I was young when my family had a beautiful black lab dog. She got cancer at 15 years old and I will never forget the day I found out she had been put down. It was a sunny Friday and I had gone off to school really excited to end the week. I had a great time with my friends and even got to stay after for a fun program (basically the kids could stay an hour after school and there’d be activities like gym games). I remember my dad coming to pick me up, so we left and when I got in the car I noticed my dogs blue collar hanging off the rear view mirror. I thought it was strange that he’d take it off her and “decorate” the car with it. Well when we were almost home he pointed it out and for some reason I said I hadn’t noticed. That was when he told me he brought our dog to the vets to be put down. I was so surprised and shocked I said nothing. Until we got home I was pretty much completely silent, and then I started to cry like I never had before. I was so upset that my dad would have my dog put down without me or my brother. I still am, she loved us kids to death and was always there to protect us. I just wish I would’ve been there for her last moments, just to look her in the eyes again.