My beautiful Barney boy was only 11 and a half when we had to make the heart-breaking decision to let him go over the rainbow bridge. Barney was a big, fluffy, ginger half ragdoll cat and was a big softie. He was always around but if you couldn’t see him, one call of his name or a shake of the treat pot and he was there. He was such a chilled boy, he even accepted two puppies and a kitten when they were brought into his home over the years and he constantly ‘talked’ – my husband always said he sounded like he was saying “Mum”!
Barney had the loudest purr and he had huge feet; he would spread his toes wide when I tickled them! He was quite literally my baby. I had heard of Dignity in passing and looking at the website told me everything I needed to know about how they take great care of every special pet that comes to them, so my mind was made up.
I had decided to have a fur clipping from Barney and we made the decision to have his ashes put into a beautiful tribute box casket that has the photo frame lid, so we could choose a favourite photo to put in there.
I can’t even begin to say how amazing the entire Dignity team are, from the moment that I called and physically couldn’t speak because I was sobbing so much, I wasn’t judged at all but made to feel absolutely normal for feeling that way. When we arrived with Barney, we were told to take as long as we needed to say goodbye, there was no rush whatsoever and I could just tell what great care they were going to take of my precious boy. I was even allowed to pick a flower to put with him.
When we went back to collect Barney’s ashes, again, we were made to feel so welcome and cared for and not once did any of the team refer to Barney as “him” or “your cat”, they used his name every single time.
He was returned in the tribute casket along with his fur clipping and an absolutely beautiful card from the Dignity team. Words can never express just how much Dignity made a really difficult time just that little bit easier to cope with.
Thank you just doesn’t seem enough but THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of our hearts.
