One never knows when a true friend will come along or from where they will come, the following story is about a friend of mine that I lost a few years back. My wifes aunt lives in the southern part of Indiana and called one day to ask if I would be interested in a beagle that they had found sleeping in a phone booth in the small town where they live. At the time I had the room and not wanting the dog to starve I said that we would take her. They had named her Trudy and she was a mess, she was full of worms and she looked like she was at least ten years old. She also was hard of hearing and had a slight limp to her back leg. After getting this dog I thought at least she will have a good home for the little time she has left. Before we took her they got her spayed and wormed,but she still looked to be on her last leg. We let her be the yard dog thinking that she might as well enjoy herself. Trudy had a real talent for finding and jumping rabbits when other dogs just couldn't seem to find any, once the rabbit got up she was slow on the track but could stay with it. Trudy ended up being with us for almost 8 years and every winter she would make her home in the garage and each year we thought that it would be her last. As she got older her hearing became worse and unless she saw you she would have no idea that anyone was there. Many a day I would take the beagles out to run and Trudy would always go along, she would jump a rabbit and run it for a few yards and then she would come and sit by me as the younger dogs would chase it. If they lost the rabbit the old girl would get up and wander off and soon she would open up and get them another one to run, then come back to sit with me. How that dog knew they had lost the rabbit with her hearing being what it was I have no clue, but she sure enjoyed watching the other hounds run. I have seen alot of old beagles that when they get that old either loose intrest or just won't hunt, but Trudy must have still loved the time in the field so much she had to do her part. Trudy was like my shadow around here, everywhere I went she was always there. One rainy fall day I went down to the kennel to clean the pens and feed the dogs, of course she followed me. As I was backing the truck up to head to the house I felt a bump and as I looked in the side mirror I saw Trudy dragging herself and yelping, I thought" my god I just ran over her" and the way she was howling I went straight for the house to get a gun to put her down. When I got back she was just laying there panting and looking at me. I should have did the right thing but I thought maybe she had a chance to pull though so I rushed her to my vet. After an x-ray and exam he said that her pelvis had been broken and shifted off center. I asked him if she had a chance to pull though and he said you never know but we could try. With her injury being as it was all we could do was give her cortisone and wait and see. I kept her in the kitchen and the poor girl couldn't get up to relive herself so she would bark till I came and cleaned her up then she would go back to sleep. This went on for almost a week and I was beginning to think that she might pull through, but one night when we were headed to a function at my daughters school she looked bad and I told my wife and daughter that I was going to stay home with her because I didn't think she was going to make it. My wife and daughter got to the end of the drive and came back to be with her also. Trudy died in my arms about one hour later. Looking back I should have either put her down as soon as I hit her or at least after the vet brought in the x-ray, but thinking of me instead of her only made her suffering longer. If you ever have a hard choice such as this to make do what's good for the dog, as hard as it may seem at the time it will be for the best. Trudy now rest in our yard where she used to lay in the sun and sleep. Very few dogs develop the bond we had together in the field and home so if you are lucky enough to ever be blessed with such a friend enjoy them while you can.