We're writing to report the sad news that our beautiful Sydney passed away this past week.  We got Sydney from MAGSR in August 2010.  It was love at first sight and we had an amazing 10 years with her.  We couldn’t have asked for a better family dog.  Over the past several years our lives revolved around her as she battled what appeared to be DM.  But she never let that slow her down and we are heartbroken that she is gone.  

Thank you helping to put her in our life.

We lost Travis to Osteosarcoma in August. 2020 was truly an awful year. Miss him daily, he was a great dog.

He was an MAGSR alumni. He was born April 1st and was part of the Irish name pups.  He was 12 years old.  Just wanted to let you know he crossed over rainbow bridge August 7th.  He was wonderful.  He was a sweetheart. Very smart. Could open doors. Had to use baby locks. Noah my son was locked out. He open the sliding glass door by sitting on the bottom lock and then pushing lock on handle up.  He was very much loved. He and my son were inseparable. Thanks again for all you do.

King has crossed the rainbow bridge.

His poor legs finally failed him.  He was weak behind, he had good days and not so good days.  It was very sudden.  He was fine at dinner time and then was paralyzed.  My vet thought it was nerve damage or disc.  So with that knowledge I made the difficult decision to help him pass.  It makes me happy to remember how thin and sad he was when I adopted him.  He had a happy and healthy life with me.  He was the best boy ever.  Laila and I miss him so much.

- Deb Dennis

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Bentley on May 2nd (formerly known as Kiernan whom we adopted back in June 2011) due to cancer. He was an incredible dog and a very much missed member of this family.We’re just glad all the kids have been home with him every day, all day, for the last two months… he couldn’t have been any happier!

Thanks MAGSR for bringing him to us and us to him!!!

Hello MASGR Friends,

It is with a very heavy heart that I have to let you know that our Caesar (FKA Denver) was taken to his final home on June 7, 2020.  He had been diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma 7 weeks earlier. For 8+ years He brought so much joy to us and to everyone who met him.  Weather he was "smiling" or "talking" to you.  He loved his family, rides, walks or just being in the yard. 

Thank you MAGSR for finding our boy Caesar for us to adopt him. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.  He will never be forgotten.

Troy and Kelly Regan

Dear MAGSR Family,

We are sad to inform you that we had to make the really difficult choice to say goodbye to Jax on May 27, 2020. His battle with degenerative myelopathy took a quick turn for the worse, he lost function of his back legs and there was nothing more we could do to help him. 

Jax was a fantastic addition to our family for the past 3 1/2 years. He showed us how rewarding rescuing a more senior dog is and emphasized to us how opening your home to a rescue truly changes their lives (and yours). He will be deeply missed by his entire family, including his little sister, Ava. 

Reed and Sarah Schuyler

I was on a work trip to Butler, PA in 2018 when Cody called and said MAGSR had a bonded pair to foster. I was like seriously 3 dogs and we have to give them away eventually? Three dogs was re-donk. We got these two girls and Essie HATED Captain. She actually went after him the very first day and I thought to myself ‘this is NOT going to work.’ 

She had a big lump on her side that we had removed. It was cancer. She ripped herself out of her create and ripped out her stitches. We watched her do it on our camera.

We took her to puppy classes so she would learn to socialize. She bit the puppies and tried to escape the pet store. One of these pictures is her ripping through the blinds in the townhome we rented in between houses. And then last year she learned to love tennis balls. And stole every single one of them from him, even in 90 degree weather. All summer when we lived in the townhome.

We called her Ess the Mess and Essie Pesci.

Her lumps came back. Everywhere.

She loved car rides. And hamburgers. And stealing Captains toys. And barking at the neighbors dogs.

She was the snuggliest dog. She would nudge you when she wanted pets. She slept in the bed the last couple of weeks. And kicked, scratched, and pushed me out of the bed.

And then she stopped being snuggly and playful. She stopped doing all the bad messy things she loved to do. 

We thought it would get easier after Kaz- we wanted to adopt seniors and thought this was part of the process. It’s not any easier but we are so grateful for the two years we had with her.

As always, please adopt the senior pups. It’s rewarding and sad all at the same time.

 Elizabeth & Cody Fenstermacher

We wanted to let you know that our beloved German Shepherd, Kimber, died from hemangiosarcoma.  He was surrounded by his family and passed away peacefully at home as the sun set.

He pre-adoption name was Axel. 

May MAGSR continue to find homes for German Shepherds.

We are devastated to report the passing of our beloved Spike D. on April 17, 2020. Spike (Nell) joined our family on July 9, 2011. We are heartbroken to lose our wonderful, loving and smart girl. 

Life is not the same without you Spike.  We miss you every day. 

Beth, David and Dylan

We love you, Airborne! We are imagining you running around now up in heaven with four perfect legs and hoarding all of the toys and balls for yourself. We already miss you so much. 

We had to say goodbye to our little girl, Poppy, Sunday.

In addition to being a world class snuggler, ball chaser extraordinaire, expert swimmer in the waters of the Chesapeake (and the Adirondacks, the pool, the fountain or pretty much anywhere she could get wet), and holder of a fifth degree black belt in martial tail-wagging, she is also responsible for the happiness of hundreds as the world's greatest foster mommy.

Poppy came to us as Gwynn, one of a pair of tiny pups in frail health rescued from a terrible situation in Baltimore. As they regained their health and began to meet potential adopters, it became clear to us the we would never find a family patient enough for her unique personality. Besides, she loved her big brother Nick so. Popcorn became our first foster failure and, because of her avid dislike of other dogs, the end of our fostering career. Or so we thought.

Having to step up in an emergency puppy fostering situation, we thought we'd just have to keep Poppy separated for the short time we'd have the babies and that would be it. Rather than her usual angst from the presence of other dogs, she was fascinated and excited about the strange scents in the house. We decided to let her get a look at who and what was going on and it became immediately apparent that she was convinced that she had just had a litter of puppies and that she had to take care of them right away. So began her career as "Aunt Poppy".

For the next ten plus years, she would welcome every litter of fosters with open jaws; cleaning and preening them, playing gently and teaching them appropriate behavior, overseeing potty training, settling disputes and making sure everyone got their fair share of love and attention. She also recognized the motherly care that medical fosters needed and accepted them as her charges, even when they we well outside the age she would normally tolerate. In that span of time she was responsible for the proper upbringing of well over a hundred puppies (MAGSR & others) and the resulting happiness they have brought to their hundreds of family members.

She was so full of joy, I guess some of it just kind of leaked out.

Poppy we miss you more than words could ever describe. Our hearts are filled with sweet, crazy, hysterical memories of life with you. You will be in our hearts forever, tail wagging, thump-thump-thump against our heart strings.

Thank you for being my best friend and protector. You were selfless in caring for and protecting all your little foster charges. You were daddy’s biggest fan, bursting with excitement whenever he came near, tail wagging wildly, barking and yelping in joy. You kept me company day in and day out, always there to awaken me in the morning, shouting "Seize the Day" as you licked my face and dug at the blankets ‘til they fell off the bed.

We’ll miss you so much Poppy, and will hold you in our hearts always. We are lucky you chose us. Being Poppy's special person has been an honor.

To Poppy! Na Zdorovie. Sláinte!

Dogs die. But dogs live, too. Right up until they die, they live. They live brave, beautiful lives. They protect their families. And love us. And make our lives brighter. And they don’t waste time being afraid of tomorrow. (D. Gemeinhart)

Mazie was adopted back in January of 2015. She was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor that lead to her being put to sleep on Jan 21 2020. Mazie started her life with us a bit rough, but quickly settled in to her routine. In the end, she wound up being a great dog (most of the time). She lived a great five years with her small Yorkie friend, and was great with every other dog she met.  She spent a lot of time chilling out in her senior years, but always enjoyed a good outing to the park to chase a ball. She definitely developed more of a lazy lifestyle in her last year, but as a senior dog, she was certainly entitled. She will be missed.

We are devastated and heartbroken to let you know our sweet Rachel (adopted 2-14-15) passed unexpectedly in her sleep at home early Saturday, December 28, 2019, after having emergency surgery on Christmas morning for a twisted stomach.

Rachel was a vocal girl with strong herding instincts who shared herself uniquely with every member of our family.  She gave us all exactly what we needed.  she was so gentle with Mom “Nana” who lived with us when we adopted Rachel and our Grandson, Graeme, who arrived in 2017.  Rachel was content with her daily routine:  neighborhood watch, daily rides in the Jeep and walks at the local parks with Hubby, sharing Wednesdays and Thursdays with Graeme and his dog Honey, evening walks and weekly wine night with me and our neighbor Darla and their GS/lab, Sammy, special playtime with our youngest grown son, Robby (they had their own language).  She was “That Big Dog” to Kelly (our oldest son’s MAGSR Alumna).  She also enjoyed trips to the beach, holidays, and family time.  She would plop down right in the middle of everyone or in front of the sink and expect us just to step over her which of course we did most of the time.  She loved and was loved.  She was a blessing to our family and brought us so much joy.  We are missing her beyond words. 

We will always be grateful to MAGSR’s dedicated volunteers for bringing her into our lives.