Will Rogers, the great American humorist, once said, “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”

My little Shih Tzu dog, Miss Daisy, died Sunday, Dec. 11, and took with her a huge part of my heart.

What is life’s connection between people and pets that changes a life or rocks our world with smiles and tears? Even Santa has pets -- eight reindeer pulling his sleigh. Do you suppose there’d be no Christmas presents for children without Rudolph and his noble gang? Perish the thought!

Since then, folks have shared pet stories with me, such as Nancy Uhrich, the Des Moines city code enforcement officer, who said about losing her dog, “I didn’t think I could hurt that bad in life.”

Ralph Nichols, a Times/News editor, described his two dogs: “Chico’s greatest delight is a good bone and Nikita is the happiest dog I’ve ever seen. Her tail is always wagging. Both of them get along quite well with my two cats, that tolerate this ‘lesser’ life form.”

Alli Larkin, a Water District 54 Commissioner, said, she’ll never forget how her late dog, Harrigan, literally saved her life 20 years ago.

When visiting in Salt Lake City, Alli stopped at a grocery store where a young man commented on her perfume. By coincidence (she thought) they met again walking to their cars.

He seemed pleasant enough until he moved to block her entrance to her van. “I was scared. I snapped my fingers twice and Harrigan charged up to the front of my van, startling the stranger long enough for me to slam the door and get out of there.

“I discovered he was Ted Bundy.”

Josh Billings said, “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”

Have you noticed kids and pets have an automatic-pilot magnet between them? At the sight of a dog, babies stop crying and instantly smile.

One memorable “Child/Miss Daisy Moment” was when a little girl looked Daisy over from nose to tail and with a puzzled look asked me, “Where do you wind her up?”

At Beach Park kids threw a ball and Daisy raced after it in hot pursuit with her little legs pumping and hair flying in all directions. Often kids ran with her and picked the ball up before she could. From then on running after a ball was a one-way trip to her -- let the kids fetch it back.

Miss Daisy tolerated baths, yet loved to be clean. She’d run around in circles after a bath, tossing her favorite toy in the air.

I feel there must be people with dogs who cannot afford to have them bathed and nails clipped. So, in her memory, I asked David Goretski, owner of Soggy Doggy in Des Moines, if he would accept donations as a memorial.

Donations to the “Miss Daisy’s Bath Fund” would be used to identify and surprise deserving folks such as seniors and single-parent families on fixed or limited income with a free paid-for bath for their faithful dogs.

David graciously agreed. Soggy Doggy is located at 21839 Marine View Dr. S.

Experts say pets are good for people’s health and clean dogs enjoy better quality of life. I hope these clean dogs strut their stuff like Miss Daisy did with her “I’m lookin’ good” attitude!

Maybe Des Moines will have the cleanest, happiest dog population around.

Donation by check is payable to Soggy Doggy with notation on memo line” “Miss Daisy’s Memory Bath Fund.” Thank you so much!

M. Acklam said, “We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. In return dogs give us their all. It’s the best deal man has ever made.”

From Miss Daisy I learned loyalty in life and dying with dignity and love. May those values live forever.

My sincere thanks to Dr. Stacy Lawrence, Dr. Randy Felts, Dr. Artise Dunnavant and the staff at Marine View Veterinary Hospital and at Five Corners Animal Hospital, Dr. Laurie Bellis and Associates.