Honey Bun, who passed away 10/28/19 at age 14, was a rescue from a puppy mill where she'd been caged in a dark barn having litter after litter for the first three years of her life. She became my dog 11 years ago when 'they' decided she wasn't good enough to breed anymore and were going to 'get rid of her.'. She joined another dog, six cats, and a parakeet in my household. It took her awhile to realize she didn't have to compete with the others for attention, eventually settling down (as much as a Jack Russel can), becoming a helpmate to my 15 year old dog Casey, who'd gone blind, and a rather close buddy to a couple of the cats. Even so, she still secretly harbored the desire to be the one and only pet.... I could tell by that longing look in her eyes. When my last pet passed away in January of 2019 at 21 years of age, my cat Tatum, Honey Bun finally became the one and only pet. But by this time, she had been suffering a spinal condition for the last year that made her lame in her right front leg. She still got around on 3 legs well enough though, and was my constant companion. I also bought her a doggy stroller so we could continue our walks together and she wouldn't become too worn out. But then, in September of this year, she suddenly took a turn for the worse. Almost overnight she could not stand or walk or even sit anymore, nor could she feed herself. Her spinal problem had taken over her entire spine and the vet explained to me there was nothing more that could be done. So, sadly, I had to make the grueling decision to put my dear Honey Bun to sleep. I felt so bad because she had suffered so much the first three years of her life, then patiently put up with all the other pets for many years, and when finally she had reached her dream of being the "one and only" she was disabled and could only enjoy it for 9 months. To me she deserved to be whole and running free her last years as a one and only pet; that WE deserved to have several more years together, for, I found in the end, that I had always needed her just as much as she needed me. She may have been the dog I rescued but at some point along the way she became my rescuer. And I am feeling her loss greatly. I sorely miss her. R.I.P. my sweet puppy Honey Bun. You may have been born and bred in darkness but you became the light of my life and will be forever loved and never forgotten.