In Loving Memory of our Beloved Family Member, Bailey

Bailey was a scared 4 yr old hiding underneath a porch when I first met him. He and his litter mate, Dharma, trembled together as we reached to pull them out. I brought them home for the weekend, and they have been there ever since, until Bailey passed away suddenly from a blood disease that we were unaware he had. He was 12 1/2 yrs old.

Bailey was a Canine Good Citizen and a TDI Therapy Dog who loved meeting everyone, but he will mostly be missed for his pure love, devotion and affection for me and all animals who visit and live with us.

Bailey, you were the sunshine of the party, and you are still with us.

Peggy Duszynski

A Sad Goodbye to BELVEDERE

Belvedere was a Rottweiler neighbor of Jewel (a female beagle rescued in early 2007) at her forever home. When Jewel first came to her new home—even though he was fenced—Belvedere was chained in a back corner of his overgrown yard. As soon as he was unchained Jewel's forever family could tell he was a big teddy bear. Jewel and her family always took time to interact with him. Other kind neighbors gave him food and water. Bevledere died suddenly and inexplicably.  He will be missed by all. Our hope is that all animals will have all the food, water, shelter, and LOVE that they need during their time on earth!

The Light of My Life Has Gone Out: Beauregard

The light of my life has gone out. My Beau Beau dog was sent back to heaven to be God's angel instead of mine. I know he doesn't need wings because he's got those big, beautiful beagle ears. I always knew he was only on loan to me for a short time, but it was too short, and too soon he is gone.

He came into my life at age 1 in May of 1997, became my own #1 companion in January of 2003, and left me with a lot of dog hair and a heart full of memories, all of which I will treasure forever.

He was my coast-to-coast rock & roll dog, my housesitting trooper, the self-appointed dog park protector of underdogs, and my shotgun road warrior to the end. He never put up a complaint no matter how much I dragged him around. He took it all in stride—even five days in a U-Haul and hotels crossing the desert in August--and saw both oceans with me.

He was a sweet, easygoing dog with a beagle-collie heart bigger than the whole country that lies between Virginia Beach and San Francisco.

He took his last breath in my arms in Mill Valley, California, on November 13, 2006. God blessed me with this adorable dog, and I just pray I made him half as happy as he made me, and that someday God will think I've been good enough to go where he has gone.

Godspeed, my beloved friend Beau, the only close family I've had these last 10 years.

If you, dear friends, wish to honor this beautiful, generous, sweet canine soul, please make a donation to a place like www.agaperescue.org, some place that cares for dogs and/or does inexpensive spaying and neutering. Also please let it be known that Dr. Mobley in Nashville, who always loved Beau and told me from the very first time I took him in for his shots, "You know you're never going to find another one this good," (said. Dr. Mobley), who was infinitely more helpful and compassionate by phone from 2200 miles away the last five weeks of Beau's life than the hospital that diagnosed his lymphoma in Los Angeles. Not enough thanks can be given to my friends Alice, Anni, and Jarion, who let us come to the end of his journey in the warm, loving space of their home, rather than in the empty void of L.A. The doctor they chose to administer Beau's deliverance from his failing body was compassionate and gentle. Thank you, also, to Dr. Blood and the nice people at the Marin Humane Society.

Thank you to everyone who welcomed him or us into your homes, and your hearts.

I will love him more than forever.

Jennifer Geis
Los Angeles, CA

Farewell to CJ

Our sweet CJ is suffering no more. This precious girl left us here on earth to join her canine friends at the Rainbow Bridge on Thursday, July 13, 2006.

CJ spent the last few months of her life with foster mom Tanya, where she flourished in mind and spirit, but, sadly, not physically. CJ deeply loved Tanya and loved playing with Tanya's other dogs (Mack, Tessa, Minnie, Kelsea, Bert and especially Faith), but her depilating arthritic condition eventually robbed her of a quality of life. She is in pain no longer, though our hearts are greatly saddened by her loss.

Though CJ never found her forever home, she was loved and adored by all who met her. She taught us about courage and determination ...a determination to enjoy life like every other dog, despite a cruel and insidious health condition. CJ's sweet and gentle spirit, her shining brown eyes, and those darling big ears, were her endearing qualities that we will remember always.

Goodbye, sweet CJ. We will miss you so.

Asher

It is with great sadness that I send this last update about sweet Asher. After 6 hard months of surgery, recovery, and tiny improvements, it was decided that his quality of life would not get any better. After 6 months of recovery time, he still drug his bad foot, causing it to bleed if he was not wearing a bootie. He also could not control his defecation and ended up with almost daily partial-baths. Asher could not ever urinate on his own and the 4+ time per day that he had to have his bladder expressed was causing him problems, he had developed obvious pain when this was done and neither antibiotics nor antiinflammatory drugs helped. On Friday, March 10, 2006, Asher went to run and play at the "rainbow bridge" where he is complete and healthy once again. He had a great 6 months of love and care and was always a very happy dog. He will be greatly missed.