Jan. 26, 2015  
I thought you would like to know that Kila, (renamed Lucy) a female German Shepherd, that I adopted from you on 07-13-2003 passed away today. I want you to know that she had a good life. We spent many years hiking all over Maryland. I moved to New Hampshire in 2010 and she spent her last years hiking several of the 4000 foot peaks with me and running through the pasture of a small farm I bought. You should also know that she saved my life. When I lived in Baltimore city, the bad guys broke into my house in the middle of the night and she fiercely drove them out of the house and
down the alley. She also fell in love with an adopted cat, River, in her last couple of years and they were best friends.
She was loved everyday. Such a good good dog.

Sincerely,
Odediah Skolnick

It is with great sorrow that we inform you that on June 26, 2014 Luna succumbed to an acute onset of immune mediated hemolytic anemia, a severe condition where her body no longer recognized red blood  cells as her own and developed antibodies to circulating red blood cells, leading to their destruction.

Luna came to us as a rescue from an animal hoarding case in West Virginia. The first few months of her life were spent in the bottom cage of a stack of four. She was malnourished, ridden with parasites, had a severe respiratory infection, and was covered in filth. Had there not been a hose available at the rest stop on I-66 where I picked her up, she may have wound up somewhere else. Still, despite this awful situation, she was a happy puppy about three months old with ears about two sizes too large and a tail that wagged so much, sometimes, it threw her off balance. She came to our home on March 27, 2009 as a foster, arriving on a night of a new moon. That lunar event, along with her black coat made the decision for her name. We finally got her coat cleaned after several good scrubbings (that black coat of her’s hid a lot of dirt!) and got her medical issues resolved. As do all puppies, she was growing like a weed. By the time I figured that she was ready to attend her first adoption day, she had already gained 15 pounds, and her adjustable puppy collar was at its adjustable limit. When I announced I was going to the adoption day, I was asked:  “Who are you taking?” My reply was “Luna.” Her new Mom then informed me that she had found her home and that no way was she going to any adoption day. So, Luna became a failed foster, but one for whom we never had a moment of regret.

She picked up on her training like a champ and with some help from Jake and Elwood, gained a respect for the pack and it’s dynamic. She enjoyed running like crazy! Her time off leash on vacation in Montana was where she was in her element. She could dash like a pronghorn (much to the surprise of the group antelope to which she gave chase) and was as graceful in her pursuit as any sight hound. She proved herself as a German Shepherd Dog and stood up to cattle, even though it was her first encounter with those big slow things. She even used that eye contact effect of real herding dogs to move them out of her way. By the time she was two years old, she was a lean, lanky sleek dog with a wonderful sense of attentiveness, although persons leaving and reentering a room sometimes set off a false alarm.  It must have been her way of announcing their re-arrival because she always acted as if she meant to do that… it was never a mistaken alert in her mind. Soon, she took her place as the Alpha Bitch in the pack, much to the chagrin of her older brother, Elwood. But for a few notable incidents, pack relations remained calm. She was a good big sister to Dylan and showed him the ropes and provided a play friend when Jake and Elwood had enough of the new youngster’s antics.

Luna was loving and was greatly loved. She was happy and playful and, as we are sure you all have experienced, she could lift our spirits, console us, and clown with us. She never did grow into those ears! She was amazing and wonderful, she seemed to be proud of her quirks, and that for us is what made her such a special gift. Our pack already notes her absence as they look for her in her typical spots. They have all gone to “her chair” and looked around but no one has yet taken her place there. No one ever will. We will think of her always and as we gaze at the moon we know that she is watching over us. We thank her for being a very special part of our lives.

We wish to thank the outstanding Veterinarians, technicians, and staff at Southpaws that cared so deeply for Luna and provided her and us with their compassion and expertise in treating her condition which is so little understood to the science and offers such grave prognosis.

We will meet you at the Rainbow Bridge baby girl.  With hearts that will always hold you close,

Valli and Shep