When you adopt a senior dog, you take a greater risk of having something happen. You also get to experience one of the greatest pleasures ever knowing you gave a poor helpless animal what little time it had left an ending filled with love instead of abandonment.

This is what Neal & Meg Boling (and we at DRTB) have just experienced. Sissy and Holly were two 9 year old Dalmatian sisters transported all the way from Georgia with the help of caring people after we found out they were to be euthanized because they lost their home. Neal and Meg didn't waver about taking the two of them in since they had not been separated since birth. They even bought both the "girls" pink collars with little red heart shaped name tags.

They had both adjusted very well to their new home and other canine friends when suddenly last week Sissy became very ill. Her kidneys were failing. After 4 days of round the clock fluids, Sissy finally gave up. Her little body was worn out and we couldn't stand to see her suffer any longer. So today, June 7, 2004 we let Sissy go in peace after saying goodbye to her sister.

It was and still is a heartbreaking experience for all of us involved. Although Sissy was only with us a short time, we wouldn't have traded the experience for anything. A sweeter dog you couldn't find. Her tail continued to wag up until the end even though it was becoming a very weak wag. We also believe that animals are much more sensitive than people give them credit for...this morning after seeing Sissy was the first time Holly didn't finish her food. And she truly seems to be missing her sister - her sudden constant howling has a very eerie tone to it.

Sissy will now join the other Boling dogs that have past on and Holly will continue to be loved until it's her time to join Sissy once again.