Sad News

My wife Linda and I adopted Gretchen from you in Jan-Feb 2016. She had a great life with us - almost 10 years between Maryland and in  Florida since late 2018.  Due to failing health, we had sadly to have her euthanized last week, with in-home services performed by a nearby Vet with Lap of Love.

We think she was nearly 13, given your guidance of her age provided in early 2016.  She was a wonderful pet, and we would like to sincerely thank you for the beautiful, amazing work you do in saving these dogs lives and finding them deserving homes.  In the last 1-1/2 years, she also enjoyed the company of another adopted Shepherd we got from Southwest Florida German Shepherd Rescue.  Since that time, monthly Librela shots kept her arthritis at bay, and allowed her to keep going nearly two years before her body started recently failing in other ways. The picture is from last Christmas, and she is in her carriage, along with her adopted brother Klaus- the white shepherd we adopted from SWFLGSD Rescue. At that time, she was no longer able to take long walks, but enjoyed the ride. Joe Bunch

Our strong, sassy, stoic, and sweet girl Leona crossed the rainbow bridge this October. She sends us nudges from above quite a bit, which we really appreciate since we miss her everyday. You may remember Leona as a GA38 pup - one of the last to be adopted. Last, but not least in our book- oh how very grateful we are that she waited for us! Sometimes time is better measured in miles than minutes. From a road trip across the country to many beach trips digging in the sand to cozy days at home to "working" the farmers market to frolics in the woods to protecting her little brother on wagon walks. Her DM diagnosis was devastating, but/and not only did she rally (and roll!) she also leaves a legacy in our neighborhood and broader community for pets with disabilities - and the ways our most loyal companions can continue to thrive with adequate supports, resources, and compassion. A week has not gone by since she passed when I haven't run into or heard from a dog/human we met on our journey who are benefiting because Leona was a rolling ambassador for pets with mobility differences and the full lives they can lead. I want to extend deep, heartfelt gratitude to everyone in the MAGSR community who was kind to Leona, and who led her to us. Please know that Leona found comfort, joy, and peace in a life we created and re-created and adapted together. She was supported and spoiled in the best ways - and she supported and spoiled us back with the greatest gifts we could ever ask for - her time and her trust. We carry her with us in our hearts always. 

Tova “Beautiful Thunder “ we didn’t go anywhere without her. When we got her she was so skinny you could feel her ribs. The foster family said she had gained 10 lbs since they got her. Roger became sooo close to her , he didn’t go anywhere without her.  Every night he would pet her before he could go to sleep. Her bed was beside him so he could see her. Twice a week I would cook chicken breast and she had chicken pumpkin and rice.   Tova was our fur baby. We miss her so much.

Roxy came into our life in August, 2020 as an older dog.  She was fearful of us and others and chose to sleep in the dining room.  A few days later, she ventured into our bedroom and from then on that is where she slept-in her bed behind a chair.  We used to joke that she had a clock next to her bed because she got us up at 6 am every morning to go out and then to eat breakfast.  She became attached to us and us to her, as she was truly a member of the family.  She was very compassionate and gave us much joy and love in our time with her, and we miss her greatly.

Jake was adopted through a MAGSR foster volunteer in 2009 when he was 3 or 4 months old. We had him for a loving, fulfilling life of 16 1/2 years. He was everything. Ornery as could be, happy, and full of love. He was so strong, even as his age got to him, even though he was not well on his last day, he even went on one last walk. He had so much resilience and strength. I will forever be thankful for MAGSR for rescuing him from a high kill shelter, I’ll forever be thankful for him being in the right place at the right time to come home to us. There are not enough words to write to explain how amazing of a dog he was, but he was truly special and everyone who knew him, loved him. Especially us.  He will forever be missed, forever loved, and never forgotten. 

Pepper (FKA Barley of the Beer puppy litter) crossed the rainbow bridge way too soon. We will always miss her endless energy and sweet temperament. We are devastated. The Bupps.

Today, we had to say goodbye to our sweet angel Josie; Lymphoma, a merciless beast, took her from us way too soon and just short of her 4 year gotcha day. In the back of mind I really thought we could beat this cancerous beast with my Turkey Tail Mushrooms, CBD oil and homemade organic food. But the beast beat us. As I move through our home trying to escape the pain of missing her, I picked up all of her 5 comfy beds and all of the supplies needed to manage her disease. There are diapers, towels, and washable pee pads. In the pantry are Hill Science Cancer diet cans and kibbles, high protein biscuits and the pink bowls we used to feed her. The kitchen counter is filled with her medications, which became more and more difficult to give her as the days wore on. Josie was/is the dog of a lifetime and it was our good fortune to choose her. She was well known in our neighborhood for her sweet disposition and good girl behavior. So good, so sweet, and always happy to be with us, I think she knew how much we loved her. We took no vacations without for the 4 years we were blessed to have her and rarely went anywhere without our girl. She loved the beach and loved to ride in our pontoon boat and swim in the bay. I know she will not be our last dog and I have hope that we will love another as much as we loved her. But I needed to write this tribute to her because I needed to share with the group. And finally, if anyone In the MAGSR family is in need of any of her left over supplies, cancer food, diapers, pee pads etc, please dm me. With profound sadness, Dave Susen and Carol Pomeroy Susen Proud parents of the late, great, Josie Susen.
Adopted 08/10/2021

We adopted Kinkade (Cannon) on 2/1/2014. He passed on 7/19/2025. 

He went by billions of nicknames, loved snuggles, and was a fantastic addition to our family. Kinkade lived through the birth of three human siblings into our family, and was so patient with them! He loved to run outside, especially in the woods, and swim in the pool in the summers. But he was really just a quiet soul who was happiest chilling on the couch and getting some pets. We are already missing his presence so much.

This is the hardest one that I have to send along... The passing of my Ryder :(    Adopted by: Mary Ann and Jay Pierre Adopted: Sept 5, 2020
Passed: July 14, 2025 It is with a very sad and heavy heart that we are writing this. Last night (7/14/2025) we made the decision to help Ryder cross over the Rainbow Bridge. His hind legs had finally failed him. We did everything that we could for him, but it was time to leave us so that he could run again freely and without pain. Oh Ryder, you came to us so unexpectedly. The plan was for us to transport you from NC to your MAGSR foster. Well, that did not work out. You won over the heart of your Dad (and OK, your Mom too) during the 6-hour ride and within a week you were in your new home with your sister Trudi (GA38). Little did we know how sick you were, Ryder , but with the help of MAGSR we got you back to health. You were a trooper through heartworm treatment, Lyme disease and all the infections that you had. You were dubbed the southern gentleman because not once through all the treatments did you complain or show any signs of pain or discomfort. You just went with the flow. Once you got better, Ryder, you took Trudi under your wings and helped show her how to become more self-confident and opened her up to enjoying the life of a dog. Once Trudi passed, you enjoyed being an only child, until Maize came into your life. She was a burst of energy for you as you were getting older- but you continued to go with the flow. You accepted Maize into the house and showed her the way of things here, especially how to get lots of treats! Although we only got to spend shy of 5 years with you- we know that these were the best years of your almost 11 years and as Daddy always said- you are the best boy. Ryder, go run free at the Rainbow Bridge without pain buddy. May heaven have all the treats that  you want.  Until we meet again Ryder know that we love you and thank you for showing us conditional love. 

I have always wanted a German shepherd. Trying to get my wife on board was no easy task! She had a very long wishlist in order to consider meeting a potential dog. I wasn’t sure we’d ever find one that would check all of those boxes. That’s when we came across Jethro’s bio.  After studying everything we could about him, she finally agreed to meet him. The family and I immediately fell in love with him! He was a 105 lb gentle giant that also acted more like a pug than a working dog. Funny, goofy, and loved his people. He was afraid of his own shadow, and it seemed clear that he had a less than perfect past.  We did our best to welcome him and make him part of our family.  He settled in so quickly. Jax was a special dog—the unicorn of shepherds that was just perfect for our family.  He will always have a special place in our hearts. It seems unfair we only got to have him in our lives for a little over a year, but we are grateful for every moment we had with him. Thank you MAGSR for pairing us with our unicorn!

After well over 14 years we finally had to say goodbye to our Kristall. She lived a fun and full life with us since we adopted her in October 2010. Our sons would run her in 5K races where her competitive edge often shined. It will be hard missing her joyful expressions every day. Karl & Brenda Krueger

Yesterday we had to let Rocky cross over. It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. When we first applied to MAGSR in 2012 we had wanted another dog we saw on the website but by the time everything was completed he had already been adopted. We conversed with Leigh on what we wanted, she emailed us one day and said we just got this pup in 4 months old hes a mix do you want to meet him. We said YES sight unseen, we drove out to meet him (a far way mind you). We met Hutch (AKA Rocky) in a field and he came bounding over to us like hey I ve been waiting for you guys. He was the perfect mix or so we thought Rottweiler/GSD mix. We soon learned later that he was Rottweiler Whippet mix!! He was perfect he was my faithful companion for all of these years always by my side. He had beaten cancer twice in his early years we always called him our lumpy bumpy boy. We knew one day cancer would take him out. Over Covid I watched my boy slow down and age. This past year we noticed a lump on his mouth we ended up getting it removed as soon as we removed it, it started growing right back, a week or so later we got the hard news that the tumor was a malignant melanoma and it was pretty aggressive. We were able to spend the last month or so with him and letting him enjoy all of the things. He is now running around with his sister Cali who we lost in January. We will miss you boy you left a very big hole in our hearts.

Our MAGSR dog, Adele (adopted in Oct 2017), passed over the rainbow bridge today.  :( :( She filled our lives with many years of happiness and will be deeply missed!

I am heartbroken to share that Clara ended her watch over Nadiya today. We let our beautiful Clara journey over the rainbow bridge pain free and whole, reunited once again with her best friend Simone. Clara was special. She alerted us to countless seizures and watched over Nadiya for 11 and a half years. She was smart and obedient and had a strong social intelligence. She was a confident leader and teacher when she was in a pack. She loved her family and we loved her. I am including many photos over the years, some with her best friend Simone who our friends lost a few months ago to cancer. Clara and Simone were friends in the same rescue before my friend Lisa and I adopted them. It makes me happy to imagine them chasing one another again. This is a devastating loss. While we knew it was coming, today was really hard. We will be forever grateful for MAGSR and Clara's foster Nicole. They gave us the most amazing gift. I am certain that Clara's echo will remain forever in our lives.

Our MAGSR dog, Eris was adopted 12/19/2015. Eris was one of the 5 female “Christmas Dogs” from Magsr. Magsr named them all Christmas themed names…Joy, Merry, Noel..etc Eris was named Joy before we changed her name. We had her for 9 1/2 years. She was family to us and protected our home. She crossed the rainbow bridge today. Cancer is awful but I’m glad she is no longer in any pain.