DrDawkinstein Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 Canceled her entire South American tour to be with her 14 year old dog who has taken a turn for the worse. I dont blame her, and think it's definitely the right decision. http://www.seattledogspot.com/blog/2012/11/20/singer-fiona-apple-cancels-south-american-tour-to-stay-with-her-dying-dog Here is the transcript of the handwritten letter she posted on her Facebook page. A lot of touching points and tributes.: It's 6pm on Friday,and I'm writing to a few thousand friends I have not met yet. I am writing to ask them to change our plans and meet a little while later. Here's the thing. I have a dog Janet, and she's been ill for almost two years now, as a tumor has been idling in her chest, growing ever so slowly. She's almost 14 years old now.I got her when she was 4 months old. I was 21 then, an adult officially - and she was my child. She is a pitbull, and was found in Echo Park, with a rope around her neck, and bites all over her ears and face. She was the one the dogfighters use to puff up the confidence of the contenders. She's almost 14 and I've never seen her start a fight ,or bite, or even growl, so I can understand why they chose her for that awful role. She's a pacifist. Janet has been the most consistent relationship of my adult life, and that is just a fact. We've lived in numerous houses, and jumped a few make shift families, but it's always really been the two of us. She slept in bed with me, her head on the pillow, and she accepted my hysterical, tearful face into her chest, with her paws around me, every time I was heartbroken, or spirit-broken, or just lost, and as years went by, she let me take the role of her child, as I fell asleep, with her chin resting above my head. She was under the piano when I wrote songs, barked any time I tried to record anything, and she was in the studio with me all the time we recorded the last album. The last time I came back from tour, she was spry as ever, and she's used to me being gone for a few weeks every 6 or 7 years. She has Addison's Disease, which makes it dangerous for her to travel since she needs regular injections of Cortisol, because she reacts to stress and to excitement without the physiological tools which keep most of us from literally panicking to death. Despite all of this, she’s effortlessly joyful and playful, and only stopped acting like a puppy about 3 years ago. She's my best friend and my mother and my daughter, my benefactor, and she's the one who taught me what love is. I can't come to South America. Not now. When I got back from the last leg of the US tour, there was a big, big difference. She doesn't even want to go for walks anymore. I know that she's not sad about aging or dying. Animals have a survival instinct, but a sense of mortality and vanity, they do not. That’s why they are so much more present than people. But I know that she is coming close to point where she will stop being a dog, and instead, be part of everything. She’ll be in the wind, and in the soil, and the snow, and in me, wherever I go. I just can't leave her now, please understand. If I go away again, I’m afraid she'll die and I won't have the honor of singing her to sleep, of escorting her out. Sometimes it takes me 20 minutes to pick which socks to wear to bed. But this decision is instant. These are the choices we make, which define us. I will not be the woman who puts her career ahead of love and friendship. I am the woman who stays home and bakes Tilapia for my dearest, oldest friend. And helps her be comfortable, and comforted, and safe, and important. Many of us these days, we dread the death of a loved one. It is the ugly truth of Life, that keeps us feeling terrified and alone. I wish we could also appreciate the time that lies right beside the end of time. I know that I will feel the most overwhelming knowledge of her, and of her life and of my love for her, in the last moments. I need to do my damnedest to be there for that. Because it will be the most beautiful, the most intense, the most enriching experience of life I've ever known. When she dies. So I am staying home, and I am listening to her snore and wheeze, and reveling in the swampiest, most awful breath that ever emanated from an angel. And I am asking for your blessing. I'll be seeing you. Love, Fiona Good luck and best wishes Fiona. Good girl Janet, you've been a great dog. Rest easy.
Maury Ballstein Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 whoa. pitbulls really are amazing dogs. sad sad story.
NoSaint Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 whoa. pitbulls really are amazing dogs. sad sad story. its a shame. they get a bad wrap, typically due to bad owners.
Guffalo Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 We have a pit mix and she is the most gentle dog I have ever owned. I totally understand her decision.
Maury Ballstein Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 definetly bad owners.....i have one...have two friends that have them.....big babies all of them. makes me sick to think about what these dogfighters do to these poor dogs that just want to "serve their master" more than eat.
DrDawkinstein Posted November 21, 2012 Author Posted November 21, 2012 definetly bad owners.....i have one...have two friends that have them.....big babies all of them. makes me sick to think about what these dogfighters do to these poor dogs that just want to "serve their master" more than eat. Yep, the sweetest dogs Ive ever had. I will always have at least 1 rescued Pit in my house as long as Im alive.
NoSaint Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 (edited) definetly bad owners.....i have one...have two friends that have them.....big babies all of them. makes me sick to think about what these dogfighters do to these poor dogs that just want to "serve their master" more than eat. i likewise have one thats a big old baby. was found on the street, and is a big time cuddler that wants to be a lap dog. she gets so worried when she thinks shes done anything wrong and just lights up with any praise. just wants to please people (and run in the park). Edited November 21, 2012 by NoSaint
TheMadCap Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 Not a fan by any means, but big, BIG props to Fiona on this one. Dogs rule!
Guffalo Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 Pit bulls in american history used to be called "Nanny Dogs" because they were considered a safe escort/companion for children.
Maury Ballstein Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 i likewise have one thats a big old baby. was found on the street, and is a big time cuddler that wants to be a lap dog. she gets so worried when she thinks shes done anything wrong and just lights up with any praise. just wants to please people (and run in the park). sounds like mine to a tee as well. love this dog....i might be pitbull for life after this one......she's only 2.....im gonna be one tearful SOB if anything anything happens to her down the road.
Marv's Neighbor Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 Great story. No doubt the dog would do the same for her, so it's only fair.
Cugalabanza Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 This is great. Good for Fiona. I'll echo the love for pits who are raised well. I've known a couple and they were great dogs. A friend of mine had a gorgeous blue pit that he rescued and I would occasionally watch it for him when he travelled. Really sweet, friendly, smart, beautiful dog.
Alaska Darin Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 It's not just pits who are "raised well". It's the breeding cycle and the scumbags who breed the more aggressive samples, hoping to make the ultimate dog fighter. It's a travesty for such a noble breed.
DrDawkinstein Posted November 21, 2012 Author Posted November 21, 2012 (edited) It's not just pits who are "raised well". It's the breeding cycle and the scumbags who breed the more aggressive samples, hoping to make the ultimate dog fighter. It's a travesty for such a noble breed. This is true and not true. There is no such thing as being able to breed "aggressiveness" in dogs. They certainly try, but it doesnt work like that. Two "champion" fighting dogs could produce a litter of all timid dogs. However, what they DO breed and what has been bred into these dogs is a trait called "Gameness". What Game means is, being eager to obey their master even in the face of eminent danger and with substantiate injury. Basically, they breed these dogs to be the ultimate people pleasers, and then torture them so they believe that killing and fighting is what makes them a "good dog" in the eyes of their owner. Which, imo, is even more foul and despicable than just breeding an aggressive dog. Manipulating an animal who only wants to please and be loved into doing dirty work for entertainment. The silver lining to this is, it means that even dogs who were trained and raised to fight can usually be re-programmed into being normal or even great dogs. The best examples of this are the Vick Dogs. These dogs were bred into fighting and raised in the fighting ring, yet almost ALL of them have gone on to be therapy dogs (some which even help children learn to read) and award winning service dogs. From the ~50 dogs that were seized, none of them were deemed "lost causes" and put down. You can read all of their success stories here: http://vickdogsblog.blogspot.com/ These dogs do NOT naturally want to fight. Some can get aggressive towards other dogs, but ALL dog breeds do that. They are, first and foremost, people pleasers and lovers. Edited November 21, 2012 by DrDareustein
The Poojer Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 Thanks for that explanation! This is true and not true. There is no such thing as being able to breed "aggressiveness" in dogs. They certainly try, but it doesnt work like that. Two "champion" fighting dogs could produce a litter of all timid dogs. However, what they DO breed and what has been bred into these dogs is a trait called "Gameness". What Game means is, being eager to obey their master even in the face of eminent danger and with substantiate injury. Basically, they breed these dogs to be the ultimate people pleasers, and then torture them so they believe that killing and fighting is what makes them a "good dog" in the eyes of their owner. Which, imo, is even more foul and despicable than just breeding an aggressive dog. Manipulating an animal who only wants to please and be loved into doing dirty work for entertainment. The silver lining to this is, it means that even dogs who were trained and raised to fight can usually be re-programmed into being normal or even great dogs. The best examples of this are the Vick Dogs. These dogs were bred into fighting and raised in the fighting ring, yet almost ALL of them have gone on to be therapy dogs (some which even help children learn to read) and award winning service dogs. From the ~50 dogs that were seized, none of them were deemed "lost causes" and put down. You can read all of their success stories here: http://vickdogsblog.blogspot.com/ These dogs do NOT naturally want to fight. Some can get aggressive towards other dogs, but ALL dog breeds do that. They are, first and foremost, people pleasers and lovers.
Canadian Bills Fan Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 Good for you Fiona. Regardless of what some people say, dogs are not just pets. They are members of the family. At least thats how I view my dogs. Dont blame her at all and wish her and Janet nothing but the best.
DrDawkinstein Posted November 21, 2012 Author Posted November 21, 2012 Thanks for that explanation! Small footnote and edit: it is not completely impossible to breed aggressiveness. And that certainly has been done before. However, it is not the main feature they look for, and it is more difficult to breed into a family.
San Jose Bills Fan Posted November 21, 2012 Posted November 21, 2012 I'm very touched by her words and had an even stronger respect for her than I did before (it was mostly ogling). BTW, longtime NHL play by play guy Mike "Doc" Emrick who has no human children, took a year off from his career to care for his dying dog. As a media member, taking a year off for family reasons is a bit of a risk. But one he was willing to take.
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