We have very sad news… Our 2018 alumnus Remington, aka Remi, has left this world (but not our hearts).  His parents sent us this beautiful note:
 
“Remington (2018 Alumni), Remi, Mr. Remi, Rem dog, Bub, Little Bub, the King. We had to say goodbye to Remi this week. Remi was 11 years old and adopted us 6 years ago. He was pulled out of a shelter in Tennessee by Southeast GSP Rescue, fostered by Tausha and her family in AL, and chose us one fateful Fall afternoon in Atlanta. That day is engrained in our memory as we nervously waited to meet Remi and then watched the back of an SUV open and out jump Remi.
 
He was a big GSP, weighing between 70 and 80 pounds (depending on cheese and pup cup consumption). One of his SEGSP transporters dubbed him The Gentle Giant. And that is exactly what he was. Remi traveled the country with us, taking road trips to New Mexico, Colorado, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He camped and hiked with us all over the Southeast. He was a GSP on demand; he could go on a 10-mile hike, or he could sleep all day.
 
In his golden year, he loved his weekly walk through the Davidson River Campground where he would beg for a treat from the guard station on the way in and try again on the way out. Remi loved bananas. Most of all Remi was a momma’s boy. He always had a watchful eye on Sandy and would follow her from room to room; wherever Sandy went, so did Remi.
 
Our hearts hurt and we are immensely sad. We will miss the paw, the snoring, the talking, and the snout nudge. We are extremely thankful for SEGSP for rescuing Remi, for Tausha and her family for fostering Remi, and for the great care Remi received, especially in the end, from Blue Ridge Animal Hospital.


We will always love you Remi!  John and Sandy

​Another sweet alumna, Ivy, has passed away.   Ivy’s mom Robyn told us her story…
 
“Ivy came to us in 2019, she had been the breeding female at a local hunting farm. She lived the first part of her life in a kennel.
 
When she came to us, I knew immediately she was going to be a foster failure. All she wanted was to be loved on…. She was shy and timid at first but once you sat still, she would come and curl up next to you for some snuggles.
 
Over the next few years her confidence grew, and she became queen of the house. She loved to snuggle but she also loved her cozy cave. She was a master chipmunk hunter and taught her sister how to dig up the yard... we still have some holes to remind us.
 
Last fall Ivy started losing weight.  Within a few weeks she really started to slow down. She was diagnosed with liver cancer and in December she told us she was ready to run free from pain. Her decline was really quick, so she did not have a chance to suffer. She was the lost mellow GSP ever and we miss her greatly!”
 
Ivy was no doubt incredibly blessed to spend the last 5 years of her life with her true forever family.
 
“What we have once enjoyed deeply we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” Helen Keller

​We have more sad news… Our 2018 Alumna, Dottie, has passed away.  We received this beautiful note from her family:
“This is so hard to write, because when I do, It becomes real. On April 8, 2024, we said Goodbye to Dottie Nottingham. It was very peaceful. We stayed with her awhile after she was gone. She almost looked like she was smiling. I think it was then she passed over the Rainbow Bridge!! Dottie had been sick on and off this past year. She was diagnosed with Addisons. She fought a good fight but finally succumbed. It was time to let her go. Dottie will be missed by her mom and dad, Karen and Bob, my sister Sherry, and nephew Chris.
 
Dottie, we loved you so much and still do. We love you forever sweet girl. We will meet you in heaven at the Rainbow Bridge, with Fauna (Doberman), Hannah Banana (former SEGSP alumni) and many dog friends!! A special thank you and love to Dorothy Thompson, the SEGSP FL State Coordinator.”
 
We know Dottie had the most amazing 6 years with her forever family and is smiling down in thanks to Karen and Bob for their unending love.
 
“While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet her behind the veil.”  John Taylor

​We begin the weekend with devastating news.  Our 2017 Alumnus that is featured on our 2024 t-shirt, Scout, has left this world (but not our hearts).  His bucket list included raising money to help the GSPs in SEGSP foster care and he succeeded.  Thank you, Scout.  Below is a letter his mom Taylor wrote to Scout and read to him, along with singing his song, before he passed away.
“To my dearest Scout, You weren’t given a fair shake the first part of your life.  From an airport bomb-sniffing failure, to a cross-fit dog scared of people & noises; your first years were anxiety riddled and torture for you.  In 2017, we adopted you and began the slow process of earning your trust. Teaching you a safe environment is possible and that you deserved unconditional love.
 
You instantly gravitated to your lab sister, Zoey, and every possible toy you could fit in your mouth. You loved being tucked in tight to your humans at night, under a blanket of course. In turn, we were rewarded with “white noise” listening to you snore.
 
It took years for you to fully blossom into a social dog with family & friends. But you trusted us not to put you in harm's way and opened up to show your love & kindness to everyone. My heart was filled with joy when your “springer” of a tail would wag back and forth. Finally showing you happiness was my mission in life.
 
We’ve known for several months you were getting sicker, but you fought like a warrior. You fought to give us all the love in your heart.  Scout, my hope is that we returned that love so fiercely that it helped erase the memories of that first part of your life.
 
You were a gentleman, a toy hog, and the best friend I could have ever asked for. Thank you for choosing us all those years ago.
 
I will say goodnight the same as always. The chorus from “your” song that I’ve sung to you since the beginning, until today as you cross the rainbow bridge…
 
“Godspeed, little man.
Sweet dreams, little man.
Oh, my love will fly to you each night on angel’s wings.
Godspeed.
Sweet dreams.”
(Godspeed by The Chicks)
 
Final day photos include a chocolate frosty.

​We received this precious obituary for our Alumnus Buddy from his dad Garnett. Buddy, formerly Birdy, lived with his family for 12 years. Garnett said, “Our first GSP rescue, Buddy, has died. He was, and always will be, a member of our family.  Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to share this wonderful animal’s life.”
31 May 2024
Today at 2:15 PM, Buddy Kelsoe of Durham, North Carolina, died as a consequence of an aggressive lymphoma. He was 13 years and 9 months old.
 
A champion beach runner, he was first named Birdy by SEGSP Rescue, but known along the North Carolina coast by his professional name, Little Buddy Thumper.  Shortly before passing, he was surrounded by his family – both human and canine. He got to eat chocolate. 
 
Buddy was a friend to everyone he met. He loved squirrels and cats, played with birds along the beaches of Bald Head Island, and feared nothing save loud noises, electric leaf blowers, deep water, fireworks, and baths. His human friends cherished him, his animal friends often took advantage of his generosity. 
 
Buddy was a GSP or maybe an EP or maybe a little of both. His family never really cared. They loved the sound of this tail wagging – thumping - against walls, the floor, expensive art. That is how he earned his nickname, Thumper, and how he charmed everyone except a few idiots that kept expensive artwork at knee (or rather, tail) height. Buddy was as friendly as his adopted sister was not – unlike her, Buddy never bit a neighbor or even ate a cat. He never counter surfed but pound-for-pound could put
away more Thanksgiving leftovers than any dog in North Carolina. 
 
Buddy loved to ride in his dad’s truck, especially if he could let his ears flap in the breeze. And his tongue! His next most favorite thing was to roll in dead seabird, with 10-
day pelican at the top of his list. 
 
Little Buddy Thumper will be missed. He was a good dog.   Garnett