We have very sad news to share… Our 2016 Alumna, Dory, has passed away.  Her mom Polly said she died after having a stroke.

Dory was found as a stray roaming the streets of Hamilton, Georgia.  She was extremely thin, but it was obvious she once had a family that cared for her since she was in good health and was comfortable inside the house.  She was fostered by Polly, who fell in love immediately and adopted her.

Dory was described as a very happy, spirited girl who loved her stuffed babies and always had one with her, or close to her. You would likely be greeted by Dory carrying one of her stuffed babies in her mouth, tail wagging at full speed.  Her tail never stopped.   We know Dory was loved dearly and her spirit will always be with her family.

“There is a land of the living and a land of the dead, and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning." – Thornton Wilder  ​

​Our 2019 Alumnus, Bailey (formerly Bala), has tragically passed away.  He was only 5 years old when he was surrendered to a shelter by his senior owner who could no longer keep him and SEGSP was notified.  Our longtime volunteers, Linda and John, fostered Bailey and when his bio was written for his website post, they said it was so good they decided to adopt him themselves. 
His mom Linda said, “Bailey was a foster fail and was with us for 6 years. He brought lots of love and comfort. A great snuggler. He went everywhere with us and became an honorary mason at John's lodge.  He will be greatly missed.”

We don’t know what the first half of Bailey’s life was like, but we know Linda and John gave him the best life any dog could have. 

"There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart." – Mahatma Gandhi

We end the day with very sad news… Our recent alumnus, Jake (formerly Drake), has passed away. His mom, Jackie, sent us this beautiful tribute…

“When you adopt a senior dog, you know there’s heartbreak on the horizon, but you never expect it so soon. 


On April 23, a friend reached out to let me know about a GSP in a shelter in Raleigh, NC. Two days later, I was making the three-hour drive, telling myself not to make any hasty or emotional decisions, but also wondering if there was a record for the fastest foster fail (truth!). I choked up at the shelter when I said I was to pick up Drake, and I was full on tears when that gorgeous creature walked down the hall toward me.


His backstory doesn’t matter. I’m awful at ‘proper’ introductions to resident dogs. That afternoon, he became Jake, a 13-year-old with arthritis - gentle and awkward, with a mix of GSP goofiness and regality that we all know and love. He immediately fit in with us, cat included, and we made the necessary senior accommodations…because though it wasn’t yet official, he was already a part of our family. 


I think he barked once, and I can’t even be sure because I was on the other side of the door. He slept through every night, quiet as a mouse, on his orthopedic bed, not a single accident in the house. He got senior zoomies and enjoyed treats from the neighbors. The meds helped some, but it was clear his hips were sore. We took shorter walks and though he was sometimes a little unsteady on his feet, his long, graceful legs pranced around the block every day.


I’m forever grateful to have a compassionate, gifted friend who responded to my early morning message with “I’ll be there in 15 minutes.” And so, on July 11, Jake and I took a walk together on the beach. He had the energy of a puppy while his breathing labored, and I struggled to hold it together. A short time later, the vet confirmed what I already knew, and I kissed his silver face and held him in my arms when his beautiful eyes closed.


I’m a sucker for a senior, and that makes me a glutton for the inevitable heartbreak that comes much too soon. I know he was safe, and happy, and unconditionally loved every single day of our 11 weeks together, so, despite the pain, I would do it again in a minute. Eight weeks have passed, my eyes still fill with tears, and my heart still very much hurts. 


Queen Elizabeth II said, “Grief is the price we pay for love” and I couldn’t agree more.”
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Our hearts are heavy… our 2012 alumnus, Gunter River (formerly River), has passed away.  We received thismessage about Gunter from his mom Michelle, who fostered, adopted, and loved Gunter River:

“He came into rescue named River. We called him Gunter River.  I picked him up at the shelter in Sylacauga, AL in July of 2012. ...he was hit by a car in summer of 2015. The injury was at the shoulderand we did rehab for 3 months.  Our Vet at that time didn’t think he would regain use of his leg so advised amputation.  He did so well on it for 10 years! I was in the process of ordering him a custom-built quad cart when he died from a ruptured tumor in his spleen, last Saturday.  The tumor was not diagnosed by any of the 3 vets he had seen recently, so it was a terrible shock. I can assure you he was well loved and cared for.  And is very missed.”

“Love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy.”  Louisa May Alcott  ​

We are devastated to share that our 2019 Alumna, Ivy Rose (formerly Rosa) has passed away at a very young age.
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Her mom Heather sent us this message…
“Last October after many doctors appointments due to odd behaviors we learned she had developed a large mass in her chest. Due to the type of cancer she had we didn’t have any options for chemo/ radiation or even removal. We had to put her down this past March when she was only 5.5 years old. It’s been a rough few months as she was my best friend and the best dog we’ve ever had. Since adopting her we have moved closer to family in Michigan where she had 4 acres to roam freely and supervise our pumpkin patch (her favorite). 5 is much too young to have had to put down my soul dog; we miss her every day but are at peace knowing she is no longer struggling.” 
 
"It is not length of life, but depth of life." – Ralph Waldo Emerson