7/4/21 Sadly, I share the passing of Kara at 1:00 p.m. today. She came to us via New River Rescue and Virginia German Shepherd Rescue after being abandoned in an industrial park. Kara bore the traits of past abuse and neglect and was considered hard to adopt because she had epilepsy. She became fast friends with her pack-mate Koko and tolerated being treated as a puppy by Koko’s face licking and flea biting. Although the details of her past are unknown, Kara came to love her new house and always ran to the door to go inside when released from a walk or car ride. She often preferred to relax in the sunroom over most other activities. She was slow to trust, but once she realized she could trust and was loved she stuck like glue. Saturday Nancy awakened to Kara having a seizure and I rushed her to Mt. View Emergency Veterinary Hospital where she was admitted at about 4:00 a.m. Considered stable she was released only to have to be readmitted within a few hours upon the return of accelerating Grand Mal seizures in terms of frequency and intensity. So today, when even heavy sedation and heroic efforts by the vets and vet techs could not fend off the violent seizures, it was decided to give her peace and freedom. Amidst tears I told her it was okay to come back to “her house” as she started her new journey and that she would always be loved. Koko is also grieving and in the chaos of Kara’s Grand Mal seizures at home attempted to comfort her by some face licks. While we are sad, we are glad that Kara is free from her suffering and know she will be welcomed by our spiritual pack. Semper Fi Girl.  John and Nancy Streeter

It was with great sadness and unbearable grief that we had to say goodbye to Kasha on Saturday, August 23.  Kasha was our first rescue.  She came bounding into our lives at just 8 weeks old in 2002.  She was almost 13 and we were privileged to love her for over 12 ½ years.  

She had a very happy life and loved life and nature.  Her favorite thing above all else was to go for a walk and she would walk as far as her feet would carry her.  She was very healthy for 12 full years.  She was so full of life and love and loved her people more than anything.  She was such a strong dog, it was hard to watch such a noble creature get old and weak.  But after a while it became the new normal, even when she had trouble on the stairs we would help her up.  

This summer her mobility decreased so badly that she could no longer go on the walks she loved so much.  We still let her enjoy the outdoors in our yard, but she had to do so lying down.  We poured our love and attention into her and this sufficed for a while and kept her in good spirits until she was just too tired and too weak.  She stopped getting up and stopped eating and was no longer enjoying any part of life anymore.  

It was then we decided it was her time to cross over the Rainbow Bridge to wait for us.  It will be very hard to wait to see her again as she took a part of my heart and soul with her when she left this world in my arms.

Angie Case  

It is with great sadness that I share the passing of Kaya, my shadow and devoted friend. While in my arms and with Nancy present, she was eased into peace by our vet, free from pain and her crippled hind quarters. Kaya was a poster child for adopting older dogs. She had been rescued by Virginia German Shepherd Rescue after a lifetime of 11 years of being chained outside and used as a breeding machine. She came to us as a somewhat fragile and withdrawn survivor. With time, love, a good diet, exercise, and a safe home she grew into a confident, loyal companion and protector. Living up to her German Shepherd heritage, on her last night with us she insisted on being helped up to the second floor so she could guard and protect those that she cared about throughout the night. At the age of 15+ she still had that sparkle in her eye, although increasingly she began to show signs of weariness and awareness of her physical decline.

She was also a great pack-mate to Kage (deceased) and Kolt, making them secure knowing they were in the company of an Alpha female. Not being sure of what lies beyond this existence I sure hope that all my pooches are waiting for me. If it is as I hope, today they got another Angel to run and play with. Thank you, girl, for all your love, devotion, and companionship. Please wait for me. John  10/12/2020

It's with a very heavy heart that I'm writing to let you know that another great GSD has travelled over the rainbow bridge on May 19, 2019.

Kayla 1682 came into our lives in May of 2008.  At about a year old and still very skinny at just under 45 lbs, she quickly wormed her way into our hearts.

Already having a yellow lab working as a therapy dog, Kayla immediately took to obedience training and was also a certified therapy dog within about 6 month after being adopted.  From the scared of her own shadow dog she came to us as, she blossomed into a wonder and confident dog.

She took many obedience classes, earning her AKC Canine Good Citizen, Community Canine certifications, and her Trick Dog Novice title.  She also enjoyed scent tracking and Rally - placing 2nd at a AKC practice trial (the judge pointed out she would have placed better but all the errors were made by the human - I apologized to Kayla).

Her DNA test showed that she was 25% German Shepherd, 25% Golden Retriever, 25% we have no idea; 12% ChowChow and 12% Collie.....  this all adds up to 200% shedder....  Kayla liked to leave a little bit of herself wherever she went.

Kayla loved to travel.  Whether it was just a ride to town and back home, to the beach or all the way to Cape Cod.  She was always ready to "load up."

A few days after her 12th birthday she was diagnosed with a tumor on her spleen.  We had 10 more wonderful days with her before the tumor ruptured. The heartbreaking decision was made to let her go over the rainbow bridge.

Kayla is very dearly missed.  Tabby & Robbie Riley

We adopted Kayla (her shelter name was Stella) on August 1, 2014 from VGSR a short time after the passing of a 12 year old GSD we had adopted 8 years earlier from VGSR. Though we did not originally want to adopt an older dog, Kayla was special from the moment we saw her picture. For one thing, she did not look 12 at all. In person it was even more striking: she had the long, lean look of a much younger dog with very soft fur and only a hint of gray around her muzzle. At first we thought she was rather shy but we quickly came to appreciate her dignified manner and lady-like elegance. She was gentle with most people especially children yet she was aloof with most dogs--except for the Jack Russell across the fence whom she waited for each morning and then chased back and forth until they both got tired. “What a beautiful dog” was a frequent comment from our neighbors and the dog walkers I encountered on frequent strolls. We took Kayla everywhere and whether it was a short trip or a long one, she enjoyed the journey. At home, Kayla was always near and we were never out of her line of vision. She slept in our bedroom on a pad right next us. We thought this pleasant routine might last a good, long time. She passed a couple weeks ago suddenly due to internal bleeding of unknown causes or duration. No, it was not the good, long time we expected but it was still a good time. We believe her last year must have been among her happiest; it was certainly a very happy one for us.  John (10-4-15)