It is with great sadness and disbelief, that we lost our big beautiful giant, Reuben, aka Davy, to the dreaded bone cancer, who we only adopted in March last year.

We are totally devastated at his loss, as he was only 5 and the most beautiful, very large big blue boy the rescue had ever had in.

How it started, was that last Thursday, the 29th August, Reuben and Carrie saw their daddy return in his car and Reuben jumped up on the garden gate to welcome him home, like he always did. He was always so happy to meet everyone, so he could give them the biggest lick. Sadly, the next day, he was limping on his front left leg, which we thought he had maybe pulled a muscle, or strained something in his leg.

We phoned the vet on the Friday, to make an appointment for him, but they could not see him until yesterday, Tuesday, 3rd September. His limp did not stop him getting about and being the big puppy that he thought he was. He was as happy as he usually was and eating his meals and nothing felt like it was a serious injury, so we gave him Metacalm and ice packs on his leg, until he could see the vet on the Tuesday.

She said he would need an x-ray, to make sure he had not broken any bones in his leg and that she would phone us back in the afternoon with the results. The phone call came and we were not too worried that it would be anything very serious, as he was such a young dog and full of life and had no illnesses while being with us. Unfortunately, it was very serious. She said that he had a bone tumour in his first joint in his left leg and that the best thing for him, would be to put him to sleep while he was still sedated. She said he would not manage on 3 legs, due to his huge size and his weight of over 43kgs and the kindest thing for him would be to put him to sleep.

I am afraid I could not take it in and was screaming and crying with grief and shouting it cannot be true, over and over again. I could not believe that such a healthy, bouncy big boy like him, could have the dreaded bone cancer in his leg. Not again could this be happening to us, as those of you who know us, know that we have lost 3 beautiful male Greyhounds to bone cancer, in quick succession, so we hardly get the time to heal from each one dying. We lost our beautiful Spot to Mesothelioma last February, which is the most horrible cancer too.

We went back to the vets to say our goodbyes to Reuben and to sit with him, holding him and talking with him, telling him how much we loved him, until the time was right for the vet to put him to sleep. We stay with him for a very long time afterwards, trying to take it all in, but leaving him there, lying on the floor with his little red tartan blanket covering him, was the hardest thing to do.

We are beside ourselves with extreme grief and disbelief and think that we will never get over this, not again, but we know that time does heal our broken hearts, as I have said to quite a few people on the forum and on Facebook, who have lost their beloved Greyhound and finding it very hard to cope. It just feels the worst kind of pain in your heart at the time, but we know that eventually, we will recover from yet another horrific death of one of our beautiful Greyhounds, but we will never, ever forget any of them and the happiness, love and laughter they all brought us.

At least we still have our very first Greyhound, called Carrie, who is now 11 years and 10 months and is a beautiful, little black Greyhound. We adopted her, along with Leo, in 2011, who was aged 8 at the time and died of bone cancer, when he was nearly 12. Our Spot and Squeek both died at aged 8 and now Reuben at age 5.

Carrie has outlived all her 4 male Greyhound friends. She must be so worried and confused, wondering where all her friends have gone and left her on her own, once again. It is heartbreaking.

We only moved to the Isle of Lewis last October to a bigger house and better garden for Carrie and Reuben to play in. They had such fun there, chasing each other throughout the ground floor, when all the doors were left open for them to play.

We are back on holiday at the moment, in our old house in East Lothian, to visit my son and his family, but losing Reuben so soon after coming here on holiday, has been spoiled the enjoyment of being on holiday. I do not think I will ever go on holiday again, as 3 of our male Greyhounds have died unexpectedly of cancer, while we have been on a holiday.

I am so sorry that this post is so long for you to read, but it is the only way of me coping with the grief of losing yet another beautiful Greyhound, so putting my grief down in writing helps me a little bit. Thank you if you read this post and I understand completely if you did not, as it is too sad to read.

We would like to thank Celia and Jimmy, for giving us the chance to love all 5 of our rescued Greyhounds, even though it broke our hearts when they left us. Better to have loved them, than them never to have been loved at all.

God bless you big Reuben, you were a joy to have, as were Leo, Squeek and Spot. May you all rest in peace and we hope to meet up with you all one day. Reuben will be joining all his brothers up on Lewis, once we get his ashes back.

No doubt in time, when our hearts mend a little bit, we will be back to see Celia and Jimmy, to give a loving home to another of these beautiful creatures. We say that we will never have another one, as the pain of losing them is so extreme, but we know that we cannot live without them in our lives, for as long as we are able to care for them and to give them the love that they all deserve.

Reuban is on page 112 of The Lucky Ones.

Oh Liz & Richard, Mo & I just don't know what to say … we are UTTERLY dumbfounded.

You have been SO 'unlucky' - I do wonder if Leo sent Squeek, Spot & Reuben your way because he knew what wonderful human beings you are, and knew that you would look after them and give them the very best of everything.

There are no words to comfort you right now … we know the pain of losing a beloved greyhound, but to lose one at 5 years old is just unbearable.

You & I feel the same Liz - I remember sending you 'The Dog's Last Will & Testament' when Leo died. Greyhounds are special creatures and I feel SO sad for Carrie - how is she coping? Please give her HUGE cuddles from us & Sandy.

I will e-mail you later.

You, Richard & Carrie are very much in our thoughts & prayers.

Love,
Susan xx

So sorry to read this. You must be totally devastated. I used to walk "Big Davy" when he was in his kennel down the Red Brick Road, waiting for his wonderful forever home with you to come along. He was such a delightful dog. I won't forget him. I am so glad he had such a great time with you are his forever family.
Sheila xx

Thank you Susan for your kind words. You know exactly how we are feeling just now, having been there yourselves.

Carrie looked a bit lost last night and I think she knows something is wrong. She has lost all her boy friends and needs another friend I think, to play with in our new house, where there is more room for more than one Greyhound. She has walking about, looking in our bedroom, for Reuben I think.

I just cannot take it in that Reuben has gone, he was so full of life and happiness until he went to the vets yesterday, apart from the limp. It is so worrying when you do not see any signs of illness and the vets tell you otherwise. They know best I suppose, but it will worry me for a very long time.

Sandy looks a joy and is so beautiful. They certainly do help to heal your broken heart, when you adopt another one.

Thanks again Susan and Mo. xxxx

Thank you so much Sheila. Yes, he was a delightful dog, so loving, funny and full of life. He loved everyone. He thought he was still a puppy and was so funny at times. We will miss him so much.

Do you know how long he was in the kennels, before we adopted him Sheila?

So very sorry to read your post. It must be heartbreaking. But Reuben was happy and bouncy, living life in the present and full of love until you did him the great kindness of letting him go while he was sleepy and not in any distress, a gentle journey onwards for him although so much pain for you. I hope when the time comes for each of our three we will be as brave as you.

Thank you so much Rachel for your comforting words. It is the hardest thing you will ever have to do for your dogs, but with the support of everyone of this forum and on the Facebook GRF, it will help you to cope with the grief. Everyone has been so kind to us, even people who have also lost their own dogs, some very recently.

Omg so so sorry to hear your sad news you are wonderful people who give these dogs the love they deserve sending all our love your way gill john and willow x xxx

Thank you so much Gill, John and Willow. We just adore Greyhounds and love them all to bits. I would adopt all the Greyhounds in the GRF if I could afford the insurance for them all. I cannot think of a happier way to live, than with Greyhounds. They are just so special and bring us such happiness, except when they have to leave us to go over the Rainbow Bridge. That is just unbearable.

Yes they are amazing dogs this is our second one I would love to adopt another one but we have a cat who was here before willow they get on great and I have to remember it's her home to don't want to rock the boat he he but in the future defo love to you and Richard and Carrie xx

I'm not sure how long he was at Baltree. Not terribly long. I think. Jimmy would be the person who would know.

No problem Sheila. We are going next Sunday to see Celia and Jimmy anyway, so I will ask him then. I did not think he was in there very long either.

Im shocked to have just read your post about Reubens sudden and unexpected passing Elizabeth. I wrote his description on the website when he was in the kennels and I knew what a wonderful, gentle and special boy he was. He was only in kennels for a short stay before you chose him and you will be heartbroken at his loss. I hope it is of some comfort to you to know that to his last day he was a happy boy who loved you all and he passed gently without knowing the suffering which the cancer would have brought . Hold on to your happy memories of his time with you and I send you all hugs, love and virtual healing.

Thank you Ailsa. I am so glad to met him and loved him. Everyone did. He was star everywhere he went with us.

All our neighbours, the postman, delivery people, who all knew him, cannot believe what has happened. It was such a shock and not expected at all, the way he was bounding about in the house just days before.

We are on holiday just now at our old house and dread going back to the new house in the Isle of Lewis, where all the neighbours knew and loved him there too.

Reuben won 4th prize in the Handsome Pedigree competition at the Point Agricultural Show in Lewis, just at the end of July and his girl friend Carrie, or little black Greyhound, came 1st in the Elderly Section and then went on to win Best in Show. We were so proud them, two of Celia and Jimmy's angels.

Carrie was our first Greyhound who we adopted at age 3, along With her bridge boy friend Leo, who was 8 when we adopted him. She has now lost all 4 of her boy companions since she came to live with us. I think she badly needs another friend to cheer her up.

Carrie is all we have left now out of the 5 we have adopted in the last 9 years, and she is so lonely without Reuben. They had such fun together

We are going to see Celia and Jimmy next Sunday to visit them and you know what always happens when you pay them a visit! You never go home without a hound in your car!