Speaking of hairless puppies - we were, won't we? - at my local humane shelter for the last several weeks is a pitiful thing going on.

There are two Chinese Crested dogs there: 1 1/2 years and 2 years old, in the prime of health. However, the male needs surgery for both luxating patellae immediately and the female needs one knee done- will probably have to have the other done in the foreseeable future.

I would have taken them both- one of them is so ugly she is cute - but there is no way I could justify the cost of the surgeries involved. I talked with my vet and he said that if he can do both knees at the same time, he thinks he can do the surgery for $3000. That's just for the one dog.

Anybody up for them? I think it is a shame that these delicate little dogs are being held in a concrete cage- and may have no way out except by euthanasia.