I have a backhoe and have been asked to bury some horses, donkeys and dogs for the neighbors. It's sad, but nothing lives forever.
I probably told this story before, and I hope nobody takes offense to this.
We had some neighbors that were moving, and they gifted my daughter a mare. She was great as a kids first horse, gentle and very respectful of the rider. Anyway, she was quarterhorse/thoroughbred mix, so she was naturally thin. As she approached 30 YO, it was a chore to keep weight on her. I'd spend all spring, summer and fall trying to fatten her up, because the winters would really take a toll on her. All the usual fatteners, oats, beet pulp, pretty much anything that she would eat, but every year, she faired the winter worse than the previous, because her body couldn't process efficiently anymore. I was really getting concerned that someone would call animal control, because she was getting so thin.
It finally came to the point, that I knew it was time. It would be cruel to try to get her through another winter. I didn't really have a good spot to bury her on our property and taking her to the town dump (they'll pre-dig a hole for you) just didn't seem fitting either. I ended up donating her to an exotic cat rescue facility. I trailered her there and they put her in a round pen for the night. I sat with her for a bit and fed her treats and then said my goodbye. I think my eyes leaked the entire ride home.
The next morning, they gave her a big bowl of food and put her down as she ate. She was processed and the cuts were put in a walk-in cooler for the cats. Hard to do it, but at least she fed the circle of life. Seemed more fitting then being dumped in a hole at the town dump.
