ON ADOPTING AGAIN

WHEN MY SWEET Chelsea crossed over the Rainbow Bridge last April, two months before her 17th birthday, I didn’t think I could go through the pain of that loss again. I read something in this column, though, that changed my perspective. One of your letter writers stated that it is up to the individual when to adopt again, and the only thing she takes issue with is those who say they never will adopt again. She said, “There is no such thing as love without loss, of joy without pain. To believe the value of sharing your life with an animal isn’t worth the pain of saying goodbye is the only mistake we humans make.”

I felt like God spoke to me through that woman. I went on the Palm Springs Animal Shelter website and found my baby, Daisy. She reached out to my heart. She is a shy girl, but she is eating, drinking and using her litter box and scratching post. I know it will take time for her to adjust, but I am patient.

Kimberly Davis

BY EMAIL

IN MAY OF 2015, I lost my Penny of 15 years. Then I saw Poppy online; he was at a local shelter. As soon as I walked up to him and he rolled over so I could rub his belly, I was smitten. Sadly, I only had him six months when he passed of a cancerous mass in his intestines. No more dogs at this time, I shouted.

Four months later, I decided to foster for a local shelter. I was supposed to get three sickly dogs. They went to a vet tech with way more experience with their condition. I wound up with Fonzie, who was supposed to be only a week-long foster pet. That lasted about six hours. He walked in, looked at the cat like “Hey, it’s a cat,” looked at the food bowls and walked into the TV room to lie in front of the TV.

Husband said, “Can you stay up till I get home so he knows I’m part of the household?” “Sure,” I said. Fast-forward to them falling asleep together on the floor the first night. Yes, he’s been here for three years now. He was six when we adopted him, or maybe more appropriately, he adopted us. He is my “little man.” My protector. And my best buddy.

Patricia Donovan

BY EMAIL