MAGSR.ORG

We adopted Tara (fka Savannah) from MAGSR in September of 2009 and lost her this January 2022. She was the most amazing dog and I miss her every day.
We learned so many things together. She must have known over 100 different tricks, from basic manners, to agility, to nose work, and all the stupid pet tricks in between. She passed all three Odor Recognition Tests for nose work showing she knew to search for birch, anise, and clove scents. She absolutely loved to search. And when she earned her NW1 title in 2013, the judge gave her the special “Harry Award” to “the most outstanding rescue dog that demonstrates extraordinary ability and spirit in nose work.” She was absolutely the most outstanding rescue dog.
She was my constant companion for over 12 years. We hiked, ran, and walked 1000s of miles together. And that’s not an exaggeration. On average, she ran 30 miles a week through her prime. Her longest training run was 20 miles and her longest race was the toughest 10 mile trail run I’ve ever done. She was the best trail dog; no matter how far we went or how lost I was, she always knew her way back to where we started. There was nothing she loved more than running along the trails with me. She made me feel safe and rarely let me out of her sight.
She took every change in our lives in stride. She moved with us across the country to Kansas for vet school, then back to Virginia again. She traveled all over the country with us. She hiked the mountains of Colorado, the plains of Kansas, and the New Mexican desert. She swam in the Atlantic Ocean, explored the Virginia forests, and romped in the snow in the West Virginia mountains.
She stuck to me like glue when each of our boys were born. She refused to leave my side for anything. And she was amazing with the boys as babies, then as they grew into toddlers and big kids. I could not have asked for her to be more patient and tolerant of them.
She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in September 2021, twelve years after coming home to us. She was already suffering from early changes of degenerative myelopathy as well. Radiation bought us four more wonderful pain-free months with her before bloat took her suddenly in January. She was loved so very much and is missed so very greatly.
Thank you for bringing her into our lives.