The value of pets in the Civil War

[L Verge]

I loved that news item when I saw it! When my daughter was young, we had a German shepherd who seemed to know almost exactly when the school bus would be dropping her off in the afternoon. Lucky would walk out on the front lawn and wait patiently for about ten minutes each day and then escort Jen back to the house.

Lucky was an outside dog with her own large, fenced yard. However, once my husband left us, we could not get Lucky to stay in her yard. No matter what we did, she would dig under the fence and come to the carport. We finally gave up and built her a sturdy "house" under the back stoop, and that's where she lived for years until her death. She knew she had to protect what was left of her family,

Being a shepherd, she inherited the hip problems so common with in-breds. I ended up having to have her put down. Worst experience of my life. It would have been easier to euthanize the ex- than that dog! Sorry, but that's how I felt at that time. Jen was away at college, and I was struggling to pay her tuition by myself.

Another dog reminiscence is about my last one, Maggie, a cocker spaniel. I had my mother living with me for the last twenty years of her life (died at 94). I don't know who loved Maggie more - my mother or I. It was obvious though that Maggie was my dog, and my mother swore that, every day, Maggie knew exactly when I was leaving work and would go and watch out the front window for my car to pull in the driveway. She was always bouncing out to greet me as soon as I unlocked the door.

For the first time in my life, I am without pets. I miss them terribly, but am too old for the responsibility. When I get the urge for their TLC, I visit my daughter's house, where her puggle is delighted to pay attention to me. Thanks for bearing with me - as you can tell, I'm having one of my mushy moments.