Sad News

Five days ago my otherwise healthy K9 partner Kylie developed a limp and was diagnosed with an aggressive bone cancer in her front leg that had spread to her lungs and abdomen.

Kylie died suddenly yesterday afternoon at Tridelphia Animal Hospital in Dayton, MD

Within a week I lost my best friend. My family and I are devastated. Kylie was the 7th Ryan and that is exactly how this feels…… like a member of our family is gone forever.

When Kylie joined our family; life suddenly got better for all of us.

As a team, Kylie and I went on some of the most epic adventures. Her incredible intelligence and world class sniffer helped speak for those who could no longer speak for themselves. No matter where we went……local, state, and federal law enforcement all knew of Kylie and her abilities. She got more gifts from strangers than my kids get at Christmas. She was so loved.

During Kylie’s short life….. she forever changed our shared world for the better.

My girl is gone and everything is not okay, but hopefully one day soon it will be again. Gene Ryan (Here's a story about Kylie's career -Ed)

On October 31, 2010, my wife and I were adopted by Ty when he was about 3. He passed this week.  He has truly been my best friend these past 11 years and he was very much loved, and he loved us very much.  He was a caretaker and protector for our 7 year old daughter from the moment she came home, the 3 cats who departed before him, and his favorite cat, who is moping around just a little this week, missing him like all of us are. I just wanted to let you all know since I’m sure someone is still there who might remember this remarkable dog.  Because of Ty, we continue to support your work through donations and Amazon. I hope one day we don’t need you all anymore.

Russia came to me as a very sick senior pup. He was underweight, had massive raw areas on his skin due to allergies, had a very bad case of heartworms, and was scared of every movement I made. However, within just a few days he showed me that he was, at heart, a young puppy who wanted to trust even when scared, was always ready with kisses, would go miles no matter what the vets said, and really wanted to be an integral part of someone's life. He sang along with the firetrucks and ambulances (not police cars for a reason only he understood), hid his treats under the shed, told all the neighborhood dogs what was going on, and would tuck himself into any available space if it meant he could snuggle just a little closer. He absolutely loved to get brushed and would circle his body to be sure I got every spot just right. He was always in motion if anyone else was moving around, checking out the latest happenings to be sure he didn't miss a moment of life. He never slowed down, not even on his last days. He might have been very sick, but that wouldn't stop him. In the end, we said goodbye after a last brushing (he made sure I got all the good spots), with his head in my lap tucked up nice and close for one last snuggle.

We recently lost Snowy who was a huge part of our family and pack. Now there is this immense void that Snowball once occupied. Words don't seem fitting enough to convey the depth of loss we feel. So we thought it was only fitting pay homage to her life and legacy. This is the life of Snowy. Back in the spring of 2010, we were alerted of the need to rescue a dog, a white German Shepherd. Some people who saw this dog even wondered if it could possibly be a coyote. The dog had been hanging around a horse stable. When we first arrived on the scene, it was obvious to us that it was a white female German Shepherd. But because she was dirty and thin, we could see why some people might think she was a coyote when they caught a quick glimpse of her. She wasn't scared of making herself seen and the riders at the stable frequently saw her. But she was smart. She knew not to get close to the horses and riders or put herself in a position of being captured. Many locals in the area were feeding her which helped to keep her there. They would drive by in all hours of the day or night and drop off cheeseburgers and the like. It was apparent that she was very young and in need of rescuing. You could see her ribs. But how did she get there? How long was she out there? Was she dumped? Did she escape from somewhere? We always wondered this. But more importantly, we needed to devise a game plan to capture her and bring her to safety. Monty and Sheri and a few other very special people (you know who you are) started working on right away. As we frequented the area to begin conditioning her to our presence, we would put food out for her nearby to us. We tried befriending her by trying to hand feed her. While she was food motivated, she would come ever-so close but not close enough to allow us to touch her. She would even walk behind Sheri within a few inches in an attempt to get the food that Sheri had in her hand. Seeing that physically capturing her this way wouldn't work, we moved to the next phase. We set up a humane trap. We are experienced in tracking and trapping and have captured dogs with humane traps in the past. However, this girl was having none of it. She would walk to the entrance to the trap and not enter. This went on for a while. Knowing this wasn't going to work anytime soon, we had to change our strategy. We set up a kennel run in the field. We tied the door open and began putting food in there for her to eat when she got the nerve to enter. Since the the kennel run was much larger than the standard humane trap, she felt more at ease with entering. Once she routinely entered the kennel run, it was only a matter of time before we were able to shut the door with her inside. After she was captured and authorities were notified, we were given the go ahead to transport her a local veterinary hospital so that her health care could begin. We had been working on her capture for weeks at this point. Once the dirt and grime was washed off of her, we could begin to see her beautiful white coat. This diamond in the rough became known as  "Snowy".  While in the hospital, all of us involved in her capture would routinely visit with her to help condition her to being around humans. She was very feral. She put up with us but she never once acted aggressive in any manner. You could say she was very passive. She missed out on socialization with humans early in her life and therefore, had no reason to trust us.  The next step was to transfer her into a foster home. So we decided to bring her to our house as our next foster. We knew this would be a long process as she was an extreme flight risk. She was not bonded to us and had no reason to be. Every precaution was taken to prevent her escape while we were bonding. As she began bonding to us, we were able to let down our guard little by little, but not too quickly. Because we already had other Shepherds of our own, this helped Snowy transition into living in a home. She was awesome with other dogs and she learned to trust humans though them. She never acted aggressive with our dogs. True to her nature, she was very passive with them, too.  After fostering her for about a year and not finding the right adoptive home, we made the decision to adopt her ourselves. We knew her better than anyone, became very attached to her and she became very attached to us. She liked Monty... but she loved Sheri. Her world revolved around Sheri. Snowy was attached to our dogs as well. But now, this once practically feral dog had blossomed into a beautiful, majestic family member who adored her humans, particularly Sheri. Snowy wasn't too crazy about visitors though. She wasn't aggressive with them but she was most comfortable keeping her distance from them. As the years went by, that too changed and she would inquisitively wander up to a visitor to say hi. Fast forward, though the years we brought many new fosters into our home. Some stayed, some did not and were adopted into loving homes of their own. But when we brought a new foster home, Snowy was our first test dog. She never let us down and was always willing to allow a new packmate into the fold. She was bombproof in this manner. After arriving to our house as a new foster, she never spent a night alone. There was an occasional stay at the vet's office for something health related which was out of our control. But we never ever willingly left her alone. Her days and nights of living near the stable in the woods, chasing off the occasional fox which was trying to steal food that was intended for her, were long gone. Snowy was home. Through the years, Snowy learned to like all sorts of things. Some are very normal like fetch, swimming in the pool, roughhousing with her humans, going on walks. But she also had some comical behaviors (all scent driven) such as rolling on fresh sheets on the bed, nuzzling into Sheri's long hair, getting a new toy and rolling on it. She loved peanut butter, ice cream, milk, sliced cheese, chicken... and again, her human mom. When Monty would come home from being at work, she was happy to see him. But when Sheri came home from work, Snowy's expression of joy jubilation was on a whole other level. You could practically see her beaming and smiling with love. Snowy didn't travel well and never learned to like the vehicle. As a result, she didn't travel far from her home. But she had a home where she felt safe, loved and never had to worry about anything ever again. She was safe from harm, starvation and learned what it was like to have a family of her own. On the day she left this world, she was wrapped in our arms and our love. Yes, she was very lucky that some people cared enough to help her when she needed it most. But we like to think of ourselves as the lucky ones to have had the opportunity to capture her, show her love and receive that love in return. Snowball, you taught us a lot and we helped you learn many things in return. But we lived a great life together. We couldn't have asked for a better addition to our family and our home is not the same without you. We love you. Until we meet again...
Monty and Sheri

It saddens my heart to inform you of the loss f our beloved Fritz (f/k/a Ranger) on Monday, September 13.  From the first day he came into our lies in Sept. 2010, he formed a bond with me only a dog owner can understand.  He remained that way until the end.  Through all of these years, there are too many memories to list.  Since my retirement a couple of years ago, our bond has gotten even closer spending almost every part of the day together along with our other MAGSR dog Heidi.  Starting everyday off with breakfast outside on he patio.  Coffee and your dogs, what better way to start your day.  Your loss will be felt for a long time but I know I’ll see you across he Bridge.  Until then, good bye my friend.   Jay S. Thomas

My Shadow I entered the journey of adopting a GSD without truly understanding the lasting imprint a true, pure, and perfect creature of God would leave.  Who knew my shadow was in the shape of a German Shepheard!  It was March 2, 2019, when we returned to look at few more dogs for the umpteenth time.  This time was different and I knew that.  Monroe silently spoke to me on a completely different level; she was tiny but mighty.  Trish, one of the key volunteers with MAGSR, dubbed her the ‘Tiny Terrorist’, and in the following years, we discovered why in the purest and most loving way. No one could imagine the lives these poor pups, the Georgia-38, came from; starvation, neglect, abuse, and worse, but MAGSR gave these beautiful creatures the opportunity to be shown true love, affection, structure, more love, consistency, guidance in return for their loyalty. For that, we are eternally grateful.   Monroe was a mess and it was going to take a lot to heal her from the horrid past.  We poured on the training, love, affection, patience, structure, and FOOD like never before.  It was the best three years for all of us.  Over those years she helped me with countless things from trivial tasks to the meaningful comforting of not only myself but friends who were surprised to learn Monroe could sense they needed comforting.  She was an expert at cleaning the dishes (no pre-rinse needed), she HATED the vacuum as much as I did, guarded the house when we were away, helped me achieve the walking century club with Peloton in record time (wearing my century club T-shirt as I type this), and so much more.  I watched a dog who was unfamiliar with love afraid to move to a dog jumping up on 3’ to 4’ walls on command.  GSD’s are in my eyes the perfect creature, just perfect except for one thing; their life expectancy.  We just never know when they will be called back up to Heaven.  I’ve had many dogs and it’s never easy to say goodbye to your family pet, never.  But saying goodbye to Monroe has been beyond devastating.  It feels like a void larger than the Grand Canyon.  I will always miss her fierce loyalty, her ability to protect me, help with dishes, her trying to kill the vacuum cleaner and overall being an incredibly spoiled and loved member of our family.  I will miss my shadow. I will never understand why she was called too soon, but I am thankful we had the time we did.  I love you Monroe and you are beyond missed.  Until I meet you on the Rainbow Bridge…   

We adopted him from MAGSR August 10, 2010 as (MAGSR told us) a 3 yr old, though he’d been a stray so who knows how old, and was known then as Duke.  He’d recently been ailing with Degenerative Myelopathy, and Friday started to exhibit a vestibular disorder:  he would swing his head around, and couldn’t seem to focus his eyes. When it didn’t resolve overnight, we took him to an animal hospital where the disorder was diagnosed and where he spent the next night.  He could not stand up without assistance, and tumbled over when he could get himself up into a crouch. He could only take a few steps even with help on front and read ends, lost interest in eating, stopped urinating on his own.  We observed him at home for 2 more days hoping to see improvement, but really there was none.  I can’t imagine feeling so dizzy all the time that I can’t stand up.  :…(.    I wrote you on the 11th anniversary of his adoption just last month, noting that he chose my husband;  It was on a horrifically rainy visit to the kennel to see other possible matches, where his foster mom had brought him for some reason.   Love at first sight.  No regrets. In his life, he had surgery to remove a discal cyst at University of Pennsylvania, part of his tail amputated, bladder stones removed, some various subcutaneous tumors as well as some porcupine needles removed.  He defended our backyard in Delaware from numerous groundhogs (we think he mistook the porcupine here in NH for a groundhog) also treed a bear twice, and generally always took very good care of us, including offering his aid and comfort after my husband’s knee surgeries.  In addition to his own surgeries, he got acupuncture, and something called Bi-com treatments, all to his benefit, I guess.  He had fans far and wide, including visitors from England and Hungary who asked about him afterwards.  Our petsitter kept painting him; we invited her over yesterday just to see him.   We determined to do our best by him, give him every chance and I believe we gave him the best life, and dignity at the end.  But the house is so lonely now.   Thank you so much for matching us up! 

Our beautiful, loyal, intelligent and loving girl Gretel went to wait for us at the Rainbow Bridge on Sept 7th 2021. She was our friend and companion for almost
thirteen years spending the last eleven in the state of Maine, where she loved the snows of winter. She also loved playing with a tennis ball becoming a champion
fielder in the half dozen dog parks and school yards we visited throughout her life. Gretel was also extremely intelligent. She knew all of the basic tricks and would even retrieve a specific stuffed animal when asked. She knew how to weave through obstacles and receive a lateral pass. Unlike some shepherds, Gretel extremely friendly toward other dogs, even smaller ones, and especially tolerant of young annoying puppies. I have a memory of a pug lying on its back between Gretel’s huge front paws on a hot summer afternoon, batting at Gretel’s tongue as she patiently panted away. She was also loved to travel by car with us, especially once EZ pass eliminated the need to visit manned toll booths. While we owned a conversion van, she would sit in the front passenger captain’s chair, watching out the windows to the delight of other drivers and their young passengers.Thank you MAGSR for matching her with us. She was the perfect dog for us and I think she would agree
we were the perfect family for her. We miss our sweet girl ever so much. We will look for her at the
bridge. Wait for us Gretel!
Ken, Nancy, Jennifer, James, Elizabeth and Henry

Three years ago my husband and I lost our girl of 11 years.  Our hearts were broken and the house was so quiet we couldn’t stand it.  So we learned of the Georgia-38 pups and decided to honor our girl by saving another sweet ones life.  That is when we found ourselves at MAGSR.  And there she was, Gracie (fka Amika) sitting across the field with a little boy knelt in front of her.  Gracie was so gentle with him she caught my eye immediately.  We walked over to meet her and spent time walking her around.  It didn’t take long to know we had found our girl.  The ride home she was so calm and quiet, from that point we knew we found our travel companion.  Gracie loved going for car rides so much it became a Friday night routine, along with a bite or two of burger we would stop and get for her.  Boy did she love her car rides!  Gracie also loved her walks with her Daddy and did very well in her obedience’s classes.  She mastered sit, stay, come, down and shake very quickly, we know we had a smart girl.  Gracie was a quiet girl her first year with us.  I mean she didn’t make a sound, but one day the door bell rang and there it was; a strong Shepherd bark, the kind that means business.  From that point Gracie always alerted us of strange sounds and we knew she finally felt she was home.  During that first year we had noticed that Gracie had pain in her hips and legs and the vet confirmed it was hip dysplasia. She was placed on pain meds that helped.  For the first time after that we saw Gracie run!  Gracie took to both of us, but her person was my husband.  She followed him everywhere.  They both enjoyed the yard no matter what they were doing, gardening, cleaning up or just enjoying the sun and breeze.  Over the next two years we spoiled Gracie and also felt we had to protect her because of the life she previously had.  As the time passed we noticed it was becoming more difficult for her to sit down without having pain and she began to stumble when walking so she laid more.  The vet said it was degenerative myelopathy.  We changed her meds and did all we could to keep her comfortable; but then sadness happen.  Gracie’s back legs just gave out and you could see she was in pain.  The vet said we could try steroids but other then that there wasn’t much he could do.  So with a very heavy heart September 7th, 2021  the decision was made to end her pain so she could run free and pain free.  

It is with tremendous sadness that I report Tyson is no longer with us. He was diagnosed with lung cancer and was euthanized this past Labor Day. The rest of the family and I are terribly upset over the loss of our family friend. He truly was an integral part of out family and left us way to early.

Sammie was adopted on March 14, 2021, as half of the “bonded pair” Kota and Birch (renamed Sammie and Bosco).  She was an older dog, possibly as old as 10 years.  She had some physical problems and had recently had surgeries prior to adoption.  She was doing very well though and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the 6 months that she was living here.  As the pictures show, she and her buddy Bosco loved their naps and they enjoyed monitoring the back yard for deer. She also enjoyed the two walks per day in the woods, up and down the hills, and along the lane.   She was a beautiful and very affectionate shepherd who quickly learned commands.  My hope is that in her early years, she was owned by someone who cared for her.  We miss her very much. 

Beloved Dak (aka Nero) that we rescued in July of 2017 passed on September 1 from a battle with lymphoma.  He was surrounded with love by my husband and myself until the very end.

I have sad news to share. We adopted Willie from your wonderful rescue almost five years ago. Willie was diagnosed with a very aggressive lymphoma and we said goodbye three weeks ago.

He was my amazing companion and my heart is broken. I wanted you all to know he was totally spoiled and adored, even by his cat brother.

Sincerely,

Elena Schlossberg
Haymarket VA

We write to you today to inform you of the death of MAGSR alum Lilly. We adopted Lilly on Nov 14, 2009, and she died peacefully at age 13 on July 27, 2021. She was the canine sister of MAGSR alum Silver (https://magsr.org/sad/silver).  Our son, Jaxon -- now entering his senior year of high school and looking forward to college -- grew up with these two amazing creatures that MAGSR brought into our lives. Smart, sweet, loyal, brave, gentle doesn't even begin to describe how great Lilly was. God bless all creatures, great and small, but especially Silver, Lilly, and the kind people at MAGSR who helped lead them to us. 

Smokey came to us on June 2, 2012. We had to put Smokey down on July 21 of this year. He was 14 years and 2 ½ months, the longest living Shepherd that Chuck has ever had. He was the greatest dog we’ve ever had.  Everyone loved him: he was the Mayor of the neighborhood. Small dogs who were afraid of most dogs just approached Smokey and he was so gentle that they adored him. Friends with small children and grandchildren who were terrified of dogs used to bring them to meet Smokey and they left here loving him and becoming  more able to be around other dogs. If Smokey wasn’t perfect, then he was the closest thing to perfect I’ll ever see.   We’ve been spoiled by him. Of course, we did our share of spoiling. We used to kid Smokey that he was a very wealthy dog; he lived in a big house and had two servants, one of whom was his personal chef. We just wanted to let you know that he had a wonderful life, was beloved by everyone who met him, and I suspect we’ll be grieving him forever. We are grateful to have gotten him from you for these 9 years.