| OUR DOGS WHO HAVE CROSSED THE RAINBOW BRIDGE |
| Zeke was loved by everyone who ever knew him. He wagging tail to make the day a little better. In early September of 2007, his inmate handlers noticed a change in Zeke and quickly shared their concerns with staff. Zeke succumbed to a an extremely aggressive form of pancreatic cancer and a tumor on his heart. Zeke was rescued by us after being surrendered after a divorce. He spent nearly two years in foster care waiting for a home. And, it was the loving people who've cared for him through that time that stroked his head while he crossed the bridge. Zeke had a wonderful time at the jail. He was loved dearly by the inmates and staff alike. We were was so grateful to the staff and handlers involved with the HOPE Program for giving Zeke what none of us were ever able to find for him…a family and a home. |
| Jasminie Passed away from kidney failure in January Barb when she passed. She was surrendered to the rescue when she was 11 years old. Jasmine was a very sweet dog but was very shy when Barb started to care for her. Thanks to Barb, Jasmine came out of her shell and enjoyed all the attention she was getting. Sadly she developed Cushings and then kidney disease so she was only with Barb a short while but she was definitely loved and had a wonderful home. |
| "Me and my family adopted a cocker spaniel, Buddy, in November This past Saturday we took Buddy to Shiloh Vet and found he had a tumor on his heart, they told us he only had a few days left. I knew on Thursday it was time. He would not eat his food in the morning nor did he want his daily blueberry. At least for lunch he had some steak for his last meal, but he was not interested in lettuce anymore either. I contacted Buddy's previous owner and let him know that Buddy would soon be gone. We talked about Buddy for a few minutes and how he will be missed. (I did not mention all the bad things Buddy did.) We talked about his cute under bite and especially his long tail. When Buddy's owner's wife went to get Buddy as a puppy, the Amish farmer said she could not take him that day because they were giving him a cocker tail the next day. She said no way I want him the way he is! This woman died from cancer and Buddy stayed with her till the end. We all hope to see Buddy again someday, but for now I think he is happily by his first human mom's side once again." |








Cory went to the rainbow bridge in December of 2009. He will be missed by the volunteers that walked and cared for him. |

| Buddy came into my life almost two years ago, I remember the day very clearly. It was the coldest day of the fall to that point, and I received a call from Beth Lobato that we had an older dog that needed a foster home. I drove out to the couple who was keeping him temporarily and remember sitting in their driveway in the cold, waiting for them to come home. When they got there, they showed me Buddy. He was so easygoing, with several other dogs running around him, he just wanted some attention. I knew we were going to be a good match. Nobody knows what his life was like before he was found, but we do know that he was found abandoned along a back road....with tumors throughout his body. The veterinarians said he might not live very long, but he lived two years. We would go for our walks, lounge on the couch....and eat our treats together (he ate baby carrots...I ate junk food ;) ) and he brightened my life. As I write this, tears come to my eyes thinking back to when I realized how truly thankful I was for him, and for that reason, I could not let him suffer any longer. It was the day after Thanksgiving when he went on to the Rainbow Bridge. He had been such a trooper, always ready to play and be prodded by the vet, but I could tell he was in pain on Thanksgiving. He hadn't been eating and it took a bit to get him to move around. He was having trouble urinating and I didn't want him to be in pain any longer. I realized it was time. I remember walking out of the veterinarian's office afterward into the night, the coldest night of the fall this year, and I thought of how thankful I was for the two years Buddy and I spent together. |
