[Billie]

Thank you, dutchess. Coincidentally, Diver was just talking about this very story yesterday and remembering that whoever had posted it - I think - in March, and how much it made him think of his dad. It's the sweetest story and I wonder who could read it and not get choked up or have a tear or two fall.

[Diver Dave]

Boy, I leave for a while and this thread has taken on a life of it's own. GREAT!

I heard my name mentioned a few times and got a bunch of pings.

Thought this might be a good opportunity to weigh in and make a critters comment.

Last night on one of the local news telecasts, one story told of a lab mix dog in the Sacramento animal shelter.

The dog is about 10 months old. It's r rear leg is in a cast, and the chest area is being treated with anti-biotics. The pup was found with a harness imbedded in the skin and a broken leg. The shelter folks and vet believe the dog was staked out in a yard somewhere. As the dog matured, the harness was not removed and the dog just continued to grow around it. In the dog's struggle to free himself from the chain, his leg got tangled and broken.

He will survive and is looking for a home.

The harness part of the story is exactly what took place with our dog, Jack. Our neighbor rescued him and took him to a vet. He has battle scars on his chest from the harness where no hair will grow, and we were glad to adopt him. Meet "Jack."