requiem for Pandora

Franks girl is gone
the lioness has fallen

Because of the knee surgeries in 2002 Pandora walked more and more on her front legs and this caused problems in her elbows. Problems in her back worsened it. She suffered from a lot of pain and this gave behavior problems. Finally she could not cope with the slightest changes in daily life, it stressed her out.

In January she was doing not well, but with help from a classic homeopath she seemed to recuperate. Pandora was looking forward to Callisto's puppies, and seemed very happy as soon as she smelled the pregnancy. When Callisto's pregnancy went wrong in the 8th week, Pandora started to attack Callisto. We made a temporary solution by putting fences up in our house. But Pandora had no energy left...

On monday, two days before Pandora was PTS, one of the little boys from the neighborhood came to our front door with some goodies for the Chows, we have a lot of kids here in the street and they all loved Pandora. She used to like being petted by the kids, but lately she did not like it anymore. I teached all kids they had to ask first, and if I said it was allright they petted Pandora (or Callisto, Nemo does not like to be petted by kids).

When we came to live here, 6 years ago, most children were very afraid of all dogs (almost all children here are muslems, most parents came original from Turkey), but Pandora teached them that not all dogs are scary or mean.

But back to the story, I put the goodies on the table in the garden, to give them later and started to do some work in the garden. Suddenly I hear a strange noise and I see Pandora with her fore paws on the table getting the second goodie... She was so full of herself and content that she had got it, I could not say a thing. And she had NEVER done this, getting something from a table, Callisto does, but Nemo and Pandora never. So she ate it and went back for the last one.
I will never forget the joy in her eyes at that moment...

On Tuesday Pandora attacked Callisto again, so we decided it had been enough. Wednesday morning we went, with pain in our hearts, to the vet, where she was put to sleep, she went peacefully...

Rotterdam, June 2004

Rest in peace dearest Pandora, we loved you so very much and we miss you...

Run around, healthy again, at the Rainbowbridge, waiting for Frank, together with Dorka.

We were so lucky to share a part of our life with you.
You live on in our hearts and your offspring.

"On oublie rien"
("we don't forget", Jacques Brel)

"Nothing is ever forgotten"
(tv series Robin of Sherwood, BBC 1984)