I miss my dogs.

I know it’s been a while since I’ve mentioned it, but it seems to hit harder whenever I cover a story pertaining to the humane society.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the dog I have now.

I always thought goldendoodles were adorable. Like little teddy bears.

Not real, but real, you know?

But I have discovered that no dog, no matter how adorable, will ever take the place of the ones I have lost.

For Christmas, my mom bought me a clear plastic tree ornament that shows the back of someone sitting on the ground between two dogs.

She looks like me with the long blonde hair.

On either side of me is the back of a dog that looks exactly like my Mia.

On the other side is one that somewhat resembles my Shayley.

It is something I will always treasure.

And, it is my sincere hope I will see them again one day. You just don’t forget about your dogs just because they are no longer around.

I am sure we all wish that we will reunite with our pets in heaven at some point in time.

I don’t know if anyone else saw this, but there was a television show recently that had people being interviewed who had experienced death briefly.

Among the people who spoke was a woman who said she told God she wasn’t worthy to be there.

He replied that she was worthy of being with him in his presence.

She adamantly said again that she wasn’t worthy enough.

As proof that she was, she spoke and asked that she be shown someone who she truly loved in life who was there waiting for her.

He brought out her two dogs.

Now that is a story that touches my heart.

I believe God knows who we truly and deeply love in this life he has given to us.

So, I pray that this actually happened.

But I am kind of a cynic when it comes to some people because you never know if somebody is just trying to get their 15 minutes of fame and attempting to get noticed and to gain popularity, so to speak.

And yet, that story gives me hope that my dogs will be in heaven waiting for me.

We all need hope.

I realize no dog will ever take the place of another, but there are way too many animals — especially cats — that are sitting right now in the local shelters.

And we need to help them.

If we can, if we are able, we need to try to either adopt or foster those that are in desperate need of a home, or, more important, those that are in need of love.

Isn’t it unbelievable how much a dog loves you? Genuinely loves you?

I am amazed at how happy my dog, Remi gets every single time I walk in the door from work.

I can hear him barking while I’m still sitting in my car in the driveway and he is in the house.

It is as if I have had him for years, when actually it’s only been about six months or so.

Dogs love us so much. More strongly, far greater than any person ever could.

We are their entire world.

There are far too many sitting in shelters that are unhappy and are in need of someone to care about them.

So if you were able, I ask that you go and if you cannot adopt at least foster an animal from the local shelter.

If I were rich, I would have a house full of animals, although it seems like I’ve always had a house full of animals.

I remember a time when there were 13 dogs in my house. No kidding.

My son had brought home a stray dog someone had abandoned on a dirt road in the country.

She was awfully cute and I decided I would keep her.

I named her Jersey.

However, this dog consistently kept peeing on my floor.

That was her only downfall and something hard to overlook.

My mom kept telling me that she was pregnant, but I didn’t listen.

Well, I ended up listening a few weeks before she gave birth to eight puppies.

In addition to my dogs, Jersey, my son’s guide dog and the puppies, there were 13 dogs in my house.

We had so much fun, though.

I would turn on oldies music and dance with each puppy individually.

I named them all and each had a different colored collar so I could tell them apart.

I would play the song “Sad Eyes,” and they would all lay down and go to sleep instantly.

If you don’t believe me, I have a video for proof.

I remember one time I bought Tuesday — one of the puppies — a tiny cowboy hat and an Ohio State collar.

It was Halloween time.

She chewed the hat and ate her collar. She preferred to be naked I suppose.

How I loved those dogs.

I would have loved to have kept them all.

Sadly, there is no way that I could have taken care of that many animals because we also have cats and had a rabbit at the time, too.

So unfortunately, they had to be given away.

Hopefully they all went to a good home and are still living a wonderful life.

That is what I like to think anyway.

If possible, would you please consider visiting the Jefferson County Humane Society or the Hancock County Animal Association that houses and cares for cats better than anyone I know?

Although the staff and volunteers care for each and every animal, trying to spend quality time with each, they all need a forever home.

This year, I am hoping we, as a community, will be able to adopt and care for all of the homeless animals that are out there.

Even the strays who are living outside in these freezing temperatures need somebody to step up and offer help to them.

If you will not house them, at least take then in temporarily.

They will freeze to death in these single-digit numbers and wind chill factors.

We don’t even want to be outside. But we can do something about it.

They can’t.

I have no doubt in my mind they would appreciate it more than you could ever possibly know.

I believe this with my whole heart.

No animal should be left outdoors in such terrible weather.

And pet owners should definitely not leave their animals outside for long periods of time, either.

If you see someone while walking or driving by, or if a neighbor of yours keeps their pet chained up to a tree or leaves their pet outside for hours at a time or permanently, please call the humane society and let them know — because that animal is being seriously mistreated.

That is my wish for the new year.

And I hope that at least a few of you would agree with me.

Let’s not only give the homeless animals a happy new year, but let’s also give them a happy life.

(Stenger is the community editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times. She can be contacted by e-mail at jstenger@heraldstaronline.com.)