Almost Like You

🌈🐾 GUS HAS CROSSED THE RAINBOW BRIDGE 🐾🌈

Today we received news that absolutely broke our hearts. Back in April of 2024, we picked up a gentleman named Gus. Now, I know some people don’t like calling an 8-year-old dog old, but Gus was an old man in all the best ways possible. He had that front-porch-sitting, sweet-tea-sipping, neighborhood-gossiping, cane-carrying old man energy from the moment he arrived. He wasn’t in a hurry for much of anything, except maybe a car ride or finding the perfect spot to nap with his beloved blanket.

When Gus came into rescue, he needed surgery to remove a cyst from his elbow. What should have been a straightforward procedure turned into months of challenges. His incision refused to stay closed, stitches wouldn’t hold, and we found ourselves doing bandage changes three times a day. There were moments when we wondered if we would ever get that elbow healed.
That’s when I learned firsthand about the miracle that is Manuka honey. Without it, I honestly don’t know how we would have gotten through that ordeal. Day by day, bandage by bandage, Gus healed. Through it all, he never complained. He simply sat there with the patience and wisdom of an old soul who seemed to understand that everyone was trying their best to help him.

And then, as rescue stories sometimes do, Gus got his happy ending. He retired to Florida with a wonderful family who absolutely adored him. They spoiled him rotten, loved him fiercely, and gave him everything a dog could ever dream of. His days were filled with car rides, cozy blankets that he carried around like Linus carried his security blanket, and his treasured soccer balls that brought him endless joy. Today, his family let us know that Gus has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. A tumor had developed on his spleen, causing it to become dangerously enlarged. Faced with the reality of what was ahead, his family made the most selfless and loving decision a pet owner can make. Rather than risk pain, suffering, or a traumatic emergency, they gave Gus the gift of a peaceful goodbye before things became worse.

His dad, Bryan, shared words that brought both tears and comfort:

“I will tell you for the 18 months we had him, it seemed like we had him for his entire life. It was the best 18 months of his life. We loved him, spoiled him rotten, and he was one of the greatest dogs we’ve ever had.”

As rescuers, we often wonder what happens after our dogs leave us. We hope they are loved. We hope they are happy. We hope they finally get everything they deserve. Gus got all of that and more. While our hearts ache today, there is comfort in knowing that this sweet old gentleman spent his final chapter exactly where he belonged surrounded by people who cherished him, spoiled him, and loved him as if he had been theirs forever. Eighteen months was never going to be enough time with a dog like Gus. It never is. But what a beautiful eighteen months it was.

Run free, sweet old man. May there be endless soccer balls to chase, blankets to carry, and sunny front porches where you can sit, watch the world go by, and tell stories with all the old dogs waiting for us on the other side. Please keep Bryan and his family in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate the loss of such a special boy.

Until we meet again, Gus. Thank you for letting us be part of your journey. ❤️🌈🐾

Yesterday, we said goodbye to sweet Tinkerbell, and our hearts are absolutely broken.

There was no warning. No long goodbye. No sign that anything was wrong. Tinkerbell went outside for what should have been her normal potty break and peacefully crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Her family never got the chance to say goodbye, and there are simply no words that can ease that kind of pain.

Tinkerbell may have been a senior girl, but nobody ever bothered to tell her that. She had the spirit of a puppy right up until the very end. Every day was an adventure. Every walk was the best walk ever. It didn’t matter if she was sore, having an off day, or feeling every bit of her age—if it was time to go outside, Tinkerbell was ready.

She was the most beautiful black beauty, and she walked through life completely on her own terms.

Anyone who knew Tinkerbell knows that “wait” was more of a suggestion than a command. No matter how many training sessions we had, Paris and Casper would be sitting perfectly, looking right at me, and Tinkerbell would be facing the opposite direction, staring at who knows what. She wasn’t being stubborn. That was just Tinkerbell. She marched to the beat of her own drum and saw the world through a lens of pure joy and innocence.

She was a flower child at heart. She found happiness in everything. She loved her friends, loved being outside, loved her walks, and she absolutely loved her snacks afterward. In fact, the only thing Tinkerbell may have loved more than her walks was the treats waiting at the end of them.

And if you’ve ever tried to put a leash on her, you know it wasn’t easy. She danced and wiggled and bounced around so excitedly that getting her clipped in was a challenge all by itself. She was the oldest member of the crew, but somehow she was always the last one ready to go home.

Today, I know Paris’s house feels a little quieter. A little emptier.

To Tinkerbell’s family, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. I cannot imagine the heartbreak of not getting one last goodbye. But if there is any comfort to be found, I truly believe Tinkerbell left this world exactly the way she lived in it—peacefully, freely, and without burdening anyone she loved. That was the kind of soul she was.

We will miss her goofy spirit, her happy dances, her backwards waits, and the joy she brought to every single walk.

Run free, sweet girl.

Go find all of the friends we’ve loved and lost over the years. I know they’re waiting for you with open paws, endless trails, and all the snacks your heart could ever desire.

We love you, Tinkerbell. Thank you for letting us be part of your story.

Please keep Tinkerbell’s family in your thoughts and prayers as they mourn the loss of this beautiful, silly, carefree girl who left this world far too suddenly but left behind a lifetime of love.

💔🌈🐾