Someone stole my dog's grave stone

[TheProphetess]

My dog, Daisy, grew up with me. She was born in 1981 when I was 9 years old - we grew up together. Literally, we had her from the moment of her birth (her mother was our pet as well). Daisy died in 1995 at the age of 14. This dog was one of the greatest - so kind and sweet; just full of love and I adored her. My whole family loved her beyond words and we still miss her (not to mention that my parents never thought they'd be able to own another dog good enough to measure up to Daisy, but Thunder eventually came along and he's darn sweet too).

Anyway, last week, I was visiting my parents and noticed that the grave stone was missing (we had ordered it the year she died from one of those companies that will personalize anything). At first we thought it perhaps was misplaced when the grass got cut - Daisy was buried in my parents' side yard and we had the stone marking her grave site. (She hated to leave the yard b/c that meant she was headed to the vet, the groomer, or the kennel, so we decided that burying her in the yard was the best place to lay her to rest - plus it did not violate the city codes.)

So, we searched all over my parents' yard and it is gone. Someone stole the grave stone! We all are in shock. It's been there for 11 years and now it's just gone. It was a really nice round gray stone with a nature scene on it, including a butterfly, and her name plus the years of her sweet life. We stuck some flowers there for now but I have written a letter to the editor and sent it to the 3 newspapers that circulate in my hometown. I feel terrible about it - I know we can order a new one but it seems so pointless; if someone would steal the first stone, why not another one?

:cry: :cry: :cry:


Here are some pictures of Daisy and me (warning - puffy hair alert!!):

This first one is us (I can't put an exact age on it, but I'm guessing I was around 14 in the picture):



This one is from my high school graduation (it was the picture I gave away to friends but wasn't posted in the yearbook):



Finally, this is Thunder, the dog who stole my parents' heart after Daisy died (he's now 13 years old):

[MiniMandaRuth]

1. What a thoughtless, stupid act.

Probably some teenagers that thought it was funny. Bastards. It's people like that that give my age group a bad name.

[TheProphetess]

3. In my letter to the editor, I called the behavior "reprehensible"

and illegal and then said (to whomever stole it) "shame on you!"

Of course, my parents' first thought was teenagers but I just think it was probably some asshole - age irrelevant. ;)

[grannylib]

2. OH that's just so wrong... I am so sorry to hear about that!

We just had to call the neighbors to tell them that we found their missing dog, shot dead in our woods...losing a pet is SO hard, and then to have the memorial marker get stolen is just insult to injury.

I am so sorry!

[TheProphetess]

4. How horrible about your neighbor's dog!

That's just awful. And to have to call them to tell them that you found the poor thing - I'm so sorry.

Thanks for the sympathy. I feel so bad about it. We're literally shocked that someone would do that. I guess I'm naive.

[darkstar]

5. How awful.

Thoughtless acts on that scale can sometimes hurt us more than the big ones. At least me. I'm really sorry to hear this.

:hug:

[TheProphetess]

7. Thanks, darkstar

It really hurt so many of us - my whole family can't believe it happened. I appreciate the hug. :)

[auntAgonist]

6. I'm so sorry :(

how thoughtless and arrogant of someone to do such a thing :cry:

aA

[TheProphetess]

8. I know!

I'd love to get my hands on the creep(s) who did it!

I have this little hope that maybe some kid brought it home (saying he or she found it on the road or something) and that my letter to the editor will catch the attention of someone who's seen it. I know, it's a big stretch.

[SeattleGirl]

9. Ah, jeez! Some people are so stinkin' low!

I'm so sorry that happened. Daisy was obviously a very important member of your family, and to have someone do that is disgusting. I hope whoever did this is caught, and that you get the stone back.

:hug:

[TheProphetess]

10. She was a member of our family, completely, and she gave us so much love

Can't get much lower than stealing a grave marker, although I know that people sometimes deface grave stones at cemeteries, so I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised.

Thanks for the sympathy and the hug. :pals:

[SeattleGirl]

11. Any time, sweetie.

:pals:

[Maddy McCall]

12. When people do stuff like that, bad stuff happens to them.

Misery will greet them for what they did to Daisy.

:hug:

[TheProphetess]

13. Ah yes, Karma will bite them in the ass

Although I'd love it if she could do it herself - although she was a sweet dog, she had a big ol' set of choppers and a big bark to match. Maybe one day...:)

Thanks for reminding me that what goes around, comes around. :hi: Good to see ya!

[Maddy McCall]

14. Good to see you, too.

I know a guy who stole a piece of a tombstone from a New Orleans cemetery--we were teens when he did it.

I don't know if it was karma or what, but let me tell you, his life sucked for several months after his stupid theft. I won't go into all of it, because I don't want to be called heartless--but he deserved every bit of karma that he received, and hon, he received tons of it.

:hi: :hug:

[TheProphetess]

15. Well, it we don't get the stone back (which we probably won't)

Then, that will bring me some comfort. Perhaps that's a sick sort of way to think about things but I feel that whomever did this doesn't deserve kindness. That's just me.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. Daisy looks a lot like our dear Wolfgang

I'm sorry this happened to you. I would order a new one anyway; and maybe set up a security light too.

[TheProphetess]

17. Funny thing is that there is a security light near my parents' front door

Plus, two street lights in the area of the yard where Daisy is buried.

We're considering buying another one - but if we do, we'll cement it into the ground!! :)

[GirlinContempt]

18. That's awful!

:hug:

[TheProphetess]

20. Thanks for the sympathy

It really makes me sad that this happened.

To tell you the truth, even now, 11 years after her death, I still can cry just thinking about the day she died. She was suffering from liver failure (and was completely out of it - it was clear that she did not recognize us and was in another place cognitively). The doctors said that, at her age, the best thing would be to euthanize her (she had some other medical problems just before the liver failure).

So, my parents were in the room with her, petting her and holding her, while the doctor injected her with the drugs that allowed her to pass on without any more pain. I was at a required graduate school "teaching conference" and could not be there with them and that still makes my heart ache. I find comfort, though, in that my parents, who loved her dearly as well, were with her when she passed on.

By the way, my mom said that, as my dad buried her, he balled his eyes out. I have only seen my dad cry two other times in my entire life. My cousin helped him dig the hole and was beside himself when he saw my dad so broken up.

Still today, when I visit my parents and walk through the side yard, I say "hi, Dais" as I pass her grave site. To me, she's still the chubby little black and white puppy that I used to wrap in a blanket and hold on the couch while I watched TV after school.

[GirlinContempt]

22. That is really touching

At least you've a big enough heart that you don't need the gravestone to remember & love. You're good people :hug: It sucks this happened to you.

[fortyfeetunder]

19. Sounds like a wise-ass prank

Sorry about the headstone. :hug:

Considering this is close to the end of the school year, I bet this was a prank.
Perhaps put feelers out at the local schools.
The nerve of that person....

[TheProphetess]

21. Could be

Thanks for the advice. It's such a shitty thing to do.

[pitohui]

23. i knew a man who had a stolen gravestone in his living room

and i mean off a human being's grave

i didn't know what to say

he was getting therapy to find out how to be a human being -- not because of the gravestone theft tho, he had NO CLUE that was a shitty thing to do, he thought it was cool

i don't even remember what i said but we did not really have a great friendship and i lost track when he moved to texas

i mean jesus christ on a crutch, i'm supposed to be the high functioning autistic, and this is how "normal" people behave? what the eff is the matter with people?

p.s. on reading the thread -- don't assume the moron is a teen, my friend was in his 30s

[TheProphetess]

25. Wow - that's disturbing

I'm not sure how I would have handled that situation! Sounds like a good thing that you lost track with this person.

By the way, I'm not assuming that a young person took the stone - I just think that someone shitty did it. :(

[Haole Girl]

24. You know...just when I think people can't surprise me anymore

they go and do something like this. Amazing...just amazing.

[TheProphetess]

26. Yeah, people can really suck sometimes

But then again, people sometimes surprise you with kindness. I guess it's a yin-yang thing, perhaps. :shrug: