Shadoe is in Doggy Heaven.

Shadoe

Age 14, ~1996 - August 17, 2010

Nickname: Shadoe

“SHADOE” Our Beloved Baby Girl

On June 18th, 2001 my husband Regis and I went to Coastal Humane Society to look at what they might have up for adoption. At first, I wanted a puppy, but as we strolled around the cages there was one big dog which kept coming over to the bars wanting to be petted, who wanted some love and attention, which kept licking our hands. She did this not once but dozens of times, continually showing her affection to us. She was an older dog of 3 years or so, a beautiful Black-lab mix. So what the heck, it was as if everyone deserves a second chance at life, and she was no different. We tried her on a trial run on a leash and she behaved remarkably well. She was impressive, and majestic, from head to tail. OK- so let’s start the adoption process for our new found family member.
She turned out to be the greatest dog ever. Although we worked long hours, the moment we came home she would be there to greet and share her abundance of affection. Also, there would never be a mess to clean despite long days alone sometime. We ended up naming her Shadoe because every time you would turn around she would be there at your side creating a “shadow”. She was such a lovely, affectionate dog that she would always end up in bed with us during the evening. Now when she was in bed with you, claiming her spot, there was no way that you could ever get any blankets up over you, but that was always ok with us.
Her days would be fun filled events such as digging holes, especially one she dug by a lilac tree where she would lay for hours enjoying both daytime sun and cool shade. One thing she did hate and that was storms when it would be thundering and lightening out. We always tried to make sure we were there to comfort her during those times if we were at home. I remember one time when she did get loose and we went to get her, she still never wandered too far from the house.
In Shadoe’s later years she began to have trouble getting up and around, a situation which is not all that uncommon for many older dogs. Once, before she passed away on August 17th of 2010 while she was out she wandered out front of the house and ended up in a gully/ditch and didn’t even have the strength to get herself up. She was so hot and exhausted from the heat. We did get her up and got her back inside the house; and this seemed to be the start of her continual failing. It broke our hearts to see her challenged to sometimes do just day to day activities. We knew that eventually, as her beloved parents, we would have to make that decision for her, to let her depart this earth peacefully, and to move on. Although a decision, no one ever, ever wants to make, we knew it was inevitable, and it was coming. When the time came, this proved to be the hardest decision we ever, ever had to make in life, but our “Sweet Girl” was ready to go to meet her maker and needed to sleep “peacefully” and with dignity. Ironically, another thing we knew from that very first encounter was that she was created to be ours because of her “shelter” name which was Jerry. My mom’s name is Jerry, and also, I have a daughter also so named. She was destined to be ours. The signs were there!
Shadoe now rests peacefully, her ashes on a shelf, with us; at the home she so loved and was raised in. No animal ever, ever belongs to be caged, raised, and die behind the bars of a shelter cage. They too, deserve and are entitled to all the love and caring that God wants for them, and they so deserve. We also adorn the area, Shadoe’s Place, with countless pictures of her from Day One through her passing. We now say that she even watches and guards over our home while we are out. She lends her protection and love to this very day.
We will always love and miss our beautiful baby girl Shadoe, even though we know she is in a much better world. She now can spend her time healthy, happy, and playing with her cousin “Trouble” who also passed away this year, and has a site here on “Doggy Heaven”. In December of 2007 we brought another love of our life into our home with “Bandit”. Shadoe and Bandit became the best of buds, with Shadoe more or less simply putting up with this young whipper snapper, who at times could be a pest to Shadoe. Despite that, she never snapped, never growled, and shared her love and compassion even to the new kid on the block. She was a gentle giant to the end. We Love and Miss you our Beautiful Girl. May you forever be happy, safe, and rest in peace.
-Love Mom and Dad, and Bandit.