The Spokesman-Review is pleased to announce that Louise Long of Spokane has won the monthly Golden Pen Award.

Long's letter of July 7 commented on the importance of adopting pets for their entire lifetime..6

The Golden Pen Award expresses the newspaper's appreciation for letter writers who demonstrate exceptional eloquence and clarity in their contributions to our Roundtable page.

The monthly winners, as well as the weekly nominees for this award, are chosen by Opinion page staff members. The monthly winners receive a 10-karat-gold Cross pen.

We congratulate Long and thank all of the readers who care enough to debate public issues on this page.