Dear editor,

Whenever I hear people who have moved away from Selma yet make disparaging comments about our city, I turn a deaf ear.  When a reporter in another city creates another Top 10 Worst Cities and lists Selma among them, I turn the page without reading the first word.

I do these things because I know and experience every day the many wonderful things that comes with living in our community.

One of the many blessings in our town is Northside Animal Hospital.

I suspect that most pet owners know, like me, that on that exciting day you pick up your new puppy, the inevitable day will come when that beloved member of your family passes away.

Today was that day where I had to take my 11-year old Labrador, Georgia, to the vet knowing that this probably was going to be her last day with us.  While she has been a remarkable dog and has had very little health issues throughout her life, I knew last night that something was wrong with her.

After calling a good friend of mine who is in vet school at Auburn and explaining her symptoms, I called — after business hours no less — our veterinarian Dr. Mike Wells of Northside Animal Hospital and explained what was going on.

While he offered to meet me back at his clinic that evening, I declined and said I would come up in the morning if she had not improved, all the while knowing that my hope of her chances of improving were slim.

At the clinic this morning, I received the dreaded news of her condition and decided after speaking with Dr. Wells, that it was in the best interest of Georgia to go ahead and put her to sleep.

While the decision was hard and knowing I would have to later tell my kids about Georgia would be hard, the compassion and professionalism demonstrated by Dr. Wells and his amazing staff of Kathy, Mundy, Kayla and Matthew made a terrible morning much better. Their kindness, though, was not surprising.  This is how they always have been with our family and our pets; in good times and today in the toughest of times as a pet owner.

So when I see or hear someone talking negatively about our community, I think of the wonderful folks at Northside and the many other wonderful people who make our town so special, and I know, without a doubt, I am blessed to call Selma home.

On a side note…these last two Saturdays were spent watching Alabama beat Auburn and then Florida in the SEC Championship in the comfort of my recliner with Georgia lying beside me for each game.

So if she had to go out, at least she got to watch Bama beat Auburn once more, and I am sure that made her happy.

Steven South

Selma