Story submitted 2011-03-17

Penny came to us from DRNA. Her previous owner, a single man, had passed away and his family was not able to take care of her. She was identified as a "primadonna". I knew right then that she would fit into the family.

We had had Penny for about two weeks when we stopped by a national pet chain and took her in to buy her a new toy. Penny had other ideas. It was adoption day. She went to look at the other dogs, leading my wife over to them. She walked right up to Gretchen; a Beagle/Jack Russell mixed and sat down as if to say "I want her". She wouldn't move. So we rescued her at Penny's request. She got a toy too. They were inseparable after that.

Penny loved to ride in the car, although she would complain because she couldn't ride up front in your lap. Penny slept on the floor, under her blanket beside the bed. That is until we had a big thunderstorm. She was frightened. So she was allowed to sleep in the bed that one time. She felt safe, relaxed, and slept the whole night by our feet. The one night turned into several years.

Everyone in our neighborhood, especially the kids, loved her. And she loved the attention. Penny became ill with liver cancer. Her kidneys were failing. He didn't give her long to live and said she was in pain. After a brief discussion, we knew we had to send her to the "Rainbow" where her original owner was waiting, as she wasn't really ours. We just fostered her. But she is missed by us and we think ourselves as blessed as to have had her in our lives.

Love to you always, Pami!