Another item I had to post because my border collie is watching me

Family Forgoes Christmas to Save Dog

North Mankato, Minn. (AP, Dec. 16) - Josie was in bad shape by the time the veterinarians at the University of Minnesota saw her: broken back, dislocated hip, internal injuries. Surgery would be expensive, they told the dog's owner. Death would be much cheaper.

"It was a pretty easy choice, and I know people who don't have pets don't understand this. But Josie is like one of my four children," said Stella Twedt. ...

There's no money left to fly Twedt's 15-year-old daughter, Britney, who lives with her father in Arizona, to Minnesota for Christmas. There won't be presents under the tree for Twedt's two children who live with her: Brandon, 14, and Kirsten, 5. ...

"Christmas is Josie this year," Twedt said....

The dog was hit by a pickup truck and apparently, deliberately so. Tire marks indicate the truck swerved onto the Twedt's lawn to hit Josie. No arrests have been made.

As for me, and even though I'm likely ruining my reputation as a calculating cynic, having my dog survive? Yeah, that'd be Christmas.