 We are sad to announce the passing of 2016 Alumnus Hugo. He arrived at SEGSP in late 2016 as a stray and was emaciated with bad scar tissue from a chemical burn on his back, an open wound on his leg, and severe trauma to his pelvis which required surgery. And to top it off, he caught Kennel Cough at the shelter. He was in rough shape and obviously had a terrible beginning to life. But that all changed when he was adopted by his loving family. We received this note from his mom Linda: “We are utterly devastated. The vet did blood work and x-ray and found a mass on his liver. He had emergency surgery, but when they opened him, he was full of cancer and the mass had started to rupture. We were able to be with him and tell him what a good boy he was and that we loved him as he crossed over. We never expected this as Ivy is the old one at 14. We adopted Hugo in 2017 after temp fostering him until his pending adopter picked him up. Luckily, the adoption fell through, and we adopted him because we were smitten. By that time, he still had scar tissue on his back that would bleed whenever he rolled on the grass or played rough. We pursued surgery to remove the scar tissue and bring the healthy edges of skin together. It worked and thankfully, his back healed. He spent the next 7 years traveling with us between FL and MN. He was the best boy ever. All he ever wanted was some sun to lay in, treats, a comfy bed and his own family to love. He never sought a lot of attention; he would just saunter over and wait for you to pet him. I think the hardest part is reaching down for him or not seeing him lying on the couch or hearing one of his little whines while dreaming. Not a day goes by when we don't think of our dogs in some way. Do I have the bench positioned right so they can see out the window and watch for us to come up the driveway, is the bed too high for them to jump on, is the tile floor too slippery where I need to put rugs down, do they like their food and treats, is the water fresh enough. I think what I will miss most is his gratitude. All he ever wanted was to feel safe and loved. I would like to thank SEGSP for entrusting him with us and all the hard work they do saving these dogs. A special thanks to Linda K for all of her help. I will see you on the other side, my big, beautiful boy! Barry, Linda and Ivy (SEGSP alumni 2015) Brueske”
"Love is the balm that heals the deepest wounds." Unknown  Our 2013 Alum Doc has passed away.
His mom Mary sent us this wonderful tribute to Doc:“Our Doc crossed the rainbow bridge today after a short battle with CHF and pulmonary edema. He is now running free with his brothers and sister, Max, Rigby, and Holly (SEGSP 2015 alumni). Doc came into our lives in October 2013. He was the third rescue that I pulled from the Santa Rosa County Shelter. Doc was so submissive when I picked him up that he wouldn't even stand up straight to walk. He crouched. Since I was just pulling him from the shelter and doing the first leg of his transport down to S. FL I didn't get too attached but we loved his sweet nature. A week goes by, and I get a call from the rescue group asking me to take in a heartworm positive dog. I said I wasn't ready for that responsibility yet but if they wanted to send Doc back up, I'd foster him until we found a family. So that's what happened and on October 24, 2013, Doc joined our family. Friends saw his picture on Facebook and wanted to adopt him but we weren't sure how he was around cats and chickens. We found out quickly he was not tolerant. I thought on the third attempt he would go to a great home, but she turned out to be allergic to him. We finally decided he was not going anywhere. He joined our family that day. Doc had the loudest bark, the MOST expressive eyes and a communication style that was not difficult to understand. He climbed trees, hunted squirrels and chased butterflies. He hated fireworks so much that he would jump in the air, biting and barking. If a truck with a big engine drove by, they were in for it because he was not going to let them drive by his house without telling them off. For some reason he never liked our mailman, Patrick. There was no questioning what he wanted when he wanted it. You could say he came out of his shell when he became a McCaa. We will miss his barks (so loud that he hurt his own ears), his big feet that carried in all the dirt, his fox holes (not really), and his expressions. Our hearts will hurt with his absence but I'm thankful his suffering wasn't too long and that he was loved every moment until the end.” There is no doubt in our mind that Doc will be loved through eternity. “The two hardest things to say in life are hello for the first time and goodbye for the last.” Moira Rogers  We received sad news about our 2015 alum River from his mom Lisa.
“Just wanted to share that River, who we picked up in August 2015 passed away last night - we had a little over 9 years with him and he was a great dog! We’re going to miss him terribly” River was surrendered to a shelter in 2015 because he chased a small dog. He was absolutely terrified in the shelter (scared to death and shaking constantly) but his life changed drastically for the better when he was adopted by Lisa and her family. River had a wonderful 9 years and we can’t thank his family enough for giving him so much love. "Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he's owned a dog.” Gene Hill  We are devastated… Our 2012 Alumna, Mae B. Bird, has left the world to join her friends waiting for her at the Rainbow Bridge.
Mae was the very first Dog Doll made by her mom Catherine, who has been making and sending Dog Dolls to our adopters ever since. Mae’s buddy, Zeke, and squirrel hunting partner, Chester, were no doubt waiting for her and we smile knowing she is still surrounded by love and she will stay in our hearts forever. Catherine said, “With deep sadness our sweet Mae B. Bird has gone to heaven. We are eternally grateful to Gail and Mike for choosing us to be her forever family. We also are grateful for Southeast GSP Rescue family. We are heartbroken but she is forever in our heart.” “You will always be my favorite hello and hardest goodbye.” Cecelia Ahern  Our precious Alumna, Sally, has left for the Rainbow Bridge. She was blessed to be a part of the infamous Parson Posse and lived the ultimate life for 19 months with her family. Her mom Michelle sent us this beautiful tribute:
“Where do I begin other than to say my heart is shattered. My sweet, beautiful, strong, silly, sassy Sally passed yesterday one month shy of her 17th birthday. We adopted her on February 19, 2023 from Southeast GSP Rescue and no one thought she’d live more than a couple of months. She was 15 with chronic heart and lung disease. But once she became a Parson she had a team of doctors starting with our amazing Jackie Price Carter at Six Forks Animal Hospital as well as the doctors at VEG, Blue Pearl, and her cardiologist at CVCA who got her on the right cocktail of meds to help her not just live but thrive. Sally defied the odds and gave us 19 months. She loved life so much and we were beyond blessed to be her family. Adopting seniors is hard on the heart but knowing I gave her so many months of love and adventures helps ease the pain a little. I know TG and Piper and a whole host of others were waiting for her at the rainbow bridge. Run free my beautiful girl. Mommy loves you so much!” “You are gone, but thank you for all these soft, sweet things you left behind. In my home, in my head, in my heart.” —NIKITA GILL  It’s been a sad week in rescue with three memorials. Today we learned that our 2020 Alumnus Duke has passed away. His mom Melissa posted this:
“It is with great sadness that I let everyone know that sweet Duke was diagnosed with bone cancer on August 8 and passed away on Sept 3. He enjoyed his last summer in Beaufort where he spent most of his free time on the porch but also daily long walks and frequent trips to the beach. He was well loved and is deeply mourned.” “I think the hardest part about losing a dog you love isn’t saying goodbye… it’s the way your entire world changes without them and the emptiness that’s left in your heart when they go.” Unknown Another sad announcement. Our 2012 Alumnus Jack, has crossed to the Rainbow Bridge. His mom Mason sent us his story… Jack’s story starts as a traveling man. After running away from home, he ended up in Kentucky where he was caught and scanned. His family in NC was notified however did not want him back as he was already replaced. He then shifted over to Birmingham to reside with his foster parents, Heather and Chris. At the time, I was looking for a GSP as a surprise for my husband. He loved the breed, and I wanted a dog. After applying and completing a zoom meeting in 2012, we were chosen to be his family! Of course, the day we scheduled to pick him up in Boone he decided to pick up a scent and travel once again from his home (typical GSP). Fortunately, a neighbor found and returned him. He was the perfect Christmas gift! Jack was unlike most GSPs, always wanting to sleep and just porch sit even at a young age of 2. He showed us many tricks like scaling our chain link fence and flipping any handle that wasn’t locked. I distinctly remember dropping him at doggie daycare one day and the staff members yelling “Jack is here! Please check the gates to see if they are locked.” He loved his people and loved other dogs more. I was lucky to have a few days with him last week leading up to his departure. He will be terribly missed by all and especially his sister, Willow (SEGSP rescue). Time will heal and we will continue to look for him in the upcoming fall days (his favorite season). Oh JackJack, I will love you for eternity!!! - Mom “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal."  Hello and Goodbye. When GA shelter volunteers reached out to SEGSP for help with a GSP in an overcrowded, underfunded shelter, our volunteer Jackie (NC) answered the call and volunteered to foster her. Though we learned Lillian was battling cancer, Jackie offered to bring her home as a hospice foster and give her some comfort, care and love for however long she had left. Three states and three transport volunteer drivers later (thank you Vanessa, Ellen and Jackie), Lillian was home in rescue on Thursday. Tragically, we had to say goodbye to her the very next day. Jackie said, “I knew her prognosis, but I had no idea I’d have so little time with her. When I realized how sick she was, I took her to the place that brings me solace: the beach. My community has become my family, and when I tearfully asked a photographer friend for a favor at sunrise, he agreed immediately, said a prayer, and grabbed his camera. This photo is how I want Lillian to be remembered. Despite her sweet spirit, her body just couldn’t do it. I didn’t get the chance to learn her favorite toys/treats, watch her chase lizards, experience ice cream or take a nap together. I won’t get to explain she isn’t a Dalmatian or pull something out of her mouth. But I did get to kiss her head, rub her chest, and whisper in her ear as she laid in my lap and took her last breath. Why do this? Because I’ll let my heart break so hers won’t have to. I hope she knows we tried and that she was loved by many. And I’d do it again in a second.” “Goodbyes are not forever; they are not the end. It simply means I’ll miss you until we meet again.” Unknown   We recently received very sad news, that our 2021 alum Camo has passed away. Camo had a rough life before rescue (we believe she was abused) and was dropped at a kill shelter in OK at 10 years old. The rescue In OK reached out to SEGSP for help. We were able to save her thanks to her foster parents (and eventually forever parents) Betsy and Ted, as well as @Pilots and Paws who flew her to the area where Betsy and Ted picked up Camo.
Thank goodness we found out about her – she then had three years of being loved and spoiled by her family. Tragically, Betsy passed away last year, but Camo helped Ted mourn her loss. And we are confident Betsy and Camo have reunited and that makes us smile. This was one of those amazing success stories that stick with us and those at SEGSP that were involved with Camo’s rescue will never forget her… and we know neither will Ted. “Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them and filling an emptiness we didn’t ever know we had.” – Thom Jones  We were recently told that our 2016 alumna, Lady, has left this world for the Rainbow Bridge. Her mom Kerstin, and dad Matt, sent us this beautiful note…
“I wanted to share that we unfortunately had to say goodbye to Lady this week. She was a 2016 SEGSP alumna and was originally picked up as a stray in Mississippi. Lady was fostered in Alabama, and we were so honored to have been chosen as her adoptive family by her foster parents. She was likely around 3 at the time, and we had a wonderful 8 years with her that were filled with long walks, love and snuggles. She was our first dog, an exceptionally easy GSP and fooled us into thinking we could have a second. She meant the world to us and will be greatly missed by us and her adopted brother Erwin, a 2021 SEGSP alumnus. Despite two knee surgeries, Lady lived a life free of health issues until very recently. We had to let her go unexpectedly after she started showing signs of pain and losing weight, which quickly led to a diagnosis of metastasized cancer. Lady loved to hunt in the yard and kept it rat and lizard free. But her favorite thing in life was accompanying her dad on long walks that somehow magically ended with her getting a piece of his lunch. We hope she now gets all the fries and pizza in the world.” Our Georgia State Coordinator, Amanda, added, “Lady’s story, from being a stray to becoming such a cherished member of your family, is a testament to their resiliency and the incredible bond that rescue dogs can form with their adoptive families. It’s clear Lady brought immense joy to your lives, and we’re grateful she had such a wonderful family. Lady’s memory will always be cherished by all of us here at SEGSP Rescue. Please know that our thoughts are with you and Erwin during this difficult time.” Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail of beautiful memories. —Ronald Reaga |
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