<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
panose-1:3 15 7 2 3 3 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:#76923C;
font-weight:bold;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#76923C'>Hi all.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#76923C'>The past week has been hard around here. Valentine, a sweet 13-14 yr old, started really showing that she was declining. This morning, at our vet, we helped her to the Bridge. Last night, she spent a few hours panting heavily and I said, if she did not go in her sleep, I would not put her through any more. Val had severe arthritis, could not bend her wrists, shoulders had limited mobility, and other areas. She stayed on various pain meds throughout her almost 4 yrs. with us, but she was tired of trying to make the best out of a day….I could see it easily. Pat and I held her as she drifted off, with our tears on her fur. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#76923C'>Hold your babies a little tighter when you kiss them goodnight for us.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#76923C'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#76923C'>wen and the Bounders<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#76923C'><a href="http://www.seniorhoundsabound.org/"><span style='color:#76923C'>www.seniorhoundsabound.org</span></a> check us out!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#76923C'><a href="http://www.bassetshop.com/"><span style='color:#76923C'>www.bassetshop.com</span></a> shop online and help the Bounders<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#76923C'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>