In early 2011, a litter of a dozen or so mixed pit bull puppies was found in box next to a dumpster. The finder surrendered them to the Amarillo Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which sent out a call for people to foster them until they were ready for adoption. My wife and I had recently lost another dog of ours named Jake and decided to lend a hand. We took home a girl and a boy and named them Lady and Shakespeare. We had no idea of the journey that awaited us. They soon came down with kennel cough and ringworm. When the SPCA suggested we bring them back, it was like being punched in the gut. We could not give them up. We had never owned pit bulls before, but they had won us over within a week’s time. We wound up adopting them ourselves. Shakespeare was goofy and a bit klutzy—perhaps because he was bow-legged—and he bumped his head into the wall more than once. He loved his belly rubs, rides in the car, and going to the park. He had a gentle spirit and loving heart....

June 6, 2011 My wife, Julia, and I had wanted another dog ever since our 10-year-old golden retriever died suddenly in October 2010. When the SPCA took in a large litter of pit bull puppies and called on volunteers to provide foster homes, we couldn’t say no. We had never considered getting a pit bull to replace our beloved Jake, but fostering one seemed OK. After all, it would just be temporary, right? When we got a look at the puppies, we could hardly believe how small they were. By holding a couple, we also quickly discovered how affectionate they can be. They weren’t ready to be taken home yet, so we had to go back a couple of weeks later. We wanted two—a male and a female—so they could keep one another company. With about ten excited puppies nipping at our feet, it was hard to choose, especially since they almost all looked alike. Fortunately, two of the pups seemed to choose us. Could they be the same ones we had held before? The pups had grown and were very lively, but they stil...

The sudden death of my dog, Jake, on October 9, 2010, was quite a blow. I had only known him for a little more than 2 years. He had been “mine” full time for merely a year and a half, and I am grateful for every minute of that. My employment from home enabled me to spend more time with Jake than most people get to with their pets. I got to take him for frequent walks. The first time I put a leash on him, he basically dragged me down the street. With time and this year’s protracted summer weather, the walks became less frequent. The heat wore him out more easily, and he simply couldn’t walk as far as he could a year ago. On the final stretch of our last few walks, I nearly had to drag him home. He was the first dog I was allowed to call mine since the 8 th grade. Between Jake and the three cats in our household, Julia and I had our hands full. The dog, however, was my chief responsibility. I fed him every morning. When opportunity allowed, I took him for a ride in the car. (Jake love...