I feel your pain of loss and unfortunately my girlfriend left the gate of yard open and our dog was in a accident. She was devestated and I was mourning on my own and trying to help my children through it. Little did I know she couldnt handle it and now relapsed back to drugs and has left me. My pain is now double! Just wanted you to know that your post actually makes me understand how she felt since she didnt even have to courage at the time to tell me that it was her fault or that she started using drugs. So i am hurt and betrayed.

Hello,I want you to know I am thinking of you at this difficult time. I just had to put 2 of my babys to sleep due to old age and that their quality of life had gotten so bad but the guilt I feel for ending their lives is hard,I had to make that decision,the one that loved them the most,so even though your baby died of diffrent circumstance just try to keep in mind that it is o.k. now and you will see her again someday,I have tried to tell my self that and it has helped make me feel a little better. I will pray for you!!

I feel for all of you!! I know your pain! I don't know how to forgive myself for taking my loyal little 6 pound doggie's life last week. I ran him over in our driveway as he ran out to greet me. I usually seem him or my husband watches him before he gets too far but neither one of us was paying enough attention and the guilt is unbarable!! I want to go back and redo last Friday and not be so stupid. I took my best friends life and have to keep picturing him lying there. I don't know if I'm strong enough, it's eating at me so bad and this SICK feeling isn't getting any better. I'm afraid of getting too depressed! Help?!

I was so sorry to hear of your loss and trauma. My thoughts and heart go out to you at this time. My cat was run over by a car right in front of my eyes earlier this summer and I know how hard the trauma and loss are to deal with. It does subside - the aching, profound pain does subside. At the most profound depth of your despair, when you have plumbed that abyss, patiently waiting there you will find the gentle, warm memories of your little loved one. Those memories will bring you the comfort and balm that will drive away the shock and pain of the loss. They will rise to the top and blot out the hurt. I am thinking of you and wish you the best.

Dear friend, one of the greatest gifts to give your lost friend will be made in your lifetime. Being the person that advocates for the safety of our pets may seem tough at first, but I would be willing to bet that your story has touched others, and raised awareness. If that prevents someone from making a similar mistake, then your companion did not die in vain. You have already helped me, thank you.

I was tears after reading your story but I have to tell you that after I read through your words and felt your pain in what you said- I saw a wonderful, loving and caring owner who gave her pet the best of everything. Please do not feel blame. Feel all the love that your dog had and still has for you, for always being the best friend she could ever have had... Take care and lots of HUGS to you.

I let my dogs out the other night to let them do their business. I didn't realize that I had left the gate open. I turned on the TV and ended up falling asleep on the couch (it had been a long day). I awoke to hear one of my dogs barking. I went straight to the back door to let them in, but they weren't there! I called and two of the three came running. The youngest (about 8 months old) didn't come. I feared the worst. I live right next to a very busy and dangerous highway. My fears came true and I found her on the side of the road.

I also felt guilty. I feel that my negligence caused her death. I have been very angry at myself. I was browsing google trying to get myself to feel better when I came upon this. I read about halfway through all the posts before the floodgates opened and I finally got a good cry. I haven't cried that hard in years. I really needed it.

I felt compelled to reply. It helps to read about people in similar situations and the words of encouragement. I know in time the pain will go away, but I will not forget my little girl. And I will continue to be missing Lily.

Hi alonensad.I'm so sorry for your loss.You sound like you were a wonderful owner to your dog and she had lots of puppy friends and a very happy life because of you .I know it must be so hard right now to forgive yourself but you made a mistake.You are human.You loved and cared for her.I think she probably just went into a deep sleep from the heat.I don't mean to be getting too close to it, but I don't think she suffered.My precious female boxer ,Patty, died this past saturday.She died a very painful death & I wasn't there to comfort her.I've been wracked with guilt and pain over it too.Maybe my "mistake" is worse because she was so ill & I missed the signs.She was an abused dog who was left by her owners at the vets.One day my older son brought her home because she was going to be euthanized.We were reluctant, but she grew on us fast & was the most gentle, sweet, loving & funny dog I could have ever wished for and we had her for 7 wonderful years.She was like our baby.She really acted like a toddler would in every way! Well, she got a mast cell tumor on the right side of her neck 3 years ago.It was benign and removed but not completely.It grew back larger.We were hesitant to keep getting her cut open.Maybe we waited too long, I don't know but the second time, it was malignant.She had surgery & radiation treatment even though the tumor was removed with clean margins.The vet hospital charged us almost 10,000 for everything.We are broke as it is..seriously.She was fine, but started showing signs here and there of feeling sick the past 2 months.It started out with tiny things.20/20 hindsight says it was over 2 months.Things like eatting grass too often, not as energetic.I thought she was just getting older.All kinds of small signs that worried me but I ignored..hoping the best.I knew we could never afford to get her treated again.More recently, her neck seemed thicker but it was symetrical so I didn't worry too much.In the past two weeks, she threw up, then seemed fine..had clogged sinuses, it progressed.We had actually no income for all of august.She was even crying to me 2 weeks ago trying to tell me something was wrong.Then she seemed better.I finally made an appt for Oct 10th as soon as we could get her seen.Friday ,the 9th she was very listless & in the evening her neck started to swell out of the blue.She was having labored breathing.I had no car so a few hours later, my husband got home & rushed her an hour away to the vet hospital.He sayed a couple hours and left there at 4AM and came home.At 9:45 am, Sat morning..the dr called and told me she had thyroid carcinoma and it was squeezing her trachea closed.It had also grown into one lung.I missed or ignored all the signs.I do have to say that never in a million years did I think that.I was starting to worry she might have another MCT somewhere but nothing this horrible and urgent.Well, they had only given her ACE.Its like a valium.She laid there all night into morning choking and in pain.They recommended euthanasia.He said she wouldn't make it through the next night.We tried to process it and my husband called back too.Woke our sons & cried a lot.By about 11, we got ready real quick.We were about to leave and the phone rang that her heart had stopped.I never saw her again.She died alone, without there to comfort her.I researched Ace & thats when I knew she wasn't really "sedated" and realize now that she just lied there suffereing until one of the flunky docs in training finally looked at her.She died from the pain of cancer pushing on her trachea and slowly suffocated for 12 hours while they did nothing.I can't get over the anguish she felt of not having us there to comfort her and love her and end her suffering.Its a very high tech hospital.The worse part is that there were only a few people there that night.All 40 doctors(the specialists) and staff had gone to a wedding.The dr who called had finally gotten there at 7:30 am.Why didn't he call shortly after?! It's all so horrible.She was not given good care by them.They had no way to do a tracheotomy by the time that terrible dr saw the severity of her situation.I called a couple days later when he was working again.He described in detail how horrible it was.Said she suffered and that she knew we weren't there.I miss her very much and I can't forgive myself for not being with her.I know it's everyones fault & noones but it still haunts me.Thanks for listening.Your baby had a happy life and a relatively peaceful death.She will see you again heaven.Please don't feel bad.You didn't willfully make a mistake.I feel like I didn't want to see the signs & by then it was way too late.You're a good person.Don't ever forget that.

I've been crying so much I can't cry anymore, so I decided to reach out to someone who has experienced what I experienced yesterday morning - we accidentally rolled over our 5 week old pup named "Sicky" while backing out of the driveway. I loved her so much I feel like I will never get over this. Before we left, we called the pups (4 of them) from under the car onto the front porch as we normally do, but I had to go back in the house to get something and we didn't realise that Sicky had crawled back under the car. We rushed her to the Animal Hospital but she died in my arms as we were turning into the parking lot. I can't stop my mind from reliving the entire ordeal. It was so very traumatic. I cried hysterically from the momemt we got out of the car and realised what had happened. I am so devastated I don't know what to do. My husband thinks I'm crazy for freaking out like this but he knows how much I loved Sicky. She was my favorite. I had planned to keep her and have promised the other 3 pups to someone. My Lord, someone please tell me that I will get over this. The guilt is killing me. My heart is aching so badly. I love animals so much I have never eaten meat or eggs or drunk milk. Why did I have to lose Sicky this way. God, please help me.

I'm so sorry that happened. I understand the rushing and forgetfullness. I worried with that situation with my kids and now grandkids. If you haven't already, you should adopt a dog to fill that hole in your heart. I had a dog that died because I didn't pick up on the illness and felt really guilty for years even after getting more dogs.

I killed my little Foxy dog last Monday and that knowledge has been eating me alive. He was a little 17 lb pomeranian who was given to me a couple years after my husband died. Supposedly to help the kids heal but he helped me more than he realized. I let him out in the front yard early Monday morning and went to use the bathroom myself. When I came back to get him, there was a large coyote looking at me. I knew instantly Foxy was gone. I can't believe I let him out that early in the morning and didn't even think to put his leash on or go out with him. I can barely go to work and can't stop crying.

I guess we all make mistakes. I just don't know how to live with it.

Dear AloneNSad,
I killed my dog Fri night. Her leash caught in an elevator and I couldn't get it loose. She was the only family I have had since 2008 when both my parents died. I am single, with no exes or kids. Icy was a 10 yr old black lab mix with one brown and one Icy Blue Eye (her full name). My house was flooded & we've been in this Extended Stay Motel for 4 wks. I had already taken by sleep medication, Ambien, which I started taking in '07 after a dr. pulled in front of my car and it broke both by legs, my right hip & tore my aorta in half. I should not have lived and Icy is the only reason I had to try to stay alive, especially after my parents died. I killed her. I took those pills and I can't even remember how I killed her. She wanted to go out again later than usual but she goes whenever she scratches at the door. I have COPD as well as rods in both legs and total hip replacement & heart patched together, that took 4 surgeries. We walk down steps & take elevators back. Icy was VERY healthy and had just started having hip problems if she chased rabbits for over a few hours. She had just had a physical and was in perfect shape and I killed her because of my selfishness & laziness. The leash was longer than a normal leash but the matching collar was strong & I thought that was good. I don't remember the door closing. All I remember is Icy hanging from the closed elevator door. Her back paws were only a few inches from the ground. I tried to lift her but couldn't-she was 53 lbs. I could not get my fingers on the collar fastener and couldn't see the leash fastener. I don't know why I didn't see the leash fastener. I don't remember seeing it. Was it just hanging loose behind Icy and I was too out of it to see It? That must have been what happened. All I can see or remember is trying to hold her up and loosen her collar which I couldn't do both. She did not fight at all she just patiently waited for me to make it ok. That's all I had to do. I just can't believei it. I had not had a dog since I was 20 and I got Icy when I was 47 and we were never hardly ever apart. esp. since they made me disabled. How am I going to live with the fact that my negligence killed my only family. I am afraid that I must have walked off away from Icy and didn't come back? It was after midnite,sometimes when noone is around I drop her leash. I think I saw her leash in the door and decided to go back to the car? to get something? &thought she would juststay there if the door closed? I can't imagine whaat I needed or where I would have been going. but why don't I remember seeing her hanging? How could she have died so quickly? I hollered for help but I couldn't get it out--I couldn't yell help loud enough. I don't know why the door took so long to open? How she die that quickly it's only a three story bldg. and no one came out of elevator. Icy didn't move at all it just happened so quick or did I wander off--I must have which makes me not understand. Then the police were there and I was too messed up on the Ambien to drive the mile to a 25/7 vet. I killed Icy.
t

None of you killed your family members. I hope you all find peace.

An accident can't be helped.everyone makes mistakes don't dwell on it when those thoughts creep in find something to do quick. then to sometimes if a pet is ill , suffering is worse, forgive yourself .I am sure your pet would thank you if he could. don't blame yourself . God bless all

This just happened to me two days ago. I was at work and my daughter took her dog (my dog really) to the ranch to feed horses like she always does on Saturday morning, accept for this time she forgot him in the car when she got home! It wasn’t until I got home 5 hours later that she realized. I asked where he was and she thought for a minute and jumped up. We all saw him suffer and it is the most heart wrenching thing I have ever experienced. I’m so mad at her, but I can’t express it because she feels bad enough. It was technically her dog because I got him for her for her 15th birthday, but he slept in my room and was most attached to me. I was ultimately responsible for him since she is a teenager and teenagers are self-centered assholes! She trained him really good and he was literally the best dog ever! He could go off leash everywhere and even listened when I told him not to chase a bird or rabbit. He was so cute and sweet. My heart is breaking that he was trapped in the car and suffering!!! It’s just too much to bear. It’s not so much that he died, that would be very sad, but it’s how he died. Unexpected, preventable and tragic.i had to put my old dog down a year ago and I did not take it this hard. This is a whole new level of grief. I hate to say it, but it is worse than when my dad died when I was 11. I found your post because I thought “we can’t be the only ones this has happened to!” People talk about dogs in hot cars on purpose, but not on accident. Human error fuckin sucks!!!!!! I’m so sorry for your loss/accident and I hope you can forgive yourself for your mistake. We will heal over time, but it will always be there to give us a gut punch every so often. Life lessons are hard, but we have to cope and move forward. How are you managing now? It’s still so fresh for me that I’m like a zombie. FYI there is an app called “precious cargo” that prevents this from happening to kids and pets. Share with everyone so others don’t have to go through this too.