I'm sorry to hear the news, even if it's 
something that everyone who invites a pet into 
their homes is committing themselves to hear 
sooner or later. 
 
But it is never easy, as someone knows who had to 
let go of a family-member cat after years of 
taking for granted her presence on the bed, 
sleeping night after night in the crook of my 
legs.

One can only rest in the confidence that the two 
of you made each others' lives better, and that 
Steve's end would have come sooner and less 
pleasantly if you hadn't been there.