THE FROSTED FACES

Page 16

Enjoy scrolling through all of our Frosted Face senior animals who have benefit from our mission at Frosted Faces Foundation.  They are listed in order of date of rescue, including those that have passed. If you have been following a certain Frosted Face's story and would like to know how he/she is doing, please email us at friends@frostedfacesfoundation.org.

Please make note of animals still looking for families as their "Family" is listed as "Frosted Faces Foundation."  View their biographies and more photos at Available Frosted Faces, learn more about becoming a family and the different programs we offer. You can also help fund their care by registering as their monthly sponsoring Fan.  

Cooper

Acquired from: Downey Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: August 6th, 2019
Date of Passing: April 9th, 2021
Family: Gretchen Slater-Beard & Kenney Beard
Fans: Karine Biboumam, Libby Brittain
Tribute: On April 9th, Gretchen and Kenney fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Cooper.

Gretchen shared,

"The last few weeks I’ve been reading the heartbreaking posts of beloved Frosteds that have gone over the rainbow bridge. Never could I have imagined I’d be writing one too. Sadly, we lost Cooper on the morning of April 9th. He passed in his sleep. There was no indication anything was wrong. He’d been his normal goofy self. He had breakfast and sunned in the backyard. Then laid down on his pillow in the house and he was gone. We think his dermal hemangioma had spread internally to his heart. We are in shock and disbelief. He was in no pain and I’m trying to find peace in that.

Cooper was a member of our family for a year and a half. I wish we could have had him his whole 13 years of life. He was the bestest boy. We will miss his afternoon old man zoomies, his deep bark telling me it is dinner time, his love of bananas and his endless mission to kill every squeaky that ever lived. He was an attentive companion to my sister, napping every afternoon with her in bed. She was the only one he would cuddle with.

Run free now with Tyke, Rookie, Spiker and Dicey. We love you Cooper Looper Dooper. You were my dude "

I want to add to this beautiful tribute a story about commitment. Late last year Cooper and his sibling were on a leashed after work walk with their mom when a neighbor's unleashed small dog came running down the sidewalk. Running at large is illegal and dogs are required to be on leash. Cooper's barrier frustration led to injuries to the poor dog and the guardian was very very mad. Unfortunately, Cooper resides outside of San Diego County where responsible guardians like Gretchen are not always favored over those who break the law.

She offered to cover the injured dog's veterinary bills and apologized profusely even though the circumstances were not her fault. We housed Cooper at FFF until the situation blew over for Cooper's safety, and you know what... Gretchen came right on back for her boy as soon as she could! We will never EVER forget how Gretchen defended her boy and loved him unconditionally. Now THAT is fulfilling a promise.

Eden

Acquired from: Coachella Valley Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: August 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: September 14th, 2019
Family: Frosted Faces Foundation
Fans: Laura Giacchetti, The Mendez Family
Tribute: On Saturday, September 14th, we fulfilled our promise to Eden.

We rescued Eden just a month ago on August 8th. She had a gigantic mass on her abdomen, and her x-rays looked clear that were performed at the shelter on August 7th. We removed the mass and she survived! Eden's 1.1 pound mass came back as external osteosarcoma. It was then we knew she had a poor prognosis, but not this poor.

On September 5th, just 12 days ago, we noticed that she had a swollen mouth and some pus coming from her cheek where we suspected a tooth root abscess. We immediately brought her in for surgery, and not even then did the vet seem like her exam was concerning and proceeded with the dental. We did not repeat pre-anesthetic x-rays since we had done them within the month. We all just wanted to see sweet Eden comfortable and finally living her best life.

It was Thursday evening, September 12th, that Eden started turning wide right circles. We had her sleep with us and noticed she sounded like she was squeezing out breaths and coughing intermittently. We took her to High Valley Veterinary Hospital where they did new x-rays to find mets invading every part of her lung lobes. We were shocked and I know the vet gasped.The turning? A vestibular episode or metastasis to her brain. They showed us about how she should have 30 breaths for minute and Dr. Lipman was graciously on speed dial for questions. Eden had one more good day in the arms of so many loving volunteers with palliative care, and declined quickly so we let her go so she would not have to endure suffering. I admire fifth grade volunteer, Tayler Brown, for having the courage, and her grandma Janis for allowing her, to hold Eden and go through the grieving process knowing it would be her last day. She fed her chicken gently, cried over her, and held her dearly for over an hour before heading to the hospital.

Eden immediately felt wonderful after that first surgery. Our best memories were of her chasing Waldo in the yard to hump his leg, and how tightly she would press herself into everyone's laps. Her feet rarely touched the floor. She went to Julian for apple pie, trespassed in the mall, went on a Frosted Fakers hike, and the winery. Just four short weeks, two surgeries, and so much fun. Dogs live in the moment and I am so glad she had all of this good time even if only for a short while.

"The trouble is, you think you have time." ~ Buddha

I know I always have a lot of regrets and "what ifs," but everyone loved Eden in such a big way, and we did our very best for her medically with what we knew. Fair? No. Did Eden magnify the selfless, sensitive, caring people who dedicate themselves to senior dogs and don't waste a minute? Absolutely. We have more loving to do and Eden's legacy lives on.

Mickey

Acquired from: Carson Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 15
Date of Rescue: August 17th, 2019
Date of Passing: May 15th, 2020
Family: Frosted Faces Foundation
Fans: Deborah Dean, Stitch, David Joseph Katona
Tribute: Today we fulfilled our promise to Mickey.

Mickey was surrendered to Carson shelter by his family at the age of 15. They said he could not walk and he was at the end of the road. It really seemed like a time when some families would opt for euthanasia, and sure, the procedure is expensive which is maybe why surrender was the choice. I just can't imagine not having that closure of being present at the end for an animal who spent 15 years with me. No one knows what is wrong with these dogs when surrendered and the shelter system has very little resources to do diagnostics, so we exited him for a fair evaluation.

The guy was wobbly, but he could hold his own! At FFF we do not believe that paralysis means there is no more quality, but we do start to more consciously and frequently evaluate it. We started him on steroids and pain medication and he just kept on living. We got him set of wheels when he was no longer stable safely on his own four legs. We diapered him and offered morning baths. There was a short period of time when he had a horrendous UTI and during treatment he would not eat anything except hamburgers- and so volunteers brought them on a schedule! Mickey was a lobby dog for a very long time, but as his independence diminished, so did his tolerance for other dogs. We separated him to have his own yard time and even sleep in his own room at night. Mickey never missed a Frosted Fakers hike and got strong again in his wheels.

If you follow our work, you know we always say the ultimate goal is individual family and we do not wish to act as a sanctuary for broken and unwanted dogs. Our programs strive to find the people who WANT seniors. I can honestly say, of all the wonderful and capable families we know, Mickey was best suited to stay at Frosted Faces Foundation and find family with the volunteers. Each kind person who spends time here touched Mickey and gave him every opportunity to thrive through the dignity of cleanliness, exercise in a harness or wheelchair, home cooking and hand feeding, even physical therapy! He had the enrichment of toys and games and he got tucked in at night as a loved part of a very large family.

We did our best. Mickey lived every last good day and probably a little bit beyond, because let's face it, we loved him and watched him decline so slowly that it was hard to choose a day to send him off. Today we held him tightly over the rainbow and all those beautiful bright colors made him whole again.

Thank you to all of the volunteers at Frosted Faces Foundation who loved Mickey as your own. 

Ashley

Acquired from: Baldwin Park Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 17
Date of Rescue: August 17th, 2019
Date of Passing: November 11th, 2019
Family: Jim & Suzanne Wagner
Fans: Sarah Taylor & Zoe, Bonnie Sposato, Sabrina, Jonathan and Camden Chapman, @jenhongers, Perry Family, J.R., Robin Kardon, Anonymous, The Giuffre Sisters
Tribute: On Monday, November 11th, we fulfilled our promise to Ashley.

Ashley seemed like a dog we would have trouble placing and may leave her legacy as an FFF lobby dog. That was until Suzanne came to FFF and saw right away that Ashley needed and deserved individualized attention, so she took her home! We had noticed Ashley changing, but it hard to tell with very senior dogs like Ashley whether it's the two week post-rescue adrenaline rush wearing down that we so often experience, or if she was truly declining.

Let's say she found a soft place to land just in time.

"I wanted to share the sad news of Ashley’s passing. She was rushed to the ER on Friday evening for a severe vestibular episode and possible seizure. The vet said it could be anything from an inner ear infection to a brain tumor. We went with the hail mary and brought her home with meds and fluids. Unfortunately she never recovered. After spending three nights by her bedside, this morning I was there with her at home when she passed.

A few friends have already commended me for taking such as old pup, but I’ve found it embarrassing because I feel like I am the lucky one to have known and been loved by Ashley. Most rescue dogs need at least a little time to trust again and relax, but Ashley immediately gave me her absolute trust and love and devotion. She tried out all the beds in the house but favored the middle of the rug in the middle of the living room in the middle of the house. She fit into our family immediately as though she had been there for years. Like the other dogs said, “Oh, there you are.”

I have been blessed by her love and honored to have been able to provide her a home and family even if for just a short time. She has my admiration and love. Thank you, Frosted Faces, for giving me such as opportunity. It was worth the sorrow to have shared such joy."

Gia

Acquired from: OC Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: August 21st, 2019
Date of Passing: September 20th, 2019
Family: Andy & Kim Green
Fans: Karen Fuller, Cynthia Dean, Elaine Byrnes
Tribute: On Friday, September 20th, we fulfilled our promise to Gia.

We rescued poor Gia with a giant ulcerated mast cell on her foot. We ambitiously amputated her leg to give her a new lease on life, but mid surgery, the vet found another mass near her shoulder. Not sure if the mass was a lymph node or true mass, we proceeded and sent the mass out for biopsy. It came back as another mast cell tumor. Knowing what we know now, I am positive we would not have amputated her leg, but we do the best we can with what we know and every decision is made with love.

Gia thrived as a tripod immediately and you would have never guessed her body was being invaded by cancer. Just three weeks after surgery we started to see her skin firm up and become enflamed at her surgery site, and ever so quickly this area turned into ANOTHER mass the size of a baseball. We urgently sought her a family and Kim and Andy were quick to volunteer.

Last week the new mass ruptured and it was one of those heartbreaking decisions to let a bright girl go because there was no way to remove the mass and only pain and infection ahead.

"I know we don’t need to explain to you or anyone else connected with Frosted Faces how it’s possible to fall so in love with a dog we only knew for two weeks and spent only one week as part of our family. With Gia’s diagnosis, we knew our time with her was limited, but we couldn’t have imagined it would be so short.

We are deeply sad yet thankful. Thankful that Gia gave us her trust so quickly and showed us her spunky personality, thankful that she came running when she heard a squeaky toy and showed us how she loved to play fetch, dropping the toy at my feet to throw again, and then curling up and squeaking as if playing a tune.

How wonderful it felt when Gia began to run to us when we called her name with an excited expectancy in her eyes, trusting that something good was awaiting her. She loved going for walks, hopping on her hind legs when we held out her leash. She loved car rides, and she went on at least one everyday that she was with us, looking out the window the entire time. She loved hamburgers and had the best Redlands has to offer. She loved being brushed and resting her head in our hands as we rubbed behind her ears and under her chin gently.

The sad longing that we feel, the deep wish that we could have given her more of all these things is only surpassed by knowing that her final week of life was filled with them, love, security, and family. We are deeply grateful to Frosted Faces Foundation for giving a shy, skittish little girl with a severely injured paw a chance to live and to find family.

One of our most special memories of Gia is the day we met her and went on a double date with resident Frosted Face Watson to Coronado. What we would like to do, both to honor Gia and to give a very deserving sweet boy a loving home and forever family, is to adopt Watson."

The Greens are making good on this promise & legacy tomorrow. 

Clyde

Acquired from: Owner Surrender
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: August 26th, 2019
Date of Passing: July 31, 2021
Family: Lynn Spears & Nick Burneff
Fans: Rose Connolly, Kelly Lance, Melinda Rinehart
Tribute: On July 31, 2021, Lynn fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Clyde.

"Clyde lost control of his hind quarters to the point that he could not stand. Even when helped up, he would fall down. Otherwise he was very healthy and happy. Clyde went for a walk 6 days a week. Towards the end we rigged up a double harness contraption to help with the rear end, but after a while even that didn’t help.

One day he went down for good, I couldn’t pick him up, we were both helpless. So some neighbor boys put Clyde in the van for me and we went to the local emergency hospital, where after a while in my arms, he crossed over the rainbow bridge. I miss his gentle and comical ways. And the fact that we had to hide the dog food in the bathroom because he ate through every container we had! The boy did love his meals!

It’s very lonesome without the dogs; Clyde was especially gentle and sweet, our 18 months together were a joy. He passed away too soon."

Bonnie

Acquired from: Owner Surrender
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: August 26th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Robyn French
Fans: Janice Schlesinger, Melinda Rinehart, Lisa Sears, Bonnie Sposato

todd

Acquired from: Bonita Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 7
Date of Rescue: August 28th, 2019
Date of Passing: September 7th, 2019
Family: Frosted Faces Foundation
Fans: Sara Young
Tribute: This weekend tragedy found Frosted Faces Foundation. In the safe beautiful space where we promise family and good care for abandoned senior dogs, Todd lost his life.

It was sunset on Saturday, a cool breeze swept across our play yards and the Littles play group got one more rotation in the yard before bedtime. Todd was happily humping his friends and kennel staff went on to give assertive corrections verbally and with a squirt bottle. In a quick moment, his friends retaliated and a play yard supervisor jumped in and scooped Todd out of the commotion as quickly as anyone possibly could have. Although he was alert and seemingly fine for a moment, he passed away in her arms within minutes. He had no puncture wounds and the vet suggested he may have broken his neck.

Andy and I were not at FFF when this happened but rushed back immediately to find a Kennel Manager sobbing over Todd's tiny body on the couch. In the car where Todd rode from the shelter to FFF just a week earlier falsely promised a bright future, I drove his lifeless body cradled in my arms to Animal Emergency Clinic of San Diego to be put in a freezer.

On Labor Day he went to Julian, CA and rode in a stroller down Main Street with Romy Sonderegger. They got some cheese sticks from the deli to snack on, and then ran around in the grass of a small park. Just two days before Todd's death, he had dental surgery and got neutered at College Animal Hospital. He had FFF's record number of teeth extracted - 35.

We struggle with all of the "what ifs." We weren't going to rescue Todd when we did. I had all the paperwork done for Padre and I couldn't get Todd off my mind, so I went back and asked them to exit him also. What if we had left him to be adopted? How could a family keep Todd alive all this time in such poor condition, and we, the most thoughtful collection of good-hearted people could not protect him? What if they had claimed him? What if they had never lost him?

Earlier in the day Saturday he was held by countless people at Open House, and we laughed as he tried to use the heightened laps of volunteers to take advantage of his Frosted friends and hop on their backs. What if we had just pulled Todd out of the play yard for being persistent instead of making corrections? What if one of the applicants interested in him had come to adopt him sooner? We all feel accountable, and yet, we know that these terrible things do happen. As one volunteer said, "We have to remember that no matter how much we convince ourselves that dogs are our surrogate children, they are still 'animals' at their core."

I took these photos of Todd on Saturday in hopes of adding them to his adoption profile to find him the perfect loving family. Only hours later they became a final memory of how his eyes sparkled with mischief and curiosity.

I beg that you respect our transparency and regard Todd's legacy as a reminder that life is so very fragile. xo

We loved you, Toddler. We are so sorry.

Gnocci

Acquired from: Bonita Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: August 28th, 2019
Date of Passing: December 28th, 2022
Family: Marie & Andy Diamond
Fans: Olive L

Tribute: On December 28th, Andy and Marie fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Gnocchi.

They shared, "Wednesday, December 28, Dr Russell helped Gnocchi cross 🌈. He had a chest full of tumors and his quality of life was deteriorating rapidly.

Our home is not the same without him. He was such a love: confident, curious, yet mellow and so sweet. He laid by my side as I recovered from a couple of hip replacements making sure I was never alone. He tolerated our other small dog Liz and let her get her way, but was able to give her confidence that she lacked.

A tumor took one of his eyes back in September’21 and that left him almost blind as his other eye was damaged long ago. He adapted but slowed down and lost a little spark.

We miss him so much."

Ricky

Acquired from: Carslbad Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 16
Date of Rescue: August 28th, 2019
Date of Passing: September 21st, 2022
Family: Sam & Kendra Ramada
Fans: Anonymous

Tribute: On November 21st, Kendra and Sam fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Ricky.

They shared,

"Ricky’s last day was today. We had a nice little picnic over the weekend where he munched on grilled cheese and laid his little head down in the grass one last time. Truth be told, I probably waited too long to say goodbye. Ricky’s good days were long behind him and we had been cruising on neutral for quite some time - no real bad days, but not what I’d call good days either. Lots of napping and toodling around the yard, and to me, at 20 years old, that seemed like an OK life. However, Ricky’s mind started to rapidly fail him, and as his mind declined, his body started to follow. Over the last three weeks or so, Ricky stopped being able to support his own body weight and it seemed like he was starting to forget how to chew. After months of hemming and hawing on what time was the right time, Ricky let me know it was now.

I am squarely in the I‘d rather be a day too late than a day too early camp. My promise to all my dogs is that I will squeeze every last good day out of these precious, much too short lives….I’ll even squeeze the neutral days out, too. A life without a little pain is impossible and while I may have waited a touch too long for Ricky, I know we said goodbye to one another with his every good and neutral day behind us.

Death is impossibly sad but for Ricky, I want to celebrate, too. Ricky spent most of his life with an owner who loved him until her death. While that owner’s family did not fulfill their family’s promise to Ricky, he was quickly scooped up by Frosted Faces and about a week after his rescue, came home with me. Ricky’s vet visits all went shockingly well given his age - great blood work, relatively healthy bones that let him cruise around the dog park, and even some vision/hearing (albeit diminished) that allowed him to participate in low key adventures.

Dogs don’t get as old as Ricky did in as good shape as Ricky was when they are not loved. Ricky was loved by his owner before Frosted Faces, he was loved at Frosted Faces, and he was loved after Frosted Faces, with our family, until the end. Ricky’s 20 year journey was long, and while it may have had some hiccups, he was loved the whole way through. To me, that’s worth celebrating. Over the last three years, Ricky ate, dog parked, beached, Tahoed, ate some more, barked to be heard, barked because he couldn’t hear, dined at fine SD establishments, laid in grass, sniffed dog butts, slept, slept a whole lot more, and peed everywhere without consequence. It was three years of mostly such good days, some neutral days, and just a few bad days. Cheers to my little old, and much loved, man "

Darla

Acquired from: San Bernardino City Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: August 28th, 2019
Date of Passing: October 11th, 2021
Family: Jillian Gerrity & Amanda Gosselin
Fans: Katie
Tribute: On October 11th, Jillian and Amanda fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Darla.

"On October 11th, we sadly said goodbye to our perfect little lady, Darla. She hadn’t been doing well since the procedure she had done on her eye a few weeks ago and passed away in her sleep after a sudden rapid decline.

Our hearts are still so heavy and our house feels so empty without her puttering about or nuzzling her head into us or chasing her brother down the street. We wish we could have even just one more day with her, but are eternally grateful for the two years we did have.

She got to see the beach, the forest, many breweries and even the east coast! Rest easy, sweet angel. You’ll always have a permanent place in our hearts.”

TINA

Acquired from: Riverside Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: August 30th, 2019
Date of Passing: February 24th, 2020
Family: Laura Backe
Fans: Jaimee Beach, J.R.
Tribute: Yesterday we fulfilled our promise to Tina.

Tina was at Frosted Faces longer than she should have been, but volunteers took her on TWO Frosted Flings to pass the time in their cozy homes. When Laura stepped up for Tina's permanent placement, it was one of those times where the weight of the world lightens and you realize, "Wow, there ARE great people in this world." Tina struggled with canine dementia and dry eye. Her chronic conditions only progressed to congestive heart failure that we treated, and soonafter, skyrocketing kidney values.

Laura accommodated Tina by offering her stimulating activities with bones and lick mats, keeping her clean and very well dressed, and taking time to slow her down and cuddle. Like I told Laura, this was a win. Tina's body lived every last good day it possibly could with a mom who advocated and sympathized for her.

Laura shares,
"I had to say goodbye to Tina. She was diagnosed with renal failure last week and just could not battle that on top of congestive heart failure. Tina was a challenge but I loved her for her stubbornness. She never warmed up to Dobby but she tolerated him. The house is so quiet without her pacing and exploring. I held her at the end and told her I would see her at the bridge when we can be together again."

tori

Acquired from: Riverside Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: August 30th, 2019
Date of Passing: July 5th, 2022
Family: Kelly & Brent Wirth
Fans: Tammy Martin, Maria Beatty, Bella Sakata

Tribute: On July 5th, Kelly and Brent fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Tori.

They shared,

"Tori was rescued by FFF in August 2019, and we took her home in September 2019. We were drawn to her because we had lost our senior blind diabetic dog in April and just when we were wondering what to do with the extra insulin, we heard that FFF had a blind diabetic dog that needed a home. When we were on our way to pick her up, we got a call that she was at the emergency room because she was having diabetic seizures. We almost lost her before we met her. Luckily, she pulled through (which turned out to be her thing) and we were able to pick her up the next day. We all thought she was hospice; she was so skinny and in bad shape. Because of that we know we were so lucky to love her for nearly 3 years.

My husband and I, plus our dogs at home, nursed her back to health and she made a miraculous turn around. We got her diabetes under control, and she started to gain weight, her skin was getting better, her hair was growing in, and her eyes were bothering her less with daily eye drops. Through it all, she was loving and snuggly, but as she was feeling better her personality started to show through. She started wanting to go on walks with the other dogs, ready to dart out the door when we got the leashes out. Watching her walk on the leash was a joy. She would run into things or get tangled up, but the whole time she would prance and wag her tail. She also started figuring out where the dog beds and crates were and how to jump on and off the couches with no help. That first year we bought her a lot of sweaters since she was still skinny and patchy, took her on trips to the Colorado River and Paso Robles, found out she could go on long hikes (we always brought a back-pack just in case), spoiled her at Christmas, took her to wineries, and just made her part of our family. She fit in seamlessly and loved us unconditionally. We felt so luck to make it to her 1st Frostiversary.

Year 2 went by very similarly, except now she was healthy. And we thought maybe she was going to “live forever” or at least several more years. She slept so soundly through the night that she was the only dog we let sleep with us since once she fell asleep, she didn’t wake up until breakfast. She also decided my husband was her person, and always chose to snuggle him if given the option.

That year one of her eyes started to bother her, I was so afraid to put her under for surgery, but it was recommended that we enucleate the eye. We planned it when her sugars were almost perfect and took her in. We held our breath until we got the call to pick her up. She sailed through surgery and recovery. She was so strong and such a fighter. We celebrated her 2nd Frostiversary and began to think we were going to have many more.

Year 3 continued, much like the others. We had our pack and we had our routines. But in March she started having a strange discharge and it turned out to be a Pyometra. This time, we couldn’t prepare for surgery. Again, we held our breaths and again she made it through. I thought, “This girl is going to live well into old age.”

Tori always had mammary tumors, but after that surgery, one of them ballooned to the size of a tennis ball within 2 weeks. She was lethargic, eating less, and after blood work discovered she had an infection in addition to whatever the tumor was. We tried antibiotics, but Dr. Russell said we needed to do surgery once again… this was May. Not even 3 months from the last surgery.

This time she was the least ready for surgery since she was so sick, but Dr. Russell said, “Sometimes fortune favors the brave,” and we went for it. The surgeon at Anicira said the prognosis was guarded, that she had about 60-70% chance of making it through the surgery. Again, we held our breaths and again they called and said she made it through surgery just fine.

Immediately she was back to her old self. They told us that it was likely an aggressive cancer and if it came back quickly, that would probably be the end. I didn’t believe them. This was Tori, our fighter, the toughest dog I’d ever met. Then in June, not even 2 months later, another tumor began to grow in the same place. This time because she had so many recent surgeries, her skin broke open and the tumor began to grow outside of her body. My husband used antibiotic ointment and bandaged her up. He changed those bandages multiple times a day. As the tumor grew, her personality began to change. She became lethargic again, not interested in eating or taking walks, didn’t come running when she heard her test strips in the bottle. But she still wanted to cuddle, she would still try to get on the couch, and she still would eat treats or wet food. We considered paying out of pocket for another surgery, but the vet’s advice about the immediate recurrence and fast-growing cancer made us think twice. Were we doing it for her or for us? How many surgeries in 4 months could one dog take? Would the tumor just come back again? Was it worth it to risk her dying in surgery? We realized we were at the end…

We talked every day about quality of life. We wanted to let her go before she was suffering too badly but not when she had more good hours than bad… How could we tell? She wouldn’t eat one morning and we thought it was time, then she wanted to walk that night, so maybe it wasn’t? This is one of the hardest things for a pet parent. We can give them the gift of a peaceful death, but when is the right time?

Finally, we couldn’t touch her stomach because of the pain. The tumor was bleeding frequently and we knew it was all only getting worse. We opted for at home euthanasia. It took me two tries to schedule it.

We enjoyed the long weekend together. She went to the beach, Mount Soledad, and the park. She ate food we never would have given her (like quesadillas and French fries) and served her rotisserie chicken for most meals. And we loved her.

Then July 5, 2022, the vet showed up at our door. I wasn’t ready. Tori was laying on the floor and we were surrounding her, petting her, and telling her how much she was loved. She slept through the first injection. Then her body started fighting the anesthesia a little bit. Which can be very normal, but once again, I smiled and thought about our little fighter. Even when she was ready, she couldn’t help but put up a fight. Then she relaxed. We pet her, we whispered to her, and then she was given the second injection.

Tori had less than 3 years with us. Even though I know those 3 years were great and we (along with FFF) did the very best we could for her, I cannot help but think that if she had proper care her first 10 years of life, we wouldn’t have lost her so soon. Humans let Tori down and she loved us anyway. I wish she could have lived a longer life, but I cherish the almost 3 years she was part of our pack. She knew safety, peace, comfort, and love for those 3 years and for that I am grateful.

Thank you FFF for giving us Tori and aiding us in taking such good care of her. I am so incredibly thankful, grateful, impressed, and in awe of all the work you do."

Vinny

Acquired from: Ramona Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: September 12th, 2019
Date of Passing: July 22nd, 2021
Family: Derik & Bethany Keeble
Fans: Rachel Parsley, Lisa Hernandez, Richard Dixon
Tribute: On July 22nd, Derik and Bethany fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Vinny.

"Where do I start? My heart is so heartbroken. I feel like I can’t even get my words out appropriately. Vinny was the sweetest most special boy there was. I want everyone to know he was such an amazing, wonderful boy!

When he first came to me with his brother he was the more scared and anxious of the two. I knew his heart was so broken and he didn’t like the craziness going on now in his life. I had to be very patient with him and I soon learned that patience and lots love was key to healing the broken hearts with these two boys who just had their whole lives turned upside after their owner passed.

They soon fit right in and began to feel at home and super loved of course. Vinny would soon learned cats aren’t the enemy! Leave them alone and they will most of the time leave you alone! I think even in his sleep he Dreamed about chasing those kitties! He did learn to keep that just for dreaming and became such a well behaved boy and leaned to coexist with those awful kitties

He was smart, adorable, loving and such a sweet boy and companion to my daughter who soo adored him. He was such a devoted loving boy and would just melt in your arms . He loved to listen to bed time stories and cuddle in next to you.

He was a perfect loving companion.

He would follow me wherever I went and even sit with us in the bathroom while my daughter took her nightly bath. He was just the most precious boy.

Almost a year ago to the day he was diagnosed with a splenic mass so we removed it and later found out and were devastated to hear it was hemangiosarcoma. Did I say how much I hate hemangiosarcoma? It’s a horrible cancer. He was given 0-6 months to live. He went way beyond this and we are grateful to that. We cherished every day. We lost his brother in that time. About 2 months ago. I knew Vinny was heartbroken we all were and still are but we continued to fill his days with so much love to ease that heartache as he and his brother were together their whole lives.

Vinny’s cancer devastatingly had metastasized and his little body was tired.

I’m so devastated and just heartbroken and just sick over my boy's loss. We loved him so very much. He was the sweetest most gentle, quiet little soul there was. He was just so special to me words can’t describe it.

I’m lost without my boy. Please keep my family in your thoughts as we are just so heartbroken. He was just a little over a month shy of his 2 year Frostiversary.

Love you Vin Vin. I know your Bowbie was waiting for you at the bridge my sweet boy. I know you are always with us and we will see you again little man. Thank you for being amazing, sweet, precious, cuddly you my Vincey boy."

Bobo

Acquired from: Ramona Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: September 12th, 2019
Date of Passing: June 4th, 2021
Family: Derik & Bethany Keeble
Fans: Letha Morrison, Lisa Hernandez, Richard Dixon
Tribute: On June 4th, Derik and Bethany fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Bobo.

Bethany sweetly shared,

"I have so much to say about my sweet Bowbie. I’m so overwhelmed with my feelings and I’m afraid I will forget to say something. I have so many precious pics of him it’s hard to pick a few! I want to make this special for him as everyone deserves to know how sweet and special he was. He was my heart. We are so devastated without our sweet, lovie Bowbie.

When I first laid my eyes on BoBo and Vinny I started crying and then I messaged Kelly. I knew it was meant to be. I had just lost my own boy bostons a few months prior to seeing them come into Frosted Faces.

They came into The Frosted Faces Foundation because they were relinquished to the shelter when their owner passed away. They were a bonded pair. I believe that they were littermates and lifelong best buddies. I knew we could help each other heal from our pain and we sure did.

BoBo was just the perfect boy. He had such a cute personality. He had the most beautiful smile and when he would look at me with his sweet face and smile it would just Melt my heart. He had the biggest jowls that we just loved to give so many kisses and raspberry kisses to all the time! He loved riding in the car as he would rest peacefully. He loved to play with his squeaky toys and walked around with them in his mouth! He also loved to walk around with his bully stick in his mouth which melted my heart. He would always bark to ask to cuddle on my lap and watch tv every night with his brother Hermy and sometimes the kitty.

He had an enormous appetite and would let me know when he was hungry for sure! He was a gentle little soul and got along with everyone even the kitties! He loved to go to Lake Murray and sit by the lake and watch the ducks ever so peacefully. Which is what we did on his last day with us with a big cheeseburger. He loved loved his brother so much and his brother loved him so much. Their bond was beautiful to see it really was. We are going to do our best to comfort Vinny and get him through this.

I could always count on sweet BoBo to cuddle and keep me warm at night . My daughter truly adored him and he was so sweet and gentle with her. He sat peacefully next to her as she played and happily dressed up in costumes with her at times along with Vin ! He loved to listen to bedtimes stories every night with her.

BoBo had a lot of medical issues but we were keeping them at bay for such a long time until we could no longer.

My heart is so broken I just can’t believe my boy is gone. I know I only had him almost two years but to me it’s like I had him his whole life. I loved him that much. I loved him deeply, my family loved him deeply and he will forever be missed.

Rest Peacefully my sweet Bowbie. We love you so much and miss you so much already. We will take good care of your brother and give him so much love until you meet again until we all meet again my boy. I know you will always be with us sweet boy."

Trooper

Acquired from: Ramona Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: September 12th, 2019
Date of Passing: January 31st, 2024
Family: Romy Sonderegger
Fans: Tasha

Tribute: On January 31st, Romy fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Trooper.

She shared,

"My sweet little fur baby Trooper crossed the rainbow bridge on January 31st. I’m heartbroken. 💔 I held him close, kissed his head and told him how much I loved him as he passed peacefully in my arms. His health had rapidly declined over the past few months and he was ready to get his angel wings. He lived his life to the fullest with me for over four years, he was around 11 years old when he came into my life and almost 16 when he passed. I’m grateful that I got to be his momma. He loved going on walks, sniffing the grass, feeling the warm sunshine, car rides, taking long naps in his comfy doggy bed and eating his chicken dinners. He was my sidekick, road trip buddy and best friend. Thank you Frosted Faces Foundation for being such an important part of our family. Run pain free Troopy Doop! Momma misses you so much!!

🐶🐾🌈🙏 "

Sherman

Acquired from: SEAACA Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: September 18th, 2019
Date of Passing: November 6th, 2019
Family: Bert & Kris Wood
Fans: Carol Diaz-Zubieta, Sammy's Family, Kelly Lewis, Molly Dobelle, Marty & Molly
Tribute: On November 6th we fulfilled our promise to Sherman.

Sherman had just had an echocardiogram a week earlier where they reported his heart was not nearly as bad as we had understood and we were discussing dental surgery! The guy was going to have years and next summer in Montana on vacation, just like so many other lucky Frosted Face beagles adopted by the Woods. God had other plans and Sherman passed away in his sleep at home.

"Just when I thought I couldn't possibly be any sadder or more heart broken...
We lost Sherman💔
He was sideways Sam, the Shermanator, Wheat Sherm, the Germ.
He became my shadow, and hated when I left or wasn't there when he woke up. But he didn't wake up.
Devastated that I didn't get to say goodbye!
Run free sweet Sherman and know I loved you tons!"

Pumpkin

Acquired from: Final Wish Program
Age upon Rescue: 15
Date of Rescue: September 23rd, 2019
Date of Passing: September 10, 2021
Family: Manuel Agah & Klaudia Barsi
Fans: Natalia
Tribute: On September 10th, Manny and Klaudia fulfilled their promise Frosted Face Pumpkin after battling lymphoma.

"Grandma Pumpkin decided to leave. It was tough as she taught us toughness and sass. She was as independent as they come and she became family. It was difficult to see her show her age but she never lost her attitude.

A true independent soul who left on her own. We miss and will always love you grandma!!

Thank you FFF for letting us love her."

Blanca

Acquired from: Final Wish Program
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: September 23rd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Linda Anderson
Fans: Laura Giacchetti

Bullet

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: September 30th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Erika Denton
Fans: Cathy Jimenez

Tribute: On Saturday, May 18th, Erika Denton fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Bullet.

She shared,

"Bullet was the best dog in the world. Tiny but mighty. This half Chihuahua half mini pinscher (we think but don’t really know) 100% stole our hearts and we are devastated that we have to live in this world without him. Bullet came to our house when our non FF senior lab passed as we have another non FF senior dog (Pepper a Maltese terrier mix) at home who cried every day after her big lab passed. She made it clear she needed a companion and off Pepper and I went to Frosted Faces to see if we could find a new brother. I knew I wanted a small dog and my only note was no Chihuahua ( I thought I didn’t want a barky dog). The first dog brought into the lobby was adorable but Pepper would not acknowledge the dog. But the second dog was Boogie who was an owner surrender at a shelter whose real name was Bubba. No real reason was given as to why they had relinquished him to the shelter but seizures and an enlarged heart were listed on the shelter paperwork. The two dogs didn’t bark at each other and seemed to not mind each other so I said let’s take this one. (Plus I knew seeing more dogs would just make the decision even harder). So off Pepper and I went with Boogie in hand back to Manhattan Beach, California. My son didn’t like the name Boogie and he did not answer to Boogie or Bubba but we thought we should stick with a B name so Bullet was chosen and the rest is history. Was Bullet a barky dog, yes and no. Did he bark when we got mail or an Amazon delivery was made, yes, but I was glad he was taking on the role of guard dog so seriously. Did we have to avoid other dogs on our walk or would Bullet lose his mind, yes, but I know he was just protecting myself and Pepper and I was happy to cross the street so we could avoid the other dogs.

Bullet was the absolute best. He loved the sun and we moved all the foot ottomans for our outdoor furniture away from the chairs and placed them in the best spots in our yard to ensure he could lay in the sun. Bullet was a true California dog and could lay out there for hours. Bullet was amazing at begging and could sit right beside you while you eat and with those big eyes just stare at you for as long as you ate tilting his cute head from side to side until you gave in. If you did not look at him or acknowledge him sitting right beside you he would make this cute whining noise to tell you he was hungry. We kept Bullet at a good weight ( I didn’t want him to be overweight due to his heart condition) but don’t worry, he got plenty of small pieces and lots of treats.

Bullet loved the car and would love to sit on the console between the two front seats to be my co pilot. He loved looking out windows and loved seeing the big world out there.

Bullet was definitely a Frosted faker and for the first couple of years could walk for blocks and blocks on our twice a day walks. We usually only ended our walks because our non FF dog was ready to turn around. The twice a day walks became once a day and then maybe 2-3 months ago we stopped the walks all together. He would get excited to go on a walk but after one or two houses would have to lay down and rest. We had a big backyard so he definitely got plenty of outside time as the walks became too much for him.

I had never had a dog who burrowed or cuddled like Bullet did. Our sofa was covered in multiple blankets and the rule at our house was you had to check a blanket before you sat down because Bullet could be in one of those blankets. I am really missing my cuddle buddy (since I work from home). Bullet always had to be touching me while I sat on the sofa and worked and he napped all day. And again at night time, practically spooning me in bed. I had no idea how sweet and loving Chihuahua’s are and for anyone who has never considered adopting one because the breed is so barky, let me tell you, they are truly the best dogs. They love hard and want to protect you. They are so cuddly and sweet. And so smart. Bullet understood everything we said. It was amazing. He was always on the hunt for food or a crumb and once he figured out that trashcans could have food he would try to knock the trash cans over to get the trash to spill out to grab a crumb or two. We had to buy many different kitchen and bathroom trashcans until we found a style that he could not figure out how to get in to.

I have thousands of photos of Bullet ( really both dogs) but I don’t have any photos with me and Bullet (so this is my reminder to all of you to ask people to take a photo of you with your dog). I have that first photo from our adoption day at Frosted Faces and I did take a photo of the two of us on Bullet’s last day as he sat in my lap for the last time before we had to put him down.

I knew for a good couple of months that this was probably Bullet’s last year. But that doesn’t make it any easier. I tried to tell myself to just enjoy every day (which I did) and I am so glad I work from home and could spend so much time with both of my dogs. When we had to stop the walks, that was kind of the first sign. Then he stopped barking at delivery people which was kind of the second sign. The week he passed he did go so quickly. Thursday evening he wouldn’t sit next to me and that night he was up a ton to pee and drink water. I gave it a day because he had had bad days here and there but would be back to himself the next day. Friday he did eat and take his meds but no tail wagging and again would not sit next to me and looked so miserable. Friday night he was up a lot but I had to carry him outside to pee. Saturday morning he would not eat and would not take the heart medicine he was on (which clearly states on the bottle “must take every day for life”). I called the Vet who was so great and saw him right away. We ran some tests and discussed all the options but at the end of the day, we knew what was the most humane thing to do. When the vet put the catheter on him and then placed him back in my arms he stayed. And I just held him for so long and did not want to let go. I am so glad he let me hold him that one last time. I am so glad that when he passed it was in my arms and not alone in some corner of my house. I just kept telling him “momma loves you” until I could tell his heart stopped beating.

There is no love like the love of a pet, especially a dog. I would encourage anyone reading this to consider adopting a senior dog when you want to add a furry friend to your family. I am so glad I got to take care of Bullet until the very end. He loved me so much and I can’t believe he is gone. I think of the family that surrendered him and how they missed out on almost 5 more years with their dog. What a shame. I am so glad that I got those last 5 years. Bullet was funny, sweet, smart, loving, cute and cuddly. We called him so many names; Bubba, Baby, Boogie, papa, snuggie, snuggles, snuggleton, and Bullet but the only name he ever responded to was “Treat”. Until we meet again my sweet boy."

Poe

Acquired from: Mission Viejo Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: October 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Leslie & Howard Smart
Fans: Merri Kasuba-Kelley

jOURNEY

Acquired from: SEAACA
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: October 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: September 5th, 2020
Family: Amy Battagla
Fans: Sandra Buechner, Lois & Jack-Jack Taylor, Helen VanTassel
Tribute: On September 5th we fulfilled our promise to Journey.

Her mom shares,
"I let my sweet old girl go this evening. It was peaceful, as the crickets chirped around us. Not that she could hear them.
.
.
We buried her under a perfect apple tree here on the ranch. I didn't want to let her have even a hint of a bad day, and today, she was becoming dull, breathing differently, telling me it was time.
.
.
She brought so much love to my little crew. She was the first to put a smile on my face in the mornings with her squished face and Grandma bedhead from sleeping so hard. I'm so incredibly grateful that I was able to give her the best rest of her life, even if it was only 239 days.
.
.
I saw her blossom, and grow into this beautiful, strong, charmingly oblivious, loving, old lady. That sweet white face and derpy tongue, I'll never forget.
.
.
I love you beyond words, Grandma. I told you almost every hour of every day. You couldn't hear me, but I hope you knew just how much of my heart you consume. I'm sorry the world was so cruel to you in your previous life. You deserved better and I'm glad I could share the good days with you. You were meant to come into our lives briefly, but I hope you know that you will always be loved until my last breath.❤️
.
.
Thank you, @frostedfaces and @kristavantassel for loving my sweet girl and helping to bring her into my life. I know you said she was around 12 years old at adoption, but our vet is convinced she was much closer to 16 with a lot of miles on her! 🤗"

Darby

Acquired from: Riverside Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: October 3rd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Rachel Dunhoff & Kevin Fox
Fans: RZ

Dolly

Acquired from: Downey Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: October 4th, 2019
Date of Passing: February 21st, 2021
Family: Douglas & Stacey Collins
Fans: Lisa Lind
Tribute: On February 21st, Doug and Stacey fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Dolly.

They share, "It is with overwhelming sadness that I post this month's last photos of Dolly. Dolly crossed over the the rainbow bridge on Tuesday this past week. I'm at a complete loss of words on what to say on how much I loved her and miss her. She was always by my side.

I have accidentally called for her and Herbie has been looking for her as she had always led the way on their walks and for snacks. My 2 year old granddaughter asked where she was today when only Herbie came with me to babysit her. I am heartbroken. She was very much loved by all of us."

Rayban

Acquired from: OC Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 5
Date of Rescue: October 6th, 2019
Date of Passing: August 13th, 2020
Family: Kerry & Ron Ferreirae
Fans: Cheryl Bradley, Molly Chance
Tribute: On August 13th we fulfilled our promise to Rayban.

Rayban was rescued from OC Animal Care with a known diagnosis of stage 5 lymphoma. As an organization, while we invest a great deal of money into the care of our Frosted Faces, we don't tend to spend tens of thousands on chemotherapy to buy mere months when the prognosis is poor. There are so many animals who need lifesaving intervention where that amount of money can buy comfort and quality for them. Of course, we appreciate we all have different philosophies and every animal is special. Whatever any guardian chooses is not wrong and we know your medical decisions are made with love.

Upon rescue, an anonymous donor let us know that she would like to cover Rayban's chemotherapy and help him beat the odds! We weren't going to say no- what an incredible gift just for HIM- a disposable shelter dog. Rayban did great and it bought him 10 more months of all the good foods and so many sunset walks. Rayban was blessed with a family who easily got him to and from several appointments with the oncologist. They handled every victory and bit of bad news with grace, knowing Rayban was on borrowed time. We and Rayban were so blessed to have worked with such a loving family.

Rayban's family shared,
"FFF gave sweet Rayban an extra 10 months of life and the sure knowledge he was loved and treasured. He was slow, sweet, steady, a lover, utterly devoted, easy on the leash, and a serious foodie. He will be deeply missed."

Elsie

Acquired from: Carson Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: October 6th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Laurie & Roy Gentry
Fans: Shani Rosenzweig

dixie

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: September 18th, 2023
Family: Jeff & Theresa Kemper
Fans: Elaine Byrnes

Tribute: On September 18th, John and Theresa fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Dixie.

They shared,

"Our sweet, loving Dixie almost achieved her fourth Frostiversary. Theresa and I can hardly bear the heartache of her passing. We and Dixie just lost Lilibet, our first precious FF forever adoption, last February. Now Dixie has crossed the Rainbow Bridge to join her adopted sister.

Dixie bonded with us, but particularly me, within days of our FF forever adoption on October 8, 2019. She was so nervous in those first few days, not knowing for sure what her fate was. After about five days and on a very cool morning, Dixie and her sister, Lilibet, were outside with me in the morning sun. Lilibet had no trouble with the cool air, but Dixie was shivering. I got a doggie blanket and wrapped her securely placing her on my lap. This sweet little dog completely relaxed, letting herself sink into the warmth and security of the blanket and my holding her. Likely, this was the first time she had been able to do so in who knows how long.

After that so crucial bonding moment, she would vigilantly locate me anywhere within the house to make sure I was still there. We did not know at the time that she was afraid of stairs which was due to her degenerative neck vertebrae. She would avoid any jarring motion to her neck, clearly from past painful experiences. One day I spent a lengthy period of time working upstairs. In her need to locate me she overcame her innate fear. She climbed up fifteen steps to find me. When she saw me

she wigwagged her whole body into almost a pretzel full of joy and affection. Dixie overflowed with gratitude that she had to come into a loving, doting home –– her forever home.

What prompted us to get a second FF dog was for Lilibet. Lilibet’s first year was fraught with medical problems due her prior experiences and treatment. It took over a year and a half to determine what all of her issues were. During that period of time she seemed so listless at times. We decided to get her a companion –– that companion ended up being our devoted and loving Dixie. We fortunately ascertained the last of Lilibet’s medical needs soon after adopting Dixie. Plus, Theresa had discovered a wonderful dog food recipe for dogs with kidney disease. Both Lilibet and Dixie just thrived in their new home and with their healthy diet. We then entered into a blissful time with our two FF forever adopted dogs. The two bonded immediately with only one growl each at each other on the second day together. Out on walks, I would frequently get asked if they were littermates. And that is another reason we picked Dixie –– they looked like sisters.

After Lilibet passed, we found out something else about Dixie. We knew that Dixie was so respectful and differing to Lilibet (who was the queen), but did not know just how much of her personality she kept in check in difference to Lilbet until Lilibet passed. Dixie then gracefully but with confidence assumed the role of the “queen.” Dixie used to wait for Lilibet’s lead and then join in whatever activity was at hand — barking at some perceived threat, playing chase, letting us know it was time

to eat or go for a walk. Dixie took over all of these doggie responsibilities with confidence but with grace. We were quite shocked at how much of her personality she had kept in check. What a beautifully graceful little dog — oh my, what a sweet, sweet dog.

Dixie had an enlarged heart physically but a big heart emotionally. In addition, she had a significant heart murmur. Her heart at the end just could not pump blood fast enough to oxygenate her organs. This last August she began to fatigue easily, and then had fainting episodes that were traumatic for us. We took her to our vet, Twain Harte Veterinarian Hospital (wonderful vets and staff). They did chest x-rays and verified her enlarged heart. They prescribed blood pressure meds which reduced

the frequency of the fainting episodes. But, last Monday, 9/18/23, she could no longer get up. She had stopped eating completely, even her favorite treats, over the previous five days. She was too weak to move. However, and this is this really hard part, she was alert, followed us with her eyes, and would wag the very end of her tail just a bit until the last day.

Theresa and I hope these memorial words do justice to the life of our sweet little dog, Dixie. Thank you Kelly and all of you with Frosted Faces for the dedicated and loving work you do that allowed for the joy that these two sweet dogs brought to our lives.

God bless,

Jeff and Theresa"

Rudy

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Samara Lovell & Vince Lord
Fans: Tanya Nielsen

Brawley

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 6
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: John Smith & Jean Sowell
Fans: Lisa Sears

amy

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: May 27th, 2022
Family: Jim & Suzanne Wagner
Fans: Lizz El, Katie Patane, Barbara Woodruff

Tribute: On May 27th, Suzanne and Jim fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Amy.

They shared,

"I remember seeing her pacing the yard at Frosted Faces and barking her anxiety and excitement. I knew right away that I wanted to bring her home where she could relax and find love and family. But her ears worried me - they were incredibly infected and I’ve known a few dogs with that problem. I couldn’t afford a costly surgery. But Frosted Faces took care of that and Amy came home.

She fit in so well and took great comfort from being part of our family. She stopped her anxious barking and relaxed. She hung out with my husband who works from home so is always around. She watched tv with my son and enjoyed staying close by me especially on our morning walks. She was a mild-mannered sweatheart, loyal and loving, with a heart of gold.

The past few months were difficult as her body failed her and her anxiety increased again as her mobility declined. I put off the difficult decision but finally needed to let her go. I miss her and will always remember her with love."

astrid

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Zelda Darrough
Fans: Marty & Molly, Jera Ratliff , Liz Myers

Chuck

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Shelbea Wedermann & Noar Hadad
Fans: Stacy Hooks

Autumn

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: January 12th, 2021
Family: Patty & Tom Andrews
Fans: James Berkson In Memory of Fiona
Tribute: On January 12th, Tom and Patty fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Autumn.

Autumn got the works as a Frosted Feline. She had a mastectomy, a procedure to remove a tumor under her eye, and most recently dental surgery. We did everything we could to keep her comfortable and with her incredible family.

They share in memory,

"It is with a heavy heart we had to lay Autumn down to rest yesterday. She was perfectly fine....and then she wasn't.

It's been a stressful week, finding out that she had pleural effusion on Wednesday. A vet procedure extracted the fluid on Thursday night, hoping it would relieve the pressure and give us a lot more time with her (only to find out the fluid was blood) alas, that extra time didn't last long.

We are so thankful for the 14 1/2 months that we got to enjoy her, and so thankful to Frosted Faces for their support during all of her time with us. This first photo was taken the day before, Cowboy obviously knew she didn't feel well......"Batman" (the bat signal was strong) will miss his "Robin" enormously. Or more accurately I have a friend loving refer to them as Catwoman and the Joker and I think that fits even better."

Just days after Autumn passed, her best friend Cowboy passed away from a ruptured splenic mass. The Andrews family is wading in disbelief with broken hearts this week. Their house is terribly quiet. Please send them love.

Pops

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Jennifer Warner & Jeff Jacobsen
Fans: Feisty Frasier Gifts

tHEO

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 7
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Lexi Mena
Fans: Christine Perrino

blush

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: April 8th, 2020
Family: Denise Hunt
Fans: Kristy Marie Walsh, Bella Sakata
Tribute: On Wednesday, April 8th, we fulfilled our promise to Blush.

Blush came into our care with anaplasmosis and erlicha which we treated. She was the quiet lovable dachshund who easily found herself a home and was loved deeply, always laying on the softest beds, getting the table scraps she worked hard for, and got tucked in at night.

This week Blush's mom noticed that her breathing was raspy and she was having trouble swallowing food. She had a mass in her neck which was indistinguishable from a lymph node, so we sedated her to get a quick cytology and peek inside to see if we could help her. The vet found that she indeed had a mass in her throat and it was spread widely. There were concerns about her quality of life if we woke her up, and even if it was possible to wake her up without her airway closing.

We made the kind decision to not let her suffer and let her go. Her mom was devastated, and her Frosted Face brother Swayze is missing her.

Her mom reflects,
"She was such a love- I will miss her so much. It was too short but I am very happy that I was able to provide her a wonderful end of life."

cash

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 6
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Kate Murphy & Connie Lloyd
Fans: The Hernandez Family

fYNN

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: October 24th, 2024
Family: Kristen Marino & Dominic Taylor
Fans: Joy and Chris Parkes

Tribute: On October 24th, Kristen and Dominic fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Dolphin.

They shared,

"On October 24th, at 5:55 pm, Dolphin and I watched the sunset as she took her last breath.

Back in May I noticed Fynn starting to not feel well, I took her to see Dr. Russell at FF and he explained she had a small (more than likely) cancerous tumor in her intestines. I opted not to do the surgery at that time and we put her on meds. Dr. Russell gave her 6 months to MAYBE a year of life left. Fynn was doing very well on the meds for months, until up until a couple weeks ago. I could see her declining and FAST, not eating well, not being able to sleep or get comfortable at all.

I took her back to see Dr. Russell and he said the tumor is a lot bigger now, and affecting her quality of life.

Ultimately, we agreed that we couldn't let her suffer anymore.

To say my heart is broken is an understatement. Everyone at FF knew that Dolphin was a special case straight from the start.

When we first brought Dolphin (Fynn) home in January 2020, she was so very fearful. We had our other dog Rocko and my husband, whom she was not very fond of.

I dedicated a lot of time getting her to trust humans again. Little by little, day by day, I was able to train her new commands how to sit, lay down, speak and even catch treats!

After time she started opening up and letting my husband pet her, then eventually lay next to her, then to full blown letting him cradle her like a baby... HUGE progress!

Dolphin and I had a connection like I never had with any of my other dogs previously. She slept next to me every single night, she was my shadow, she was my support when I went through some hard times, She was always right there. She was my special girl.

She LOVED the sunshine, I often would catch her laying out in the yard just soaking up those rays. She loved going on car rides, going to the park, FOOD, treats, ripping up her squeaky toys and taking naps. The two things she hated was the COLD and the mailman LOL

On our last day, Dr. Russell was kind enough to give her meds so I can spend one last day with her doing everything she liked.

We watched a movie, went to the park and laid under a nice shady tree. We thanked her for all the love she had given us over the years. After that we went back home and took a nice nap in my bed. On the way back to FF we stopped at Mc Donald's and got her Cheeseburger... and she gobbled up the whole thing!

Dolphin and I loved laying in the hammock in my backyard and watching sunsets. So I feel this was a perfect sendoff for her.

ALL the memories, Adventures, milestones made, and happiness she brought me for almost 5 years makes so overcome with emotion ❤

My heart is so empty now-

I want to personally thank Kelly first of all, because of you and what you do for these dogs is truly remarkable. Thank you for trusting me to take Dolphin and give her a loving home.

Dr. Russell for being such an amazing doctor and taking care of Dolphin. Even when I would start panicking, we was ALWAYS kind to me and really cared, listened to my concerns and answered all my questions. He stayed with me while I held Dolphin for the last time. Consoling me when I needed it the most.

Rachel the Vet tech. I don't think I have ever met a nicer human being honestly. The way she showed compassion towards me during this difficult time means the WORLD. She always knew to bring that muzzle out with her too! LoL

All the volunteers that spent time with Dolphin before I adopted her. Carol I think she loved you the most.. But Thank you for loving her back. Alicia and also her biggest fan Hope.

I think pretty much everyone at FF at that time had a soft spot for Dolphin and she will be incredibly missed!"

Bonnie

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: May 13th, 2022
Family: Kristin Mcelyea & Todd Struyk
Fans: Melanie Mayner, Bitsy Loerky, Marty and Molly, Ellie and Fred, Janelle Hemphill

Tribute: On May 13th, Kristin and Todd fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Bonnie.

Kristin shared,

"Bonnie was was my funny girl. My little blind, deaf, diabetic girl. She wasn’t a lovey dovey dog. She didn’t really want to be held but loved being kissed. She didn’t want to cuddle except occasionally in the middle of the night (swoon). She would seek me out after she ate to get butt scratches. Bonnie’s thing was eating. Eating anything. Dog food, people food, her poop…anything!!

Every 3 months or so we were seeing the vet to do another curve test and adjusting or trying a new med. She did NOT like the vet but the staff LOVED her!!! I could see her declining the last 3 months or so and knew the time was coming. I know I held on a little longer then I should have. She just never lost her appetite and I kept thinking when she stops eating then I will know for sure. Problem was, I was missing all the other signs. When I went to work I would gate her in the kitchen with pee pads and a couple dog beds. When I get home she would always be asleep in one of her beds. The day I came home and found her on the floor sleeping in her urine I knew it was time. She had gotten so skinny and walking became a struggle. It was heartbreaking.

She was spoiled her last week. Steak, grilled chicken, peanut butter, anything I ate and long walks in her sling carrier (she loooved that!!). I dealt with diapers, pee pads, insulin shots and it was NEVER imposition and she was NEVER a burden. It was an honor to be her person. She touch my life far more then I could have ever touched hers."

Zoso

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Cellene Perez & Kimberly Koontz
Fans: Bella Sakata, Matt and Angel Smith, Pamela Aikman

Tribute: On March 8th, Cellene and Kimberly fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Zoso.

They shared,

"My beautiful precious handsome man. My big baby boy. My heart is broken and he’s not here to fix it.

On Wednesday I had to let go of Zoso. My rock, my anchor, my sweetest son. He loved me through the losses of Queenie, Maddie, my dad, and then Autumn. I have lost so much in the last year and a half, and I no longer have him to pick up the pieces.

After losing Queenie, I had no interest in a senior — I wanted a dog I could keep for a long time. I read his profile and quickly changed my mind, adopted him, then Zoso outlived my two younger dogs.

He had a beautiful, special life with us for his last 3 years and 3 months. I gave him everything I had. I poured all of my love into him.

His last day was spent eating banana pancakes, an In N Out burger and fries, a chicken quesadilla, his favorite yogurt, and pretzel bread. He got visits from the people who loved him most. I’m so thankful that I was able to give him that, an intentional last day filled with joy and love, as that’s what he gave me each day of our life together.

I loved Zoso from the day that we got him, and I will love him until my last breath. His love saved me and I will never forget him. I was just so fortunate to be his mom."

Tucker james

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 7
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: April Schaefer Krumrie
Fans: Timmy

Lucy

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: November 16th, 2021
Family: Kathy Kendric
Fans: Tanya Nielsen
Tribute: On November 16th, Kathy fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Lucy.

Kathy shared,

"I said good-bye to my sweet girl, my shadow, Lucy, today. She’s been dealing with tumors in her stomach for some time now. The last few days she was having trouble walking, eating and pooping. She seemed very confused. She was telling me she tired of being in pain and having to deal with her enlarged stomach anymore.

We had Dr. Rose, who has worked with FF, and she has been a comfort to me. Lucy has been dealing with masses since I got her and always treated her with surgery to remove them, but this was too large and was even on her kidneys. We’ve been giving her meds to hopefully stop the growth, which I’m sure bought us time, but eventually it was too much for her. They estimated that Lucy was 12 years old on her last vet visit.

The last couple of days have been very hard for me, knowing Lucy’s time with me was coming to an end. I love her so much and will miss her with all my heart. I hope she loved and enjoyed her last 25 months with me as much as loved her. I think she did. "

Bitzy

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Chery Perkins
Fans: Kelly Saklamaev

Jolee

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 6
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Bonnee & PhilipProo
Fans: RZ

lumberjack

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 6
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: September 11th, 2024
Family: Theresa & James Orvis
Fans: Stephanie Gragg

Tribute: On September 11th, Theresa and James fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Lumberjack.

They shared,

"It is with a very broken heart that I post here this morning. Yesterday our sweet sweet boy lumberjack crossed over the rainbow bridge. Three years was not long enough with this guy, but he isn’t alone as we know he was met by family waiting to show him the way. He got to live his best life and was spoiled by everyone he met and we are very honored that we were able to be his forever family."

Ruby

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: November 3rd, 2021
Family: Gwendolyn Gauvain
Fans: Dave Spencer, Bonnie Sposato
Tribute: On November 3rd, Gwen fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Ruby.

"Ruby Tuesday (aka Naudia) crossed the Rainbow bridge…

We knew when we adopted Ruby Tuesday from Frosted Faces that it wouldn’t be for a whole lifetime, but when I talked to my kids about adopting an older dog my son said it best when he said, "Old dogs deserve to die loved not alone."

She took some time to let down her guard, And when she did, she was sassy and talked back and did a whole lot of napping and demanded to be fed at 7am and 6pm sharp. She wouldn’t go to bed without letting us know she needed her bedtime treat, and always expected you to share your popsicle or ice cream with her!

The walks got shorter as her arthritis progressed and her naps got longer. We had almost 2 whole years with her and we hope we showed her how awesome and loved she truly was.

We’re gonna miss you Ruby Tuesday."

SASHA

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Jennifer Lombardi
Fans: RZ

Kong

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: October 8th, 2019
Date of Passing: November 24th, 2023
Family: Jill & Steve Mitschke
Fans: Carol Schmalbeck, Terry Bennett & Judy Sharp-Bennett

Tribute: On November 24th, Jill and fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Kong.

Kong loved going to the beach with his parents, snuggling under the covers, and he most recently went on a RV trip. His family was so good to him, and in the end did everything they possibly could to treat him. They wished they had only met him sooner so that they could have loved him for longer.