Abbott "Pete" Smith, D.V.M.
June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010 |
Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017). A graduate of Colorado State University and a well-known veterinarian in southeast Ohio, Dr. Smith continues to motivate and inspire.
Writing poetry can
bring out emotions that we may not have the courage or ability to say,
especially in the loss of a pet or loved one. Dr. Smith and his widow, Jody, have written beautiful poems about their pets. If you have read Milliron: The Biography, you will remember the passage about Jody's beloved Belgian Sheepdog, Puff.
"My Belgian Sheepdog, Champion The Magic Dragon V Siegester (Gates of Victory) Companion Dog/Tracking Dog, also known as Puff, was so jealous of Pete. Puff was a herding and guarding dog. If you didn't have anybody to tell Puff to stop and start, he would've just started and never stop. He was Schutzhund breeding which is a line of German protection dog. Puff looked like a cross between a German Shepherd and a Collie. He was the most expensive dog I'd ever bought."
You can read more about Puff in Milliron - an amazing story of dedication and love. American Kennel Club's National Specialty Best of Winner, Puff was a favorite. Jody writes...
An Ode to the Good Death and the Good Doctor (May 1998)
(c) Jody Smith
O Puff - O Magical Dragon of a dog,
You of such grace, you with the look of eagles, now so dimmed,
Now circling, now stumbling, now falling, now unable to rise
Now immobile, now only a wagging tail as we sooth and hold you
My heart breaking with every beat, our tears falling.
You who gave me so many gifts of devotion and love and the joy of life,
Now the only gift we can give you is this love and this peace at this last kiss.
Your euthanasia shall have to be a kind of healing, the only healing we can offer now, each grateful for the ease of it.
Peace, Beloved; Peace: ease from the suffering,
Ease off to your new green meadows and sparkling streams; romp with joy and love.
Life - it goes on; go with it again, conquering, striding, Magical Puff, you of such grace and beauty, leaving behind only this empty, graying shell fading away into the leaping greenly spirits of trees.
But... tarry there - wait a heartbeat - there in your new paradise and we'll meet again, halfway across the sky in our dreams.
Farewell. Fare well.
Have a great week ahead.
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Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.
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