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ALICIA'S STORY; A sad, sweet little girl gives comfort to a soul mate.

Article Excerpt
Byline: Alicia Parlette

Alicia R. Parlette was 23 last year when she was told she had a life-threatening cancer. This is one in an occasional series of articles about her experience. For previous articles and a list of cancer resources, go to sfgate.com/alicia. .

Sometime early this year, I got it in my head that I wanted a dog.

I love our family dog, Tasha, more than I could ever put into words, but she is that: a family dog. I see her only when I go to see my family, which is once a month at most. I wanted someone to dote on, to care for, to build my life around -- someone to be there in a way I had assumed, since the cancer diagnosis, wouldn't ever happen for me.

During the spring, I frequently went to Pets Unlimited, an animal shelter down the street from my apartment in Pacific Heights. Then at the Fillmore Jazz Festival in early July, I went to the shelter's open house and saw a bunch...

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