Our country was still reeling in shock and grief when Mia came into our lives in the fall of 2001, just 5 weeks after the tragedy of 911. It was a time of doom and gloom back then, and the presence of a puppy in our lives was a godsend. I don't recall how we came up with the name Mia. All I know is that the name was short and cute and it fit her like a glove. We were all ready for a dog and Mia felt like the missing puzzle piece in each of our lives. She simply became "Our Mia." "Our Mia" is the heartfelt and emotional story of a dog and the mark that she made on me and my family in the brief 11 year period that she graced our lives. We knew early on that she was more than just a dog Lizards, turtles and hamsters are pets. Mia was family. Little did we know that when she came into our home, she would change our lives forever.