Each week, I have been writing to update you on current legislative events and issues important to the constituents in District 42. This week, I hope you will allow me to take a different approach and share with you the personal issue we dealt with this week.

This past Thursday, November 9, we watched our dog Sparticus take his last breaths of life before passing on. I know many of you knew Sparty, but he has taken us on an amazing journey over his lifetime. Sparticus was a 17-pound West Highland White Terrier (Westie) born on March 27, 2009. Our son Josh adopted him as a puppy when he was still in college and raised him until about 8 years ago when he moved to an apartment that did not allow pets. That is when Julie and I stepped in to care for Sparty full-time.

I must admit, we were not wild about raising a dog at that point in our lives, but it did not take long for Sparty to work his magic and win over our hearts. Sparty had a huge personality. He was strong-willed, full of energy, and amazingly smart. Unfortunately, this all made it much easier for him to train us. I remember coming home from work each day only to have him greet me at the door to the garage. Once my briefcase was down and I had properly acknowledged his presence, he proceeded to go to the front door so he could take me for a walk. I never knew if we were going east or west once we got to the sidewalk, but there was no doubt that Sparty knew exactly where we were going, and my opinion was not needed.

When I had my knee replacement back in January 2019, Sparty needed to go to daycare for two weeks so I could let my incision heal. Fortunately, Dawn Brosius was opening Paws-a-Palooza, and Sparty became her first customer. Sparty made it his mission to teach Dawn how to operate the facility from his perspective. Although we had rented Sparty his own personal space, he somehow convinced Dawn to allow him to sleep with her in the living quarters at night. This arrangement also included allowing him to sleep on the pillow.

But it didn’t end there. Since the business had just opened, their dog numbers were just beginning to grow, so Sparty convinced Dawn to allow him to stay out front with her during the day so he could greet everyone who came and went. When not working the front door, he would sleep at Dawn’s feet under her desk when she did bookwork. Dawn had a new best friend. As the years went by, Sparty managed to grow close to all his caregivers, but always wanted to be with Dawn when she was working. This closeness with the staff continued even after the ownership change to Lucky Dogs. What a great asset this facility is to dog owners in this area.

Sparty really enjoyed working with Julie in our backyard. There was a large area for him to explore and Julie had a variety of plants and shrubs for him to experience. He also took the opportunity to occasionally chase the neighbor’s cat, catch small rabbits, chase the large ones, and engage any moving thing he came in contact with. Like many smaller dogs, Westies are known for thinking that they are much larger dogs. This was made clear when Sparty decided to chase a large wild turkey that suddenly flew over our backyard fence one day. Sparty immediately chased down the turkey grabbing a mouth full of tail feathers when he caught up to the turkey. To his surprise, (and Julie’s) the turkey did an immediate 180 and took after Sparty, running full speed to the sliding door which Julie had managed to close behind Sparty just in time. Over the years, he and Julie spent hours in our backyard, where he never let Julie get too far out of his sight.

Over the past several months, it became clear to us that Sparty was slowing down, losing much of his hearing and eyesight, and he began experiencing seizures. For a dog who seemed almost indestructible, he was beginning to show his age, and he wanted to be by our side continuously. While we are glad he is now at peace, we miss him immensely.

I cannot begin to properly thank Dr. Ron Green and his staff at Heartland Vet Clinic, all the staff at Paws-a-Palooza (now Lucky Dogs), and everyone who has reached out to us to offer their condolences. Our pets are very special members of our families, and the impact of their loss is real. As we move into the holiday season, I hope we all take a moment to reflect on how important each of your family members is to you. We never know how much time any of us have remaining on this earth. Take some time to enjoy life and show your gratitude for those who are having a positive impact on your life.

I will be back to you next week for the latest in Legislative hearings and how the upcoming session is shaping up.

I look forward to continuing to hear from you regarding issues that are important to you. It is a privilege to serve as your State Senator, and I will continue to give my full effort to make a positive difference for the District and the State. You can reach me at mjacobson@leg.ne.gov or by calling my legislative office at 402-471-2729.