Last week I had to put my little dog, Darby, to sleep. I had gotten him just over a year ago from a local humane society. I had told them that I was looking for an older animal that needed a happy ending, and lo and behold, they had one. We had a wonderful year, in spite of his 13 years and his chronic congestive heart disease. I'll be looking for another old guy when I get resettled upon return to Juneau.

A friend sent me the website address of a place in Utah that maintains an animal sanctuary. I spent a couple of hours reading their links. No animal is turned away or euthanized for any reason other than health, and they make every effort to provide a home for them, an effort that results in somethng marvelous. It's at www.bestfriends.org; take a look at it. It's a heartening story of good people doing good things that gives me hope in this too often depressing world.