in memory
“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
Alvin
15-years-old
Puppy mill survivor
Happiest dog ever, always wagging that tail
Had a weird eye issue published in a medical journal
Arthur
17- years-old
Loved his frog
Was blind in one eye from a massive head injury
Named after the movie Arthur Christmas
One of the best dogs I've ever had
Baby
11-years-old
A giant Rottwieler, sweetest girl in the world
She was incontinent, had Cushing's disease and cancer
LOVED little dogs
Baby Rose
13-years-old
Thrown out of a moving car in a box, suffered from a major head injury which caused complete blindness
Was super shy and sooooo sweet
When she'd find you, she'd rub her head all over you
Betsy
17-years-old
Was a breeder at a horrible puppy mill in Texas
We ended up rescuing her son Orville and daughter Zelda
She lived in the cabinet in the kitchen
Bette
16-years-old
Bette was an amazing girl. She was funny, independent and had the best hair EVER.
She was an expert fly catcher and loved staring at the lizards and playing with kittens.
Bruno
14-years-old
Ended up at a shelter when his owner got deported
He was missing a leg
He was one of the sweetest dogs I've ever met. He adored Erik.
Champ
16-years-old
He was a very strange mix of breeds. Wish I would have had a DNA test done on him
He loved food and made what we called his "lovey noises" while eating.
He was mostly blind, every time you reached for him he would open his mouth to be fed like a baby bird.
Cheeky
15-years-old
Cheeky ended up homeless after her mom went into a nursing home
A whole team of people got her from Texas to our Sanctuary in Colorado
She loved to spend time outdoors
Chico
14-years-old
Chico came from a shelter in New Mexico. He was blind, had no tail and his penis was permanently out.
He was mean and loved chasing people to bite their ankles.
He died from a brain tumor that turned him into a docile, sweet dog, which broke my heart.
Chuckie
15-years-old
Chuckie was a little min pin who came to us after his owner died. He reminded me so much of Simon, with those giant ears.
Chuckie suffered from dementia, so I'm not sure I ever knew what he was truly like. What I did know of him is that he was very sweet, loved his little bed in the bathroom and his favorite thing was milkbones.
Claude
12-years-old
Claude was a funny dog. He hoarded everything he could find. His bed was always FULL of strange items he had found.
He had bad knees that would always go out, causing him to tumble whenever he took a corner too fast
He died of heart failure.
Coco & Princess
17 years old
Coco was the sweetest dog in the world. I mean super sweet. We rescued him and his sister, Princess who wasn’t sweet, but we loved her all the same. They were amazing, resilient dogs and I was lucky to know them.
Coco: I miss his calming energy and the sweet vibes he always filled the room with. He was unicorns and rainbows.
Princess: I miss her determination and spunkiness.
Cranberry
10-years-old
Cranberry was the sweetest girl in the world She was a pitbull/dane mix. All she wanted to do was lay on top you and be kissed. She came to us with advanced lymphoma.
Clementine
13-years-old
Clementine was a three pound Pomerianian. She came to us with the worst teeth I had ever seen, like pus dripping out of her mouth bad.
She made weird cat yowling noises when she was hungry or lonely
She loved to be carried in a baby sling
Daisy
15 year old Shih Tzu
Daisy came to us when she ended up at a high kill shelter because her owner had died and the family didn’t want her. She was very depressed for several months. She finally started to come around and let us see her funny personality. She was friends with our pug, Ilsa. She loved tortillas and would do anything for one. She died of lymphoma.
Davy Junior Jones
8 years old
Davy was such a special guy. A piece of my heart will forever be missing since he died. He was sooo smart, sometimes it felt more like he was a person than a dog. He was spunky and loved to play. He died of cancer way too young.
Duke
14-years-old
Duke was an old beagle we got from a friend of my husband's whose wife didn't want him anymore. He was named after John Elway from the Denver Broncos.
He wasn't allowed on the furniture in his old house, so he spend his days going from one chair, couch, bed to another at our house
He was mean and bit everyone, but not my son Oliver. He was never anything but gentle with him.
One year he ate three dozen triple chocolate cookies off the kitchen table that were for my annual cookie exchange at work, I thought all that chocolate would kill him but he was just fine.
Ebenezer
18 years old
Ebenezer came to us with Irving when they ended up at a high kill shelter. They were listed as a bonded pain…spoiler alert - they weren’t. Their owner had moved and left them in the backyard. They had lived their entire life in the backyard with a garage for when the weather was bad. Ebie was a crabby old guy (hence the name Ebenezer) but we loved him. He died of heart failure.
Edgar & Walden
Walden - 14-years-old
Edgar - 17-years-old
These two came from a horrible puppy mill where they suffered untold horrors.
Walden (the black one) had the softest fur of any dog I've ever had. He only loved me, never warmed up to anyone else.
Edgar had a severe case of dementia, but was a sweet guy.
Ernie
15-years-old
Ernie was a strange looking dog. He had a weird misshapen head, a pronounced under bite and a really long body.
Ernie loved toys and milkbones. He would carry a milkbone in his mouth for hours until it turned to complete mush.
Ernie suffered from degenerative myelopathy. He used wheels for the last part of his life. He started having problems breathing and we had to euthanize him. It was one of the saddest days of my life.
Estelle
16-years-old
Estelle was a puppymill survivor. She was crazy.
She was super high-strung and rarely left the bedroom.
She was terrified of thunder.
She is one of my all-time favorite dogs I've ever lived with.
Fleur
13-years-old
Fleur was a hospice case when she got here with a serious heart condition. She only lived here a few months before she died.
She was super sweet, very un-Chihuahua like.
She was a beautiful girl with long legs and soft fur.
Flora
16-years-old
Flora hated the camera (hence the bad photo here). Once she hid in a box overnight because I had been attempting to take her photo
She was blind and came to us with the worst case of kennel cough I've ever seen. She suffered from a bad heart and Cushing's disease.
She was feisty and never failed to put all the other dogs in their places
Folgers
14-years-old
Folgers is one of the best friends I've ever had
He was super-smart and could do high-fives
He loved water, we even got him his own swimming pool. He'd jump in the bathtub with you if you let him
Francis
17-years-old
Francis was an old, blind poodle with dementia.
He was also incontinent so we gave him a bath once a day.
He loved to sleep in my bed with his head on my pillow
Franny
6-years-old
I rescued Franny from a horrible puppy mill where she had been given a c-section with a pocket knife to save the puppies. She barely survived.
She was a sweetheart and would scratch you for attention.
She died young and very suddenly while recovering from pancreatitis.
I have her name tattooed on my wrist.
Frida
16-years-old
Frida was such a spunky delightful girl. She had a shattered pelvis when we got her (she had been hit by a car after escaping the shelter) but she was a trooper and it never slowed her down.
She was named after the artist Frida Kahlo.
She died suddenly of heart failure.
George
15-years-old
George was a tiny three pound long-haired Chihuahua I rescued on Halloween.
He had a severe collapsing trachea and a serious heart condition.
He lived here when we were fostering a pregnant dog. George LOVED those puppies. He spent the last weeks of his life the happiest I'd ever seen him.
Gordon
17-years-old
Gordon was dumped when he starting showing signs of old age.
He had dementia, was blind and deaf.
He loved nothing more than to cuddle up in a warm bed. Not too much to ask for.
Henry
12-years-old
Henry came from a horrible puppy mill where he suffered a severe head injury (causing him to go blind among other things) and a broken jaw.
Henry was very shy and very sweet.
He moved into the closet with another puppymill rescue, Zelda. They were best friends.
Henry died from complications from his head injury.
Hershey
14-years-old
Hershey was dumped by his family and never really recovered. He was always sitting by the door waiting for them to come back.
Hershey had cancer and a broken heart.
He had the biggest feet I've ever seen on a dog.
Howard
Howard was picked up as a stray. He was so matted that they couldn't see his eyes. When they shaved him they discovered both eyes had ruptured.
Howard befriended another old, neglected blind dog named Willoughby. They spent their days snuggling together and sleeping.
Huey
15-years-old
Huey was full of personality. He ended up here after being dumped with his friend Mamba who only lived a short time after coming here. Huey’s favorite thing was being on the couch. That was his one goal in life. The last months of his life Huey couldn’t walk, but we didn’t mind carrying him everywhere.
Hugo
12-years-old
Hugo was a big round Jack Russell terrier.
He had so many tumors all over his body he looked lumpy.
He loved eating and sleeping on the wee wee pads.
Pru and Pearl
12 years and 14 years old
Pru and Pearl were a bonded pair of old labs that I rescued as a birthday present to myself.
Pru was super shy when we first got her, but she started following me around and rubbing her head all over me. She loved treats and I gave them to her often. She died of insulinoma.
Pearl was so sweet. She was blind, but super friendly and loved the little dogs. She was patient and kind.
Iris
Iris was a blind Bichon that came to the shelter as a stray.
She was a very sweet girl, but didn't live long after we got her.
She died from liver disease.
Jasper
3-years-old
Jasper was born here at the Sanctuary. He was the runt and never quite right.
He died suddenly from a heart defect.
He was a sweet, happy-go-lucky little guy and my heart breaks that he died so young. If I could bring any dog back, it would be Jasper.
June
18-years-old
June was a funny girl with giant eyes.
We were told she would probably only live six weeks or so when we got her. She lived five years.
She had a "special meal" before bedtime. She would jump and hit you in the back of the legs until you fed her. She didn't want you forgetting.
Lazlo
14-years-old
Lazlo came as a bonded pair with a dachshund named Maxine. They weren't really bonded.
He was very fearful and terrified of humans. He came from a puppymill.
He was just starting to warm up to us, and would even take a treat from your hand, but he died of heart failure.
Lenore
15-years-old
Lenore was just as crabby and crazy as she looked.
She hated people and hated beds and blankets. She would go to sleep curled up in a ball in the middle of the kitchen floor.
We used to have a fox that would sit for hours looking through the kitchen window at Lenore.
Leo
11-years-old
Leo was a charming little guy. He would jump up into my arms every day when I got home.
He had a tiny eye (birth defect) that made him even more beautiful.
He died a few months after coming here from hemolytic anemia and heart failure.
Lolita
6 years old
Lolita was the love of my life. Losing her has taken a huge chunk out of my heart. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her and miss everything about her.
Ludi
18-years-old
Ludi was a three pound feisty little chi.
She came to us with a huge mammary tumor.
She loved to guard her food. She didn't like to eat nearly as much as guarding her food.
She had a larger-than-life personality and is greatly missed.
Lucy
13-years-old
Lucy came to us from California.
She had the WORST case of dementia I've ever encountered. She had no idea who she was, where she was, who we were.
She died of a brain tumor.
Mamba
15 years old
Mamba only lived here about three weeks before dying. He came here with his best friend, Huey.
Mamba loved chasing the cats and sleeping on the heating pad.
Martha
10-years-old
Martha LOVED to walk. She had to walk, Not negotiable.
She loved bread.
She died of lung cancer.
Maxine
14-years-old
Maxine was a feisty girl.
She came here with Lazlo as a bonded pair, which they never were.
She loved to bark and bark and bark.
McLovin
11-years-old
McLovin was one of my all-time-favorite dogs. He had such a big personality.
Lovey came to us after his owners found out he was terminally ill and dumped him at a shelter. He lived here with us for about two and half years before he died.
Lovey suffered from extreme seizures, but was such a fun guy. He loved to give hugs, play with his stuffies and eat veggies.
Melvin
17-years-old
Melvin will be forever known as best-dog-ever.
His first owners dumped him so they could get a puppy.
Melvin always had a smile.
Moth
15 years old
Moth was an interesting little guy. He was pretty fiesty and loved to fight Dickens. When his owner died the children of the family put him out in a field behind the backyard. He was in a little fenced in area, with a crappy kennel covered in a tarp. This is where he lived. It was so overgrown with weeds you could barely see him. When the kids were selling the house, the realtor discovered Moth and took him to the shelter. He died of cancer.
Mildred
14-years-old
Mildred was one of my heart dogs.
She had a disorder that caused her legs not to work very well. So I carried her everywhere.
She died of heart failure.
Misty
15-years-old
Misty was only with us a short time, about three weeks. She came to us from animal control because her owner was dying and needed to find a home for her.
Misty was deaf and blind but such a sweetheart. She immediately made friends with our old beagle, Roscoe. She loved eating canned food and sleeping on the heating pad.
Misty died of kidney failure
Norman
21-years-old
Norman was a complete joy to be around. Always happy and smiling.
He was full of life and lived to be over 20.
Orson
16 years old
Orson was dropped off at the shelter by his owner (who had Orson since he was a puppy) because his owner had recently retired and Orson was getting him up at 6:30 (the time his owner used to get up to go to work) and his owner wanted to sleep in. I kid you not, you couldn’t make this stuff up. People really are this evil. Orson had a bit of dementia and would wake up several times between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. and want breakfast. So we’d give him three or four breakfasts a day. And we were happy to do it. Orson died of a brain tumor.
Orville
16-years-old
Orville was my first puppy mill rescue.
He suffered from many illnesses including diabetes which caused him to go blind.
I miss his crabby little personality.
Peabody
6-years-old
Peabody had every illness you could imagine. A severe case of epilepsy, diabetes, liver disease, thyroid issues...
He was a total sweetheart. Loved everyone. He would sit up on his butt and wave his arms when he wanted food.
I still miss him every single day.
Pepper
12 years old
Pepper was a tiny gal that found herself at the shelter on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, she had an undiagnosed heart condition and only lived a few days after coming here. But those few days were the BEST days. She was loved and spoiled.
Peanut
17 years old
Peanut was one of the meanest dogs we’ve ever had. But I loved him fiercely. We got him after he was found in a house with his owner who had been dead several days.
He had a taleent of sniffing blood. We always knew when another dog had a tumor or injury.
I miss your crabby little face and your fiesty personality.
Penelope
12-years-old
Penelope was a white dachshund from a puppy mill. She had a number tattooed on her stomach.
She was a genetic disaster. She was blind and had lots of health issues.
She was so soft and looked like a harp seal. She could ring a bell when she wanted to go potty.
Piper
12 years old
Piper came from a high kill shelter, she had been picked up as a stray. She was covered and I mean covered in foxtails. Like zillions of them. It was pretty horrific. Even after she was treated she still suffered from terrible skin conditions. She also had horrible ear mites that had been left untreated for so long it caused her to go deaf. She was a sweet girl and loved eating and sleeping. She died of mammary cancer.
Poe
15-years-old
Poe was one of my best friends. He was a super happy fun guy. He was “debarked” at some point, so his raspy seal voice was very distinguishable. He loved life and loved living here. He was joy and love in the body of a little chihuahua.
Pinky
11-years-old
Pinky was a challenging girl. She LOVED to fight.
She was a hefty gal, but could hoist herself up on the couch. She loved toys and would swallow them if you tried to take them away from her.
She died of osteosarcoma.
Possum
12-years-old
Possum was left in an apartment when his owners moved out and decided not to take him along. He was extremely traumatized.
He loved Erik.
He liked to bark and make this horrible howling noise all the time. He loved his tennis ball and pink squeaky toy.
Romeo
19 years old
Romeo was a sweet old dachshund. He was dumped at the shelter at 15 years old because he was “too old.” Whatever that means.
Romeo didn’t have a mean bone in his body. He died peacefully in his sleep.
Roscoe
19-years-old
Roscoe was the world’s oldest and smallest beagle.
Roscoe was an incredible drama queen. He was always screaming his head off from some perceived slight. He was noisy and dramatic and we loved him so much.
Roscoe would always smile in his sleep. Sweet dreams little guy.
Rosie
12-years-old
Rosie came to us as a hospice case with mammary cancer that had spread.
She was such a smart girl and would stare at you like she could see the depths of your soul. She loved little Stanley.
She lived here for two wonderful years.
Rudolph
16-years-old
Rudy was one of the sweetest, loving dogs we’ve ever lived with. He’s right up there with Coco and Melvin.
Rudy had a hard life before finding us, but here he was worshiped. We kept him wrapped in warm blankets from the dryer and let him eat all his favorite treats.
Rudy was only with us about three or four months. We still feel his absence, but also feel lucky he was in our lives.
Sampson
18-years-old
Sampson was such a dignified little old man.
He had this one tooth that just stuck out of his mouth.
He was calm and reserved and polite.
Seymour
14-years-old
Seymour came from a horrible puppy mill where he was severely abused. His jaw and tail had both been broken.
He was the most fearful dog I've ever encountered, but he warmed up to me. We were madly in love.
He had many illnesses, ehrlichia, vasculitis (resulting in his ears and tail having to be amputated) disc disease, etc.
I can't express my love for this guy.
Shelby
12-years-old
Shelby came to us via some caring folks in California who rescued her from a high kill shelter, but realized her needs were too much for them to handle.
Shelby was a sweet girl, but due to a brain tumor and subsequent seizures, I’m not sure I ever knew her true personality.
Shelby was quite a fighter and died peacefully in her sleep. I hope she is whole and happy again.
Simon
19-years-old
We rescued Simon literally minutes before he was going to be euthanized.
He was completely blind but could fetch a tennis ball like no sighted dog ever could.
He loved Oliver and would sit in his chair and guard him.
Smidgey
17-years-old
Smidgey was sent to me by Lolita after she died. He was adorable, crabby and loved being held like a baby. Just like Lolita. Smidgey was always smiling. Which led people to believe he was sweet. He was NOT. He loved biting people. It was his hobby. He’d come to you to be pet, and then he’d bite you. He was 100% loved. I can feel him smiling down on me.
Stanley
18-years-old
Stanley is one of the great loves of my life. I feel like I've always known him.
He was blind and suffered from seizures. He ate baby food and was always crusty from it.
We will always be together.
Truman
5-years-old
Truman was brave and noble and majestic.
He died way too young from bone cancer.
Our great protector.
Vincent
20-years-old
Vincent was tiny. Like maybe 3 pounds. He had a birth defect in his legs so he walked like a bat.
He was crazy mean. He loved Erik.
We named him Vincent after Vincent Price
Walter
15-years-old
Walter was dumped at a shelter because his owner wanted to go on vacation.
He was huge when we got him from a diet of pre-chewed hot dogs and cottage cheese.
He loved to bark. And eat. And bark.
Wilbur
16 years old
Wilbur was a very shy, scared and anxious dog. He loved following me around and standing in-between my legs.
Wilbur died of lymphoma. He was a sweet guy with a gentle soul and a quiet way .
Willoughby
10-years-old
Willoughby came to us from a home where he had been starved. He was missing a front leg.
He was shy and sweet and bonded with Howard.
Willoughby didn't live long, he had been too neglected and we couldn't save him.
Winston
14-years-old
Winston came to us from a rescue in California that was struggling. Someone drove him here late at night during a blizzard.
Winston was blind since birth and had many health issue. He loved sleeping at my feet and eating pizza crust.
Zelda
18-years-old
Zelda came from a puppy mill. I had her brother Orville, and her mom, Betsy.
Zelda lived in the closet. She was very choosy about who she would let in. She was bonded with Henry, and then Estelle.
She had beautiful eyes, like a Keene painting.