Many of my fellow dog lovers may remember that first, beautiful creature that showed a hardened human heart what love really means. Here is mine. She is in the twilight of her life, still in relatively good health, and I would give anything if she could live forever.

While working as the overnight vet tech in the 24 hour emergency vet hospital covering the area in 1980, I was brought through the kennel to be instructed by the vet in charge as to my duties regarding each animal. Passing a ground level cage to my left, walking behind the vet, I heard him announce "This one is being put to sleep in the morning."

I looked down and saw a 4 month old Shepherd/Husky puppy with a shattered hip and grotesquely contorted opposite front leg.
She looked up at me with milk-chocolate brown eyes and with a great big smile, thumped her tail on the bottom of the aquamarine fiberglass cage. In my mind I said "There is no way you are going to put THIS dog to sleep."

I spent the rest of the night reading charts and x-rays and poring over veterinary manuals to try and find out why she needed 900$ worth of surgery and why her owners had signed her over for euthanasia.

Red tape caused a 30 day delay during which I could not legally authorize surgery or take possesion. In her cage she remained, untreated. At the end of thirty days she walked out to my car with me, unassisted, completely healed without veterinary intervention.

She Knew. I know, now.

Candy went to The Rainbow Bridge in the wee hours between August 17-18, 1997
No-one and nothing can ever replace her