Meet George | Kill Pen Rescue
When Missi met George, he was in a kill lot—a horse who had already lived a hard life and was approaching the end of it. Missi saw his gentle soul and had to take him home. She paid only his weight for him. Her only goal was to give him a few peaceful years in retirement with a loving family.
Her love carried him along for another 7 happy years and he soon became a favorite. However, at about age 37, he began to struggle. He was showing signs of his age and unable to keep on weight. Missi knew it was time to say her goodbyes and not make him suffer through a long, hard winter.
This is a scenario that many rural families are familiar with through farm life, but given their incredible, special bond, she reached out to others for advice on a Facebook group called Ingenious Horse Care Tips from Seasoned Horse People. Many advised her to commemorate him with a photo session.
As fate would have it, I reached out to Missi soon after to set up a model session. She mentioned George and making their relationship a focal point for the session. I agreed immediately. But the results were more than either of us could imagine.
With a beautiful sunset washing everything in a golden glow, she said goodbye to George and his gentle soul. By the end, we were both in tears. She hugged and kissed him, and whispered, “I’m sorry.” He genuinely seemed to understand.
Afterward, she shared the images with the group, thanking them for their advice and urging others to do the same with the special animal companions in their lives. What neither of us expected was the outpouring of support and empathy from so many members who knew exactly what she was going through. The post went viral with over 12,000 reactions, nearly 1000 comments, and many more shares.
It was easy to see how much this exact story resonated with so many animal lovers. Merilee Raynor of COWGIRL Magazine featured Missi and George’s story and interview (see here) shortly after the session.
Our impermanence is a reminder to us all to love those who are special to us and appreciate the bonds we form in our lives. Without loss, we can never fully appreciate the love we experience in our lives. Missi and George remind us to remember how special those bonds are, wherever and whenever they are found.
