VGSR sends deepest condolences to VGSR's President, Lea Spickler, on the passing of JayDee on June 15th, 2009. Lea writes, "This morning JayDee left for the Rainbow Bridge. He had a tumor on his heart, which had caused it to be encased in so much fluid that was making it very difficult for him to breathe. He had been on a downward spiral since Friday. We already miss him so much. For those of you who never had a chance to meet JayDee (which stands for John's Dog), he was a huge, hairy bear of a fellow that loved everyone he met. He was one of the friendliest GSDs that I have ever known. He was originally going to be gassed in a shelter down in SC. Another rescue had met him and said that they could not take him because he was too old and was probably suffering from end stage DM. When I read his sad story on GSD board, I was immediately hooked. They transported him up here, and we only expected to have him around for a couple of months. He fooled everyone and those couple of months turned into years. He picked John as his favorite person and he would have followed him to the end of the Earth and back. Jay loved me, too, but he didn't quite trust me 100%, since I was always the one that took the foster dogs on one way car rides (to their new homes!). Because of this, I could not ever get him in the car, or walk him very far. Jay always wanted (and practically demanded!) that everyone pet him if they were in close proximity. He never met a stranger in his life. Last year while on vacation, he plopped right down in a guy's lap who was sitting on the beach. Thank doG he the guy was a dog lover! We were privileged to have this magnificent dog in our lives for what time we got to share with him. And now there is yet another dog inflicted hole in my heart."

Lea

Hi there,

My name is Karen Kousbroek (was Marlette), and I just want you to know that our precious Jedd  (name at adoption was Floyd) passed away on February 2nd. He was with me for six glorious years, and I can't tell you how amazing my big guy was. He was a very vocal dog, and voiced his opinion of what ever was happening. He had a great life with me and his two sisters, Rosie and Daisy.

I rescued him ( or he rescued me) when I lived in Linden, VA. We met my husband, and moved to Tampa, FL, and then Nashville, TN. I know Jedd is waiting for me at the rainbow bridge, along with his sister Rosie.

When I rescued Jedd in 2004, he had a nasty case of heartworms. We cleared that up, but in 2007 he contracted Lupus, and most recently diabetes.

We will miss him dearly.

Thank you for letting me adopt my wonderful guy. This is a picture of him at Christmas, 2007.

Karen Kousbroek

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"

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.

Our hearts go out to Kaiser's folks, the Todd family of Sterling, VA. Kaiser went to the Rainbow Bridge Monday evening, April 29, '02. Even though Kaiser (also known as Mr. K) was only with the Todds for around a year, in that year they loved him more than most people love their dogs in a lifetime. He had a good life with everything from doggie day care to prime rib. And a young lady named Courtney who loved him very much. He will be met at the bridge by his former friend and housemate, Sarah the hamster. Kaiser suffered from DM and recently was a victim of the dreaded condition of gastric torsion (bloat). Even though he had extensive surgery, he never completely recovered and was rapidly losing ground. His spirit was strong but his body was weak. He was a special dog and he will be greatly missed.

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"

VGSR extends deepest sympathies to Robert Iannotta and his family on the loss of King. Robert writes, "On January 7th, 2009 after 6 plus years of adoption our affectionate boy King crossed the Rainbow Bridge. King was a victim of Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) which caused him the loss of mobility in his rear limbs and tail. He was determined not to let this disease beat him and as responsible pet owners and parents we were more determined. King was diagnosed with DM in the summer of 2008. During the nearly six months with this infliction we tried acupuncture, T-Therapy, modified his diet, massage therapy, medications, and even recently fitted him for his own set of Doggie wheels to bring him mobility on his walks which he loved so dearly. For the first three months it appeared that the DM was slow to manifest but the past three months there was no stopping of its progression. His Doggie wheels arrived on Monday, January 5th, but on Tuesday, January 6th my wife noticed King was bleeding from his tail. When you touched the tail is was completely wet with a foul odor which turned out to be body fluids. After taking him to our vet it was discovered that King had broken his tail bone in the midsection of the tail, probably from one of his many flops or how he landed on his tail. As a result it cut off his blood supply to the tail resulting in body fluids to seep through his skin. The tail required amputation, his recovery would be complicated and risky due to the DM. Though King had no feeling in his tail he never knew that he had broken his tail bone, and neither did we despite daily inspection of his body until the fluids began to seep out of his tail on the evening of January 6th. The only clue that I had now looking back was in King's face the week before. He had the look of defeat, depression, and exhaustion. I was hoping that getting him to use the doggie wheels would chipper him up once he realized he had mobility but that was not to be. He was already exhausted and in the past two weeks his mobility degraded to the point that he literally had to drag his rear on the floor to move. DM is a horrid condition to deal with, not only for King, but to watch him degrade and see his dignity fade was heart-wrenching. My wife and I will miss King. We will miss taking our walks, watching him stalk squirrels and rabbits, taking his toys out of the toy chest to play, but never putting them back, being petted, hugged, massaged, giving him treats, feeding him his "Din Din", sitting on the front porch watching the people and barking at the dogs that pass by, being at my side when I was dealing with cancer, for being a true friend and family member. I fondly used to say to King, "I went to the German Shepherd Rescue to get a German Shepherd and what did they give me? A Big Baby, a Big Puppy is what they gave me." He would wag his tail and love that taunting. Owning a Dog teaches us two things; that there is unconditional love and that life is too short, so play every chance you can get. King will forever be in our hearts!"

Robert Iannotta

 Leo is a 70 lb., adult male, black-and-tan German Shepherd, probably about eight years old. He has a very sweet and laid-back disposition, and will roll over for tummy rubs. He knows basic commands and is a fast learner. He enjoys strolls instead of strenuous exercise, and is an excellent heeler. He has no idea how to play with toys. He loves and protects all family members, including children. He is crate-trained and house-trained. He likes having his own reserved place to rest, such as in corner or in a crate with a blanket or dog pillow. Leo fears other dogs and will act defensively if he encounters one. His behavior has improved on walks when he passes other dogs with the help of praise and treats, like pieces of hot dogs. He was adopted from the VGSR about five years ago. His family had a daughter a year later from when they adopted him, and they recently had to make the very hard decision of finding another family for him because of their young daughter’s severe eczema, multiple allergies, and special needs issues. Leo will need an owner who can spend time with him and who can also clean and treat his ears regularly. He’s a wonderful family pet and deserves to be happy! Please contact Leo's foster mother at n_mintz@yahoo.com if you want to learn more about him.

VGSR extends sincere condolences to Karen McCray and Donna Langill on the loss of their beloved companion, Logan (registered name, "Andrew's Wizard of Cloverly Glen") at 9:15 a.m., Monday, August 10, 2009. Logan is survived by his humans, as well as his canine sisters Olivia and Heidi, the cats Maya and Charlie, and the birds Madison, Harry, and Finny. Logan watched over and bravely protected his family pack until his last hours. He will be terribly missed, although that he is united at the Rainbow Bridge with his brother Cheerio, sister Greta, and many other friends and relations.

We at VGSR would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Bernadette and Elliott Malamud, their children, and their extended family and friends for the unexpected and very untimely passing of their beloved Marco. Marco crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on the morning of January 22, 2002. Marco was a very young male GSD who was full of energy and love and stole the hearts of everyone who met him. Marco will be greatly missed by all!

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

VGSR extends deepest sympathies to Cindy and Curtis Bright on the loss of Maxine on February 17, '08. Condy writes. "Hi Liz, I am sending you this E-Mail with the greatest sadness in my heart. Maxine was euthanized yesterday afternoon by our wonderful veterinarians that took care of her. She started losing interest in food and having spells of vomiting. Yesterday she was scheduled for an ultra-sound and an endoscopic exam. My Veterinarian called me and said that there was a mass in her stomach and that they would like to proceed with a surgical procedure to get a better look at it and remove it if possible. He called me and it was a very malignant tumor that was fast growing and was already into her esophagus. It was inoperable and we both made the decision to not let her wake up. Curtis and I loved her so much and will always miss her. No words can express our loss. She had a great and happy life with us for such a brief time but has touched our hearts forever. She and Deca our Lab were inseperable and we are also dealing with her grief. She is in Heaven watching over us now with no pain and will meet us when we arrive in Heaven. Please let everyone at German Shepherd Rescue know and feel free to contact me at any time."

With great sadness,

Cindy Bright

Risa and Jeff Lapidow's Miss Knibble has gone to join her brother Byte at the Rainbow Bridge. She departed this life on Monday, July 23, '01, at approximately 7:00 pm. She was over 13 years old, and had survived Byte by months. Knibble was perhaps not the friendliest of dogs to strangers, but she loved her family and her friends. She was especially attached to those who had helped to look for her during the time, 12 years ago, when she went missing for a month. Knibble is survived by Miles and Cheerio, and the Lapidow house seems very empty without her.

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

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."

John and Moochie