„Als hätte ich ein Kind verloren“

Frau nimmt sich zwei Wochen frei, nachdem ihr Hund stirbt

SONDERKONDITIONEN: Satzpreis! Zac and Purdy were the best of friends (Collect/PA Real Life). *** Grieving woman who was signed off work for a fortnight after her dog died says it was "like losing a child" and people need to be more thoughtful By Harriet Bullough, PA Real Life A woman who was signed off work for two weeks due to her crippling grief after her beloved Labrador passed away has likened losing her dog to losing a child - and is asking people to be more thoughtful to bereaved pet owners. Wendy OGrady, 47, a retail store supervisor from Egham in Surrey, instantly fell in love with puppy Zac when her husband Mike, 51, a council worker, brought home the nine month old chocolate Labrador for her in 2009, after she had suffered 10 miscarriages. A surrogate child to the couple who were unable to have children and a source of comfort to both, the pair were grief stricken when their precious pooch was diagnosed with cancer at nearly 12 years old in July 2021, forcing them to make the heart -breaking decision of putting their beloved pet down. Wendy, said: "Losing Zac was just like losing a child. I cant even explain the grief. We were inconsolable. After 12 years, to not see him come to the door when I came home was heart-breaking. The couple have suffered their fair share of heartache and, after Wendy suffered 10 miscarriages during 15 years of trying to conceive, Mike bought Zac home in December 2009 from a farm in Wales. Realising they needed someone to love, Mike's aim was to lighten up their lives, which they the precious pooch did in abundance. It was a really hard time, said Wendy. I just couldnt conceive a nd we were having a rough time. "So, when Mike bought Zac home, he completely lit up our lives. It was instant connection. "The first moment I saw him, as we sat in the back seat of the car, I fell in love with his sweet nature." Soon Zac was the centre of the couple's lives and Wendy said: He just became our baby. "Mike supports Egham Town Football Club and Zac went to every match and was a known regular at the games. "I loved picking Zac up from football as he was so excited. I loved walking him hom e - he would be prancing around as he was so happy. He was full of love and made us into a family. In 2012, the couple adopted their second fur baby, Purdy, now 10, who is a black Labrador and pointer cross. "Zac and Purdy got along so well, they became instant friends," she said. But tragedy stuck in July 2021, when Zac became unable to walk properly and the vet discovered he was seriously ill. He had cancer in the spine, Wendy remembered. "We took him to the vets as soon as he became poorly and he was put on medication for seven days. "But his spine was literally crumbling away, there was nothing anyone could do. "The medication didn't work, and we slept downstairs with him for five nights as he was in a bad way. He was so unwell and in a lot of pain. On the last night, nine days after he became unwell, he wasnt himself. He was sick and wetting himself and we just looked at each other and said we cant let him continue. Making the tough decision to put Zac down on July 12, the couple say th ey were faced with indescribable grief. It was such a hard decision. We were with him at the vet's surgery as he passed and it was just awful. I just couldnt cope with losing him, Wendy said. I cant describe what it felt like. Purdy was devastated. She even came to the vets with us to say goodbye and gave Zac a kiss. The grief was so bad that I was signed off work for two weeks. Zac was like my child, he was the glue that held our family together. But when Wendy tried to open up to people about how she was feeling, they often seemed uncomfortable or didn't want to discuss it. "I think it would have been helpful if they had addressed what Mike and I were going through," she said. Alongside processing her grief, Wendy was devastated when a relative also became ill and was hospitalised in that same week. The strain caused Wendy's autoimmune condition, Sjogren's syndrome - a long-term condition that affects parts of the body that produce fluids, like tears and saliva, and can lead to dry eyes and a dry mouth - to flare up. Wendy said: The stress of everything caused my autoimmune condition to worsen. If we had a bad day or I was feeling unwell before, Zac would be there. It was devastating going through it without him. Now the couple have created a memorial for Zac in their garden, planting a rose bush surrounded by a love heart fence, and keep his ashes inside an oak box engraved with his name in the living room. Weve done a lot in Zacs memory, said Wendy. We keep his ashes in the living room so hes always with us. Friends had cushions and plates made with his face on so he really is all around us. But despite such sadness the couple found a moment of happiness when on August 21 this year they received a surprise gift from a family member, a puppy, Zebedee. We have a new addition, Zebedee, said Wendy. Hes only nin
Zac und Purdy waren besten Freunde.
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Für Wendy O'Grady (47) aus Großbritannien war der Tod ihres geliebten Hundes Zac kaum auszuhalten! Und weil sie vor Kummer nicht wusste, was sie machen sollte, ließ sie sich zwei Wochen von der Arbeit freistellen. Denn für Wendy war der Tod ihres Hundes wie der „Verlust eines eigenen Kindes“. Unverständlich? Wendy findet es total okay und möchte, dass Leute „mehr darüber nachdenken“.

„Wir waren untröstlich"

Die Filialleiterin verliebte sich sofort in den Welpen Zac, als ihr Ehemann Mike (51) den damals neun Monate alten Labrador 2009 mit nach Hause brachte. Das Paar hatte lange versucht Kinder zu bekommen, doch nach zehn Fehlgeburten gab es den Kinderwunsch auf. "Es war wirklich eine harte Zeit", so Wendy. „Und als Mike Zac nach Hause brachte, hat er unser Leben komplett erhellt.“ Bald war Zac Mittelpunkt des Lebens des Paares und ging überall mit hin. "Er war voller Liebe und hat uns zu einer Familie gemacht."

2012 adoptierte das Paar Purdy (jetzt 10), einen schwarzer Labrador, und beide Hunde wurden sofort Freunde.

Zac musste eingeschläfert werden

Zwölf Jahre lebte Zac zusammen mit dem Paar, bis im Juli 2021 Krebs in der Wirbelsäule diagnostiziert wurde. "Die Medikamente haben nicht gewirkt, und wir haben fünf Nächte neben ihm geschlafen, weil es ihm schlecht ging. Er hatte starke Schmerzen.“

Schweren Herzens entschied sich Wendy schließlich, das leidende Tier einschläfern zu lassen. Für sie und ihren Mann Mike ein Verlust, den sie kaum in Worte fassen kann. „Wir waren untröstlich. Nach zwölf Jahren brach es uns das Herz, dass er uns nicht mehr an der Tür begrüßte, wenn wir nach Hause kamen“, so Wendy." Zac zu verlieren war wie ein Kind zu verlieren.“

LESE-TIPP: Haustier gestorben? So gehen Sie mit Ihrer Trauer am Besten um

SONDERKONDITIONEN: Satzpreis! Wendy pictured here with Zac likens her loss to losing a child (Collect/PA Real Life). *** Grieving woman who was signed off work for a fortnight after her dog died says it was "like losing a child" and people need to be more thoughtful By Harriet Bullough, PA Real Life A woman who was signed off work for two weeks due to her crippling grief after her beloved Labrador passed away has likened losing her dog to losing a child - and is asking people to be more thoughtful to bereaved pet owners. Wendy OGrady, 47, a retail store supervisor from Egham in Surrey, instantly fell in love with puppy Zac when her husband Mike, 51, a council worker, brought home the nine month old chocolate Labrador for her in 2009, after she had suffered 10 miscarriages. A surrogate child to the couple who were unable to have children and a source of comfort to both, the pair were grief stricken when their precious pooch was diagnosed with cancer at nearly 12 years old in July 2021, forcing them to make the heart -breaking decision of putting their beloved pet down. Wendy, said: "Losing Zac was just like losing a child. I cant even explain the grief. We were inconsolable. After 12 years, to not see him come to the door when I came home was heart-breaking. The couple have suffered their fair share of heartache and, after Wendy suffered 10 miscarriages during 15 years of trying to conceive, Mike bought Zac home in December 2009 from a farm in Wales. Realising they needed someone to love, Mike's aim was to lighten up their lives, which they the precious pooch did in abundance. It was a really hard time, said Wendy. I just couldnt conceive a nd we were having a rough time. "So, when Mike bought Zac home, he completely lit up our lives. It was instant connection. "The first moment I saw him, as we sat in the back seat of the car, I fell in love with his sweet nature." Soon Zac was the centre of the couple's lives and Wendy said: He just became our baby. "Mike supports Egham Town Football Club and Zac went to every match and was a known regular at the games. "I loved picking Zac up from football as he was so excited. I loved walking him hom e - he would be prancing around as he was so happy. He was full of love and made us into a family. In 2012, the couple adopted their second fur baby, Purdy, now 10, who is a black Labrador and pointer cross. "Zac and Purdy got along so well, they became instant friends," she said. But tragedy stuck in July 2021, when Zac became unable to walk properly and the vet discovered he was seriously ill. He had cancer in the spine, Wendy remembered. "We took him to the vets as soon as he became poorly and he was put on medication for seven days. "But his spine was literally crumbling away, there was nothing anyone could do. "The medication didn't work, and we slept downstairs with him for five nights as he was in a bad way. He was so unwell and in a lot of pain. On the last night, nine days after he became unwell, he wasnt himself. He was sick and wetting himself and we just looked at each other and said we cant let him continue. Making the tough decision to put Zac down on July 12, the couple say th ey were faced with indescribable grief. It was such a hard decision. We were with him at the vet's surgery as he passed and it was just awful. I just couldnt cope with losing him, Wendy said. I cant describe what it felt like. Purdy was devastated. She even came to the vets with us to say goodbye and gave Zac a kiss. The grief was so bad that I was signed off work for two weeks. Zac was like my child, he was the glue that held our family together. But when Wendy tried to open up to people about how she was feeling, they often seemed uncomfortable or didn't want to discuss it. "I think it would have been helpful if they had addressed what Mike and I were going through," she said. Alongside processing her grief, Wendy was devastated when a relative also became ill and was hospitalised in that same week. The strain caused Wendy's autoimmune condition, Sjogren's syndrome - a long-term condition that affects parts of the body that produce fluids, like tears and saliva, and can lead to dry eyes and a dry mouth - to flare up. Wendy said: The stress of everything caused my autoimmune condition to worsen. If we had a bad day or I was feeling unwell before, Zac would be there. It was devastating going through it without him. Now the couple have created a memorial for Zac in their garden, planting a rose bush surrounded by a love heart fence, and keep his ashes inside an oak box engraved with his name in the living room. Weve done a lot in Zacs memory, said Wendy. We keep his ashes in the living room so hes always with us. Friends had cushions and plates made with his face on so he really is all around us. But despite such sadness the couple found a moment of happiness when on August 21 this year they received a surprise gift from a family member, a puppy, Zebedee. We have a new addition, Zebedee,
Nach dem Tod von Zac fiel Wendy in tiefe Trauer.
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Wendy und Mike werden Zac nie vergessen

Wendy ließ sich zwei Wochen vom Arbeitgeber freistellen, um zu trauern. Wenn sie anderen Leuten von ihrem Schmerz berichten wollte, stieß sie teilweise auf Unverständnis. Viele fühlten sich unwohl und wollten nicht näher über das Thema reden. „Ich denke, es wäre hilfreich gewesen, wenn sie das angesprochen hätten, was Mike und ich durchmachten“, so Wendy weiter.

SONDERKONDITIONEN: Satzpreis! The couple created a memorial rose bush in their garden (Collect/PA Real Life). *** Grieving woman who was signed off work for a fortnight after her dog died says it was "like losing a child" and people need to be more thoughtful By Harriet Bullough, PA Real Life A woman who was signed off work for two weeks due to her crippling grief after her beloved Labrador passed away has likened losing her dog to losing a child - and is asking people to be more thoughtful to bereaved pet owners. Wendy OGrady, 47, a retail store supervisor from Egham in Surrey, instantly fell in love with puppy Zac when her husband Mike, 51, a council worker, brought home the nine month old chocolate Labrador for her in 2009, after she had suffered 10 miscarriages. A surrogate child to the couple who were unable to have children and a source of comfort to both, the pair were grief stricken when their precious pooch was diagnosed with cancer at nearly 12 years old in July 2021, forcing them to make the heart -breaking decision of putting their beloved pet down. Wendy, said: "Losing Zac was just like losing a child. I cant even explain the grief. We were inconsolable. After 12 years, to not see him come to the door when I came home was heart-breaking. The couple have suffered their fair share of heartache and, after Wendy suffered 10 miscarriages during 15 years of trying to conceive, Mike bought Zac home in December 2009 from a farm in Wales. Realising they needed someone to love, Mike's aim was to lighten up their lives, which they the precious pooch did in abundance. It was a really hard time, said Wendy. I just couldnt conceive a nd we were having a rough time. "So, when Mike bought Zac home, he completely lit up our lives. It was instant connection. "The first moment I saw him, as we sat in the back seat of the car, I fell in love with his sweet nature." Soon Zac was the centre of the couple's lives and Wendy said: He just became our baby. "Mike supports Egham Town Football Club and Zac went to every match and was a known regular at the games. "I loved picking Zac up from football as he was so excited. I loved walking him hom e - he would be prancing around as he was so happy. He was full of love and made us into a family. In 2012, the couple adopted their second fur baby, Purdy, now 10, who is a black Labrador and pointer cross. "Zac and Purdy got along so well, they became instant friends," she said. But tragedy stuck in July 2021, when Zac became unable to walk properly and the vet discovered he was seriously ill. He had cancer in the spine, Wendy remembered. "We took him to the vets as soon as he became poorly and he was put on medication for seven days. "But his spine was literally crumbling away, there was nothing anyone could do. "The medication didn't work, and we slept downstairs with him for five nights as he was in a bad way. He was so unwell and in a lot of pain. On the last night, nine days after he became unwell, he wasnt himself. He was sick and wetting himself and we just looked at each other and said we cant let him continue. Making the tough decision to put Zac down on July 12, the couple say th ey were faced with indescribable grief. It was such a hard decision. We were with him at the vet's surgery as he passed and it was just awful. I just couldnt cope with losing him, Wendy said. I cant describe what it felt like. Purdy was devastated. She even came to the vets with us to say goodbye and gave Zac a kiss. The grief was so bad that I was signed off work for two weeks. Zac was like my child, he was the glue that held our family together. But when Wendy tried to open up to people about how she was feeling, they often seemed uncomfortable or didn't want to discuss it. "I think it would have been helpful if they had addressed what Mike and I were going through," she said. Alongside processing her grief, Wendy was devastated when a relative also became ill and was hospitalised in that same week. The strain caused Wendy's autoimmune condition, Sjogren's syndrome - a long-term condition that affects parts of the body that produce fluids, like tears and saliva, and can lead to dry eyes and a dry mouth - to flare up. Wendy said: The stress of everything caused my autoimmune condition to worsen. If we had a bad day or I was feeling unwell before, Zac would be there. It was devastating going through it without him. Now the couple have created a memorial for Zac in their garden, planting a rose bush surrounded by a love heart fence, and keep his ashes inside an oak box engraved with his name in the living room. Weve done a lot in Zacs memory, said Wendy. We keep his ashes in the living room so hes always with us. Friends had cushions and plates made with his face on so he really is all around us. But despite such sadness the couple found a moment of happiness when on August 21 this year they received a surprise gift from a family member, a puppy, Zebedee. We have a new addition, Zebedee, said We
Zac hat einen Platz in Wendys und Mikes Garten.
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Welpe Zebedee sorgt für neue glückliche Momente

Jetzt hat das Paar in seinem Garten ein Denkmal für Zac geschaffen, einen Rosenbusch umgeben von einem Liebeszaun gepflanzt und seine Asche in einer Eichenkiste mit seinem Namen im Wohnzimmer. „Freunde haben Kissen und Teller mit seinem Gesicht angefertigt, damit er wirklich überall um uns herum ist."

Doch trotz Traurigkeit kann das Paar wieder ein bisschen Glück empfinden. Im August zog Welpe Zebedee ein. „Er ist erst neun Wochen alt, meine Schwiegermutter hat ihn uns zum Jubiläum geschenkt, und wir haben ihn vor ein paar Tagen abgeholt“, freut sich Wendy. Aber Wendy betont, das kein Hund Zacs Platz einnehmen könnte. „Wir trauern immer noch um Zac. Ich komme von der Arbeit nach Hause und denke immer noch, dass er rausläuft und mich begrüßt.“

Wendy findet es schade, dass die Leute mehr mit ihr über den Neuzugang sprechen wollen als über Labrador Zac. Daher möchte sie anderen Menschen helfen zu verstehen, wie schlimm so ein Verlust sein kann. "Ich denke, die Leute sollten offener sein und einfach darüber reden. Wir haben ein Mitglied unserer Familie verloren und das sollte akzeptiert werden.“ (jar)

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