I HAVE ALWAYS HAD (I DID NOT SAY OWNED, BECAUSE THEY OWNED ME) 2 DOGS. AFTER LESTER THE MOLESTER DIED I ONLY HAD CRASH LEFT WHO WAS 15. I HAD TO PUT HER DOWN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2004. I DID NOT WANT ANOTHER PET. WE STILL HAD THE CAT, WHO THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT HE HAD OUTLIVED ALL THE DOGS. IN DECEMBER 2004 MY YOUNGEST SON (23) CONVINCED ME TO GO TO THE SHELTER AND FIND A NEW FRIEND. WE ADOPTED A MIXED 3 YEAR OLD WHO WAS NOT USED TO BEING AROUND PEOPLE. ONCE HE GOT ATTACHED TO US WE COULD NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT HIM PULLING ON OUR COATS OR BLOCKING THE FRONT DOOR.

IN JANUARY 2005 HE STARTED TO HAVE SIEZURES. THE VET SAID HE HAD EPILOPSY. WE PUT HIM ON MEDS, BUT HE WAS NOT THE HAPPY DOG ANYMORE. THEY GOT REALLY BAD IN FEBRUARY AND WERE SO SEVERE THAT THEY CAUSED BRAIN DAMAGE. WE HAD TO PUT BUDDY DOWN IN MARCH.

NO MORE DOGS FOR ME.

IN APIRL 2005 MY OLDEST SON SHOWED UP AT MY HOUSE WITH A SMALL CUTE PUPPY. THEY WERE SHARING A BAG OF FRENCH FRIES. I SAID NO. HE SAID TRY HIM OUT. HE CAME FROM A LARGE LITTER OF PUPS LEFT AT THE POUND.

TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER “LOKI” IS NOW RUNNING OUR HOUSE. HE IS THE BEST DOG EVER. WE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH HOUSE TRAINING. HE WALKS WITHOUT A LEASH, HOLDING HIS HEAD UP, AS IF HE IS SAYING, “LOOK AT MY PEOPLE”. HE HAS GIVEN US ALL SO MUCH PLEASURE.

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE COMING HOME AFTER A HARD DAY AT WORK AND THERE ARE A PAIR OF EYES SMILING AT YOU AND A TAIL SWEEPING THE FLOOR. HE IS HOPING YOU HAVE A RITE AID BAG WITH A CHEWY BONE FOR HIM. LOKI WILL PUT HIS HEAD IN THE BAG THAT COULD CONTAIN 10 ITEMS AND ONLY PULL OUT HIS CHEWY.

I COULD GO ON FOREVER ABOUT WHAT MY ANIMALS HAVE GIVEN ME OVER THE YEARS, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THEY GAVE ME AND GIVE ME IS TRUST.

Barbara from MD