‘An unbelievable show of compassion’: Vet clinic goes above and beyond to help grieving families
COLUMBUS, Wis. — Barbara Hesselberg remembers the day her dog of 14 years, CJ, had to be euthanized after having a stroke.
“She was a special dog to us. Just family,” Hesselberg said.
After countless memories and watching CJ grow from a puppy to an old dog with gray hair around her muzzle, Hesselberg said she was preparing to say goodbye.
“As she took her last breath, it was really great we could be there. I can’t tell you how meaningful that was,” she said.
Losing a pet is never easy. The staff at the Columbus Countryside Veterinary Clinic try to make dealing with the grief of losing a furry friend a bit easier by going above and beyond for their patients and their families.
Hesselberg said a week after CJ was put down, she received a packet in the mail. One of the items inside was a card from the staff at the vet clinic where CJ took her last breath.
Another was a small piece of paper with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt reading, “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints on your heart.” Below the quote is CJ’s paw print.
The final item in the packet was a note from the clinic saying it is donating $100 to the Abby Memorial Fund in CJ’s memory.
The fund goes toward helping other animals that may need lifesaving procedures whose families may not have enough money to pay for.
Hesselberg said she wasn’t expecting to receive these things and that it “was an unbelievable show of compassion” and that the note with CJ’s paw print “will be in our house forever.”
Hesselberg said one of her goals was to take CJ on a trip up north, but CJ never lived long enough to go on the trip. Instead, Hesselberg took the note with CJ’s paw print on it so she could be there with them.
Veterinarian Dr. Carla Twardowski said the staff at the vet clinic tries to do something special for all the pet parents who have to euthanize their furry friends because “they’re more than just pets. They’re family.”
Last month, the Columbus Countryside Veterinary Clinic was named business of the month by the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation. The staff’s love and care for animals and their families does not go unnoticed.
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