Oh dear Plucky, I am so sorry for your loss. I’m weeping while writing this. The loss of a pet, in some ways, can be much worse than say the loss of a relative that you barely knew.
Gus was your child, your companion, someone with whom you never had a cross word. He was always there waiting for you with a waggly tail and a lolling tongue. You are in a lot of pain right now. Lean on us. But try, try, try, to remember all that was good, and try to lull the sadness.
Don’t feel that you need to move his stuff out of the house right now, or ever. But eventually, maybe put it in a box, like a nice wicker box with a lid, something nice, a keepsake.
When and if you’re feeling up to it, you might like to make a donation, in Gus’s name to the favorite animal charity of your choosing. Some organizations even let you get a memorial brick or something similar so your pet can be remembered forever. And try to send a nice card of thanks to the facility and the folks that helped send Gus along to his next adventure. Those people have just about the worst job in the whole world, but they do it out of love and compassion. God bless them.
And then, sometime down the line, please consider adopting another animal from a shelter. You clearly have a lot of love to give, and there’s lots of furry creatures in need of love and a home. The love and companionship of an animal should not be denied to you, simply because you lost the love of your life. I simply could not live without the love of an animal.
With much love and sympathy for you and your partner, K.
What was that sound? I think I heard something way up in the sky! I think it was Gus, chasing a bunny and having another bite (one that he saved) of that hamburger! R.I.P. good old dog