Sacrificing a pet

29/10/2015. Paari has been witnessing all his belongings (loads of balls & toys) being stuffed into 2 bags & must have sensed what is coming. As I sit on the chair nearby, he gets up & comes near me.

I — Hope you understand why we are doing this.

He is not looking at me, but is staring down at his own feet.

I — Listen, its not like we are abandoning you or something like that. We have actually found you a better house to live.

He looks up at me, locking his powerful eyes with mine.

I — If you are asking me if I believed all those accusations — absolutely not. I firmly believe that my son’s wheezing has nothing to do with you. Every article in the web says that in case of pet allergy, the reactions will start immediately after the pet is introduced to the person. You both have been living under the same roof for more than 2 years now & his breathing trouble started only few months back.

He comes even closer & nudges my hand with his nose. I pat him.

I — Why then, you ask? Because the kid is just 2 years old & has already been hospitalized for the second time now for breathing issues. Almost the entire clan is baying for your blood. They want a convenient explanation for his wheezing & you, with all your fur, have become their easy target. The doctors are not very helpful too, with their ‘maybe, maybe not’ answers.

He looks at me searchingly with those big brown beautiful eyes.

I — Sujatha & I defended you for so long, precious, and you know that. They have been calling us ‘bad parents’ & keep blaming us for the kid’s poor health for over a year now. We can’t take it anymore.

He lowers his head, takes a small step backwards & lies down near my feet.

I — No. Don’t make me feel any guiltier than what Iam feeling already. Please get up, wag your tail, let out a soft bark & tell me that you understand.

He turns his face at a slight angle away from me & closes his eyes.

I — You cant even imagine how heartbreaking this is for me, champ. You came into our life as a 40 day old puppy & have been a part of our family for seven long years. So much of love & happiness you have given us all these days, & we are reciprocating by chasing you out of your own home now. This particular scar in my heart is not going to heal ever. Oh my God, I feel so pathetic…

My voice gets wobbly & he must have sensed that Iam losing control. He sits up promptly, lifts his right paw & places it on my lap. That’s what he does whenever he realizes that Iam feeling a bit low; its his way of saying ‘Hey, relax. Everything will be all right’. I get down on my knees to hug him, as tears well up in my eyes.

I — When things were terribly wrong in my life, you were my biggest stress-buster & it’s also because of you that Iam a better human being now. Believe me, I will always think of you as one among my few guardian angels.

I kiss him gently on his forehead.

I — Thank you so much Paari. Stay blessed, wherever you are.

I got up, picked up his 2 bags & proceeded towards my car, as he followed me & walked out of our house for the last time.

P.S — He is with a fantastic family in a much bigger/independent house now, where they are taking great care of him. I still cry, sometimes, when Iam alone, thinking about Paari & suspect my wife does too. My son suffered a bout of severe wheezing last week, 3 months after Paari had left our household.