Leah is a sweet, good-natured dog. When you consider that she abruptly lost the human who cared for her, was passed to someone who couldn't have cared less for her, and then through the hands of a dozen people who cared so much that they drove her over 1800 miles, it seems a miracle that even a Golden Retriever could come away unscathed. How many dogs would take the upheaval, the changes, the not knowing where she would be the next day? True, animals don't obsess about these things like humans do. But they are fully capable of grieving, of missing a lost owner, of being confused and lost themselves. Then again, not every dog has the luck of Leah, to be carried from leg to leg of her journey by a group of individuals who cared for her as if she were a prize show dog, and not an elderly refugee from the shelter.

Throughout four days of travel, as you'll have seen by the photos, Leah remained happy, sociable, well-behaved, and loving to anyone who loved her. We should be so fortunate to be surrounded by people like that. She accepted affection from everyone, and not knowing how to be otherwise, gave it to anyone that came along, no matter how briefly.

We are grateful beyond words, to the many people, especially Jenna, who organized and carried out the "dog train" north. To you, I let Leah have the last word.