Heavy Heart

SUMMARY: This month has been rough on our local agility community.

Updated April 25: Links at end.

One of the things about knowing people in the agility community is that they are so active, mentally and physically, and young enough to be active and healthy, that we seldom lose anyone. Maybe every 2 or 3 years to cancer, say.

But now--

A month ago, Katy Silverman died suddenly "after a short illness." I knew her only from watching her run her dog Bindi occasionally at CPE trials, but she was young and healthy and several years younger than I am. Her obituary.

Three weeks ago, another local, Marge Ryder, died suddenly--not someone I knew but plenty of my agility friends did, and some friends have pups related to her dog Kefi.

Last week, Lisa Pomerance--also several years younger than I am--gone.

And now a dog-- found out just an hour ago--  One of the other things about knowing so many people in the agility community is that I also know so many dogs. And dogs get old so much quicker than people, and they die, and I grieve their passing. But this:

 Kinetic. Three and a half. Gone yesterday in little more than a blink of an eye from water intoxication. Her Human Mom, Susan, has been involved in the dog world and agility for many years but I've never seen her love a dog as much as she loved Kinetic. She's called Kinetic her heart dog, and it was so obviously right between them. They're another pair that go almost everywhere together.

They love hiking together--and I've been on so many hikes with them, and that little Pap can hike 10 miles with the best of them, never being carried. They could definitely hike faster than I could.


They love doing agility--she had world-team aspirations (they'd have been on their way to the AKC team try-outs next week), and this dog could do it. Just watching them stream around a course as fast as or faster than any of the border collies, both so graceful and focused and damned fast, was an experience that drew applause and cheers from the audience.

And Kinetic had a hundred aunts and uncles at agility trials or wherever else they went. You could pick Kinetic out of the crowd with her always-colorful plume of a tail.

I'm heartbroken all over again.

***  Read this about the dangers of water ***

*** Another tribute to Kinetic ***