“Unfortunately the good Lord only lends them to us.”

Dozens and dozens of times I’ve made this statement when a person I know loses a four-legged family member. Often it’s one of my kids and I am forever grateful for the lives they’ve been given by some people.

I’ve witnessed the symbiotic joy both animal and human achieve and it warms my heart.  Perhaps that’s why I get so frustrated, angry and actually hurt when I see an animal that’s been mistreated or abused. I don’t care if it’s from ignorance, stupidity, indifference or plain, outright abuse.

The good Lord has seen fit to lend me two wonderful sisters that I’ve spoken of often, most recently when a good friend, Chuck Davis, gave them a new bed. In June, a mid-year birthday I’ve given them, Rojo turned 24 and Dolce’ 23. Same parents, but different litters, born one year apart in 1989 and 1990.

Rojo is unquestionably the queen of my household and all other animals defer when she wants one on one time with her Papa. Her eyes always follow me as I walk through the house and often I turn to her and say, “How’s my little girl?”

She would immediately turn over and make what I call a pretty and gaze at me with the warmest, most loving eyes on this planet. She knew I couldn’t resist and as I walked toward her the sweet purr of love and affection emitted from deep within her.

This past Monday Rojo began failing, going off her food and staggering a bit when she walked. I went to my dear friend Donna Raines (who knows all my animals from dinners at my house.)