Last night we lost a member of our family.  His name was Wolfie, a Welsh Corgi Pembroke.  He was 11 years old, and had not been sick a day in his life, until two weeks ago, when he was diagnosed with diabetes.  Then last week, we found out that he had 3 deteriated discs in his back and had lost the use of his back legs.  We took him for surgery, but he never recovered and we had to put him down.  I’m 64 years old, have had dogs my entire life, but this death has affected my wife and I more than all of the others.  He was the sweetest dog we ever had, and we miss him desperately.  I don’t know if this is because of my age and knowing my own mortality is just around the corner (figuratively speaking), but if there’s a heaven for animals, I know he’s looking down on us.

— James from Artesia, NM