Kara Staroski
The Beauceron Rescue world lost one of our special seniors last week.
I remember the very first photo I saw of Violet, a sad, scared, older dog in an overcrowded kill shelter. Rescue was able to pull her and get her into a safe foster home. During her initial veterinary exam the vet guessed her to be around 7 or 8 years old. After spending several months with two different fosters Violet was adopted and transport was arranged. She was going all the way from Oregon to Southern California. More then halfway down the west coast. One of the transporters noticed a very faded identification tattoo in Violet’s ear. From the breeder’s records we learned that she was almost 13 years old. Her new adopter backed out, afraid of the commitment of taking on an older dog. As rescue chair, I was scrambling. How was I going to adopt out a 13 year old dog who we had just transported 16+ hours from her previous foster home? What was I going to do with her?
Then Violet’s guardian angels stepped up, the Fryer family. They adopted this old lady, figuring they would give her a good retirement home for the last months of her life, knowing she was already on borrowed time (Beaucerons have an average life expectancy of 11-12 years). At first when I saw Facebook posts from Carly, I would hold my breath, thinking it would be the final good bye post for Violet. But it wasn’t. It was pictures of her bossing around the younger Beaucerons in the home, lounging around at the barn with her mom, going to dog shows as a spectator. And BIRTHDAY photos! Violet celebrated a 13th birthday with her family. Then a 14th. And then a FIFTEENTH. Her eyes had gotten a little cloudy, but she still looked happy and sassy. The best part of Violet’s photos were the comments from all of the people who’s lives she had touched. Person after person commented on what a wonderful dog she was, or how she had brightened their day.
A few weeks ago I got the news that Violet had passed at 15 years and 8 months of age and my heart broke. Even though I never got to meet Vi I always feel a sense of responsibility for the rescue dogs. And Violet had tugged at my heartstrings. I am sharing Violet’s story for two reasons. First, to thank everyone who was involved in her rescue. She had two fosters and many transporters. Thank you to Josi Dahl, Shyanne Gates, Jalien Watson, Jean Tornquist, Carol Cossey, Karla Davis, and anyone I missed who helped this girl along the way. It takes a village to keep our rescue dogs safe, and so many of you rose to the occasion. What a difference you made to one senior dog.Thank you to Carly Fryer and family. You probably gave Violet the best years of her life. Second, don’t forget about the older dogs! Everyone wants a puppy, but adopting an older dog can be such a beautiful thing. Even if you think you may be giving a dog just a comfortable place to live the last few months they have left…you never know, they may surprise you.
RIP Violet 5/18/2004 – 2/1/2020
