b'One Last Cheeseburger in Paradiseby Laura LyonOn an overcast late afternoon in Tampa, two girls anda leashed-up senior pup headed out the door of thesenior living community at the waters edge of the bay.To Piper, a black and tan mixed breed rescue with flop-py ears and skinny legs, it started no different than thedozen or so walks she took each week with a rotationof friends from dog walking company Soho Hound,but this would be a walk unlike any of the ones thatpreceded it.Earlier in the week, company owner Jamie Gilliamshared the sad news that Pipers cancer had returned, itwould not be prudent to operate, and she was sched-uledforhertrekovertherainbowbridge.KarsonDickinson and Emily DeHoyos, roommates and dogwalkers for Soho Hound, knew this would be their lasttime with Piper and decided that an adventure was inorder. I could still do something for her that mightmake a difference for her or could assure her she isloved at this time, Karson said. The trio took off for Wendys, scooping a pair ofBaconaters and a Frosty before heading over to GandyBeach in St. Petersburg. Everyone sat and ate in the car.Piper did not want the bread, Karson noted, but shewas encouraged to see her furry friend eat after havinglost her appetite in the weeks prior. In addition to thepain from her own ailments, Piper was grieving the lossof her owner.Carnot and Alice Nelson rescued Piper when shewas brought over from Puerto Rico to the HumaneSociety of Tampa Bay in 2017. They were looking foran older dog since older dogs are harder to place, sonJeremy Nelson recalled. My mom was a dog personand they almost always had dogs for the most part. ButPhotographs by Emily Dehoyos when their last dog died, they waited a little longerthan they normally do and then Piper showed up. Piper trusted her new parents but struggled with her confi-dence around anyone else. A bullet discovered in one of her X-Rayssuggests humans from her past were not kind to her, and she strug-gled to see through the cataracts that clouded her vision. When Alicedied in 2021, Piper became very protective of her dad. His bouts inthe hospital coincided with the return of Pipers cancer, and when hepassed away Piper went and stayed with a neighbor friend. 60THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'