About 15 years ago, my wife, Arlene, had a Shih Tzu named Pepper who gave birth to two pups, one of which died at birth. She kept the surviving puppy, which she named Katie Scarlett, for six months until she could find just the right home. She finally found someone, a neighbor of her sister who was living in a New York City apartment house.

Over the years, Arlene kept in touch with Katie Scarlett and her new master. Twelve years after giving Katie Scarlett to her new owner, Arlene went by the apartment house one day and asked the doorman how they were doing and learned that Katie Scarlett’s master had just died a few days before and that the dog was shuffled off to someone in Brooklyn, a friend of the deceased lady, who really did not want to keep Katie Scarlett.

When Arlene took a trip to Brooklyn to see that lady, she found Katie Scarlett in bad shape, unkempt, jittery and bewildered. The lady was more than happy to get rid of the dog, so Arlene took it home to live with us. After a few days, Katie Scarlett became acclimated to her new home. She soon started to eat so voraciously, I renamed her “Miss Piggy.”

That’s how, after a hiatus of 12 years, Arlene got her “puppy” back. Miss Piggy lived with us happily for two more years before we had to put her down. Even though she was with us for only two years, they were happy ones for us and for Miss Piggy, and we miss her just as much as if we had her all that time.

Jim from NY