Vet urges dog owners in England to 'stop' saying two-word phrase at clinic
A vet has issued a warning over using two words dog owners commonly say when they visit a dying pet in the clinic. Mobile hospice vet Faith Banks took to TikTok and shared the phrase she all too regularly hears coming out of dog owners' mouths.
"The last words you say to your pet are very special and very meaningful," she said. She continued: "In the story, she talks about a journal that she keeps with all the last words that people say just before they die – some of them are very deep and meaningful and some of them are very frivolous."
"I hear the final words many people say [to their pets] and they do stick with me," she explained. "Many are the common or traditional things you'd think people would say – 'I love you, thank you, I'll miss you, see you again, wait for me.'"
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But there's one phrase the vet hates to hear. "'I'm sorry' is one I don't love to hear because I feel that those people have done so much for their pet," she said. "I understand you're sorry you can no longer be together but I hope they're not apologising for anything they have done wrong."
In response, a TikTok viewer replied and said: "I said 'It's okay, you can go now. Mama will be fine.' I lied, I wasn't fine then, I am still not fine now. but he closed his eyes and took his final breath after my lie. I guess it was okay then."
A second typed: "I believe the last words I said, were you better come back and see me so I know you're OK. I told my dog thank you for saving me, I wished I could've saved him too. I'm a combat veteran and he was my trained PTSD Service Dog. I lost him to kidney disease two years ago tomorrow."
A third commented: "My 22-year-old cat passed away this past Friday, in my arms. while I was holding him I spoke to him, that I loved him so much and that I was going to miss him and thanked him for his unconditional love.
"I just wanted to be there for him more, and I feel that whatever I said cannot even compare to what he has given me the past 22 years. I miss him so much, I just hope he felt how much I felt but could not describe, because the sadness of letting go was taking over and got at a loss of words. now I am looking for him in everything."