Dear Editor,

We would like to share a recent experience with your readers.

We recently had the sad and painful duty of having our 10-year-old Labrador retriever, Tank, put to sleep. He was old and had numerous chronic illnesses, none of which could be healed or treated successfully. This was a gut wrenching experience for us and we wrestled with our decision for many days.

Through the support and love of Dr. Thad Bamberg of Montevallo Animal Clinic, we were able to endure this sad decision. He was there for us every step of the way. He worked with Tank for many weeks to no avail and had grown to love him as much as we did. He diligently charged forward with everything he could do to help save our beloved pet, but it was not to be.

Then, on Tank’s last day with us here, Dr. Bamberg came to our home after work and gave Tank the medication that would allow him to leave the tired body he was in — a body that had struggled and suffered long enough.

He was by our side during this difficult time and told us how Tank was in a much better place now, pain free and in a body that didn’t hurt and wasn’t weak.

He told us we would see him again and that Tank would be waiting on us as a young and healthy friend. I have these same beliefs too, but hearing it from our veterinarian made it so much easier for us to let him go. The look in his eyes as he told us this was so sincere, you just knew it was coming from his heart.

Dr. Bamberg is a very special man. There are not many times in this life that you run across someone that touches your heart in such a way you will never forget them, but we were lucky enough to have done just that.

We lost something that was very dear to us and close to our hearts that day, but we gained a friend to last a lifetime. Thanks, Dr. Bamberg, for all you did. You are definitely an angel in disguise.