Athena and 13 years of happiness

	I would particularly like to thank Miss SAYER Annabelle for this testimonial.
	Letter sent to Doctor MEYER and the team at Clinique de Recouvrance, 17100 SAINTES, France
Ladies and Gentlemen, It was with great emotion that I received your letter of support for the loss of ATHENA. ATHENA leaves behind an immense void and 13 years of shared happiness, which plunges me into terrible distress. She came into my life when she was 2 months old, and took the place of the little 4-legged creature who was destined to follow me everywhere, like my shadow, as we often say, for the rest of our lives. We soon lost my father, and she was 10 months old when this tragedy struck. I couldn't leave her in her place as a companion dog: I called her My Princess, My Little One or My Daughter ... Convinced that she knew her place, her behavior was not that of a dog, but of a little person in a canine envelope. She never sat on her bottom with her 2 front paws resting, but on a buttock with her front paws crossed, most of the time on the chair closest to mine, proud, her eyes never taking her eyes off me. Every step of the way, she was behind me. Sometimes I'd say to her: "Give me a break", or, "You're doing too much ATHENA! As a child, she'd been to the psychology faculty! She was silent, nobody saw her, she just wanted to be there. Few will have known Guadeloupe or Morocco, or the finest hotels in Paris, Cannes or Deauville. Her behavior was adapted to each site or situation. Sometimes a Princess, sometimes a little gavroche!!! I wanted to make her even more responsible, knowing that she had only one wish: to please me and make me proud. She liked to carry everything: the mail, her notebook for going to the vet, bread, flowers, keys and my wallet, and to collect money with a cap for the SPA ball.... She also liked to dress up and drink my café au lait or mint water!! Exclusive, she found it hard to share me with other companions, but with courage she followed me in my investment in the Vosges SPA and took in Belle and then Jules. A little person, she sometimes came to work with me, delighting the apprentices in my care: Photocopier! In 1997, we already had to intervene: her vet, a friend of many years, had discovered a mammary tumor, and so the first rosary was removed. The fight against the disease had already begun. The years went by and I never thought I'd bring a child into the world. ATHENA was the daughter I never had... and YES, she was my pride and joy! And then the 4 of us arrived in your region at the beginning of 2000. I had no idea that the years would add up so quickly. First Royan, then Saintes. In May 2002, illness took its toll on us again, and on 07 you gave her a new lease on life - it was a miracle! True to form, she ran, played, celebrated with a joyful song, and brought things to our feet like gifts. My companion still calls her "her ray of sunshine". Everyone said "no, she's not 12", but she was. In August, I learned that my child would be born in May 2003, and I said to myself: we still have this to share, she'll see my daughter! Her last Christmas could not let us imagine that our days were numbered. With the same confidence, I entrusted her to you, and I'm convinced that you did everything you could. Courageous and loving life, I was convinced that she could get through this final operation and share a few more months. But I was wrong. No one could have suspected it and we had no choice but to try. There's no doubt about it. She went very quickly, I brought her to her 4 legs and this is difficult to overcome. The fact that she died on her own, without me, is also heartbreaking. She was never alone. Life must go on with this lack. For Belle and Jules it's not easy to move on from ATHENA, but they too have their character and their place. Thank you for ATHENA, for all your attention, support and remarkable coordination Yours sincerely Annabelle SAYER