Copper
Copper came into my life in 2000 when his family was getting divorced. Originally I was only going to foster him until a home could be found. However, the minute he entered my home, I knew he would never leave. Copper received the name Copper aka “Joe Friday” because like Joe Friday from Dragnet he had a deadpan expression, but a sharp mind. His brain was always working as he calculated how he would steal things around the house and how to manipulate people. He would wait until the right minute, and then steal the items and hide them in his bed. We found things like my fathers electric razor and my mother’s jewelry there. One of the things that made Copper so special was his ability to make everyone love him. He had the ability to convert everyone into loving basset hounds. His oncologist once told me that Copper should be the poster basset for the breed. One of the most precious memories I will carry with me of Copper is how he would comfort people who were waiting in the vet hospital waiting room. He always had a smile for them and for a few minutes their minds would be clear of worry and pain. Copper was a very special hound and I am so glad to have had the opportunity to know and love him. - Jamie Duarte, October 2007