Your Furry Valentine Contest Winner - 2007

My boyfriend John and I adopted a beautiful beagle in 2002.

At a friend's urging, we checked out an adoption fair at a local park one
sunny Sunday. We had no intention of selecting a pet that day, but both
of us loved dogs and were especially partial to beagles. We picked up the
"Just Looking" pass at the entrance to the fair and off we went to spend
some time with the homeless animals.

We took several of the dogs into the yard for a "test drive" to give them
some exercise and enjoy their company for the afternoon. Although they
were all adorable, one shy red-haired beagle mix caught John's eye as
she was relaxing on the lap of a young volunteer. She appeared to have
an extremely calm nature and seemed to particularly enjoy human affection.

Once John began to hold her, I knew he wasn't going to hand her back to
the volunteer. I halfheartedly insisted that we weren't ready to adopt, as
both of us lived in apartments, but John undaunted handed our new friend
to me while he raced to the front table to trade in our "Just Looking" sign
for adoption paperwork.

After much debate, we agreed on the name "Brooklyn," as John and I had
shared a romantic night gazing at the New York skyline from a Brooklyn
restaurant. The name seemed girlish, yet sassy like our cute red-head,
and her name would be a constant reminder of one our most memorable
trips together.

Over the next couple of years, Brooklyn made a name for herself among
friends, relatives, neighbors and strangers alike. She had a personality that
won over non-animal-lovers and befriended all - young and old - with her
gentle spirit. She seemed to gaze into your very soul at times like a wise
friend. She amazed all by only barking outside, and then only when she
saw a rabbit. They shouted her name like Norm at Cheers when she
entered the local dog bakery and a parrot even whistled from his cage
when she tried on some dog booties at a neighborhood pet shop. She
learned a few obedience commands and responded beautifully to the tune
of "New York, New York," as she knew the tune signaled peanut butter was
not far behind. (Once, when she accidentally got loose, I was forced to sing
the song as loudly as possible - much to my neighbors' chagrin - in order to
stop her in her tracks!)

In late 2004, John and I went our separate ways after more than six years
together, and I dried my tears on Brooklyns soft ears. John and I exchanged
Brooklyn weekly in an amicable pet-sharing arrangement. It gave us an excuse
to stay a part of each other's lives, too, I think.

Approximately six months after we split, Brooklyn was diagnosed with a rare
nasal tumor. John and I took her to numerous specialists, but ultimately
decided her quality of life was most important and didn't opt for the extreme
treatment options.  She had seizures over the next week or so, and I still
remember meeting John at the animal hospital as he wrapped a hoodie
around our dearest Brooklyn while she trembled on the stainless steel
vet's table. 

As days passed, we tried to make her as comfortable as possible. I was at a
local pet store picking up "medical" supplies when John called my cell. I burst
into tears telling him that Brooklyn was too young to suffer from this and that
I should be buying her the cute baseball mitt-shaped cozy pillow bed and not
"doggie pads." John said, "Get it." Knowing she only had a very short time to
live, and knowing how practical John was, I was surprised, but took home the
comfy pet bed to Brooklyn. 

That night Brooklyn slept in that bed shaped like a giant mitt (John and I shared
a love for baseball and Brooklyn had joined us on the sofa watching many a
game over the years.) John placed his head on one side of her bed and I took
the other side, with our Brooklyn in the middle. Even though John and I had
now been separated for months, we both wanted to spend her last days with
her, and realized this would likely be one of our last times together as a trio.

A few days later, John had a vet come to his apartment to humanely end
Brooklyn's suffering and in our arms, Brooklyn took her last breath.

John and I loved Brooklyn deeply and the mutual grief over the loss of our
Brooklyn brought us closer again over the next weeks. John and I eventually
reunited and soon took a trip to New York. On July 3, 2005, we were standing
on the deck by that Brooklyn restaurant when a beagle bound seemingly out of
nowhere and raced toward us. We looked up and asked the couple trailing
behind if we could pet their dog, explaining we had just recently lost ours to
cancer. The Brooklyn couple encouraged us and proceeded to tell us his name
was Indiana! John and I turned and gazed at each other in amazement. As I was
born in Indiana, we thought this a wonderful coincidence, and concluded that
surely it was a sign from our Brooklyn that she approved of our reunion!

We miss her terribly still, but have the most wonderful memories. We have since
adopted another beagle, Haley. We moved together as a family to San Francisco
in May 2006.

Dawn F.
San Bruno, CA