# R.I.P. Onpoint's Anya's Half-Crazy, 7/4/10 - 5/3/12



## Jessticulate (Aug 10, 2010)

Hi, all my friends in the vizsla sphere.

Very sad news; our precious girl Anya was killed in a tragic and freak accident last Thursday playing with her best friend, my parents vizsla, Drushka. Drushka’s jaw got caught in Anya’s collar and they became stuck… the collar twisted and tightened… there was nothing that could be done.

Most important in all of this is to spread awareness that such a terrible accident is even possible – I don’t think any of us would recognize such a danger could exist from something as innocent and benign as best-doggie-friends playing as they did every day. Please share our story, and I welcome people to contact me; I believe we will be advocating for the use of harnesses now that so many good types are available, as well as exclusive use of collars with a quick release clip (vs. over-the-head or buckled types). At this moment, we feel nothing should ever need to be around a dog’s throat, given the many alternatives.

Our family is devastated, as you can imagine, but I am getting through this awful period by trying to bask in Anya’s immense love and joyful way of living, and looking at all the beautiful memories I was able to capture with my camera. It’s at these moments I am so grateful to be a photographer – when it is not just “trying to make art” but fortunate enough to have captured life’s most precious moments in as aesthetically pleasing a way as possible, so as to be able to relive and enjoy forever with maximum emotional impact.

I would ask you all to join me in my celebration of Anya’s short but glorious life by viewing her photos - for some reason I cannot create a link without some spam website intercepting it, but if you could go to www.redbubble.com/people/jessticulate (you will have to copy/paste that text as the link will not work - I will probably be adding some through the next few weeks; I have captured so many amazing images of her, thank goodness.

She was truly my spiritual guide and my soul-mate, and I am going to try and surround myself with her incredible energy with me for the rest of my life. I can only honour my girl by celebrating her, loving her, and sharing her light with as many people as possible. 

Be well, my vizsla loving friends,
Jess


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

:'( really sad to read this. You have my deepest sympaties. 

All the best going forward. 
Julius


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## SweetCaroline (Jul 26, 2011)

Thank you for sharing this to raise awareness.

Our most sincere condolences - our thoughts are with you during this difficult time. -Carol + Magnus


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

RIP Anya.


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

What a heartbreaking and tragic story. Our doggy daycare always removes collars from all the dogs for this very reason and I have often thought of doing so at the dog park. I think I will start now.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

If life is a FIELD of DREAMS - Anya will always be ONPOINT in your HEART!


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

I am so sorry for your very sad lost, and thank you for making us all aware of a situation none of us could ever imagine happening.

In memory of Anya, I will go in a few minutes and change the nylon collar I have on my 19wk old puppy to a leather buckle up one.

RIP Anya - so sorry for your families loss :'( :'(


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## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

Still very sad and shocked about this news Jess, hoping you are coping as best you can. 
I will never put a collar on Bella again, i hardly do anyway, because she is micro-chipped and am confident she would never run away, she hates to leave my side. Also my dad's dog who is a little smaller than her, grabs her collar alot when they are playing and running, and he drags her around by it....never again.
R I P beautiful Anya
lots of love x


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

My thoughts are with you at this difficult time, may fond memories of Anya warm your heart always...


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

my heartfelt sympathies Jess. RIP Anya.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

So sorry Jess. May Anya play in field of dreams and may you remember the joy she gave you.

I could maybe recommend a good healing book: "A Dog's Purpose."

RIP Anya.

http://youtu.be/FYJBN4m9Mzo

Rod


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## dmp (Jan 23, 2012)

talk about a punch in the gut.  That's TERRIBLE.  Just awful.


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## Lincolns Parents (Aug 6, 2011)

So sorry to hear of Anya's passing.  

Your in our thoughts and prayers. RIP.....


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

That's very sad news. 

My dogs lower jaw got caught in another dogs collar about 3 weeks ago. It is very common and can also result in a broken jaw for the dog who gets caught. 

This was a terrible tragedy. I am so sorry. :'( :'(


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

My sympathies


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I'm so sorry to here of your tragic loss. You have my heart felt sympathies.


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## city_dog (Feb 16, 2012)

So sorry to hear of this... thinking of you.

Lindsay & Sammy
(Onpoint's Sweet Child of Mine)


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## Coco (Jul 27, 2011)

Our most sincere condolences.
... thinking of you.

You made a difference, I removed Coco's collar. 

Andrea
(Onpoint's Hott to Trott)


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

Sincere condolences from our family, to yours.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

My deepest sympathy goes out to you. What a tragedy!


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

So sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts are with you and yours.

I usually leave Jasper's collar off for this very reason, except when we're on walks or going to the dog park (city law requires ID tags on the dogs at all times at the park). I'm going to invest in a nice harness specifically for the park immediately.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

A big Roo Roo Roo from Ozkar, Astro & Zsa Zsa to help Anya cross over the Rainbow Bridge and my thoughts are also with you Jess. :'(


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## jjlansing11 (May 7, 2012)

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I'll be very careful with collars now knowing this. Thank you for raising awareness during this difficult time.

RIP Anya


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

I am so sorry for your tragic loss. 

Thank you for sharing your story to make our puppies safer. Gracie will be getting a new collar or harness.

Victoria


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## bretina (May 2, 2012)

I am so sorry. This is so devastating. She was so beautiful. RIP Anya.

Our thoughts are with you, stay strong.


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## Jessticulate (Aug 10, 2010)

Thank you all so much for your kind words, thoughts, videos... it helps so much at this awful time, it really does.

Anya was wearing her collar because she and Drushka were out on their walk at a City of Toronto park. They were under total supervision by my Dad, a very experienced vizsla owner of 40 years, playing the way they did every single day. 

I hate to have our family's experience be the horror story of caution for everyone else, but I'm glad so many of you are now aware that this unthinkable or, perhaps, dismissible paranoid thought, really can happen, and are taking action. Please share our story with others (and the photos, because Anya did have such a happy life, every single day of it, and I want to enjoy and share her memory) - I never want another family to go through this.


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

I am so sorry for your loss! Thank you for coming on here and warning us about the actuality of this happening. We will be switching to a harness for playtime and most other activities.


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

RIP Anya. This story just breaks my heart. Thank you for sharing. I just ordered a quick release collar for Ruby today.


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## OttosMama (Oct 27, 2011)

This is unimaginable. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to raise awareness. My thoughts are with you.


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## hollyandnick (Apr 28, 2011)

I am soooo sorry to hear such tragic news. She was a beautiful girl. I will advise about the harness though. During play with another dog, who had a harness on, his tags fish hooked our little Lucy's eyelid. The tag loop was on the front part of the chest and he was on his back. When he jumped up to flip around the tags went into her eye. A very freak accident. But, I now know that dog has something that has a pocket for tags. Just another FYI.


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## cooperman (Oct 26, 2010)

So very very sorry to learn of your tragic news. Cooper and Kenzie Woo Woo's lots of doggie runs safely in heaven.


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## velcro-man (May 15, 2012)

I'm so sorry for your loss :'( such a tragic accident. I share your pain in this time of sorrow, I just lost my beloved girl Velvet 5-8-12 to GVD( stomach Flip) Something I also was not aware of. There memories are deep in or hearts. V-M


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## Jessticulate (Aug 10, 2010)

velcro-man said:


> I'm so sorry for your loss :'( such a tragic accident. I share your pain in this time of sorrow, I just lost my beloved girl Velvet 5-8-12 to GVD( stomach Flip) Something I also was not aware of. There memories are deep in or hearts. V-M


Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss, too!!! Thank you for your thoughts. It's awful to lose them so suddenly, and not of old age. :-(


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