I really do love my job.
Every weekday morning I get up at 6 and take a nice long shower. I think I’m pretty lucky, I get to wear whatever I want to work. After getting dressed I eat breakfast while spending some time with my fluffy Arkos. Once I make sure he’s ready for the day, I finally head out. I’m so glad I get to live with and work with fluffies, I really do love my fluffies. After a short drive I arrive at Forever Home Fluffy Ranch and put on my cute little nametag.
It reads “Donovan - Euthanasia Technician”
There are two or three of us at each of the shelters in town. Shelters packed with hopeful fluffies looking for homes, and distraught fluffies who know their time is running out. All the employees at Forever Home Fluffy Ranch really do try as hard as they can to give each and every fluffy their best chance at a long and happy life. The smiling people in the front room help fluffies find happy homes every single day. The hard working vets help sick and injured fluffies recover so that they can have a lifetime of happy days.
I don’t get to help fluffies find happy homes, and I don’t get to help fluffies live healthy lives. I get to help fluffies die.
My first assignment today is an old breeding mare. I heard we got her from a raid on an illegal breeding farm. She’s been pillowed, although it doesn’t look like a professional job, and notably she’s lost her eyes, either from neglect or abuse. She’s an attractive color, a deep sky blue with a silvery while mane. I pick her out of her kennel, her cheeks soaked with tears. She shudders at my touch and pulls away, but she’s too weak to fight.
“Huu, huu. No wan! Bad uppies!”
She cries at me, her voice is hoarse. She’s been crying for a long time. I ignore her for now, carrying her back to my room while she weakly protests. It’s cold, always is in the back, but I have a soft heated blanket laid out on my table for her. I set her down, still weeping softly. Even as scared as she is, she leans against me as long as she can. I can’t imagine how long it’s been since she felt close to anyone.
“Pwease no huwt fwuffy, will hab good babbehs next time, fwuffy pwomise.”
I wince at her words as I finish my preparations, setting out my tools on the table next to the fuzzy blanket. At least she wont be scared of them. I finally get settled and take a deep breath, ready to begin. I try to keep me voice light and friendly.
“Hey there little fluffy. You don’t need need to be afraid of me okay, I’m not here to hurt you.”
“Whewe am fwuffy? Fwuffy nu know anybwody hewe.”
I can’t tell if she’s sad about missing the other fluffies from her mill or just scared of her new surroundings. It doesn’t matter though, because it’s time for my favorite part of my job. I sit down and pull the fluffy close, holding her in a gentle hug. She’s less afraid now, not pulling away, or maybe she just misses the connection.
“You’re home fluffy. I’m going to be taking care of you from now on, okay?”
“Fwuffy home? Fwuffy newer hab housie before, onwy cagie.”
She begins to curl up again, I hug her a little tight, I don’t want her to dwell on that anymore.
“There’s not going to be any more cages. I’m going to take good care of you. There’s only going to be huggies, and sketties, and love from now on. You’re going to be just fine.”
I smile down at the fluffy, petting over her gently.
“I even have a name for you. You’re going to be Skye from now on, does that sound good?”
I’m relieved to hear a soft coo from the fluffy, cuddling with her while she processes her feelings. I reach over to the small plate of warm spaghetti on the table, bringing it to the pillowed fluffy. She sniffles, stifling tears and speaks softly.
“Fwuffy wub Nyu namsie. Skwe hab biggest heart happies. Skwe nu hab huggies in many forewers. No hab sketties since Skwe was wittwe.”
“Well don’t worry Skye, you can have sketti every day from now on. You enjoy that, I just need to give you some medicine. It will make you feel better, okay?”
The fluffy nods at me and begins weakly slurping up the pasta. I continue to pet over her and get the anesthesia prepared; just one little needle and she won’t feel anything else. I wait until she’s almost halfway done, letting her enjoy herself before I give her flank and little pinch. She winces and pulls away, but doesn’t notice the much smaller needle in her other side. I quickly finish the injection and pull the needle safely away.
“There we go, that wasn’t so bad was it? Do you like your sketti Skye? We can have it every night. In fact, why don’t we take a trip to Skettiland, would you like that?”
“Nyu daddeh take Skwe to Skettiwand? Fo’ weaw?.”
I smile while I pet over the fluffy, keeping her close as she finished her last meal. I gently work a thicker needle into her numb leg, starting the process that will inevitably end her life.
“For real my bestest fluffy. Let’s take a nice nap and then we can go together, okay?”
“Owtay daddeh, Skwe wub you.”
“I love you too Skye, get some rest.”
She coos in my arms for a few more minutes, but she doesn’t say anything else. She’ll never say anything else. Soon her cooing stops, and she goes still, finally free to go to Skettiland. I take the needle out and clean the wound, wipe the pasta sauce from her muzzle, and carry her limp body over to a small box. Gently I set down for the last time, giving her a final pet before sealing the box for cremation.
I never get to spend much time with my fluffies, but I remember each and every one. I keep their pictures in an album with their names so that I don’t forget a single one. I may not help them find happy homes, and I may not help them live healthy lives, but I get to make sure that each and every fluffy has a loving daddy who takes care of them for the rest of their lives.
I really do love my fluffies, and I really do love my job.
I just couldn’t let them be alone for it.