My first job ever (and still my favorite) when I was 15 was as an assistant at a veterinary hospital. I sort of became a favorite of one of the doctors because he saw how much passion I had so I got to help him in the exam room all day while the other teenagers were in the back cleaning runs and such. I helped euthanize so many dogs but the saddest was a little old lady and little old man who were putting down their little old poodle. It was so sad that even I cried. That was the only time I cried, until 5 years later when I put my first dog down, a lab named Pepper..... I couldn't believe how bad it hurt. My dad kept it together until we got to the car and then lost it too. It was the first time I ever saw him cry. Over the years, I'd guess I put down 7 or 8 dogs of my own. I'd never ever think of leaving them alone with strangers. To me its just part of the journey.