Horror

My first thought was "Oh, Dear God, have mercy." My next thought was of the horror, the tragedy, and the loss, both human and not. Dr. B.R. Cato's veterinarian office burned down early this morning. That in and of itself would be a tragedy, for he is a good man and an excellent vet.

But it couldn't be just as simple as a tragedy to a good man. There were animals in there, about 40 of them. None of them, not one, could be saved. And so, the horror. There isn't blame here. I'm sure the Fire Department did all they could do. The building was blazing when they got there. There was, quite simply, nothing they could do for the animals.

And Dr. Cato? I can't imagine what he is going through right now, but I know that he takes excellent care of my cherished pet. He is compassionate and understanding and loving, to each of his patients. So I would think that the word grieving doesn't cover it. Horrified, devastated... there just are no words.

If this seems personal to you, let me assure it is. Last week my fur baby would have been there, and today he would no longer be with us. So, yeah, this hits home for me. My pet wasn't there, but someone's was, and they loved their pet just as much as we love ours. Their loss was as devastating as our loss would have been.

For Dr. Cato, that loss is magnified times forty. He has lost his business, but I would think that would pale in comparison to the loss of life. Every time I see him, I am struck again by his gentleness, and I just can't imagine the suffering he will endure in the coming weeks.

So, the horror. If your pet was there, I am so very sorry for you. I know it doesn't help the loss, but I am so very, very sorry. If you want to tell your story, or share a cherished memory, feel free to do it through this page, in the comments section. You can contact me, and I'll share my space with you. I know it's not much, but I feel helpless and would like to be able to do something.