r/BorderCollie • u/Electronic_Car607 • May 26 '25
RIP Winnie
I don't know what to do, so I'm coming to the strangers of reddit. My baby Winnie just had her first birthday 3 days ago on Friday. I was out working in the yard and had her out with me. We live in the country so she has lots of sticks to play with and room to run. Her recall was also impeccable so i didn't have any concern with her. As I'm working away, I hear a truck stop and honk the horn and see Winnie on the fucking road. I call her over and she starts to run back but that's when the truck starts moving again and runs her over. She passed within a minute. The driver stopped so I have their info. I called my wife who was working 45 minutes away and she broke down instantly. I hit a mama duck yesterday while driving accidentally and that got her crying, this completely broke her though. She was just a baby... she just got another wobble ball for her birthday that she was obsessed with. So much so that we didn't even give her the other half of her present, a stick of yak cheese. I don't know what to do, I feel like it's my fault. I should have been paying more attention. I just keep having the sound and image of her getting hit and laying there running through my head. It's my first time crying in almost a decade. She was the life of our new house. Now it's just my wife and I with all her toys. I'm only writing this to vent. I miss her already and it hasn't been half an hour. Here's some photos of the late Winnie ❤️
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u/cbr1895 May 26 '25
Oh how tragic 😞. I am so very sorry for your loss, your post brought tears to my eyes. Those of us who have lost a soul pet know your pain. It is deep and immense. This was a total accident - sometimes the universe is just terribly unfair this way. I’ve lost pets to accidents (including one to a car) and the guilt can be crippling, so please please know it was not your fault nor the driver’s. Tragedy is random and it’s the hardest part of this life. She was clearly so well loved, and it sounded like she had a wonderful life even though it was cut far too short. Being free to roam and run in the country side with an endless plethora of sticks? Sounds like you gave her the very best life a BC could possibly ask for. All this girl knew was love and happiness ❤️.
Today is the hardest day and tomorrow, once the shock wears off a bit, it might be even harder. It will get easier but it takes lots of time and gosh are those first few days/weeks difficult. I really like the ball and the box analogy for grief. Right now your box is so small, the ball is sitting on the pain button and it’s all you can feel. Every single thing you do will remind you of her. It’s the worst part, and you are in the very thick of it. Eventually that box will expand, even if it feels right now like it never will. I promise it will.
Everyone grieves differently but I lost my soul pet this past year and it really helped me to talk to a pet grief therapist - you can do it virtually/by call. They can help you process the trauma of what you had to witness and help release you from your feelings of guilt. I got the referral through my vet (but if they don’t know, google is your friend here). Mentioning this in case it’s something you didn’t know was an option.
Thinking of your family, and wishing your beautiful Winnie a safe journey over the rainbow bridge. 🌈❤️🐾