One of my worst nightmares

What a bad morning I've had. I live on a remote farm down a cart track, which is uninhabited apart from the bungalow I am renting. The farmer comes down every day to feed the cattle and have a chat. His old Border Collie, Sam, lives in the barn, he is 20 years old but still wags his tale when the farmer arrives and trots after the tractor. Sam is usually lying on guard out at the front in the mornings, waiting for the daily visit and watching whatever I am up to, and my dogs. This morning it was particularly busy as the postman turned up in his van at the same time a delivery van arrived. Chaos! The postman handed me my mail and reversed to turn around and go back up the track. While he did this, I greeted the delivery man who had a big box for me. The postman drove away and I suddenly noticed Sam, rolling around on the ground where the postman had reversed and turned around. He got up, dangling a leg! Shocked, I just said to the delivery man, "the postman's just run over Sam!!!!" By that time, he had disappeared up the track.(The postman, that is)
I tried to look at the leg but having caught Sam's collar, he went for me and limped off towards the haybarn. I grabbed a muzzle but he wasn't having any of it. The farmer turned up and I explained what had happened. He said, since I had moved in here, Sam had got an extra lease of life because he loved watching my dogs running about, and he had taken to running after the car as he left, which he hadn't done for ages. He was quite philosophical about the situation, said at the age of 20 there was nothing that could be done with a broken leg, and has just gone taking Sam with him, so I don't hear the shot as he puts him out of his misery
And it's raining..........

RIP Sam

what a shame - so sorry for poor old sam - run free little one

dani

That is really cold hearted,dreadful.

Oh no RIP Sam

Poor Sam,

He is a farm dog and 20 years old, the farmer is doing what he thinks is best for the old man......

.....(now I am dicking below the wall before I get shot down)!

Well i think that is really sad but i do think even though the dog was 20 years old the owner should off taken him to the vet poor little thing how does he know that he would,nt off got better bless him.

Oh what a terrible way to go at the grand old age of 20, he must have been in so much pain to have gone for you like that. I am so sorry. Didn't he make any noise then when the postman did this, poor boy, that's just awful. Nice of the farmer to take him away like that, as you would have thought he would have wanted to do it there and then with his dog being in pain. RIP Sam.

omg that is awful - made me feel really sad

run free Sam

Ohh...bless, poor old fellow, hope your day gets better

Sam was completely deaf and had hardly any "voice" left so he didn't make a sound......
His eyes said a lot though

Incidentally, I know it is very hard for pet owners to appreciate this, but Sam was a working farm dog and over here, once they can't work, they are usually shot. Sam was given a decent retirement and I think the fact that he got to 20 reflects this. He did pretty well for an elderly sheepdog. It's just a shame he didn't go naturally in his sleep.

I expect he will be busy rounding up sheep again now in a place with no pain, and with all the speed and skill he once had......