This morning, Paul and I had to put our much-beloved dog Kate to sleep. She was diagnosed with an abdominal fatty tumor a few weeks ago. We’d hoped that it was benign and operable. Surgery was planned for a month from now, to allow her to recover sufficiently from an independent problem, namely an infected heart valve. However, late last week, the tumor spread to her spine. Her hind end became totally paralyzed over the course of a day, leaving her unable to walk. Nothing more could be done for her. Still, saying good-bye was very painful for us.

We adopted Kate as a full-grown adult on January 5th, 2000. She was our faithful companion for nearly nine years. She was the easiest dog to live with that I’ve ever known: her overriding goal in life was to be a good member of the pack. And she did that superbly. In return, we gave her an easy and happy dog’s life.

We are going to miss her terribly.

Here are some pictures to remember her by:

2000:

2004:

2006:

Just last night:

We miss you, Kate!