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Enchanted Rock

Fredericksburg TX

Zilker Park

Austin TX

Porter

January 18, 2003: We found Porter, or rather, Porter found us February 1991.

Mark was on the back porch deck of our Kansas City home preparing the grill for a dinner party planned that night, when he noticed a six-week old puppy two doors up, tethered to the neighbor's tree. These were the same neighbors who had just weeks earlier lost a four-year old Irish Setter to distemper after the dog had been tethered uncared for to the same tree.

During the dinner party the weather turned foul, with a thunderstorm roaring outside. We grabbed a flashlight and looked across the back yards to see the small, collie puppy sitting quietly in the torrential downpour.

Armed with flashlights, our dinner guest John Hitchcock and I ventured up through the rain to rescue the puppy from the elements. While I struggled with the knot in the pup's collar, John snapped the twig that held the jury-rigged collar in place. Once home we dried off the little dog, gave him some dog chow, and left him on a spare blanket in our basement.

The next morning, after discussing with the neighbors the proper care of pets, it was revealed they had no intent on keeping him after finding him along the shoulder of the interstate. It was agreed by all the puppy would remain with us until its owners were located. We refrained from naming him until the five-day classified ad had its run. Then, on the afternoon Amy and I had to make a decision, we sat on the kitchen floor, discussing our options. I tossed a tennis ball belonging to our older Doberman across the floor. The puppy chased it down, carried it back in his mouth, and dropped it in my lap. I looked at Amy. We were keeping this dog.

Amy named him Porter after our favorite microbrew.

He was a patient pet through the infancies of two boys who insisted on pulling his ears, yanking his tail, trying to ride his back like a bronco or use him like a pillow to watch TV. He grew excited when he saw you grab his leash or put on your running shoes. He could speak when you motioned with your hands. He accompanied us on our vacations until nearly the very end.

Due to complications from arthritis as a result of hip displaysia, Porter was euthanised on January 18, 2003.

He was the best damned dog we've had the pleasure of welcoming into our family, and he is sadly missed by all who befriended him.