I lost a member of my community, my family, today. Mac Kelly, beloved canine, dear friend, and loved family member, was released from his pain this afternoon.

Sometime in the past week or so, Mac developed a limp. He ether broke his leg somehow, or his prostate cancer had metastasized into his leg, or perhaps both. The limp was becoming more pronounced as the days went on, and then yesterday his health took a drastic turn for the worse. People had to be up early to help take care of him and carry him, because he no longer had the strength to move himself in and out of the house.

Today we had an in-home euthanasia, and his human will be attending the private cremation tomorrow. The in-home euthanasia made it possible for him to be able to be in familiar surroundings instead of a scary, uncertain place, and the private cremation means that the ashes that his human will be getting will be his and only his - nobody else's will be mixed in there.

Mac was able to spend his last moments surrounded by loved ones, eating bacon, and being in the comfort of his own home. Mac was a treasured friend and family member, a part of the community. He will be dearly missed.