2009-02-02
Nestor09, also known as Cody.
I have had dogs in my life for a long time, but until Cody's path crossed mine, I had no idea just what a special place in my heart a dog could capture. Cody, to me, was the embodiment of life's essence: live for today, enjoy every moment as a gift and sleep as much as possible!
"My" big boy gave me and my family more than I could ever return in a life time. He taught all of us to calm down, just by his presence; he was always kind, tolerant of my 2-year old mutt's insistence to play with her and let her know patiently - gentleman that he was until his last breath - that he would rather just stay put.
He was truly gentle, and while he could still get around, would put his big head in my husband's lap to be petted. I could never understand why he chose Laurence, who used to make a show of not being a "dog person", but now I realize that Cody was on a special mission...and he succeeded! It was very difficult to deny Cody his favorite activity: going for a drive!!
But in the heat of the summer, unfortunately, I had to leave him at home. He would park in front of the door to garage and cry until I got back. But he forgave me as soon as I returned.
The day before he died, he got his wish to come along because it not too hot. The moment we had heaved him into the back of the suburban, he did what he always did when really excited: he started shredding the blankets I had put down for him.
He enjoyed himself immensely! When we got home, we found he had lost control of his legs, his every breath was a struggle and, to our immense grief, the very next day we had to let him go...he will be in our hearts forever.
I know he's no longer in pain and can chase all those balls he was so fond of, but he has left such a void and I will miss him until we meet again. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share my pain.
Doris
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Thursday, 6 P.M. 8-12-10 Somewhat more than eight hours ago I was looking for Maya, the lovely golden retriever I have been fostering for Retriever Rescue of Colorado.
Normally she goes out, does her business, and comes back into the house where all the joyful chaos is. This morning she did not. I looked out and saw her in the back of the yard, lying on her side, struggling in discomfort.
I went out and saw a seizure taking place. I was not surprised as she had come in with a report of a minor seizure history - two at my place over nearly three months. This was different: she could not recover and was unable to get up.
Attempting to lift her up was of no avail. I called the medical adviser and president of Retriever Rescue of Colorado (RROC) which served as the official host for Maya for advice, Sharon M. Sharon is not medically trained but is very competent in assessing vet facilities and determining which are most appropriate for a given situation.
She suggested that we take Maya to Gillette Veterinary Clinic.... we drove up there where she was immediately given the urgent care she required. The long and the short is that around 3:30 P.M. they called with a bad prognosis and urged us to return to make any decision.
My belief about critter care is the same as I would like for human care: Whatever is in the best interest of the dog. At 5:00 pm we helped Maya to the end of her life. I had Maya in my home for under three months. She adjusted immediately and would have been welcome to stay the several years I expected her to live if she could not find a home.
Given the fear people have of taking in a dog with a seizure history or other chronic disorders, that was a possibility. She had a serenity, a beauty, a comforting presence that drew many to her. I cannot express how much I appreciate what Sharon did by being with me through this, nor can I express the gratitude I feel to all in RROC who were involved in the decision-making and without hesitation supported the decision to provide the best medical care possible for this eight year old guurl.
Finally, kudos galore to Gillette Veterinary Clinic for the skilled work and the compassion shown by everyone at that facility. Thank you for reading this. I just had to write these few words for my own sake.
If they benefit you, all the better. wil j w.
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Andy came into my life in June of 2008. Although he was already 9 years old he was the most well behaved, sweetest dog I had ever met. When he was brought over to me to meet for the first time there was never any question that he would be my pal. Andy came into my life when I needed a companion, a gentle soul to heal and comfort.
I would always go home at lunch during the work and walk him. It didn't matter what type of day I had, he was there to greet me with a wagging tail and I could swear he was smiling. He always made my day complete! We drove cross country together to California in 2008 and had a great time. We went hiking and his favorite activity was sitting in his baby pool and playing with his toys. Our treasured time together was after our morning walk he loved to snuggle.
Andy was very spoiled and he deserved to be! He must have had a tough life before coming to live with me. He was afraid of stairs, thunder, lightning, the dishwasher and any really loud noises. He had a peaceful life with me and eventually concurred to the stairs but never got over the other things that frightened him. It did not make him less, he was the perfect dog to me.
I knew when I adopted him that our time together would be short but had no idea it would only be 2 years. Andy died on March 26, 2010. He gave so much more than I can say. If anyone questions whether a senior dog is worthy adoption, think again. they deserve to have whatever time they have left...they are angels in disguise.
Victoria Y - Andy's mom
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Hi Everybody, Just wanted to let you know that we had to say goodbye to our little Tony this afternoon. He started feeling sick and lethargic just yesterday afternoon. After a myriad of tests during the night and today, a tumor was discovered on his heart.
The tumor was leaking fluid into the pericardium, putting pressure on his heart. The blood wasn't flowing properly and it was causing him to be very weak. Although he wasn't in pain, the vet said it was a terminal condition so we decided to do what was right for him.
We were with him until the very end and he went peacefully. Antonio Montana Stengl was adopted on August 26, 2007 when he was one and a half. He led a wonderfully spoiled life with us. A political refugee from Wyoming , he welcomed many foster dogs into his home and showed them the ropes so they too could be successful when they went to their forever homes.
Incredibly patient, loving and friendly with all, he won the hearts of everyone who knew him. Over the short two and a half years with us, our couch-dwelling companion traveled the country and in fact, spent the last 2 weeks vacationing with his family in Breckenridge with quality time at the dog park just yesterday. We miss him terribly.
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Moses was the foster of the Graham family. After they took him in and loved them as their own while he awaited his new home, Moses lost his battle with age and passed away in his sleep on February 5, 2010.
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Bozley Mulligan R.I.P
Greetings RROC family,
With the recent postings of our loss video, my goal and message to our family of volunteers and adopters was simple. We never know how much time we will have with our dogs and therefore we are so lucky to find them...or have them find us.
In the midst of putting the videos together and forming storylines that can apply to us all as animal lovers, I wondered if these postings seemed morbid or almost "too sad" for the RROC site.
Upon posting I decided that there was much to good to be found in each of these stories. It was about loss but mostly about celebration of what we are given in return for the chances we take when we add a new member to the family.
2008 themes included "Taking Chances" and "Tributes to Senior Pets." 2008 brought record numbers of adoptions, great events, new volunteers and so much more. I expect nothing less this year and this is why 2009 will be a year of "Celebration".
Despite our economy and the seemingly endless bad news reports, I believe we can all still find ways to appreciate what we have.
If you truly feel that you have never been party to fate, I encourage you to view Bozley's video. It is true that our films on Bozley worked to reveal such a true spirit in the face of adversity and physical ailment. However, I believe Bozley's message is much stronger than just a tale about a dog that made it through surgery.
A pet's ability to look a human in the eye and forgive even in the most tragic of circumstances is truly one of their most admirable and amazing attributes. Dogs are never upset that we are late....they are just glad that we are home. I have yet to meet one person in my life who as excited as my dogs are each and everyday I walk through the door. We are truly blessed with the company of our canine companions and I do not need to speak for Bozley's family on this subject. The love and care they offered this goofy and loveable chocolate lab the day he set foot in their house, speaks loudly for itself.
For each pet we must say goodbye to there is a great story to go along with their life. This my friends, is a celebration. As a result, I would like to share the first of our 2009 stories with you in hopes that after our tears together, we can smile a little and "Celebrate".
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Formerly Sally Mae, February 2009
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October 19, 2008
Hello all my fellow dog lovers,
It is with deep sadness that Christie and I report that Jayden has now enter another doggie play yard. We were very blessed with him for a year and eight months. He loved us, played with us, ate with us, and slept with us all of those days. We feel very blessed for all he gave to us and all he allowed us to give to him.
His cancer was pretty prominent in his pancreas spreading to his liver. If we were to do extensive treatment maybe we could gotten a few more weeks with him, but the quality of his life might have been questionable. We could not be that selfish. With tears in our eyes we found some food he would eat and played ball with him one last time and then put him to sleep.
In time we share our lives with another but for now we are simply going to grieve a bit. Thank you our RROC family for bringing this precious son of ours into our lives! I know he was loved every day he was with us and without RROC that might not have been the case for Jayden!
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Yukon, the precious Golden who was surrendered by an elderly woman in the Springs, crossed over the rainbow bridge.
He became very lethargic and we took him to the vet. He had a large tumor on his spleen which had metastasized to his lungs. The vet gave him only weeks to live, so Lori gave him the gift of helping Yukon out of pain.
Lori states that she feels so blessed to have had him for the two months they shared and is happy to know that she gave him two months of a great life with lots and lots of walks and hikes and rides which is what he loved best.
The family won't be too terribly far off as her other dog, Petie, obviously is missing his friend already.
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July 13, 2008
The first time I met Elliott was in 2007 at the Annual Adopters picnic. The reddish-orange coat, the long slender legs and the obsession with the baby pools that RROC had set out was all you really needed to see to point out this true Golden Retriever. Elliott rushed past me stopping only for a moment to say hello and then was off to the races again to play with the 75 other dogs in attendance.
The Adopter's Parade that year catered to many of our four-legged friends, but something about Leslie and Elliott struck me with a certain sense of sincerity. As they walked alongside one another in the parade, the images of Elliott holding his head high with great pride, and Leslie's obvious and genuine happiness to have him walk with her, are truly something I will be able to keep forever.
Tuesday July 15, 2008, at 3 pm, I checked my email inbox. The usual updates of dog photos and bios accompanied emails from friends and family. The top of my inbox read a subject line from my vice president reading ELLIOTT.
I was absolutely certain that my recent plea for new photos of our successful adoptions was being answered and that a photo album of Elliott's latest adventures would be locked inside this email. Instead... the sad news of Elliott's passing were the words I read.
As I read the email, I thought of Elliott marching in the parade and pictured him in the pool at the RROC picnic doing nothing but having the time of his life. My thoughts immediately went to Elliott's family and what they must have gone through and will continue to go through with his passing. And then, just as we all do when we read about the loss of a pet, my thoughts drifted briefly to my own two senior goldens and the fact that tomorrow was no guarantee no matter how you love them.
I was not with RROC in 2006 when Elliott "adopted" Leslie and her family. RROC has moved from 30 volunteers to over 100 and adopted out almost 700 miracles. Elliott was one of those miracles. I was not with RROC when Elliott's family signed his adoption contract. I was not present for the comfort and happiness he provided to his family each day before he crossed over the rainbow bridge.
However, the day I watched Leslie and Elliott march in the 2007 Adopter's Picnic, I was blessed with one little piece of Elliott to remember him always.
This small piece of Elliott does not tell us how many times he greeted his family at the door, how many walks he went on, how much joy he brought to his forever home, how many pets he received, but those are the memories his family can treasure always. What it does tell us is that Elliott was meant for Leslie and RROC is grateful to be apart of the miracle.
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Story by Leslie Welles. RROC post and archived article on Elliott and additional photo on next page
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Taz
(intro by RROC's webmaster) Some of our most amazing dogs which have come and gone are posted on this page. Some to age, or even disease. But what about one whose life was tragically cut short?
One of the hardest things in rescue that is often forgotten about but serves as the backbone to organizations with no shelter base, is the ever-important element of the "foster home". Dogs are loved and cared for and many times learn to trust again while with these temporary caretakers. Without foster home RROC's navigation within the rescue world would ultimately be non-existent.
Please read about one foster families experience with both joy and sadness in being apart of the wheel that keeps RROC turning. Submitted by RROC's own Debbie Davis who was also Taz's foster mom
Taz came to us in August of 2007 from a local shelter where he was very unhappy being caged most of the time. He was a typical, sweet lab that loved to play and cuddle, loved people and dogs and ignored cats. He had some separation anxiety and revealed that he could climb fences and gates and jump through screens when left alone.
While he was in our foster care, we worked with him on these quirks, and he was a mostly happy, goofy boy with the cutest freckles on his nose. He was introduced to potential adopters a number of times, adopted twice and returned for silly reasons like being "too mellow" or not being perfectly trained, then he met what we thought would be his forever family.
He was good with the resident dog, disinterested in the cat, and we were thrilled that he had found a home after 4 months in foster care, Unfortunately, despite the assurances of the adopter to us that he would never be allowed outside unattended, he was given access to an open dog door for a few hours after being at his new home only about a week.
He escaped from the yard, was hit by a car and killed. The adopters did not find him until the following morning. They felt horrible, we felt worse. He was such a sweet and trusting boy and he deserved better than that tragic and lonely end. In many ways we feel like we failed him, it was our job to protect him and find him a safe, loving, forever home and we failed in that regard.
I guess there are no guarantees in rescue, and at some point we just have to cross our fingers and trust the people that we have tried so hard to screen. We think of him often, he was with us a long time, we loved him and he was part of our family. Our lives are better for having known him.
Rest in peace, sweet Taz.
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Owen
January 4, 2008
When I am gone, Release me, Let me go- I have so many things to see and do. You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears. Be thankful for our beautiful years.
Hi, my name is Owen. I was a 5 year old black lab boy who came to RROC with a little cough. I fought through my illness and got back on track to find myself a new home. After a while it was discovered that my cough was much more serious.
I attempted to battle back and fight for my life. RROC did everything they could to save me and even put out a plea to the public to help with donations for my emergency vet visit. A special thanks to Alameda East Vet for making me comfortable in my final hours.
On January 4, 2008, I crossed over the rainbow bridge after a well-fought battle against pneumonia. I crossed over in peace and can breathe easy now. Do not worry for I am in a better place and thank RROC for giving me that extra chance to be loved again.
Love, Owen
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10-29-07-What does it mean to adopt a senior pet? How will it change your life...your pet's life? When you take in a senior pet, you are doing more than just adopting. You are giving a second chance to a pet that has the best years of their life ahead of them...their senior years. How can there be a reward greater than the honor of being apart of something so special?
Gray coats and muzzles on the outside only mean more love has accumulated on the inside. As you read our story, please gaze at your pets tonight, young and old, and imagine where they would be without you...or where you would be without them.
The light that seems to shine brighter in a dog when they are a senior has always been there since their puppyhood, but it is up to all of us to realize that it only grows brighter with age. Please take a moment and read the story of RROC's 11 year-old yellow lab, Aspen.
This is Aspen. Aspen is a handsome 11 years young, yellow lab who came to RROC with his "sister," Kora. While his foster parents were in no hurry to adopt out this blonde beauty, RROC answered the everypresent call for the perfect dog to one of our amazing applicants, Thomas.
From the moment they met, it was clear that Aspen was meant to be with Thomas. As an older dog, Aspen was somewhat compromised in the area of exercise. He was often short of breath in short periods of time. However, Aspen's ailments never managed to discourage his owner from showering him with love and care.
Aspen and Thomas were blessed with each other's companionship for four and half months and while it was not enough for either of them, Thomas is grateful for the wonderful time they shared. Aspen and Thomas became fast, inseparable friends who were together inside and out, in Thomas's truck and in the National Forest.
On October 29, 2007, suffering from a variety of age-related ailments, after much consideration, time and love, Thomas said goodbye to Aspen and helped him cross over the rainbow bridge.
"I always knew where he was and he knew my whereabouts or he came and found me and laid down a few feet away. The only time a leash was used was when we were out on the street. Otherwise, he was at my side. Aspen is missed and will always be remembered."
Please give a smile at the thought of Aspen and realize that rescue is more than just placing dogs and that it is our hope that every dog RROC helps gets to end his or her life in the arms of someone like Thomas.
Thomas is grateful for having known Aspen. RROC considers this a message for all of our readers who may want to know about Aspen so they can hug your own dogs a little harder today. Each time you walk the national forests, remember the love that Aspen felt and the bond between Thomas and his dog that can never be broken. You are free to breathe easier now Aspen...sleep well. Love, RROC
Shadow
At this time, RROC would like to acknowledge the passing our beloved Shadow. Shadow came into RROC as an 8 year old golden boy with a sad past. Shadow came into RROC as a foster dog and left us as a foster dog.
Shadow's foster family reluctantly, assisted Shadow in crossing over the rainbow bridge August 22, 2007.
Battling a variety of physical ailments, Shadow was a bright-eyed dog who learned to love and be loved again while in the care of his foster family.
Please join RROC for a moment in Shadow's memory.
You are missed, sweet dreams. Love, RROC
Rex
Rex July 20, 2007
RROC is sad to announce the crossing of the rainbow bridge of our black lab puppy Rex on July 20, 2007. Please join us in mourning the loss of Rex. Our Rex had quite the tough life right from the beginning. This black lab puppy was stricken with a condition known as toxoplasmosis which did a number on his system.
Where there is loss, there is also a learning element. By simply deworming Rex's mother this situation could have been prevented. It was determined early on that Rex was blind and was therefore rendered defective. RROC views all dogs as deserving a second chance and took this little guy in without a second glance.
In his brief time with RROC, Rex was cared for and shown an immense amount of care and attention. Learning to live with a family, trying to master the stairs were among the many challenges this puppy faced with his foster family.
Despite his limitations, Rex tried very hard to enjoy his life. He had very limited vision but still managed to learn how to navigate the doggie door at his family's house. He played with toys and loved his food!
Perhaps due to his constellation of physical problems, he was never a cuddler but he did like to be around people. Rex loved other dogs, and had a special interest in their tails as he seemed fascinated with pouncing on wagging Golden tails!
Let's remember this little boy this way, happy and engaged, and trust that RROC did the very best for this little puppy. Cross the bridge in peace Rex. Love, RROC
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Formerly Barkley, known as Bozley
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Formerly Barkley, now known as Bozley
