Walk with Walnut

RE: Walk with Walnut

Anthony Dennison — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 09:38:15 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

I can do 'miserable git' as well as most people and I actually thought it was rather sweet.

[/quote]

Deep down you're a softie Michael

RE: Walk with Walnut

Clare Tapsfield-Wright — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 23:08:53 GMT

The owner probably expected a few dog owning friends to pitch up but sometimes a post just appeals to people and goes viral. Maybe because there had been so much venom in the USA elections and this was jus an ordinary bloke grieving about his dying dog and looking for support. A genuine emotion struck a cord in all the posturing and the mayhem. Not what I would want and probably not what Walnut would have chosen but I don't think it was deliberate attention seeking by any parties. Just the power of social media , scary , goodbye to privacy

RE: Walk with Walnut

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 22:24:53 GMT

I can do 'miserable git' as well as most people and I actually thought it was rather sweet.

RE: Walk with Walnut

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 16:47:38 GMT

If he had to be carried, then maybe the walk was too long, or euthanasia should have been performed earlier.

Wynne

RE: Walk with Walnut

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 16:04:45 GMT

[quote user="Judith Archbold"]What a bunch of miserable gits on here today! We were discussing Walnut's last walkies at work today and 100% of us ( vets , nurses, receptionists) just thought what a lovely thing to do / happen for the dog and the owner.[/quote]There seems to be a polarisation of opinion on this between those who are over anthropomorphising and those who see it as a rather cynical move to gain some personal notoriety or mass Lady Di type communal grieving. Maybe the owner thought it was lovely thing to do for himself but at best I doubt Walnut could give a sh1t and at worst he was stressed by the lack of routine of it.

My nurses are obviously miserable gits as well as they read between the lines and thought the same as me. One even went as far as to suggest the owner was discharging his debt to the dog and relieving himself of his guilt for failing to care for it properly previously.

RE: Walk with Walnut

Luca Poddighe — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 15:24:39 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"] Luca We have something in common.[/quote]

Do you have a "che guevara" T-shirt too?

Just joking! We get confrontational on some matters and that's good, we are not likely to be influenced by each other views, but discuss and confront can only make us better.

RE: Walk with Walnut

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 14:51:43 GMT

Luca We have something in common.

Wynne

RE: Walk with Walnut

Judith Archbold — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 14:46:37 GMT

What a bunch of miserable gits on here today! We were discussing Walnut's last walkies at work today and 100% of us ( vets , nurses, receptionists) just thought what a lovely thing to do / happen for the dog and the owner.

Everyone is becoming cynical and has to over-analyse things nowadays. It was a dog walk.... simple as that. If I lived in Cornwall I would have taken my dogs too.

n.b. Just to clarify I understand that Walnut was put to sleep at home the following day.... not on the beach in front of everyone.

RE: Walk with Walnut

Luca Poddighe — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 14:16:24 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]But I think this goes back further than Diana that was just the first media hyped example.[/quote]

Absolutely! I remember easily people flash mobbing for Freddie Mercury's death between others... Social network has just made it easy.

Grief is personal I believe, everyone lives as it makes him feel better. But I won't like to be surrounded by people I don't know on my last walk. In my land of origin, in little villages often the whole village will turn up at funerals you may have there 200-300 sometimes more, but the difference is that's people that in some way has had a chance to know you.

RE: Walk with Walnut

Robin Grimmer — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 13:35:45 GMT

David, Martin 100 per cent agreement. I nearly mentioned the Diana effect in my original post. God could you imagine if there had been social media then. It's normal to feel sympathy to someone in that situation , it's something every pet owner has to deal with. But for loads of strangers to turn up for a dog and person that none of them had known was wrong and not healthy .

RE: Walk with Walnut

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 12:21:39 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]

21st century disease.

Mass outpourings of confected grief for people or animals folk don't even know can be traced back to the death of Diana.

[/quote]I've given you 5 stars David before someone red stars you like they did my post. But I think this goes back further than Diana that was just the first media hyped example. As much collective guilt as grief from knowing that they had contributed to it by their thirst for celebrity to illuminate their own sad little lives.

RE: Walk with Walnut

David Mills — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 12:11:42 GMT

21st century disease.

Mass outpourings of confected grief for people or animals folk don't even know can be traced back to the death of Diana. I read a compelling article about this recently. the ease with which people can virtue-signal on social media, share articles and click like has simply made it worse.

In the end the poor dog had to be carried.

Regardless of how nice the guy came across you have to question why on earth he did such a thing. Ive had strangers come into euthanasias before, and when it becomes clear then I kick them out pronto. Very odd all round.

RE: Walk with Walnut

Neil Wheadon — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 12:06:35 GMT

The owner used a brilliant term to describe Walnuts issues

'He could no longer do the basics'

I might use that

Neil

RE: Walk with Walnut

Bob Russell — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 09:41:45 GMT

I suspect this is one of those situations that got out of hand. Not sure i would cope with being interviewed hours before euthanasia of a pet had been arranged.

The owner did speak well and did accept that the 'walk' (actually carry) was a bit of a distraction before the appointed time.

We have a 16yrs+ Staffie, really been my nemesis for most of those years. She is getting towards the end but still has an immense interest in life. I think there is a book to be written about her, at least a 'long', short story!

When the time comes I will want peace and quiet not the company of strangers!

Each to his/her own!

RE: Walk with Walnut

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 08:19:11 GMT

I don't really know what to think. The change in routine may have been disturbing to an old dog, but would walking alone with a crying owner have been worse? I don't know. I think the turnout was a little like a funeral................I don't mean the in-out crematorium type, with very few attendees, but a proper Welsh village funeral.

Wynne

RE: Walk with Walnut

Karen Eggleton — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 23:12:01 GMT

I think Neil is absolutely right that it was perhaps a way for the owner to cope. He seemed lovely and grounded to me. However having read about it Saturday morning ahead of the walk (and having cried profusely in to my cornflakes) I can only say I felt a tad sorry for Walnut when I saw the footage. With such a large turnout I felt it may have been out of the norm for him and so a bit unsettling. Also felt anxiety for the attending vet in advance. No pressure...

RE: Walk with Walnut

Robin Grimmer — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 18:00:55 GMT

I did like the pun with the name - Walnut whippet.

RE: Walk with Walnut

Neil Wheadon — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 17:58:22 GMT

He interviewed really well on the radio. He basically said he posted in on a local group as a by thought and forgot about it, something all of us have probably done. He was a bit surprised when it went viral.

My take is it was a way with dealing with grief but the folks I question are the ones who turned up

Neil

RE: Walk with Walnut

Martin Atkinson — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 17:54:36 GMT

I suppose its another way along with Jeremy Kyle and Big Brother etc for nobodies to become a celebrity. IMO it is the curse of modern society and social networking. Even more sad this guy had to use his dog as a proxy for his 15 minutes of fame.

RE: Walk with Walnut

Eilidh Corr — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 16:06:43 GMT

I'll add that it wouldn't be my bag at all but I respect this man's choice.

RE: Walk with Walnut

Eilidh Corr — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 16:05:39 GMT

If I've learned one thing from my time in practice, it's that grief is intensely personal and individual. As I say to my clients, there's no rule book. As long as the pet's welfare isn't compromised, it's their business.