IN YOUR OWN PUZZLES PUZZLES COURTESY OF STREET WISE WORDS RAELENE JOHNSON DENVER VOICE VENDOR Loving My Dog Enough to Let Him Go, and Welcoming My New Puppy. 22 26 30 35 38 41 43 47 51 57 60 44 45 48 52 58 61 49 50 53 59 62 54 55 56 39 42 46 36 40 23 24 27 31 37 28 29 32 33 34 1 13 16 19 20 2 3 4 5 14 17 21 25 6 7 8 15 18 9 10 11 12 ACROSS THIS IS THE MONTH OF LOVE, and I just wanted to share how much I love my dog, Jasper. A couple of weeks ago, I found out he had an inoperable tumor that was very big and causing him lots of problems going to the bathroom. When I found out what it was, I immediately told my vet that I will not be the type of owner of an animal that has to keep him alive just so they don’t lose them. I love him so much that I wanted to release his pain and not make him suffer anymore, so two days later, the vet came back to my house, and Jasper went to heaven peacefully. My heart is hurting. He was 16 years old, and if it wasn’t for the tumor, you would not have known he was that old and would have thought that he had a lot more life in him. Letting your animal not suffer just because you don’t want to say goodbye is cruelty in itself. I kept my promise that I wouldn’t let him be in more pain – even if it meant I had to say goodbye. A month before I had to put Jasper down, I got my dog, Luna Rose. She is now 3 months old, and I never had a puppy before. God knew what was going to happen to Jasper because out of the blue, I called a friend and said, “Hey, what are you doing?” and he goes, “Trying to get rid of some puppies.” I asked to send me pictures, and I wanted to see what type of dogs they were. Looking at the pictures, I picked out the one I wanted. I found out it was a female, and I didn’t care. Now, I have a puppy to love for many years to come, and she fulfills my days, but I will never forget Jasper! When Luna Rose becomes a year old, I want her to get certified as a therapeutic dog to bring her into the hospitals to patients’ rooms. That is a way to give back what was given to me a few years ago, when I was in a hospital for three weeks. I was missing my dogs, and it made me happy to have a dog on my bed so I could pack. I told myself that one day, if I ever get the chance, I wanted to get back, and she will be my chance. So, Luna Rose is now part of the Denver VOICE family! I told my vet, “Let’s hope she won’t have to put down another of my animals for at least 16 to 18 years, when Luna will be much older.” When it comes time, don’t let your love for your pets stop you from doing what’s right. I thank God I had Jasper for nine years, and I gave him the best life I could! Sometimes, when you love your pets, letting them go is the hardest thing to do when it’s time to say goodbye. But the journey was worth it! Rest in peace, Jasper. Mommy loves you and misses you, and so does Luna Rose – even if she had her big brother for only one month! 1. Village People hit 5. Arctic hazard 9. Collectible discs of the 1990s 13. Apple product 14. Word within the word “devilish,” appropriately 15. Shouted casual greeting 16. Trail 17. No more than 18. Church instrument 19. Household item that folds up for storage 22. Britain, to Caesar 25. Unwelcome obligations 26. Some strings 30. Santa’s reindeer, e.g. 31. Dork 32. D&D, for one 35. Big furniture retailer 36. Type of tournament 37. Forbidding 38. Grow fainter 39. Appearance 40. Beauty pageant wear 41. Sewers 43. Washington airport or the city in which it’s located 46. Speechifi es 47. Swelling of the brain 51. ___ cotta 52. Couch 53. Caddie’s bagful 57. “___ you forgetting something?” 58. 32-card game 59. Midterm, for one 60. Get rid of 61. Haul 62. Retirement acct. option DOWN 1. Peke squeak 2. UFC sport 3. Tabby 4. Flower genus named aft er a fi gure of Greek myth whose soldiers used it to treat injuries 5. Lament 6. All square 7. “Disturbia” singer’s nickname 8. Hidden valley 9. Not watertight 10. Korbut and Petrova 11. Dirty look 12. Lost to the ___ of time 15. Rub elbows 20. Sidesplitter 21. Automaton of Jewish lore 22. Bypass 23. Rapper Minaj 24. Capturer’s triumphant reaction 27. Kind of drive 28. Residents of the Forest Moon of Endor 29. Smallest 32. Cut of beef 33. Blender button 34. Blades to cut 36. Illegally hunt 37. Fiasco 39. Take in a heartbeat 40. Garr, Polo, or Hatcher 41. Rears 42. Spin 43. Assail 44. First page of el caledario 45. “Green ___” 48. Like some profs. 49. Four ___ (canned alcoholic beverage) 50. “___ fi rst you don’t succeed...” 54. Outer: Prefi x 55. “Dig in!” 56. “I can’t believe this,” to a texter DENVER VOICE FEBRUARY 2026 13
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