Jack is already eight years old when he's adopted from the animal shelter-- fifty-six in dog years. His first family must have loved him very much, because Jack is so good to his new one. No wonder Jack's family considers him a part of the family. But as Mike grows up, Jack gets older. The time is approaching when Jack's family will need to confront inevitable changes in their life with him. DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan celebrates the many joys of adopting a lovable, older dog and warmly portrays a family coping with the loss of a beloved pet. An afterword by Kathleen L. Dunn, M.S.W., Chief Social Worker at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, offers advice to families who have lost pets.