-- Mark Twain

Regular readers of my column may remember that I adopted Nash, a black and white scruffy 7-year-old stray from Animal Friends. He has been incredibly loving and a gift that has enlivened each of my days since June.

Since I wrote about Nash, I've heard from others -- far and near -- about the joys of adopting a pet.

Connie Lo Bianco sent this message from Torino, Italy:

"Just yesterday we had to put our beloved German shepherd to sleep, due to inoperable cancer. Some will say it's coincidence regarding reading your story about Nash and Animal Friends this morning via the Internet.

"I believe it was to help bring closure for our loss and the desire to pass on love and care to another future dog. Heartfelt thanks."

Oren Spiegler of Upper St. Clair is someone I have known for many years, through his mother, the late Gloria Spiegler.

He wrote, "I recently read an article in which the writer says life is rough without exercise. For me, life is rough without a dog.

"We have a lively house with three dogs: a collie, Callahan; a Boston terrier, Scooter; and another collie, Cami, we inherited when Mother passed away.

"If Mother had known her death was imminent and had been able to give me one directive, it no doubt would have been, 'Please take good care of my girl.'"

Callahan was adopted at age 1, and Scooter came from Orphans of the Storm in Kittanning, also at age 1.

Mildred Welch lives in Dania Beach, Fla.

"I am a volunteer at the Humane Society of Broward County, and it gives me much joy to see how happy the people who adopt a pet are as they take their new cat or dog home. I live in a condo and am not permitted to have any pets, so this is a nice way to be close to the animals even if it is only one day a week. Lucky you and lucky dog."

Dora Dickerson from Penn Hills has two rescue dogs.

One is a Dalmatian, and one is a scruffy-type mixed terrier.

"Cody, the terrier, was picked out 11 years ago from the Animal Rescue League in East Liberty. I had no info on his previous life, only that he was a stray.

"When my husband and I went to find this special dog we walked down the row of kennels and looked at the sad eyes pleading for us to take them home. Needless to say most of them were barking, but Cody just looked at us and cocked his head, and that stole my heart. I love him very much. What a great pet and friend.

"Three years ago he dug himself out from under a fence in my yard and got hit by a car. I had to take him to the Shaler Emergency Pet Clinic, and at age 9 he underwent surgery on his front leg.

"Well, I now have a three-legged wonder, and I still love him to pieces."

Bonnie Hayden works at Carnegie Mellon University. She adopted Jasmine 13 years ago.

"She was sitting in a corner and had been abandoned and possibly abused. We caught each other's eye and found trust right then and there, this sweet little girl of mine, my Jasmine. She loves me unconditionally."

MaryAnne Fletcher of North Huntingdon adopted her first shelter dog this past January. She describes her dog as "a gentle soul with a loving heart."

"She chose us," she says. "We are the lucky ones."

Marilyn Nuckels lives in the Irwin area and she describes her adopted Lab/pit bull mix, named Max, as "one of the best behaved, brightest and, most of all, loyal dogs I've ever known."

Five years ago Mary Duffy from Scott had to put down her 14-year-old Dalmatian, Spirit.

"In just a few months, although I thought I could never endure that loss again, I was a possessed woman when I heard about a 10-month-old Wheaten terrier at the Greene County Humane Society. He had been found as a stray, the scrawniest ragamuffin of a dog, not all Wheaten but it didn't matter. He gave me that sneery kind of smile like Spirit used to do, and that was all it took."

She named him Bailey. A year later she heard about Max at Pet Search in Washington, Pa. She took Bailey to meet him and they got along immediately. Of course she took him home.

Max, she says, is her "bargain basement" full Wheaten ($60) but everyone thinks he and Bailey are brothers.

"They're my boys, and I love them with all my heart."

Marleen Lerch of Washington, Pa., adopted Stormy from the Washington County Humane Society. Tiny but mighty, he lived 17 years.

"Adopting Stormy was the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I never knew something so small could make such a huge impact on my life. I thought of him as my angel puppy.

"If my heart heals a little more perhaps I will adopt again."