RIP Buddy

A few years ago, my mother in law adopted a very large, very sweet black lab mix that they named Buddy. He was one of the sweetest, most patient dogs I ever met. He didn't mind when the grandkids stepped on him or pulled his ears. I never heard him bark unless he was playing tug of war with Rufus, the other family dog.

We saw him Sunday night, and he was his usual lovable self. Monday evening, they noticed he wouldn't eat, and seemed like he wasn't feeling well.

He seemed the same way Tuesday, so MIL resolved to take him to the vet when she got home from work. My FIL arrived home from work first, and discovered Buddy dead on the couch.

Because he had enjoyed perfect health prior to Monday evening, my inlaws decided to have an autopsy (necropsy?) done. Today they learned that Buddy had been poisoned either with rat poison or snail bait. His internal organs had hemorrhaged badly, and only something that strong could do that kind of damage. My inlaws do not keep any kind of poisons in their yard or house.

We've been in mourning for the loss of a good, sweet dog. To learn that his death was a malicious attack makes it even tougher to think about.

Buddy was not a barking dog.

He was not a biter.

He never left the yard, so he never hurt anyone by even pooping on their lawn.

The neighbors surrounding my inlaws have all lived there years and years, and would never do such a thing. If the dogs were causing problems, they would've approached my inlaws and told them.

So, for Buddy to have been poisoned means that someone actually trespassed in their yard and deliberately set the poison.

It breaks my heart. Buddy did not deserve to go this way.