Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When our
beloved pets die, they journey to this idyllic spot. There are
meadows and hills enough for all to frolic freely, and plenty of food,
water and sunshine. Each and every animal is warm and comfortable.

Those pets who have been ill or aged are restored to health and vigor.
Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong. Each is just
as we remember in our dreams of days and times gone by. Our pets are
happy and content at Rainbow Bridge, except for one small thing.
Every creature misses someone special whom they've left behind.

The animals all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly
stops, and looks into the distance. His or her bright eyes are intent; an eager
body begins to quiver. Suddenly, he or she begins to run from the group,
flying over the green grass, legs going faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and you and your special friend come together
in joyous reunion. Happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again
caress the beloved head; and you look once more into the trusting eyes
of your pet so long gone from your life, but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together.

---- Author Unknown

Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp
and as dismal as could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to
think, as they had never experienced a day like this before. But the animals who had
been waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was going on and started to
gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch. It wasn't long before an
elderly animal came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals,
the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for
they had seen this happen far too often.

He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury
or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had
not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward
The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of
place here and the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be. But, alas, as
he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of an Angel who
apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who
were with their people could pass over the Rainbow Bridge.

With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before
The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also elderly and infirm.
They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly staring
out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them,
watching the pathway and waiting.

One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he had just witnessed
and asked one of the animals that had been there for a while to explain it to him. "You
see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to rescue just as you see him now,
an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of rescue
and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he left his earthly
existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him
across The Bridge."

The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen
now?" As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom
lifted. Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person and among the older
animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all young
and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life. "Watch, and see" said the
second animal. A second group of animals from those waiting came to the pathway and
bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the
head or a scratch behind the ears. The newly restored animals fell into line and
followed him towards The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together.

"What happened?"

"That was a rescuer. The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new
homes because of his work. They will cross when their new families arrive. Those you
saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are allowed
to perform one final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that
they couldn't place on earth, across The Rainbow Bridge."

"I think I like rescuers", said the first animal.

"So does GOD", was the reply.

---- Author Unknown

On the morning of September 11, 2001, there was an unprecedented amount of activity at the Rainbow Bridge. Decisions had to be made. They had to be made quickly. And, they were. An issue, not often addressed here, is the fact that many residents really have no loved one for whom to wait. Think of the pups who lived and died in hideous puppy mills. No one on earth loved or protected them. What about the many who spent unhappy lives tied in backyards? And the ones who were abused; who are they to wait for? We don't talk about that much up here. We share our loved ones as they arrive, happy to do so. But we all know there is nothing like having your very own person who thinks you are the most special pup in the Heavens. That Tuesday morning a request rang out for pups not waiting for specific persons to volunteer for special assignment. An eager, curious crowd surged excitedly forward, each pup wondering what the assignment would be. They were told by a solemn voice that unexpectedly, all at once, over 3,000 loving people had left Earth long before they were ready. All the pups, as all pups do, felt the humans' pain deep in their own hearts. Without hearing more, there was a clamoring among them - "May I have one to comfort?", "I'll take two, I have a big heart." "I have been saving kisses forever." One after another they came forward begging for assignment. One cozy-looking fluffy pup hesitantly asked, "Are there any children coming? I would be very comforting for a child 'cause I'm soft and squishy, and I always wanted to be hugged." A group of Dalmatians came forward asking to meet the Firemen and be their friends. The larger working breeds offered to greet the Police Officers and make them feel at home. Little dogs volunteered to do what they do best, cuddle and kiss. Dogs who on Earth had never had a kind word or a pat on the head, stepped forward and said, "I will love any human who needs love." Then all the dogs, wherever on Earth they originally came from, rushed to the Rainbow Bridge and stood waiting, overflowing with love to share - each tail wagging an American Flag.

"The best friend man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son, or daughter, that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and good name may become traitors to their faith. The money a man has he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our head.

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground when the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only to be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince.

"When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wing, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

"If fortune drives his master forth, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when that last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there, by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true, even in death."

--Senator George Graham Vest, speaking to a jury about Old Drum, shot in 1869. Johnson County Circuit Court, Warrensburg, Missouri

 

Nike

VGSR sends deepest sympathies to VGSR Volunteers Arlene and John Ladusky on the passing of Nike on April 12, 2008. Arlene writes, "At 1:00pm on April 12, 2008, Nike went to the Bridge after a long battle with Caude Equina Syndrome/ Degenerative Myelopathy. She could barely control her back end any longer and it was clear she was becoming frustrated and unhappy. While I didn't see "the look" that so many people speak of when it's time, I could tell she was tired. She got to eat hamburger, sushi, green peppers (her favorite), and a strawberry ice cream sundae. Even at the vet, as the sedative kicked in, she was still munching on green peppers. While the vet administered the last medication, John sat in front of Nike, stroking her paws, and I held her head in my lap and told her how much I loved her and how sorry I was that I couldn't do more for her. There was no last gasp, no hiccup, nothing. She just slowly closed her eyes and was gone. I am completely devastated but at the same time I feel a sense of peace, something I was not expecting. I know the coming weeks will be hard while adjusting to prepping two meals instead of three, waiting for two dogs to come in instead of three, etc., but the vet and John both assured me I'd gone above and beyond to try to help her and letting her go was the right thing to do. I'm going to cuddle with my boys now."

Arlene

 

 

Dixie

VGSR sends condolences to VGSR volunteer Bonnie Kayser on the loss of Dixie on March 11th, 2008. Bonnie writes: "Dixie crossed the Rainbow Bridge just shy of her fifteenth birthday. This was her fifth home and I've had the pleasure of her company for the past ten years. Her job was to be my companion and she was very good at it. She curled up next to me once when I was sick and her warmth and soft breathing were very comforting. She did her part to help keep the house clean by meticulously searching out and devouring any dog biscuit crumbs left on the floor. She was an excellent counselor for the foster dogs who stopped here briefly before going on to their forever homes. She seemed to do her best work with the dogs who had suffered the most. She was the only dog I've ever seen who smiled when she ate. She aged with dignity and still insisted on going for a walk every night. Dixie could almost talk and would "woo" when she wanted something. She was also a very talented doggie ambassador who could make friends with everyone - even people who were afraid of dogs.
Dixie, thank you for the things you taught me and for being a part of my life. You are greatly missed. Woo."

Bonnie and JT

 

 

Yoda

VGSR sends deepest sympathies to Andrea Gyorgy and her family on the loss of Yoda in February, 2008. Andrea writes, "Yoda was one of those special dogs that catch you by surprise; when he came to us, I really wasn't looking for a senior. But there he was, looking so sweet and frail, just asking for a bit of time and love from someone. So we rushed to take him from that cage, where he stood waiting for us barking, surrounded by tennis balls. From the very first moment, he was like a marine, and we were his mission. He looked after us, herded us to dinner, guarded our home, made sure we get enough exercise, and chased away all squirrels bold enough to enter our yard. He never for a second let me out of his sight. Even when old age started to bother him, he took it with immense dignity; his love of life and sense of duty never let him bother with such unimportant things like his own comfort. Every day was a new adventure for him, always ready for a ride in the car, a walk in he park ... and if there was nothing else to do, he dropped his tennis balls on our laps and played endlessly. The house is very empty without him, we don't have to watch our steps any more for his furry little body always at our feet. Yoda was also an ambassador for all sheps looking for a second chance: we did many home visits together, were he always charmed everybody. I truly hope he will meet us again over the bridge, right by the door, his head flat on the floor, ears erect, forever waiting."

Andrea Gyorgy

 

 

Raven (formerly Heidi #4)

VGSR sends condolences to Lynn Desautels and her family on the loss of Raven on February 19th, 2008. Lynn writes: "I'm writing with very sad news. Raven was diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy a while ago, and in the past week she slid down hill fast. She could no longer get around, and was frightened by her frailty. We were no longer able to keep her comfortable and her quality of life had deteriorated to no good. The vet came to our home this morning and euthanized her. She died close in my arms. Chris and I are devastated. My bright, beautiful girl. I will miss, and love her, forever. The time we had with her - too short, but utterly precious.

Lynn Desautels

 

 

Hero and David

VGSR sends condolences to David Wyttenbach on the loss of Hero in February, 2008. David writes, "I'm sad to tell you that my dog, Hero, died this last week of cancer. He was only 8 years old. It came upon him (us) so suddenly. He had just finished his state recertification test for search and rescue this last December, a grueling test that he flew through. He was good to go to continue being a SAR dog for another two years, at which point when his certification ran out I planned to retire him and let him settle into old age. Sadly he never got there. He died a SAR dog having responded to almost forty searches and finding one missing person. I know you saw us around town occasionally, and we came out to one of your own events and did a demonstration, so I just wanted to let you know. I also wanted to let you know that in the future when the time is right, I'll more than likely be contacting your organization for my next dog. As of right now, I don't foresee continuing on with search and rescue and starting over with another dog, but whether I do or not I know that I'd like to rescue a GSD that needs a home."

Take care,
David Wyttenbach
Virginia Search and Rescue Dog Association

 

 

Niko

VGSR sends deepest sympathies to Cathy and Paul Forschler on the loss of Niko. Cathy writes, "Our beloved Niko left us this week. He was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma last fall and even with chemo, he only survived 6 months following the diagnosis. I hoped he would beat the odds, there would be a miracle, or the diagnosis was a mistake, and we could have him with us longer. I find myself still looking for answers to help him-I didn't want to lose him. Our grief is overwhelming - we are heartbroken and completely devastated by his absence. Niko was our best friend and faithful companion. He was my greatest joy and forever love. Niko was beautiful inside and out. I loved everything about him. He was loving, compassionate, protective, loyal, funny, playful, charming, and so much, much more. He was infinitely more than I could ever describe. We adopted our boy 3 1/2 years ago as Michael Murray after meeting him at the Alexandria Petsmart. Our greatest happiness was seeing him happy and experiencing the many joys he discovered in his new life. We took him everywhere we could. I missed him even if I was away for only a minute. He became all he was meant to be, overcoming separation anxiety and other issues from hardships he had faced in his previous life. Niko loved playing ball (Kong), going for walks, chasing small animals like rabbits and squirrels (he was fast), grilling out (and eating in), going out for ice cream or meals, foods like grilled steak and burgers, treats like cheese, ice cream, peanut butter, Meaty Bonz, and Cheweez, playing with his stuffed animals, wrestling with Paul and winning, meeting and socializing with people (if we were there, too), and a lot more. He made a great impression wherever he went-everyone was drawn to his charisma. He loved being pampered with back rubs, scratches, hugs, kisses, and lots of praise, and deserved every bit of it. He listened in on our converstations and asked for what he wanted. I always looked out for him to make sure he was safe. He always listed and responded faithfully regardless of what he wanted to do. I'm not able to fully convey his essence in the full honor he deserves. Niko was truly an angel and a sweet, beautiful soul. Only an eternity would be enough time to be with him.
Niko's in my heart and soul, forever,

Cathy Forschler

 

 

Quera

VGSR sends condolences to the Lee family on the loss of Quera on February 6th, 2008. Sarah Lee writes: "It is with great sadness that I share with you all that we lost our beloved Quera ("Q") yesterday evening. Adopted from VGSR in 2005, she became a part of our family the moment we laid eyes on her and a fantastic companion to my stepson Forrest, her four-legged brother Sabre (also a VGSR adoptee), and to our newest family member Maile (now 10 weeks old). After a remarkable military career, we were blessed to have Quera in our lives and are grateful that she made it to the ripe old age of 14 and a half. My husband said it best in his email to her handler with whom we've kept in touch: 'She's brought us many years of companionship, love, hugs and belly rubs. Her spirit has never waivered and many times we swear we see her smile when she's enjoying the simple things we could give her. A warm bed a quiet place, walks, a yard to lay under a tree, many belly rubs and the chance to retire. She has learned to trust us with patience when she couldn't make it up the stairs without our help and the calmness with which she sleeps brings us fond memories and we have been proud to have her close. Her body has finally given out. Her eyes are filled with gratitude that we cared, and we do very much. We can't see her suffer, she's lost the abiltiy to control her legs, can't walk without dragging and the pain meds aren't helping. Tonight she'll get an oatmeal shampoo bath and some dry towels to sleep on after lots of neck scratches and belly rubs. We've kept up her favorite snack of ice cubes, they seem to still make her happy. ' The whole family was able to be with her as she crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. I'm sure she's running in dog heaven now where her hind legs will allow her to run with other dogs ... and maybe now she'll be able to keep up!
Thanks to VGSR for bringing her into our lives,

Sarah, Robert, Forrest and Maile Lee (and Sabre, too!)

 

 

Roo

VGSR sends deepest sympathies to Susan and Fran Lynch on the loss of Roo on January 26, 2008. Susan writes, "It is with a tremendous sense of loss that we tell you that our dear sweet Roo finally succumbed to the devastating effects of degenerative myelopathy on January 26, 2008. Roo left this world and traveled to the Rainbow Bridge cradled in the arms of those who so deeply loved him. Roo came to us many years ago as a 3 legged, bald German Shepherd. Roo had been found as a stray in rural West Virginia with a right front leg that was so terribly infected that it needed to be amputated. Roo spent several weeks in the hospital to treat his systemic infections. Roo overcame such adversity and transformed from a gaunt, nervous Shepherd to a large beautiful full-bodied black German Shepherd that exuded love, dignity and devotion. Roo had the blackest, thickest shiniest fur imaginable. Roo had a strong beautiful German Shepherd head with warm, gentle brown eyes. Roo loved his family and in particular, he deeply loved Fran. Roo would follow Fran out to the barn to do chores and would insist on following Fran to the farthest field, hopping along on those three strong legs, never leaving Fran's side. Roo loved nothing more than to run to the highest point on the farm - the compost pile - and to sit atop - surveying and protecting his farm - the ultimate King of the Hill. Roo loved to go for hikes - he would run along for miles - through water and over logs - never once stopping to notice that he didn't have that fourth leg. Roo had an energy that was so very dignified. All people and dogs could sense it. You were drawn to Roo and his inner beauty. All dogs in our pack loved and respected Roo. Roo would yodel with pleasure when you scratched his ears and when you rubbed his belly - particularly the spot where his other front leg had once been. About two years ago, Roo's two back legs began to fail him. As the DM set in, he was left with just one good leg. But even with one leg - Roo retained his indomitable spirit. He shuffled around to be next to his humans - pulling his weight without a complaint. In the end, we were Roo's legs. He would yodel to us when it was time to move about. Roo was a truly special soul who lived every day with remarkable courage. On his very last day - Roo had kisses and yodels for us. Our lives are so much less rich now that he is gone. We miss you Roo and thank you for your lessons in courage."

Love, Susan and Fran

 

 

Odis

VGSR sends condolences to Cindy and John Green on the loss of Odis. The Greens write: "Our beloved Odis, we miss you dearly. There will never be a dog that could ever take your place. Even though you were in our lives for 2 short years, you will be in our hearts forever. I will miss the rides to the dump together, throwing your favorite squeaky toy in the yard for you, playing in the creek. You laying beside me during the cold winter months. You were a very rare and special breed. Every time I'm down, I will look up, knowing that your looking down on us protecting us still. May you live forever under God's care. We love you!!!"

Cindy and John Green

 

 

Tiaco

VGSR sends deepest sympathies to David Wu on the loss of Tiaco in December 28, 2007. David writes, "I deeply regret to advise you that my most beloved companion, Tiaco (VGSC #703), suffered from heart-base tumor, which caused pericardial effusion, presumably a hemanfiosarcoma. Her condition was diagnosed by Carol Dugan, DVM at Gayton Animal Hospital in Richmond, VA. In cosideration of her prolonged suffering, I decided to put her to sleep yesterday at 2:30 PM. She had been a good companion to me ever since I adopted her on December 6, 2003. I loved her dearly and will miss her around forever."

David

 

 

Hans

VGSR sends condolences to our Frequent Fosterer and Board Member, Susan Lynch and her family on the loss of Hans on December 24, 2007. Susan writes, "We are deeply saddened to tell you that our gentle giant Hans went to the Rainbow Bridge on Christmas Eve. Hans, who was almost 11 years old, died peacefully in his sleep from cardiomyopathy, a terminal heart condition that we only discovered five days before his death. Hans was a big, loveable, 'teddy bear' of a shepherd who stole our hearts. We first met Hans almost two years ago when we did his temperament test. At that time, Hans was primarily an outside dog and was shy and fearful. We had to coax him into our car with dog treats and a push from behind. As soon as he got in the car that day, he hunkered down on the back seat, ears flat against his head and in shock to be moved from his 'back yard' of 9 years. At first, we needed to coax Hans out of his crate at our home with baked chicken. Despite his robust size, he was still a shy and gentle man. In time enough though, the beautiful sweet Hans emerged. Hans loved people. His heaven was to get his big head and ears rubbed. He would purr in contentment with every head scratch. Hans loved Milkbones. He would guide your hand ever so gently and cleverly over to the treat jar and certainly be the first in the pack in line for his Milkbone. Hans loved to chase kitties. They were so much fun to pursue. You would see Hans run all the way up to - and into - the trees after that kitty scampering to safety. Ever so gentle, he would not harm a soul - but he loved the thrill of the chase. Hans loved his pack of five dogs at home. While it took him some time to embrace the other shepherds as friends, he soon learned that lying around the family room chewing a bone with his human and Shepherd pack was a good way to spend time. In the final two years of his life, Hans came to be cherished for what he had always been - a strikingly beautiful German Shepherd with the biggest and kindest heart imaginable. Hans we love you and we miss you and we pray that you are getting head rubs forever now."

Love Susan, Fran, Peggy and Jeff

 

 

Mona

VGSR sends deepest sympathies to Allen and Melody Schaeffer on the loss of Mona on December 10, 2007. Melody writes, "Mona was with us but a short time but filled a big space in our lives. Adopted in December 2005, Mona spent her days as the third pack member joining our two other Shepherds and a small herd of cats. At first tentative and classically stoic about her circumstances, she settled right in, showing us sheepishly that she knew how to shake hands, soon trading her reserved and watchful presence for little licks, pawing for belly rubs and signaling her readiness to eat, go for a ride or walk by playful head turning. We wondered often where she came from, and what her life had been like before. Her behavior and unique habits gave us some clues. She earned the nickname “bed bug” for planting herself in our bed most nights. She spoke often, with a unique bark that mimicked the cranking of a starter on an old car. She routinely howled at fire sirens, and let out little barks while running in between steps. She was very present in her new pack. Reportedly from Richmond, with her thick dense coat we wondered how she tolerated hot summers in the south, since her comfort depended on testing the limits of our air conditioner. She was the “hungriest of girls” endearing in her stature – a larger body on relatively skinny legs, with one back leg in a ballerina-like stance from a hip repair in her past. As a result she ran with a unique hop while guarding the back yard, chasing squirrels in the trees or neighbor dogs at the fence. The basis for her adopted name Mona soon became clear – she communicated openly and often with a mild whimper and moan—to convey her need for something she did not have; whether the favored spot in the SUV (behind the drivers seat; tight) choice dog bed or just equal attention. Dogs are number one in the family, where humans take work day lunches with the dogs at home. Every Sunday meant a trip to the local park for an extra long walk, and most Saturdays at the canine pool. She was a good traveler. She vacationed with us, experiencing Inns, Ferries and beaches. Last year, she endured two surgeries to remove a cancerous cheek tumor that left her with a bit of a permanent endearing grin on one side of her mouth. Like many trips over the Rainbow Bridge, her departure was unexpected. Collapsing in the park on a Sunday walk, a stroke on her right side left her unable to stand, and the emergency vet found a large tumor on her spleen. She spent her last day with us, outside in the warm sun, eating her favorite biscuits."

Allen and Melody Schaeffer

 

 

Sheila Grimes

December 03, 2007. Last night there was a new voyager on the road to the Rainbow Bridge. The pets waiting there were queueing up to meet and welcome Sheila Grimes and escort her across the Bridge in a long parade of honor. Lea writes, "It is with a heavy heart that I let you know that yesterday one of VGSRs finest volunteers, Sheila Grimes, left this world to start watching over all of the dogs in heaven. I can only imagination the collection of dogs and other pets that were waiting to meet Sheila when she got to the Rainbow Bridge. No doubt there was a huge crowd waiting for her. If anyone ever deserved the red carpet treatment at the Rainbow Bridge, it was Sheila Grimes. Sheila would always, willingly, take in the dogs that no one else wanted. She took in old dogs, sick dogs, pregnant dogs and even puppies. VGSR owes this woman a huge debt of gratitude. True to Sheila's generous spirit and never-ending pursuit to help the dogs of VGSR, she has requested that in lieu of flowers, she would appreciate donations being made to the brand new "Ginger's Fund" that has been established in her honor. This fund has been named after one of Sheila's favorite fosters and the money donated to this account will be used specifically to help out the dogs who need it the most - the old doggies, the sick doggies and the special needs doggies. If you should choose to honor Sheila by making a donation to this very worthy fund, please be sure to indicate "Ginger's Fund" somewhere on your donation. Please join me in keeping Sheila's family, especially Glenda, in your hearts, thoughts and prayers.

Sadly,
Lea

 

 

Jackson #6

VGSR sends condolences to Rick and Lorelle Duelley on the passing of Jackson #6 to the Rainbow Bridge on December 01, 2007. Lorelle write, "Sometimes I guess life is just not fair. We only got to have Jack for less than two years. He was the best hugger in the world. He would just wrap his head around your neck and hug you. We miss his big sloppy kisses and his floppy jowels when he had his head out of the car. We still have his slobber down the side of our truck. He sure could make us laugh. We always had to watch for motorcycles when he was in the car because boy did he hate it when they went by. He was a big handsome boy who loved squeeky toys. We miss the squeek, squeek, squeek around the house. If either of us got out of bed first, Jack was always there to fill your space. We all miss snuggly Jack."

Rick and Lorelle Duelley

 

 

Frodo #2

VGSR sends deepest sympathies to Lea and John on the loss of Frodo #2 on 11/01/07. Lea writes, "Last night Frodo, who was not exactly an angel here on Earth, joined the ranks of the angels waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge. We lost Frodo last night due to complications following his neuter on Wednesday. He was a character who had stolen our hearts with his charm. While he did not like kids, and tried with all his might to eat our cat, he was a true gentleman in the house and we had made so much progress with him. He had perfect manners in the house, ignored Remo's numerous barking assaults and was Nella's (my new foster) best friend and wrestle buddy. He was a talented ball catcher and loved to cuddle up with you on the sofa or bed. He never once lifted his leg on anything INSIDE the house, which is more than I can say for most of my male foster dogs. I will miss him. So, please keep Frodo in your thoughts and know that he has left a huge hole in my heart."

Lea

 

 

Daisy Mae #2

VGSR sends condolences to Stephen and Michele Sledge on the passing of Daisy Mae #2 to the Rainbow Bridge on September 12, 2007. The Sledges write, "It's with a very sad heart that I am writing about Daisy. We had to put her to sleep on September 12th as she had tumors in her right front leg and also in her chest. The vet said there was nothing more we could do for her as we had been trying to make her comfortable for the few weeks before as she could barely walk. Her heart and mind were still there but her body was tired of fighting at around 10 years of age I guess as she had all but stopped eating. It was really frustrating because none of her tests showed anything was wrong until they finally did the x-rays. It has been very hard on us losing her sooner than we had expected. We wanted to say thank you for the almost 5 years that we got to spend with her. It was a wonderful time from the daily walks trying to find squirrels, rabbits or even the geese at the pond to chase to a few beach trips that she took with us. She will be greatly missed by all our family as well since she always came with us on visits. "

Sincerely,
Stephen and Michele Sledge

 

 

Cocoa

VGSR extends sincere, heartfelt sympathies to Bob Collins on the loss of Cocoa on September 9th, 2007. Bob writes, "This is a very difficult message to write. Cocoa did not respond as we had hoped to his treatment. He stopped eating completely on Friday and showed signs of renal shock on Saturday night. I took him to the Emergency Veterinary Hospital on Route 17 at 11:00 PM Saturday night. He could barely walk by that time, was starting to shiver (first stage of convulsions) and would not lay down because he could not get comfortable. We finally saw the Vet at 2:20 AM Sunday. She ran the blood work and it showed him in the final stages of renal failure. She offered to hydrate with fluids but his levels were so high that this would only prolong the pain. I had him put to sleep as he lay with his head on my lay at 2:58 AM Sunday September 9, 2007. This was the toughest thing that I have ever had to do because he was such a sweet guy and clearly deserved a better life than he had. I only wish that I could have had him when he was younger so that he might have had a better life. I wish I had better news. Maya is depressed because she apparently knows something is wrong and she doesn't want to eat right now. She and I will be going to Corolla next week so maybe we both can recover and heal. Thank you for allowing me to have Cocoa for the time that I did. He was incredibly sweet, friendly and loving. The good news is that over the Labor Day holiday, I spent a lot of time with both of them (walks, playing and just being together). Even on Friday, Cocoa was playing with me. I will miss him very, very badly. I will need to find another companion for Maya. I do not want her to be without a buddy to be with when I am at work."

Bob Collins

 

 

Toby

VGSR sends condolences to Krista Daniel and her family on the loss of Toby on May 14, 2007. Krista writes, "I have very sad news: Toby didn't hurt his leg a week ago like we thought, his spleen ruptured. It healed enough that he regained normal function and apparently reopened over the weekend. Tad took Toby to the vet this am and we went to the emergency vet clinic in Frederick. They found that he had malignant tumors in his liver and his spleen which caused the rupture. With surgery to remove his spleen he would only live 2-3 months with the cancer in his liver. There was no way to know, just a month ago he had a vet visit and all his bloodwork was good and he was healthy. Even today at the vet he was wagging his tail and if the condition was unknown you couldn't tell. His abdomen became swollen last night because his spleen was bleeding out. We had to put him to sleep tonight, and I'm nearly out of mind with grief. I wasn't ready to say goodbye, and I miss him so much my heart aches. Tad and I took our last pictures of Toby today before we had to take him. We brought him home so he could have time in his backyard and to see Wren. He was pure joy in my life and there are so few of those. These words come close to how I'm feeling......

Funeral Blues
by W. H. Auden (1907-1973)

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with the juicy bone.
Silence the pianos and, with muffled drum,
Bring out the coffin. Let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling in the sky the message: "He is dead!"
Put crepe bows around the white necks of the public doves.
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my north, my south, my east and west,
My working week and Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song.
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one.
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun.
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can come to any good."

 

 

Deli

VGSR sends condolences to Dee and Don McGibbon on the loss of Deli on April 18, 2007. Don writes: "Just a sad note to let you know Deli passed over to rainbow bridge this morning. Her back legs had become paralyzed because of hip dysplasia and she had kidney trouble because of the dysplasia too,not her food. She was a trooper until the end with a healthy appetite and always trying to get up for us so she could go out but the hip/s really got her. She was also just too old for the anesthesia it would require. We had two good years with her and spoiled her as much as we possibly could with absolutely great food and no discipline and no regrets. And she never gained weight!!! She barked at every person, dog, and squirrel that passed her bay window right to the end. She has even got our big boy Rommel barking at everything now. We know there are lots of folks in the rescue that willl remember her as the senior alpha that stayed and stayed. We did find out she was half elkhound which accounts for the magnificent eight-foot fence jumps. Even the vet didn't believe that part. We will all be back to normal maybe next week. Too hard to write this but wanted you to know first. Love Ya!"
Best regards,

Love, Don and Dee

 

 

Max #23

VGSR sends condolences to the family of Max #23 who went to the Rainbow Bridge on March 05, 2007. Mark and Pia write: Our Max. It was a beautiful day. It was in the high forties and breezy, with blue skies with wispy clouds. We went for our last walk. We had a visit from a friend. He had his favorite bone for a long while. He slept on the bed and went for one last car ride. He never passed the car without sniffing the door to see if we were going for a ride. The day seemed to stretch out before us until the very end. Then it passed and there was a little hole in our hearts. It is a cold night tonight and the wind is gusting outside, and I know that in the wee hours when I wake up, my heart will be heavy because I won't have to get up to take him out. I won't have to get dressed, grab a coat and hat, and take the flashlight to trek outside. It is over now. Max has passed. Max left us, in true Max style. He found poop on our last stop outside the vet. He ate paper towels from the waste can in the vet's office. And he tried to bite everyone involved in holding him still. We tried. We tried our best, and in the end, our best wasn't good enough. Our best did not find Max his forever home. Our best did not have the happy ending we were hoping for. Our best left us in doubt, questioning if we could have done more? Should we have done more? It is quiet now, late in the evening and there is an emptiness in our home. Tears have been shed and we are left with the lingering memories, focusing only on the good memories, letting all the others pass. We remember the good times: the big lummox cuddling on the bed; the big boy leaning against your legs, looking for a pat on the head; and the playful toss of a bone to chase it down. When I wake before dawn and line the dog bowls up in the kitchen, it is likely I will shed a tear as I look to shoo him out of the dog food bin or try to stop him from jumping up and spilling a few bowls onto the kitchen floor. I am left hoping in the end that it is known that the day we picked him up, he was slated to be put down; unknown, alone, and no one to shed a tear for him. But for four months there were no kennels, good food, dog bones, and treats every day. He was a king with soft beds, access to the couch and plenty of walks in the fresh air. His last stop was in a room with a soft blanket and dimmed lights. He was surrounded by people that cared. He was loved. Tears were shed, and he will always be remembered. He wasn't Max #23 to us. To us he was simply known as our Max.

Mark Chapman & Pia Zamora

 

 

Kaiser

VGSR extends sincere, heartfelt sympathies to the Root family on the loss of Kaiser on November 14th, 2006. Regina writes,

"Dear Brent,

It is with the heaviest heart imaginable that I write you these words. Kaiser has passed away. A few hours after confirming the transitional cell carcinoma in his bladder, we took him to an emergency clinic last night but nothing more could be done to help him. Brent, he is not here anymore. So if the rainbow is any brighter these days, it is because Kaiser is now up there helping it shine.

You are right when you write that we will treasure every moment we had with Kaiser. It certainly was a privilege to be a part of his life. The news of a cancerous tumor was heartbreaking enough; I thought we would have so much more time with him. Last Saturday, the weather was beautiful and we spent the day outside with Kaiser. He was not in the mood to walk much and just stayed by us for much of the day. We were saying good-bye and yet full of hope that we could still beat the terrible odds.

What a loving boy. He had so much more to give to others and it feels so unjust that his life was cut short so quickly. Yesterday he took time with each of us and looked us in the eye and leaned his head into our chests when able to take a pause. It was painful not to be able to take away his discomfort. Audrey put a paper towel under his collar to give him angel wings, all on her own. The last thing she said to him was, "We only got to be with you for a minute, Kaiser." To a five year old, that sense of time is probably right on.

I am sending a picture of Kaiser from Saturday. He no longer felt like walking much but had many cuddles to share with all of us. He kept his frisbee close throughout the day.

Sincerely, Regina"

 

 

Dana

VGSR sends condolences to the family of Dana, one of our happily re-homed German Shepherd Dogs. Gail, Dana's former case-worker writes on October 6th, 2006, "It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of Dana vom haus Lind-Mark (1/13/94 to 10/4/06). Dana was adopted from VGSR in December 2003 by Natalie B. Dana was just shy of her 10th birthday. I was their homechecker and caseworker. During our initial visit I was so impressed with Dana's wonderful temperament that I suggested to Natalie that she get Dana certified as a therapy dog. A couple of months later Dana passed her TDI test and began going with Natalie to several facilities in the Tidewater area. Dana knew exactly what was going to happen when Natalie pulled out Dana's therapy dog vest and would run to the door ready to "go to work." Natalie retired from the Navy and moved back to her hometown on the New Jersey shore. There she and Dana spent more time visiting hospitals and nursing homes. Natalie even got a weekend job at a nursing home and Dana was allowed to go with her and would roam the halls spreading affection and being an awesome ambassador for the German Shepherd breed while Natalie manned the receptionist desk. She enjoyed going with Natalie to a friend's farm where she could lie in the shade while Natalie watched her granddaughter take riding lessons. Occasionally, Dana would attempt to "chase" deer that were on the property, but generally never went far from Natalie's side. Sadly within the last several months Dana's health began to fail. She had a variety of problems including Pannus, intestinal problems which even a special diet couldn't control, her hind end began to give out on her, and weight loss which the vet thought might be as a result of cancer. It was with a heavy heart that Natalie made the decision to let Dana go to the Rainbow Bridge. Her ashes will be spread on the farm that she so loved to visit. I have attached a recent picture of Dana taken at the farm with her Great Dane buddy, Kiwi."
Gail

 

 

Jada

VGSR extends sincere, heartfelt sympathies to the Duelly family on the loss of Jada on August 28th, 2006. They write, "Jada passed away on Monday Aug. 28, 2006, after being diagnosed with spleen cancer in April. We first met Jada at an adoption event about 3 years ago. Our son, Ricky, fell in love with Jada at first sight. We finally brought her home about three weeks later. She has been the love of our lives. She was the sweetest, kindest, most well-behaved girl. We took her everywhere with us. She went on vacation and also visited Ricky at Virginia Tech. Our home is so empty without her. She charmed everyone she met. Our dog sitter neighbor who has always cared for our pets even let her move in whenever we couldn't take her with us. We have had other dogs who never got that invitation. We have met people once and when we saw them again they would say, "I'm sorry I don't remember your name, but how is Jada?" She always impressed everyone. We are having trouble sleeping without our big ball of fur to snuggle with in bed. Thank you all at VGSR for finding Jada for us. Now at least we have Jackson #6 who has been a big comfort for us during this time. We are so lucky to get another great dog!
Love, Lorelle & Rick Duelley

 

 

Ginger #8

Deepest condolences to Glenda, Sheila, and all those VGSR volunteers that were so deeply involved in caring for sweet Ginger when she came to us, already in a bad way with tumors in her ears. Glenda writes, "Yesterday (08/22/06) we helped sweet Ginger to the Bridge. She crossed over peacefully, with people that loved her - she was so tired. She closed her eyes and finally could sleep with no pain. Ginger was very sweet and quiet. She had not had an easy road, that was clear. She spent her last days eating ice cream with those that cared about her. She was loved and spoiled until she was too tired to continue. She will be missed terribly by her foster family. She deserved a hell of a lot better life than she had."

 

 

Christie

VGSR extends sincere, heartfelt sympathies to Steven and Susan Landers on the loss of Christie, their Shepherd girl, on July 11, 2006. Christie had undergone multiple surgeries over the last month to repair her arthritic hips but drug-resistant infections from the surgeries were more than her systems could withstand, and that sweet girl went to the Rainbow Bridge on Tuesday evening.

 

 

Shulz

VGSR sends belated condolences to Dee and Don McGibbon on the loss of Schulz on June 3, 2006. Don writes: "It is with heavy heart and a river of tears that have flowed here over the weekend. On Friday night, about 1-2 am our beloved little adopted working dog Schulz passed after a long bout with illness and rear leg paralysis that was getting worse daily. Dear Schulz would bounce back and just amaze us almost daily. He wanted to keep on going-such determination in a dog. You remember when we got him that July weekend in 2002 when we first met you and became volunteers and this lady who owned a ranch in Waterford came in and said she had other dogs and horses in the family and couldn't keep him--he was a lost little guy because his person had died and he was pining in a big way. We never expected to go home with him but he changed our lives forever as our first german shepherd. Remember we never had a mature GSD before. We did own a GSD puppy that we had to give up for other good reasons. Schulz became my best companion and he was a social misfit among our fosters. Being a working dog he was never a pet and even toys were a new thing to him. And reward biscuits were all new too. We loved spoiling him and he was unlike any other GSD-His coat was so plush he was like an animated Gundt toy. He was calm in all situations with both people and all animals. He gave lots of love and bonded in a huge way with our other VGSR dogs and he was kind to all the fosters too but he remained a little bit of unsociable to the rest of the pack. Just a couple of months ago Dr. John Lonam did a senior workup on him and we discovered he had had surgery of the intestines -he still had staples there and he had three very bad discs of his spine (from his work over the years) - a natural degeneration. We figured he was 12 this year. John said to enjoy every day and he was right again-in the past 3 months his legs started to give out on him. At the end we were carrying him out to the yard with towel slings and he didn't like that one bit. He hated to be helped- such pride in an animal! He also had something else wrong with him-we believe it was cancer - he kept getting skin tags and he had an ear hematoma - a lot of little surgeries for a little guy. But he always bounced back. There is a very big void here right now. We are having him cremated. The other 2 shepherds here, Deli and Rommel, miss him-you can tell-but it will take awhile to get back to normal. Deli is really slowing down now too and her mobility is failing but we are enjoying every day. I am so glad I am retired and with them all the majority of the time. Regarding Schulzie, looking back he was the best of the best to us. I'm sorry the group didn't reaally know him but he was so glad he made it to the last 2 Bark Balls and met all those other GSDs - he was prancing around saying hi to everyone. We LOVED spoiling him. It is so nice to believe in Rainbow Bridge."

Love, Don and Dee

 

 

Red

VGSR sends condolences to Liz Mims on the loss of Red on June 27th, 2006. Liz has sent in this poem in memory of Red:

What did I know about you? Nothing.
What did you know about me? The same.
I brought you into my family's life
Not even knowing your name.

I learned you were a good dog
Who had shared with a loving man.
He taught you how to heel and come,
And sit and stay, and be the best you can.

There must have been a woman there
Who taught you love and grace.
Maybe you thought of me as her
And saw no difference in my face.

Children were a way of life for you,
And for all your strength and size,
They never thought that you could harm.
You were love in their eyes.

September will come and school will start.
"Where is Red?" They'll have to know.
"He's gone. His true Master called.
He was tired and had to go."

I got you in your sunset years
And we didn't have many days,
But in the time we had together
I learned to see peace in your soulful gaze

I will remember how fine you were,
How beautiful to know,
Because when a spirit is as good as yours
The life reflects the glow.

Lovingly written by Liz Mims... for Red

 

 

Smokey

VGSR sends condolences to Tommie Lanasky, our Volunteer Coordinator, on the sudden loss of Smokey on April 12th, 2006. Smokey was a sweet, gentle, dignified, poised, loving soul that truly was an ambassador for the German Shepherd breed. She truly will be missed by all that took the opportunity to know her.

Tommie writes in memory of Smokey one year later: "It's been 1 year ago today that my best friend "Smokey" crossed over the Rainbow Bridge (sure doesn't seem that long ago). I think of her every day. I still bring her flowers to sit by her makeshift urn that holds her bowl, her collar and a favorite tennis ball. I cry as I write this for my girl, I still miss her so much. She went everywhere I wanted her to go and she tried her best to act like the lady she was. I pray I'll see her again."

 

 

Moose

VGSR sends condolences to Vince Forte and his family on the loss of Moose (formerly Gregory). Vince writes: "Just thought I would let you know that we lost Moose (a.k.a. Gregory - rescue tag 736) in late October (2005) to hemangiosarcoma. We adopted Moose and his Mom - we think, Sera (a.k.a. Sarah - rescue tag 729), in October of 2003. Moose fell ill one week and after herculean efforts by Cherrydale Veterinary Hospital, the Emergency Veterinary Clinic and Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates had to be put down. He was stoic through it all and never suffered. During the two years he was with us, Moose brought nothing but joy to our home (except for the time he was arrested and I was charged with harboring a dangerous animal - long story, not his fault, charges dropped - boys will be boys). He was an outstanding companion and at 131 pounds somewhat intimidating to the unknowing, but a real puppy at heart. He loved his life! His loss is grieved every day. Sera is doing well, she's up there in years and suffered from separation anxiety at the loss of Moose. She's gotten over it now and in a way likes to be the top dog. Although we plan to adopt another GSD, we don't think it will be right for Sera at this time. I'm sorry it has taken so long to let you know, but it has been difficult. Thank you for bringing Moose into our lives - he was a great companion, friend and true gift."
Vince Forte

 

 

Bonnie

VGSR sends condolences to Brenda and Rick Daniel in Yorktown on the loss of Bonnie. Brenda writes: "We lost our "Bo Bear" Bonnie on February 20, 2006 at 13 years old. Half-toothless, Bonnie was delivered to our front door in 2003 at 10 years of age because her owners no longer wanted her. She first went to live with my daughter Dawn and family. Bonnie loved the children, played miniature golf with them and never missed the school van pool and jumped aboard their van everyday. They would get to school and she would bark out the van window as if to announce their arrival and she was there protecting "her" family. Dawn's family then moved to NC to a second floor apartment which was impossible for Bonnie to climb steps all the time so she came back to Rick and me. Our formal dining room became Bonnie's room complete with her own toddler bed, favorite bones and French doors. But Bonnie did not like her K-9 siblings so she had to play only with us. She especially loved to follow Rick all around the yard and pool but only after she stepped outside and barked to announce to our neighbors she was outside and again watching her family. Her aging limbs were beginning to give up on her so she would play lying on her back showing us her big toothless grin and giving lots of kisses. Bonnie even would snarl and smile at the same time when we would give her raspberries. Rick liked to gently pinch her cheeks and say "fat pads" until Bonnie grinned, wiggled and would fall over with joy. She always made us laugh with that happy face. We had her on many medications, chondrotin, glucosamine, rymadyl and also had a brace to support her weakening hind legs. Her last week with us her rear completely collapsed due to degenerative myopathy and we were out of options. Her face was full of confusion as her legs kept giving out and making her fall forced us into the decision to let our girl go on to Rainbow Bridge. Dawn, Rick and I all held Bonnie close to us and talked quietly to her as she left this world. We all love her, miss her so and pray she is now with our beloved shepherd Lucky who had inspired us almost 5 years ago to foster/rescue GSD's with VGSR. We will be with you again, "Bo Bear". Our love will not keep us apart forever."
Brenda Daniel

 

 

Moochie

VGSR sends condolences to Lea and John on the loss of Moochie on 02/16/06. Moochie was John's shadow for years, and a great soul. We all wish Moochie a smooth ride to the Bridge, and a warm welcome from Josey, Deja, Trooper, Jenny and Pee-Wee when he arrives.

John writes, "It is with great reluctance that I send you, Moses, to the Rainbow Bridge. With a silent killer inside, you never faltered, bravely learning to walk with a repaired knee and cancer growing inside. You put up quite a front. I never got to repay you for your unquestioned loyalty and the affection you showed me, for I could never live up to this. I never got to repay you for your companionship, which came to possess my life with a desire to be with you as much as I could. I never got to repay you for our walks, because they were the center of my day. There will never be a friend quite like you, Buddy Boy. As you go to join your sisters, I hope you'll still be right behind me as you always were in this world, and I thank you for blessing me with the chance to know you for a short while."

Lea writes, "Last night at around 7:00 pm we had to very unexpectedly send our beloved Moochie (Moses Malamute) to the Rainbow Bridge. As many of you know, he was making a marvelous recovery from the cruciate surgery that he had around six weeks ago. He had just started walking well on his repaired leg. He became very ill early Thursday morning and the regular vet sent us to see the internal specialist at the emergency hospital. An ultrasound revealed that he had multiple tumors on almost all of his major organs. They did not feel that they could stabilize him enough for us to take him to an oncologist as he was hemorrhaging inside. He left his journey here on earth peacefully, and in our arms. I know in my heart that Josey, Deja Vu, Trooper and sweet little Jenny will all be very happy to see him. The pack is whole again, just in a different place."

 

 

Roxanne

VGSR's very deepest sympathies go to Barbie Dodge on the loss of Roxanne on 02/10/06. Barbie writes, "Mike and I have made a horribly difficult decision that it's time to send our beautiful Roxanne to the Bridge and end her extremely valiant fight with degenerative myelopathy. If you don't know what that is, I hope you never have to find out. Roxanne is our first of four (yes, I said four) VGSR alumni that have found a permanent home with us. We adopted her in '03 at 7 years of age. She is definitely a poster-child for adopting older dogs. Our only regret in adopting her is that she spent the first 7 years of her life with someone who considered her to be a disposable pet, and she deserved better than that. She was foster #47. I guess that instead of failing fostering 101, we failed fostering 147. Our "Beautiful Girl" will be missed more than words can say. Rest in peace beautiful girl, mommy and daddy love you."

 

 

Phoebe #2

VGSR sends condolences to Ruby DiVittorio on her loss of Phoebe #2. Ruby writes, "Dear Friends at Virginia German Shepherd Rescue, Sadly, I want to inform you that our wonderful, sweet Phoebe 2 has died. Her picture is in your adopted page. We had her one year this month. She became suddenly ill, spent a whole weekend in an intensive care facility then on to testing the next day. She was found to have chronic liver disease which had not shown any signs prior to this. The doctors said she could have had this from birth and it just didn't show signs but there is no way to know. Her liver was completely hardened and almost nonfunctional. We had an internal medicine specialist for her an tried her on a truckload of medicines. She did not improve but got worse very quickly. We had her euthanized when it became obvious that her quality of life was down. We were not willing to let that precious life suffer. She went down very peacefully with her sweet face in my hands. Phoebe was a very vivacious girl, loved her kitty sisters and was like Velcro to me. We will miss her greatly but are happy that we knew her love for this year. Thank you for all you do for the pet population.
Sincerely,
Ruby DiVittorio"

 

 

Tyra #2

VGSR's very deepest sympathies go to Sheila Grimes and her family on the loss of Tyra. Tyra came to VGSR with three other sweet puppies, but she was infected by the parvo virus, and she and her sister, Tomi, had pneumonia. Sadly, sweet little Tyra lost her fight for life and went to the Rainbow Bridge on April 27, 2005. We are grateful to Sheila for having helped her through her last hours, knowing that she was loved and cared for.

 

 

Trooper

The membership of VGSR sends condolences to Lea and John on the loss of Trooper, on 03/04/05. Lea writes,

"It is with great sadness in my heart that I tell you that this evening our dear Trooper went to join her beloved sisters, Deja Vu and Josey at the Rainbow Bridge. We adopted Trooper from Washington Humane Society around Christmas of 1991. She was somewhere between six months and a year old when we adopted her. She was our very first "rescued" dog. She had been beaten, starved and burned with acid on her face and legs. They called her Lady, but we renamed her Trooper - it seemed much more fitting for such a brave little dog. We will miss Trooper, the troll who always kept vigil at the bottom of the steps, just daring any dog to try and get by her to get up the stairs. She was truly a character and we will miss her greatly. So, the "Wonder Dogs" as we always called them, are all back together again. I am sure that Jo and Deja were very glad to see her. With a heavy heart,
Lea"

 

 

Jennie

We all send condolences to Lea and John on the loss of Jennie, their foster, on 12/16/04. Lea writes,

"Dear Friends,
It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that we just returned from sending Jennie off to the Rainbow Bridge. She was an elderly dog that had been dumped at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter pretty close to a year ago. We took Jennie into our home full well knowing that she was not adoptable, but she certainly did not deserve to die alone and scared at the shelter. I always said that I wanted to take in an elderly dog as my tribute to my beloved Josey and Deja Vu.
She was crazy as a loon, prone to seizures, would attack her reflection and went nutty when anything would spin. But, she was a dear old soul and we loved her. There will never be another dog quite like Jennie. For a dog her age, she was very spry and could still manage to chase a car from our side of the fence. Sadly she could not fight off the cancer from her mammary tumors any longer. We had quite a few of them removed during the course of two different extensive surgeries, but they came back with a vengeance.
Please let her death be a message. If you know anyone who has a female dog that they have not spayed, please urge them to do it ASAP. If Jennie had been spayed when she was younger, she probably would have lived to be 15. It is a damn shame for a dog to be old, yet still young at heart, to be killed by a cancer that could have been avoided.
Sadly,
Lea"

 

 

BeBe

VGSR extends our deepest symphathy to Glenda DaCosta and her family on the untimely loss of their beloved foster dog, BeBe. BeBe stole the heart of everyone who met her. She was being treated for heartworm, and even though she was getting weaker and weaker following the treatment, she always had a big wag and smiles for her entire foster family (4-legged ones, too). BeBe, you were loved and will be greatly missed by all who knew you. Run now and play like we know you wanted to, but were too sick!

 

 

Winnie

VGSR's very deepest sympathies go to Beth and Hank Kilmer on their loss of Winston. Beth (VGSR Board Member) writes, "Winston Kilmer, the beloved dog and friend of Beth and Hank Kilmer, passed away on July 31, 2004. Winston joined our family in a Petsmart in late October, 2002. We were packing up from an adoption day when he came trotting into our hearts. His current and second owner was dumping him, returning him to the rescue for reasons that proved to be unfounded. We took his leash, agreed on the spot to foster him, and looked at each other knowing it was love at first sight. Winston was our first foster dog. Winston was known as "Skinny Winnie", as he was at first quite thin under his beautiful long coat. Later he became known to us as "Winnie WooWoo", after the way he talked to us, not in a bark, but in a wide vocabulary of woo-woos. Winston had a rough start in life, and had many hurdles to overcome. He did a magnificent job healing his spirit. Winnie was a huge presence in our lives. He forever marched to the beat of a different drummer, and our house will forever be too quiet without its sound. Thank you for the gifts and the lessons, WooWoo. It was an honor and a pleasure. You have our hearts."

 

 

Nikki

VGSR sends deepest condolences to the James Gilfillan family on their loss of Nikki. James writes, "Around Christmas, 2002, through VGSR, we made an addition to our family. Her name was Nikki and, since we lost a cherished friend to cancer some months before, I was determined to, "not get attached," to this one. Should have known better! Almost from the outset, she made it clear that I was to be her favorite human. While she was a gem with every human and animal she met, whenever she knew I was around, I became the center of her world. At meal time she would stop eating occasionally, look around to make sure I was still there, and, satisfied, go back to her meal. If either of us was quiet for too long, she would come looking for me with her ever-present smile and wagging tail, as if to say, "Whatcha doin'?" Try to ignore her and the stubborn determination came out in her. First would be the slight shift of position to be sure she was in my line of sight. Then would come the nose under my arm or wrist (somehow she always knew which hand had the coffee cup in it). When all else failed, and it was time to get serious, she would suddenly become an 85 pound lapdog. Usually it was just the front end across the lap with lots of excited kisses, but once in a while, when she didn't think Mommy was looking, she would climb completely up into my lap and stay there till she had her fill of ear-rubs and chin scratches and, best of all, tummy rubs. Her favorite game was ball. It seemed fetch was for lesser dogs because, while she would streak after the ball and catch it either in mid-air or after a bounce or two, the game then became keep-away. She would lay down with the ball in her mouth or taunt me by dropping it on the ground between her paws. Of course before I could grab it she was off again, never getting far away, but never coming within reach, either. She would eventually tire of keep-away and "let" me catch her. Then the fun would begin anew. If she ever did understand Frisbee she was not impressed. She would chase it 'til it landed and, after a few sniffs, prance off like it wasn't there. But mostly she was content doing whatever I wanted to do, whether it was going to the pet store or going to the bathroom (yes, she kept me company many times in the ol'reading room). No, it wasn't long before I was hopelessly and passionately in love with this furry love bug. No matter how bad a day I had, no matter how grouchy or ill-tempered I became, I knew I could count on those bright eyes to sparkle with unconditional and unfailing love for me. Several weeks ago, we became aware that Nikki was showing signs of being constipated. While I am normally paranoid about such things, I was not overly concerned this time, and made an appointment to see the vet. The concern on the doctor's face was my first clue to just how serious this was. He had found a large mass in one of her anal glands. After further tests we found an even larger mass in the pelvic canal with a number of lymph glands involved as well. My worst fears were confirmed - Cancer! We could wait, let nature take her course, and enjoy the weeks we had left. Or we could fight and hopefully have a year, maybe more. We chose to fight and scheduled the surgery for May 13th,2004. Nikki fought for 5 long hours and survived the surgery. In ICU, her pain was difficult to control since they had to split her pelvis to get the largest mass, and she developed edema that was almost uncontrollable. After two days it became apparent that the time she had left in this world would be spent in a long and painful recovery, so we made the only decision we could and let her go this past Saturday, May 15th, 2004. There is a gaping and painful hole in my heart now and I miss her terribly. As much as I know I can never replace her and will never love another dog the same way, I know I will find another furry spirit to love and cherish.To my very best friend I can only say, 'I will miss you, I love you so much, goodbye.'"

 

 

Jack

VGSR sends deepest condolences to Alice and Bob Lucan on their loss of Jack. Alice writes, "What is it, a privilege, a gift, a blessing? To know a dog like Jack and to be loved by him so much that he saw none of my flaws. In his eyes, I could not make a mistake more serious than failing to take him for a walk when he wanted one. (Jack would go out and come back tired, happy and satisfied, maybe after enjoying a good "gossip" with the guys. But he would still rather have had me along. I know this.) And when we did go out together, he would not explore. He would stay close. He was always responsible for me, even when I obstreperously thought I was the one in charge. He was not anxious except when I was away from him. He did love everyone else - and he worshipped Bob, my husband, his Alpha - but what he wanted was to be there for me always and he always was. My greatest pleasure, our great pleasure, was to take a nap or a walk together, to train together, or just to soak up each other's scent. I have no trophies to show your greatness, Jack, my angel love. You and I won no show titles, though you could have done. Your titles are the ones I gave you, my angel bear, my cuddle pup, my big brave handsome dog. He lost none of this at his end. Every ounce of his love, strength, wisdom and character stayed with him while his last illness made him sick, stole his breath, and then felled him. "They" always say it is like losing a child, but that is not true. Losing a child is much larger than the parents' grief, it is a profound tragedy, unjust, a loss for mankind. Losing my dog is an intense personal loss, something quite between me and God. He gave me this gift, this blessing, this privilege, this manifestation of pure love, and now, Jack is gone. He is with You, Father, but what am I to do?"
Alice Lucan

 

 

Claus

VGSR extends sincere, heartfelt sympathies to Brent Jacques on the loss of Claus, one of his fosters, on April 15th, '04. Brent writes, "I wanted to let everyone know that one of my foster dogs, Claus, died this afternoon. Many of you knew Claus from adoption outings, so I wanted to let you know. It was a relatively short and peaceful end, thankfully. Claus was a senior dog that came to us when his owner became very ill. He was one of her favorites and one of the last that she parted with in the final stages of her illness. If you got to know Claus at all, you will understand why.
I suppose we all deal with fostering differently, but I try to keep some emotional distance beween me and the fosters. It's the only way I operate, otherwise I wouldn't be able to let them go. Claus was an exception. Indeed, he was an exceptional dog in many ways. He nuzzled his way into my life and my heart. He was a big, stoic guy, who lived with arthritis for many years, but never complained and still did his best to get around and even managed to play.
I will miss his big, lion-like paws, the happy noises he made when he was excited, and that beautiful, noble nose that always found its way into the palm of my hand whenever we walked.
Please give a senior dog an extra hug and a kiss today in memory of Claus."

Brent Jacques

 

 

Chanel

VGSR sends deepest condolences to Barbi Dodge on the loss of Chanel, her foster dog, on January 22nd, '04. Barbi writes, "It's with a heavy heart that I write to you, as a very difficult decision was made today to end the suffering of yet another VGSR dog. Dear Chanel was euthanized this morning due to an extremely poor prognosis regarding hip problems. Poor Chanel probably suffered some severe trauma early in her life, which left her with only partial mobility and use of one of her rear legs. Perhaps this could've been repaired by surgery, but upon x-rays of her rear hips, the doctor at my practice didn't give her much of a "chance" at a good life. Plus she also had a malformation in one of her forelimbs (an old fracture?). Chances are that even after surgery to fix the one hip, she probably would've been a gimpy, painful girl for the rest of her life, as even her "good" hip (which she would need to rely on after surgery) was pretty dysplastic. Added to all this, on her x-ray was found a bee-bee pellet. All this together leads me to the assumption that Chanel had probably not led a very good life in her 2 +/- years on this earth. Despite all this Chanel was a very loving dog, wanting nothing more than a human to pay her some sort of attention - often leaning against Mike or me, or flipping over for a belly rub. Chanel also never "let on" that she was in any sort of discomfort - which is why I had her for two weeks prior to her spay appointment today. If she had given any indication that she was in pain, she would've been at the vet on day one. Chanel run and played with her foster siblings like nobody's business, however she HAD to be in some sort of discomfort - and I've found that our GSD's are often very stoic creatures - not letting us know there's a problem, if possible. I take comfort knowing that despite the hard life she has lead, that she knew warmth, security, love, and lots of good food during the two weeks I had her. I sometimes wonder if perhaps somehow she found her way to us, knowing that by finding us, she'd find people that would have the courage to end her painful existence? Don't feel sorry for Chanel or me. Take reassurance that she's in a better place now, free of pain. Take pride in the fact that we are volunteers within a wonderful group that would put our feelings aside and do what is right by the dogs in our care. If you must feel sorry for someone, feel sorry for the sorry SOB's that would allow Chanel and dogs like her to suffer. They clearly do not understand the precious bond between humans and their canine companions. Shame on them."

 

 

Moose

On a late fall day in 2001, a gangly German Shepherd, not yet a year old sat alongside Rt. 245 near The Plains, Virginia, not far from I-66 where he'd been put out. Obviously having never been out on his own, he sat bewildered as to what to do or where to go. This definitely wasn't home. After having waited for not less than 6 hours, a lady who had spotted him there early in the morning, stopped to try to coax him to the safety of her vehicle. He was not familiar with this person offering him a snack, but hungry just the same, and reluctantly agreed to get in the car. As his original family was never found, he ended up in the loving hands of the folks at Virginia German Shepherd Rescue. The big, sweet puppy had a lot to learn about real life. Never having met other animals, he was devoid of any "social skills". With his new family, he eventually learned that cats were not to be chased and other dog tails were not to be grabbed, cars took you to fun places and back to a familiar home. He no longer had to stay in a crate, but got full run of his home and its yard, and had lots of toys and new friends. This should be the wonderful life, but it was not to be. After about nine months, he'd become plagued with seizures. Many trips to the vet, diet changes and increasing medication followed for the next year. Life had again become unkind. It was painful to witness the increased severity of his seizures and then the debilitating effects afterward. He deserved better. On November 6th, 2003 our Moose made the trip to the Rainbow Bridge.
Be happy big dog, we miss you but know you are among lots of friends in a better place.

Jim and Berk

 

 

Brandi

VGSR sends deepest condolences to Carolina Valenzuela on the loss of Brandi on November 10th, '03. Carolina writes, "As if it was not hard enough losing Breeze back in August. Now I lose Brandi, her sister, to a massive abcess beyond repair. Brandi, like her sister Breeze, will always have a very special spot in my heart. I will never forget her. I think I have no tears left in my eyes. She was a very special little girl who up to the last minute, in all the pain she must have been going through, still had the strength to wag her tail and give me kisses. Rest in peace my little angel. :( "

 

 

Deja Vu

Deja Vu the beloved dog of Lea (VGSR president) and John went to the Rainbow Bridge on November 3, '03. Cancer claimed her life just 15 days after her mother Josey had gone to the Rainbow Bridge. Now mother and daughter are together again, healthy and happy, and playing with Pee Wee the test cat. Deja was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She was pampered and spoiled all of her life. Deja was the problem child that destroyed a bathroom when she became trapped in it, ate furniture, TV remote controls, car remote controls. She was not good with children but Lea spent countless hours taking her to Giant and PetSmart and getting her used to kids. She was a lot of dog that needed a firm hand. Lea was that firm hand and Deja grew into a magnificent dog that could be taken anywhere. Deja got to go on one last vacation to the beach a couple of weeks ago. The dogs always loved the beach and this time was no exception. Deja was Lea's heart and soul and will be sorely missed. VGSR offers deepest sympathies to Lea, John, and all who Deja allowed into her life.

 

 

Josey

From Mary Anne Drakulic - "It is with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes that I write to tell you all that Lea and John's beloved Josey went to the Rainbow Bridge this morning, October 19th, '03. Lea, John, and Deja Vu were at her side. Josey was 12 years old and had a wonderful life with Lea and John. It is because of her that Lea is so much involved in the rescue of the breed we all love so much." We all send our condolences to Lea, John, and all who had the privilege of knowing Josey.

 

 

Shyla

VGSR sends condolences to Brent Jacques on the sudden loss of Shyla on August 12th, '03. Brent writes, "I'm sorry to inform you that we lost Shyla today. I took her to the vet this morning because she had not eaten since the spay surgery last Thursday. She had no interest in any kind of food and she was wasting away fast. The biopsy that had been taken during the spay surgery showed that she had a severe case of inflamatory bowel disease. It may have been caused by food allergens, but it had progressed to the point that she had significant scar tissue in the intestines, which made it impossible for her to absorb nutrients from her food. The result was chronic wasting syndrome and diarrhea that she had been experiencing. With the disease making it impossible to absorb nutrients, and her inability to eat, the only option was to put her to sleep to stop the inevitable decline. I held her the entire time so the last thing she felt was a human embrace. After the life she had led, I hope she knew there were at least a few human beings who cared for her and wanted to help. I'm sorry we didn't do better by her as a species, and I wish I could have done more for her personally. Since she was a one person dog, I hope she will find one lonely person who needs a shepherd so they can cross that Rainbow Bridge together."

 

 

Breeze

VGSR's very deepest sympathies go to Carolina Valenzuela, Breeze's foster mother, on her passing to the Rainbow Bridge on August 7th, '03, due to a massive intestinal blockage. Carolina writes, "Although I only had you for a day, you really touched my heart, Breeze. You were a very special girl who deserved so much better in life. You will be greatly and deeply missed by your two sisters and your friends. I'm sorry I couldn't make you better. I know though that where you are right now, there is no suffering. Rest in peace, little angel."

 

 

Apollo

VGSR sends condolences to Bobbie Cascio on the sudden loss of Apollo on August 4th, '03. He collapsed and was rushed to the vet for emergency intestinal surgery, but did not survive. He was an awesome dog! Apollo demonstrated all the good qualities the German Shepherd represents: intelligence, loyalty, good-looks, curiosity and humor. He was only 1.5 years old and quite tall. He was doing quite well in his foster home despite having a pancreas insufficiency known to German Shepherds. He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

 

 

Elliott

VGSR extends sincere, heartfelt sympathies to Kim Richardson, Elliott's foster mom, on his trip to the Rainbow Bridge on Saturday, July 19th, 2003. Kim writes, "Good-bye Elliott...your foster mom misses you very much but she knows deep in her heart that you are in a beautiful place romping around with your new puppy friends where you no longer feel sick. You will never be forgotten!"

 

 

Zena

VGSR sends condolences to Larisa and Sean Kirgan on the loss of Zena (#3). Larisa writes, "For two brief weeks we were blessed with the opportunity to foster Zena. She was a sweet, energetic one-year old. We constantly wondered how someone could have given up such a wonderful dog. Zena appeared to be strong and healthy, but unfortunately, she had complications during her spay and she just didn't pull through. She went to the Rainbow Bridge on June 25, 2003. We take comfort in knowing the last two weeks of her life were full of love and happiness. She made friends with our VGSR-adopted dog, Amelia. They played and played and played. We have never seen a dog with such intense ball drive as Zena which revved up the drive in Amelia. From morning to night, they constantly brought the ball to us and set it on our laps. It would have been more enjoyable for us if they hadn't dropped it in their water bowl first! We'd toss the ball and the race was on! They would slide across the hardwood floors trying to be the lucky dog to grab the ball first. Most of our evenings were spent taking turns playing ball with "the kids." When they had the opportunity to enjoy the backyard, they chased each other all over the place, rolling in the grass and wrestling. Such good friends! We miss you terribly, Zena! But you can play all the fetch you want where you are now!"
Larisa & Sean Kirgan, Zena's foster parents, Parents to Amelia (Adopted Nov. 2002).

 

 

Chuck

Our very deepest sympathies go to Kim Richardson, Chuck's foster mom, on his trip to the Rainbow Bridge on Friday, February 28th, 2003. Chuck was a very sweet little guy, only six weeks old, who had a very severe intestinal problem. Despite the best efforts of Dr. Matt, Dr. Schneider and Dr. Brown, and emergency surgery, the very painful decision was made to send little Chuck to the Rainbow Bridge. Dr. Browning did all he could to save Chuck's life including two emergency operations and a plasma transfusion from his own dog. Little Chuck had a bad reaction to the plasma transfusion and the difficult decision was made to end his suffering. Thank you, Dr. Browning, for all you did for little Chuck. And thank you Kim for showing little Chuck love and caring for the last few days of his short life. Good Luc