Our great nephew has said that every pet is a potential heartbreak. He learned this the hard way, losing the dog he grew up with named Rebel.

We recognize this but would never want to be without a dog or cat to love. China managed to live until she was seventeen and was always eccentric even for a Siamese.
She and Piwacket were my favorite cats.

As most of you know, we recently lost Rex, whose cancer went to his bones and so suddenly that we were unprepared for his inability to walk He was one of my best dogs ever,
sharing that rank with Muffin and a dog we had when I was
a teen named Purupatee. Jose will rank right up there with them, he is a sweetheart. We were able to recover faster from Rex's death because Jose needed us and we needed him.

So never let the potential heartache keep you from loving the creatures who are available to you. The nurture of a
pet enriches the soul. I am so grateful for all of the
experiences with all the animals that I have loved over the years. My children are compassionate and loving because they had pets to care for. My son is gone but his little dog, Mandy, makes me feel close to him and is
a great comfort to his family, just as she was a comfort to him in his final illness.