my 7 year old Elly May ( a yorkie) died yesterday in the jaws of a coyote who got her while my husband was walking her in our back yard. I cannot get that picture of her hanging from his mouth out of my mind. She was my very best friend, was by my side all the time. I cannot stop seeing her face all ove rthe house. I loved her so much, my heart is in so much pain. i dont think i will ever be the same again

Dear Kahlua,

Please accept my deepest condolences on the loss of your precious Elly May. I don't know if there are any words, anywhere, to express my sorrow and shock at what havoc nature can bring down on people, especially the manner in which you lost your little darling. Those of us who live in non-rural, but not inner city, areas don't think of these kind of ambushes on our pets. I am just so, so sorry this had to happen to Elly May and you and your husband.

You describe a deep relationship between you and Elly May. That now has been physically broken. And there is much disbelief and pain you experience when this happens. Especially when the end is so violent, sudden and unexpected. Please know that Elly May knows that you did everything you possibly could to save her and she is grateful to you, not only for those efforts, but for everything you and your husband did for and with her every day of her life here on earth. Also know that Elly May's Spirit continues to be with you, now and forever. Her body is gone, but her Spirit, Love, and Devotion are in your heart and soul and thoughts at all times.

As you begin to travel this grief journey, know that you are not alone. Everyone on this site is here for you, to listen, to understand, to help and to support you/hold you up when you cannot. We are here for you 24/7. We are everywhere for you. When you are ready, we'll be here. Please come back again. To honor Elly May's life by telling her story. To receive the reassurances you may need along this horror roller coaster from Hell you are on. Circumstances may be different, but the love and loss are pretty much the same. We understand and will do everything in our power to help.

Thank you for posting here. Again, I am so deeply sorry for your loss. I will have my Trevor, who died in July, look for Elly May right away. And you, your husband and Elly May are in my thoughts and prayers always. I will check back to see how you are doing and, hopefully, hear more about this amazing little girl!

Blessings........................
Bobbie

Hi, Kahlua, please permit me to add my sincerest sympathies in the tragic physical loss of your beloved Elly May. I am so very sorry for your loss.

Our forum friend Bobbie has offered you comfort that is in my heart as well, so please read her response frequently knowing that it comes from the both of us.

I, too, wish there were words I could write that could take away the terrible tragedy of what happened to your beloved Elly May - - that could turn back the hands of time that would make that coyote say, "no, I can't take Elly May - - she's loved and it would break her family's heart. I'll look for a field mouse instead." Please know that your beloved Elly May knows that this happened so quickly and that there was nothing you could do to intervene fast enough to change the outcome, and I know this is little comfort to your broken, shattered heart right now.

As Bobbie has so comfortingly said, so I echo her words: thank you so very much for sharing your beloved Elly May with us. Regardless of how we lose our beloved companions physical presence with us, each of us here do understand what you are going through in your grief, and we are here for you for as long and as often as you need us. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Kahlua, and that I look forward to knowing how you're doing whenever possible.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Dear Kalua,

I am so sorry for your tragic loss. My nightmare just happened to you. You must be in deep dark pain. That almost happened to my Mary once, but I was lucky to see the coyotes before they struck. They were closing in on her though. My Mary had to be euthanized Sept. 19th of this year, and I still have trouble getting the look and feel (I was holding her) of her dead body out of my mind. I know it would be even worse if those coyotes had gotten her.

No, you'll never be the same again. However, the pain and that vision will gradually fade. I don't think it will ever totally go away, but you will get to where you can move on and remember all the good times you had with her without going to that dark place within.

Again, I am so sorry for your loss. If this helps, I believe our beloved pets have spirits and are happily waiting for us in heaven. I know Mary is with my Mommom getting lots and lots of love in heaven.

Peace and blessings,
Linda

Oh Kahlua

I know how you feel. My little boy yorkie poo has died last night heart failure. He was only weeks and weeks old.... I feel too as if the pain is too much to bear and it is already a day or 2 later...... I will too, never be the same again. I keep crying... and i can smell his little puppy breath when i walk around sometimes.. or see his lovely little tiny body with his tail upright wagging in my spirit....

Thank you so much to everyone. I am still in shock and disbelief that she is gone. I keep thinking she somehow got away and is looking for me. I want to hold her again just one more time. We never got to ssay good bye, i have no closer. I forced myself to go to the store today and broke down and cry there and on the way home. I am a mess! I feel so bad for all of your losses also, life sometimes just isnt fair.. I dont see any rhyme or reason why she had to die that way or even die. Guess I will not know tilll I pass away.
Again thank youo to all of you for your kindness and your comforting words. God bless you all

God, I'm so, so sorry. I can't even imagine what you're going through right now. Just take things slowly and take each day at a time. Please know that your precious Elly May (what a beautiful name!) is in a safe place now, where she will be watched over by lots of friends (all our lost babies will be there with her), where she will wait for you until it's time for you both to be reunited again. She'll be watching over you, always. I truly believe that. I have to.

Please try to take care of yourself, as best as you can.

You'll be in my thoughts - Cheryl xx

Dear Kahlua,

I am so very sorry to hear about the sudden injury and death of your beloved Elly May.

It is so hard when our darlings are not there anymore - we keep expecting them and their absence hurts all the more. I hope that you can draw strength from those that care about you, and help get you through this awful time.

You say that you never got to say goodbye properly to your little one. Perhaps there is a way that you can say goodbye in a different fashion, one that will honour your Elly May and the bond you shared? Perhaps a scrapbook of photos, or a poem, or something like that? Every time I have had a pet die, I have written them a memorial, and emailed it to my closest friends, talking about who they were as a sentient being, what they achieved in their life, and what mattered the most to them.
It seemed to help a lot, especially as I felt scared about forgetting the details myself.

Please do take care.

Corinna

Dear Kahlua,

I would like to offer my condolences as well. I am so, so sorry for your loss. As others on this forum have said, what you are feeling now (shock, pain, sadness, disbelief) is normal. The sudden and unexpected nature of your loss of Elly May makes it extremely difficult. I understand your yearning to hold her again, to have a chance to say goodbye. I lost my dear bunny Hermione two weeks ago, and I still look for her when I come home from work and want to hug her just one more time. Maybe instead of saying "goodbye" (which I am still not able to do yet), how about saying, "Until we meet again..."? I've found writing a letter to my beloved Hermy each night has helped me say "until we meet again."

I hope you are taking care of yourself. You and Elly May are in my thoughts and prayers.

Hermy's Mommy

It is a week ago today that I lost Elly May. IT hurts so. I feel guilty cause deep down inside I blame my husband cause he knew we had a coyote problem but insisted that he could handle it. Many a time I would not let him take her out but this one time I did not and she died. I blame him, I blame myself, I did mot speak up for her. I feel so much guilt. i was suppose to protect her like all good moms do. the one time i did not and look what happened. my husband does not know how I feel and i keep telling myself God forgives and so should i but its not easy. i do have health problems and this is making it so much worse. I miss my Elly , its killiong me

Hi, Kahlua, thank you so much for sharing with us how you're doing. When we are faced with tragic events that lead to the physical death of a loved one it is very hard not to want to blame someone, something, anything, anyone, the Universe - - for what happened. I am very familiar with this from my own experience several years ago, and it is very difficult to find any "reasonable answer" to a tragedy when someone you love and who was dependent on you for protection and care suffers severe injuries and / or loses their life.

Although your area has a known coyote threat, no one can live their lives fearful of "what may happen." I know your husband had no idea that a coyote would strike at that particular time when he was at the helm, and was probably very shocked which prevented him from reacting quickly either to avert the attack or to prevent fatal injury to your beloved Elly May. I'm sure somewhere inside he may be wishing the coyote had attacked him instead. So you see, Kahlua, your husband is as much a victim of this tragedy as your beloved Elly May. The only difference is he survived but this does not mean that he is not deeply affected by the trauma and tragedy of what happend with Elly May.

The important thing is to focus on the eternal love your beloved Elly May feels for you and your husband which nothing can ever change or diminish. I hope somehow you will be able to let this eternal love bond that you and your husband share with Elly May be your source of offering each other comfort and encouragement now.

I have never been married, but I do know what it is like to be a survivor of a very traumatic event that resulted in the physical loss of a loved human family member. So I can put myself into the enormously difficult place both you and your husband are enduring - - both together as a couple as well as individuals. And I hope somehow the words I have written will help you and your husband find a way toward peace in your hearts about the tragic physical loss of your beloved Elly May which will bring you closer together.

Kahlua, thank you again so very much for sharing with us how you're doing. Please know you and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I look forward to knowing how you both are doing whenever possible.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

thank you moon beam for your very kind and upliftinng words. I know all of the feelings and anger and guilt I feel is just part of the process of healing, but I am really having a rough time and its starting to affect my already failing health. I HAVE to get ahold of myself and know that I am the only one who can do this. I am going to get another puppy but again feel guilty like I am just trying to put the memory of Elly aside. She will always be a part of my heart, always! No one or anything could ever take her place. I have to movve on for my own good, I have to. I have to love another baby, I have so much love to give that I can no longer give to Elly.
God... this is hard. God give me strength to move on.

Dear Kahlua,

I am so sorry. This must be so hard for you, with your health problems. It sounds like a terrible strain on you and your relationship.

Please, be gentle with yourself. Please give yourself time. I can assure you that you WILL feel better, in time. You will be able to reach a stage where you remember the good things about your relationship with Elly May, and how much your puppy loved you. It is a process that unfolds slowly, however. If you think about it logically, it would naturally take a while, because your love is so great.

I do agree that your husband is probably feeling horribly guilty about the situation. I know that he would never have willingly caused this to happen. Maybe he just doesn't know what to say. He may be afraid that talking about it would only upset you even more.

Forgiveness is important, but there is nothing wrong with normal human emotions. We feel these things because we care.

When the time is right, you will be able to get another puppy and shower it with love, just as you did with Elly May. And it will not diminsh how you feel about her.

Offering my support.

CJ

Hi, Kahlua, thank you so much for sharing with us how you're doing today. I know beyond all shadow of a doubt that your beloved Elly May will be so o o proud of you for embracing into your heart and home a precious new furchild to love and take care of. Clinical professionals recognize the many health benefits our companions bring into our lives, and your Elly May does NOT want your health to decline. As our forum friend CJ says so well, "When the time is right, you will be able to get another puppy and shower it with love, just as you did with Elly May. And it will not diminsh how you feel about her."

I hope today is treating you and your husband kindly, Kahlua. Please know you both are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I look forward to knowing how you both are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Dear Kahlua,
I am so sorry for your sudden and tragic loss. My husband was walking our little Zoe when she got off her leash and was hit by a car and killed. I also felt anger towards him that he did not prevent this tragedy. I do know that he would have done anything he could to have kept her here with us but something happened with her leash and she got loose. In your case, a coyote attacked your baby and took her from you. I know your husband would have done what he could to prevent Elly May's death. In time I hope you can accept that he did not want this to happen.

None of us understand why our animals are taken from us when they are young and healthy. It was very hard when I lost older, sick animals but I have found the loss of a young, healthy dog much harder to accept. I want to send you my support and a cyber hug. You will get through this but it will not be easy. Even when you get another puppy you may still have times when you cry for Elly May. Just understand that what you are feeling is normal and will lessen with time. You seem to understand yourself well enough to know you need another baby to love. I am sure you realize that the new puppy will not replace Elly May but will occupy a different spot in your heart.

I am thinking of you and wishing you as good a day and evening as possible.

Joanne