Where could I possibly begin to explain the love my dog brought to my life. I found Copper as a stray puppy in 2001. It was raining outside and I couldn't leave him out there. I took him in and posted an ad for a found puppy. But it was clear he was meant to be "my best friend". Throughout the years he went everywhere with me and was a great to hug when I went through tough times. He was the baby I hadn't had yet. But then came my first son. Copper was amazing with him. He guarded him, slept by him in his carrier, sat by the highchair to catch all the flying food my son was throwing all over the floor and became a furry brother to him. My oldest son is now 10, the bond was great. Five years later I added another son and they were adorable. They would wrestle with Copper. Copper tolerated it for the most part. If you brought out his squeaky duck he became a puppy again with youthful energy. Copper also had a best friend in our cat "charlie". Copper and Charlie would sleep side by side. Copper even surrendered his bed to the cat but didn't seem happy about it. Makes me laugh everytime I think about it. Copper always slept at the side of my bed. I am a single mom and felt protected with him in the house. He would protect me and my boys, I was sure of it. I was always afraid I would have to put Copper down because his hips were starting to get painful. I feared that would be a decision down the road I would eventually come to. But I was wrong, Copper's life ended 2 weeks ago. I let him go stay for a short time with my ex-husband on our property of 10 acres where he had grown most of his life and LOVED to run and play and of course get into some mischief. One evening he didn't come home and that was way out of his character. Our black lab returned home but there was no Copper. I panicked. I put flyers in 100 homes mailboxes and a huge reward. People said I was crazy but there was no amount of money I wouldn't pay to get him back safely. My fears turned into reality when a truck driver got my flyer, gave me a call and said he had hit a dog on a highway about 1 mile from our property. He warned me that the site would not be a pretty one. It was confirmed to be my Copper. Of all the ways I had imagined Copper's life would end I never in a million years thought it would be so horrendous. I am thankful for the driver to call because I would have never found him in the embankment off the highway where he was found. I try to believe everything happens for a reason and I think maybe it was so I would never have to face the decision myself of when the right time was. I do know Copper did not suffer. I do know that he was given the very best life. But Copper showed me so my love in my heart. I will forever miss him and am thankful everyday that he found me as a puppy almost 12 years ago. I am unclear as to when or if I will get another dog. I hope Coppers memorial I have set up will help the WSU vet med school save many lives of other beloved pets. Vet bills are expensive, I know because I worked at vets for 10 years and Copper tore his ACL which everyone knows is an expensive surgery. I just want everyone to remember to love everyday they have to spend with their family including the "furry" members.

Summer M.