Bailey the Chihuahua (:

by Carmen
(Addison, TX)

Let me start off by saying I moved back home to my Mom's a month ago and between work and settling back in I made no time for Bailey, my Chihuahua, and no not purposely. On top of that she was going through heat for the first time so I tried keeping her in her cage since my Mom has a male Chihuahua and she (Bailey) did not want him near him lol I have always spoiled her crazy, we were always together, she was always by my side.(:

Ok, so Thursday, October 10th... I came home from work and as soon as I walked in Bailey started whining as always when she sees me. I took her outside but she didn't stay out long she ran back in pretty quick. I came inside after her, she was playing with my Mom's Chihuahua so I let her stay out since she was finally getting along with him. AND MY GUT FEELING WAS SAYING PUT HER IN HER CAGE!! But she just seemed so happy that day (call me crazy but I know my Bails lol).

My older sister asked me to go with her to the Dentist for my nephew's appointment and I said sure.

We drove off, picked up my nephew on his way from school and he was whining about being hungry so since we were close still my sister walked to the apt to get him something to eat. On her way back I saw her looking back two or three times and I did think to myself did Bailey or my Mom's dog get out? But I was sure she wouldn't just let them stay out.

Ok so drove not even ten minutes to the Dentist and I am so serious when I say I was on Instagram and it was Throwback Thursday so I was gonna post Baileys pic when she was a puppy and right when I pressed the check mark a call came in. It was my Mom but she wasn't answering me I could just hear her in the background talking to someone. I heard Bailey cry out and my Mom said oh that's my daughter's dog.

The first thing that came to my mind was omg she bit someone but then I was like why would she be outside. I hung up the phone and turned to my sister and I said, "I think something happened to Bailey, I heard her crying out." My sister gave me this look...and said she ran out after her but she didn't think she would take off she thought she would stay at the door! I'm like WTF!

My Mom called again almost crying and told she just got hit...holy shit my heart sank and I kept saying stop lying I didn't hear Bailey crying and my Mum kept saying why would you leave her outside, so I figured she was trying to teach me a lesson and when I didn't hear her, say "just kidding". I rushed home as calmly as I could hoping I would come home to my Mom saying "JUST KIDDING!"

I walked in and I caught a glimpse of her laying there in her cage and I lost it I did not want to see her like that. She looked fine except for under her chin area she had a cut. I tried getting her and she made this unforgettable loud sound. :( So my Mom finally got her for me in a towel and my brother drove me to the Animal Clinic right down the street. The doctor took her right in and put her in that oxygen stuff. After getting all of mines and Bailey's info she told me it was serious and it was all blurry but basically there was a bad spinal injury and there was no way in hell I wanted to keep hearing my Bail's crying so doctor suggested putting her down so I told her fine but the quicker the better I didn't want her suffering any more.

When I walked in the doc said awww her tail is wagging. I just stared at her and her eyes where on me the whole time. Finally they turned her around and gave her the shot:( That was it I didn't look at her after that. There was no way I was gonna look at that face with no life:"( I never knew it would be this hard to say goodbye. It still seems unreal until I replay it and remember my baby isn't here anymore. All this guilt of not spending time with her and thinking of everything I could have done to prevent this kills me. When does this stop hurting?