As I write this, Kana, who is a mostly yellow lab and the smartest dog in the world, is sleeping on her “puppy couch” on the enclosed porch instead of her “puppy bed” up the stairs that she can no longer climb. She was diagnosed with cancer a month ago and at her age, she would have been nine this October, and our limited funds, we decided to treat her with prednisone and a special diet. I will sleep on the sofa beside her until she tells me it’s time to let her go. She’s never left my side so I won’t leave her.

Kana was adopted by my husband and me when our son married and was not allowed by his wife to keep his then 8 month old pup She, the wife, wanted a designer dog and bought a yorkie a year later. We had already fallen in love with this smart, loyal and lively little girl, (Kana, not the wife) and she has been my most faithful companion. My heart is breaking and the only thing that will make it easy to let her go is not wanting her to be in pain.

My heart goes out to all who experience the decline and death of their “best friend”.

— Revonda from Salem, VA