Good-Bye to Our Sweet Girl, Sheeba

It is with an overwhelming sadness that I tell you that Sheeba, who we "officially" adopted not even two weeks ago, left us for the Rainbow Bridge yesterday. 

~Last photo of Sheeba taken on November 12th~

From the time I first met Sheeba in early July, I loved her. In her 140-ish days with us, she found endless bowls of food, soft dog beds and our bed to sleep on, and whatever medications were needed to relieve her aches, pains, and her tummy troubles. 

While with us Sheeba forged canine and feline friendships, and the two of us formed what I can only describe as a true bond.💔. 

I will miss her sticking her head in the shower and barking for me to hurry up and get her breakfast - the same bark I'd hear while fixing her dinner, and telling us it was time for bed, and the one telling me to ask one of the dogs to move so she could come and lay at my feet. More than anything I'll miss Sheeba always being underfoot, and following me every where, and waiting patiently and sometimes impatiently by the door for my return. 

~First photo of Sheeba in July~

Our time with her, was of course way too short. But I have no regrets. I never do. It's always an honor get to know, love and care for a dog like Sheeba, who at more than 14 years old was a true treasure. 

Rest now my sweet girl, Sheeba, and know that you were so loved and will be and are so missed.

Hansel and Gretel Arrive at Golden Pines

Want to know what's been taking my time?  Well, it's the new arrivals at Golden Pines.

It all began exactly a month ago, on October 21st, when my longtime friend on the board of the Golden Retriever Rescue shared on my Facebook page, this photo of a senior Lab in a shelter in North Carolina. 

And then there was this photo that went with it ....

Then there was another ....

I don't even have to say that I was totally smitten by this lost girl, that the shelter named Gretel. 

But there was more. Gretel had been found with another Black Lab, that the shelter named Hansel (below) Both are estimated to be about 12 years old. And what their relationship is to one another is anyone's guess. But there is definitely a relationship and a bond between the two.

Gretel's photo on the website got a lot of attention. There were more than 3,000 shares of her photo, and many offers from people willing to go the shelter and adopt her.  Hansel's photo didn't garner that much attention, just over 500 shares, and very few offers from people wanting to meet him. I am quite sure it's because his shelter-photo (above) didn't grab your heart like Gretel's had. 

I let Lab Rescue know about this pair, as did many others. Fast forward through the evaluation from the Rescue, and soon transport from North Carolina to Virginia was being arranged for them.

I followed all of that. Something about this lost-boy and lost-girl, that I just couldn't forget about. And I really wanted to meet that girl that had stolen my heart. And when I found out that they were at a nearby vet, I sheepishly made an offer to foster them. 

So, Hansel and Gretel arrived a week ago Thursday. This friendly and energetic duo were constant motion those first few days. They were a blur as they ran and happily played together in our yard. 

The end of the first day they were wide-eyed and totally exhausted. 

They have met and get along with our crew. They are really a nice and fun pair! They do have a few issues regarding their health, but we're working through them. And at some point in time, Gretel who shows all the outward signs of having had puppies, will need to be spayed. 

But there's been one problem. Our cats. They are way more reactive to them than I'm comfortable with. They bark at and chase them, and I'm quite sure the cats have each used at least one or two of their 9 lives being just barely a whisker faster than they are. So, unfortunately, I've had to ask for them to be moved to another foster home. And until that happens, the cats are being kept safe, and we get to have fun getting to know and enjoy Hansel and Gretel. 

At this moment, of course, I don't know what their entire story will be, or where they will end up.  But I do know, that Hansel and Gretel will live happily-ever-after. ❤

Hansel

Gretel

Adopt a Senior Pet Month

 November is *Adopt a Senior Pet Month* And Lab Rescue is being bombarded with senior dogs right now, and they aren't able to take them all. So, to help make room for another senior dog that needs a place to go, I decided to adopt our "hospice foster girl Sheeba."  

At more than 14 years old, and diagnosed with cancer in the spring, I know I'll never know Sheeba as a vibrant and healthy Lab. But none of that matters, that's not why we love her. We love her for who she is in this moment, which is a sweet, gentle, easy going, but stubborn and independent girl that barks to let me know she wants her dinner on time and loves to sleep on the bed.