it,s been driving me insane to think she was on her own.i feel as though she has sent me this sign to let me now she,s okay and at peace(or am i just going mad).
it wasn,t a coinsidance-it was a sequance of avents. they say that if your sent a sign- that is very personal that only you can understand.i coudn,t understand why or where it came from,but makes sense because she died because of being full of air.why did it come down in front of me,why did i feel the need to bring it in next day,why was it still there,why did she hold it up to light,why did it hold the outline of my last memory talking into her ear,why did only i leave prints inside it.if people heard me talking ,i would be committed.it feels as though i had to leave prints for her to now i had seen it and that she wanted me to now she,s okay.i have spent so many hours crying for her.is this just to insane for words,maybe i am losing it.has anybody had strange experiances.
i absolutely swear to god this is all true,i love my dog dearly and would never give anybody false hope.i really want to believe it,it seems to strange to not be true.i am so grief stricken and hope to god she is okay.i can,t bear getting up in the morning,because it all comes back again.who wants christmas now.

What a wonderful sign your beloved shepherd sent you. I think that not only did she want you to know that she was o.k., but she wanted to thank you for being there during her last moments on earth and helping to leave without pain or fear.
That is one of the greatest gifts we can give our pets. Although holding my Yorkie as she passed away was probably the worst experience of my life, I am so glad that I was there. She was having a seizure from the end stages of liver disease, but I was able to tell her I loved her as she left. Some time later, my husband and I dreamt the same dream at the same time in which she returned to us. I feel that, like your balloon, this was a message from her.

Nothing really helps, but it does make me feel a little better to remember that my dog, like your dog, would have lived and died even if we had never known them, but by knowing them, we were able to give them wonderful lives filled with happiness and love. A life is more than its end.

Best wishes,

Daisy's Mommy

Just one more thing - although helping our pets to leave without pain is a great gift, the final gift, perhaps the gift that is hardest to give, is to be happy again.

I'm still working on that one.


Daisy's Mommy

thanks for your kind words.i have always believed deep down that there must be more to it all.you can,t just live and die.theres to much unknown.i was hoping i would get more replies-perhaps they all think im mad.i,ve searched the internet for hours,but theres nothing there.i keep hearing things about animals not having souls so there not included.this cannot be.my dog had a soul.
we all evolved from monkeys ,so really that doesn,t add up.this planet is a spec of dust compered to the universe.there is no end to that,it goes on to infinity,there has to be more for the animals.thinking that she contacted me lifts me and keeps me going.

Lucky,
I've just read your posts - I don't think you're mad at all. Many people who come here and post have written about the signs they've received, and some of them are quite amazing and awe-inspiring. Yours sounds like one of those, and in my mind, there's no doubt that your shepard was letting you know something she needed you to know. A lot of the signs that bereaved pet owners experience seem to be tied to the pet's need to let their human left behind know that the pet is safe and happy and at peace. What more succinct, eye-catching sign could there be than a white balloon dropping on your head? I think that's wonderful, and I think you must have had an extraordinary bond with your dog for her to come to you with such a lovely message. I believe that's a blessing for both of you. Please come back and let us know how you're doing, and take care - Barbara

If you read archived postings, you will see that many people here, perhaps most, believe that animals have souls and many have had signs such as you and I have had.

Also, there are passages in the Bible that show that animals have souls. Not only that, but why would there be a Saint (Saint Francis) for animals if they didn't have souls? A souless thing, like a stone, doesn't need a patron saint. To me, people who don't believe that animals have souls haven't ever really looked into their eyes. (Also, for some people, who are cruel to animals, it is convenient to think that they are souless.)

So, it is my opinion that regardless of whether one believes in a purely biological evolution or Creation or Intelligent Design or some combination of these, there is no reason to believe that only humans have souls.

This is a recent posting, so you may get more responses. Also, your topic heading doesn't indicate the subject matter, which is one that people are generally interested in, so some may have just missed it.

Daisy's Mommy

Lucky, what an astounding sign you recieved, and yes, hold on to that belief that your pet has a soul and is in a wonderful place. It's true. The scriptures speak of ALL flesh seeing the glory of God together. All means all. There is more than just one kind of flesh, human, animal, fish, fowl, etc. All of them are flesh. and all of God's creation is important and I am comforted by the belief that none of it is wasted or lost.
I hope we all continue to have visitations and signs from those we love that have left this dimension. We are not nuts nor pretending nor inventing quick fixes for our hearts. We are honestly seeking truth and accepting anything given to us as we press our way onward.
Hold onto your sign. write it down. You may find comfort in it at another time.

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's so hard without them when everything you do and see is so full of them. We lost our Moustache kitty on 10/23/06 and the one thing I thougth would be okay to do was go to the grocery store, he never when there. But it was't, I bought his food and treats there so that was sad and coming home without him to greet me was horrible.

Amimals have souls, I have no doubt. We, all of us, aer energy and energy never goes away, it just changes form. Call the changed form whatever you want it has to be there. I think the ballon was a very clear sign from your girl. She gave you a great gift, I think you should honor her gift and her by not doubting what you know in your heart.

What was your girls name? I'd love to see a pic of her.

Thinking of you
Lori

this is a picture of my beautiful girl LUCKY,it,s been a week know.i still feel she,s near me.
the last week is a blur,except that fatal morning.i got a brass plaque for her today.her coat always smelled so lovely-like a new born baby and the most beautiful deep eyes. i new she was getting old-fourteen and a quarter-but she still went out three times a day.not one night in her whole life did i ever spend away from her.i,m now reading the book -ANIMALS AND THE AFTERLIFE.it makes me feel better about the signs i recieved.it has helped visiting this site,WHICH I AT FIRST DIDN,T THINK IT WOULD
thankyou to everybody who reads my topic.

Lucky was a lovely girl- I'm so sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is, trying to adjust to life without your furbaby, but I really do think they stay with us. And I'm glad you've gotten signs from Lucky- I think she's trying to tell you that she's ok. God bless her sweet soul!

i was standing by my door again this morning.birds started singing,and they just got louder and louder to the point where it just drowned out everything else .i had to put my shoes on and go out onto the patio.there is an enormous tree over my hedge and on it sat as least a hundred birds.blackbirds,pidgeons and i think starlings.they were flying in from every direction,all onto this tree.they were all singing and chirping so loud,you had to hear it to believe it.i went in to tell my partner,i was only gone a few seconds.i went back outside and there was not one single bird.they had all vanished,nor was there a bird in the sky or rooftops anywhere and all that was left was a silence.i swear my girl is still around and letting me now she is okay.everytime anything strange happerns,its always by this door.the door of the room where she laid during the day.
it,s very difficult to change your routine after 14 years.i refuse to put her bed away.i spoke to my father today,who told me when he lost his dog he felt something brush against his leg one night.he never told me this before until i told him of the things that had been happerning,and that also a couple of months ago his new doggie was staring at the sofa across the room and barking and wouldn,t go near it.i think once people realise there not going mad or seeing things,they do share strange experiances,which make me believe all the more.
i hope you are all coping as best you can(THANK GOD I FOUND THIS SITE)

Dear Lucky's mom, first of all I don't think your the least bit crazy..if you are then so am I because I truly believe that you experienced a miracle.Your boy Lucky was sending you signs to let you know that he is in fact okay and doing well on the other side.He will wait there for you until it is your time to pass on.I really do believe that pets have souls just like we do,why wouldn't they?Please don't feel guilty that you weren't with him when he became ill,he knew that you loved him and that if you could have been there you would have been.Just know that he knew that you were with him when it mattered.Having a pet put to sleep is the hardest thing you'll ever have to do.I know your pain because I had to go thru the same thing as you.My kitty Sox had to be put to sleep on Oct. 13th of this year and he is still missed every day and thought of constantly.It tore my heart out to have to do that to him but I did it out of love for him because I didn't want to see him in pain anymore.You did the same thing for your Lucky and it takes unconditional love to do what you did.Try to remember all the good times you shared and try not to dwell on his last day.It doesn't help to keep recalling the pain of losing him.He would want you to be happy again! I will be putting you in my prayers tonight and I hope you'll find peace again very soon.My heart goes out to you in your pain and I hope we can help you thur it here on this site.Sincerely,Renee (Sox's mom)

nearly 10 weeks know,it just never goes away

It has been 10 weeks also, since I lost my baby girl Alley so I do know how you are feeling. Sometimes I think I'm doing ok, but then it hits me all over again.

I read in the other thread that you just lost your other dog too and I'm so sorry to hear that. Alley was "an only child" so I can't even imagine how that must feel, to lose them both in such a short time.

My thoughts are with you.

Paula

I BROUGHT THIS STORY FORWARD SO THAT PEOPLE CAN READ BOTH STORIES AND UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT HAS HAPPERNED,I FEEL SO DRAINED BY IT ALL,I JUST WANT TO SLEEP.HAVING ANIMALS IS FULL TIME CARE,EVERYDAY THEY ARE TOTALLY DEPENDANT ON YOU TO GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THEY NEED.OVER 14 YEARS I LOVED AND CARED FOR THEM WITH TOTAL DEVOTION AND NOW THERE BOTH GONE. WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO NOW.EVERYTHING I DID THROUGHOUT THE DAY REVOLVED AROUND THEM.I,M JUST LOST NOW AND EMPTY

Thank you for this. The thing that devastates me the most is my fear that my Jakey might be alone or not okay. It comforts me knowing that your dog is okay, and reached out to you.

Dawn

I'm glad you brought your thread up to the forefront again, as I'd completely missed it back in Dec.

That sign from Lucky was SO (I hate this hackneyed word, but it applies here) AWESOME! Wow. It makes me wonder if I ought to have brought the huge, pink ball that I believe my Nissa sent inside our house, too....perhaps there was something in it as well!? (silly me - I was being practical, thinking it must have belonged to some child in the neighbourhood, so left it outside, and it disappeared later in the day)

Just as Lucky left pawprints on your heart, I wonder if the fingerprints you left on hers were being symbolically represented by them appearing inside that balloon? That's the first thing that struck me about that aspect anyway. And I'm glad you're reading Kim's book and finding it helpful, as we were DUE for another book of this nature.

And did you know that balloons are, symbolically, a sign of unrestrained joy and of soaring to new personal heights?! And the 'colour' white means innocence, spiritual purity and wisdom. Oh yes, a VERY wonderful sign from Lucky!

Animals have souls just as surely as we do. Period. There's no need to defend this statement, as it's just true. Whoever doesn't believe it just isn't noticing the obvious. Unlike your experience, I've found MANY things on the web that support this obvious fact....not that I needed to, personally - I'd only been looking to find religious arguments in its favour because of one religious person I knew who'd been arguing with me about it. Funny thing, that....no matter what any person of his own faith had written, he still refused to accept the idea. I quit bothering with him after that.

The bird sign is a good one, too. Did you know that birds are considered vehicles of the Soul and represent the Soul's dark and also enlightened sides, as well as flight into spiritual realms? Birds in general, also usually represent freedom, imagination, thoughts and ideas, which are things that by nature need freedom to be able to become evident. And singing birds can signify good news. So it sounds very much like Lucky is trying to assure you that she IS a Soul...one who had a bodily experience but is in reality, free...and free to visit you still.

So let this and all the other things the Light has touched for you inspire you even more....to BELIEVE! Lucky is not constrained by the physical and is still by your side, tugging at your pant leg to be acknowledged, and to bring you good news and comfort, despite your missing her physical presence.

dear furkidlets mom,
thankyou for your enthusiasm in my story.i would assume that some people are trying to disect this into reason but it is all so true,and three people saw the outline of her face how she lay,and to go down within half an hour after i held it after all those hours.everyday when i got up, i stoud by the doorway with the door wide open,because i felt like if i closed the door,i would be shutting her out.i cried my eyes out for hours at the doorway,torturing myself that she was on her own somewhere because she was a very nervous dog and didn,t take to strangers.three mornings i did this,and that is when what happerned did.i do believe i was meant to see it before it deflated.it was so strange because there was no wind,so it drifted down and then in.if there was wind it would of blown down the garden towards me.i ,ve kept the balloon anyway.
my mother-in-law used to have a spanial,and i was due to pick lucky up as a puppy 14 years ago.i was looking forward to her meeting sue the spanial,but unfortunately she died a few days before i brought lucky home ,which is a shame,,cause i think she would of mothered her,but a couple of days later out on the lane where she died,her son was walking up in the dark.there is a ditch and he heard a faint noise so went and got a torch. there was light snow on the ground and down in the ditch he found a little tiny kitten barely alive and so cold it actually had ice on it.they took it in and nursed it and recovered.as it grew older it used to play with lucky,sitting on the chair trying to box fight with her.thats the only cat lucky ever really liked.(you no what cats and dogs are like).so how strange does that seem.the kitten had serious kidney problems,the vets gave it no chance,but made a full recovery and lived a life.

it,s been over 4 months know and i am so -so so pi@*ed off.i thought that with time this would all get easier but i am so miserable without my girls.all day and night for fourteen years and know there not here at all.everything in my life has to be done differently.my whole life revolved around them.i feel totally drained by the end of the day,tired out trying to keep my mind off of it all.nights are now pulling out and spring is in the air,it was the time i looked forward to the most so that we could dissapear into the woods in the evening and walk along the beaches.i don,t think i,ll ever truly get over this,it just takes such a large part of you away when you lose them.every single minute of my everyday has changed and i,ll never get it back.i can,t remember back further than not having them with me.i can,t even bring myself to put there beds away.i used to love the summer but know i just don,t care if it comes at all.

lucky

Honey it does get better, I promise. Just not soon. Give yourself at least a year. Four months is not really that long, not to adjust to a reality and lifestyle that is so different from the last 14 years. It is the end of life as you have know it, things will never go back.

A spring and then a summer without them, it's killing me too. Each thing we would do and how much my baby loved this time of year. I get some comfort thinking that my Moose kitty would have hated the winter we just had.

Maybe a new kid would help you out? Someone to take walks with? It won't be the same of course, but it could maybe help a bit.

Love