My name is Breanna, I was born on March 26, 1988, that means that I'm 23 years old. I am currently studying at my local Community College to become a Librarian but already I feel like that isn't the path for me because people don't really use their local Libraries anymore. Technology has developed so much that we don't need to read and enjoy something on paper anymore -- We can get it all online. So, I'm thinking of changing my major (again). Maybe to becoming a Dental Assistant. I think that could be a cool career and without a doubt it will always be around because lets face it... The majority of people in the United States alone have horrible teeth because Dental Insurance is so damn expensive.

I live in North Carolina with my mother and younger brother. The county we live in is known as the "Crystal Coast" because our beaches rock! So if you're ever vacationing in this area let me know and we can probably hang out. I have a Chihuahua mixed with what we think is Pit Bull. His name is Chuy (chewie) and he is 6 years old. We got him from my Aunt in Texas when we lived there. She wanted to charge us $250.00 for him. She ended up making us sign an IOU -- Thankfully she's never asked for the money because we wouldn't want to pay because of the fact that he doesn't look or act like a Chihuahua.

I used to have a Labrador/Chow mix named Copper. He's been my world since I was 11 years old. However, we had to put him down in July of 2010 because he was getting old, sick, and mean. You can read up on his story over at Felidae. I still miss my Bubba, a lot.

This is Copper, he is a Labrador mix. He was born on August 4th 1999. He is a golden color and the thing I love most about his coloring is that his eye color matches his coat color almost exactly! When Copper was 2 years old he was put in quarantine for 20 days in the Base pound because he bit me on the arm when I snapped my fingers at him to get him into the bathtub. He broke the skin but only just one little tooth mark. My mother still insisted he be put into quarantine because she wanted to make sure he didn't have rabies or anything else wrong.

In 2005 he was put under quarantine again, but this time on house arrest for attacking my brother. Please don't get your knickers in a twist, it was totally my brothers fault. He had been gone for a month and he usually rough-houses with Copper while I don't. So my brother comes from visiting my dad for the summer and he starts up his normal shit, which consist of barking and getting on all 4's with Copper. Well, best I can tell is that my brother said someting in dog speak that pissed Copper off because the next thing I know Copper is all over him, tearing up his face. Brandon is okay, you can't even tell that it happened now because the scar is so small and Copper knows what he did. He always cringes when he gives us love bites because he thinks he bit too hard. Poor baby boy.

Sometime around 2006 I noticed Copper started to get these big lumppy masses all over his chest, legs, back, and belly. I was freaking out because I didn't know what they were. We didn't have money to get them looked at and so we decided to just watch them to see if they got bigger. They didn't.

When we moved back to North Carolina in 2007 his lumps still had not grown, except for one on his chest. I decided to save up as much money as I could. Any money my mom would give me for food or drinks while I was at school went staright into my "Copper fund." After a few months of saving I had enough money for an office visit at our local vet's office. I made an appointment, we went in and the doctor felt the lumps on Copper and he said that they were not cancerous. They were more like systs. The doctor said to bring him back in if the lumps started to get steadily bigger though. Other than that, Copper was in perfect health for his age. I felt relieved.

In 2009 I noticed that the lumps had all gotten even bigger. Copper started to jump on the couches while we were away, and he knows better than to do that. We had to start loading lots of stuff onto the couches when we would leave. Books, movies, remotes, anything that wouldn't spill or make a mess. My only thoughts were that maybe he wasn't feeling good. He must be in pain. I started to notice that when he would be laying down and then go to stand up it seemed painful to him. He used to just be able to get up so I guess old age was taking it's toll on him.

During the summer of 2009 I got a flyer full of discounted items from PetSmart and inside was a coupon for a free checkup/exam at PetSmarts vetrinary office in their store. I made an appointment for Copper and we took him in. This doctor looked over him and said he was showing signs of cataracts and arthritis in his back legs. I wasn't shocked at those statements. I had seen his eyes start to get cloudy and I had noticed how he was getting slower getting up. When the doctor said that his lumps didn't "feel" cancerous I was about ready to flip out. I just didin't understand how the doctors could tell his lumps were not cancerous just by feeling around them. I knew in my heart that he had cancer. Why else would the lumps get bigger, and bigger?

When 2010 rolled around Copper started to get mean. Really mean. He would snap at me for no reason. I would be sitting in my bed reading a book and I would go to get up and he would stick his head up from his pillows and growl and lift his lips at me. He hasn't shown any agression at me, ever, in his entire life and he's only bitten me that one time when he was younger. I was confused at why he would act like that. Then he started to do it when we would be out in the living room. I would move my foot from the floor to the couch and he would growl at me or I would go to stand up so I could walk to the bathroom and he would stand up with his hackles raised.

I had become afraid of my own dog and I didn't like that feeling. Not one bit. By the start of summer we knew what we had to do, even if it did break our hearts.

On April 8th, 2010 my family and I had to put my beloved dog, Copper, to sleep. Unfortunately we did not have the money to do it "properly". Before you go crazy, we didn't shoot him or anything. My father knows the lady that works for the local animal shelter and she put him down for us. We couldn't be with him, which is one of my biggest regrets. We couldn't cremate him like we wanted either. That would of costed us over $200 and we were strapped for cash.

Copper was the light in my life. He came to us after my parents got back together. He was the glue that kept me from becoming depressed because of all the family drama. It seemed like a sign and that he was meant for me because not long after we got him my Grandfather died. It was like GOD didn't want me to be alone and sad. He knew I would need a comforting presence other than my parents.

Please, pray for Copper.

RIP Copper.
08/04/99 - 07/08/10