Austin man writes tribute to dog, from dog's point of view

It's the moment all dog owners dread, the death of their pet. One Austin man's grief over the loss of his best friend is going viral.

John Pointer is a man of many talents, musician and actor. Before his dog Benny passed away, there's not a show the dog would miss.

“I took him everywhere. Everybody knows he's going to come with me to my shows. It's a package deal,” Pointer said.

That was normal for the 8-year-old dog at the time, being spunky, and loving, until a game of fetch at the park went wrong.

“He turned around and it looked like he was having some kind of problem and he wound up collapsing,” Pointer said.

Benny was having a seizure. Not long after, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. The veterinarian later detected renal failure. After a couple of months, doctors said at Benny's age the only way to put him out of misery would be to euthanize him

“I thought how weird it was after all the vet care. This miracle cure was to kill him,” Pointer said.

But Benny was not about to go out, without a bang. Pointer hopped on Facebook and starting writing about Benny's last days, from Benny's point of view.

“It wasn't like I planned it. I just started writing and exploring this idea of what this would like look to someone who is so full of love, he's not even aware his body is failing him,” he said.

"Yesterday was weird. I couldn't get myself out of bed. The guy I live with lifted me up. I tried to get my legs under me, but they wouldn't cooperate.”
That's an excerpt from the Pointer’s essay. He says the day after Benny's death was the hardest.

“It was the first time I had come home and he wasn't here. It still didn't make any sense because you can’t stop that dog, he doesn't stop,” Pointer said.

Benny's page has gained thousands of followers. The essay has been shared more than 100,000 times.

“It just didn't seem like ‘Sorry guys benny didn't make it, was going to cut the mustard,’” Pointer said.

In the last line of the essay Benny writes:
"I will never leave his side. He knows that."

Pointer feels in his heart, Benny is telling the truth.

Pointer says he plans to put out an illustrated book and then a long form novel. He is already in contact with publishers.