A Sentimental Tail

Talk about your shaggy dog story. Once upon a time the Donaldsons of Water Mill took a sheepdog into their fold. It was already 6 years old and named Jose when they brought it home from the Animal Rescue Fund's shelter in East Hampton.

Seven years passed, during which time the animal ran after the family cat, relished trips by car and walks by the ocean, and otherwise proved its mettle and devotion. When Jose died last month, Peter Donaldson wrote a letter to The Star to publicly thank ARF for "the best dog we ever owned."

Two weeks later, another Star reader responded. "That dog used to be my husband's and mine," Annette MacNiven of East Hampton wrote. Explaining how her family had come by the dog and why they had to give it up, she went on to say, "You cannot imagine the feeling we had . . . to find out that Jose had a good life with a family that loved him."

Mr. Donaldson wrote again last week to say how glad he had been to learn about the first half of the sheepdog's life. Since his first letter, he let on, his family had adopted another dog - Buddy, this time - "to allow another dog a chance at Jose's life."

Bet you know where it came from.