She was a rescue puppy originally from an abandoned litter in Puerto Rico and then brought to Virginia... Later taken to Massachusetts.
We got her from the Sterling (MA) shelter in 2002. It was the best $300 I ever spent.
She had two bad knees (surgically repaired when she was a puppy) and weak hips but was the best friend one would ever want... friendly, extremely gentle and played well with her cousins (my daughter's two dogs).
As my bride said yesterday... "It was her time. It was her decision." She died in her arms in the family room.
But it wasn't my time.