we lost our family dog 3 weeks ago in a 'hit n run' so to speak - it has devastated all of us, even though we didnt live with her, she was OUR little baby, spoilt little thing, she used to stay with us when my mom and dad went on holiday or whatever, with us she could do what she liked (ie sleep on my bed with me OR sometimes I would put the fold-up bed down in my LJs room so we could all sleep together). It was devastating when we lost her - the crazy little thing that she was, went chasing after a large van, except she got it wrong and got hit on the head and was gone, there and then - totally TOTALLY devastating for us.
She was part of our family and I feel SO much for others going through the pain of it xxxxxx