Author Archives: Mary E Taylor-Mattox

If you have a pet, show them some love in honor of Sammy. Sammy was the best dog I could have ever asked for. From 4th grade through grad school he had been with me and my family- through SO much. He loved to play hard (frequently running into things, especially with one of his favorite toys- a green frog half his size) and nap hard. He requested dinner early relentlessly. He always did circles in excitement and gave you a snarled smile while wiggling his whole body when you came home. I will miss him so much. May he rest in peace, the best boy.

I just made a donation in memory of our sweet Tinkerbell. That is her on the right. Pete, her brother dachshund, is still with us. Both came from A Forever Home Rescue.  She basically taught Pete how to be a dog. When we adopted her, she had been a stray in West Va and was going through a “false pregnancy”. She would get two of my son’s doggie stuffed animals and try to nest with them.  So cute, but sad in a way. Two years later, we then got Pete to give her some company.  He was rescued from the 2,000+ puppy mill In West Va. (national news) He had been in a crate for 1.5 years with his two brothers…neglected and ignored.  They would throw food in to eat off the floor. He was a bit of a social, doggie mess. He would cower from a touch and not even “sniff” when we went on walks. But Tink helped him be a dog and the love we All shared helped him grow into the loving (albeit still quirky) dog we love so much. We miss Tink terribly.

Hi, My name is Hanna Rose and I adopted sweet Sam 11 years ago in 2010 from A Forever Home. They all called him “Smiley” because he would smile so much all the time. He has been with me through middle school, high school, throughout college in Texas, and for the past two years in New York City! He traveled all over (Washington DC, Florida, Nantucket, Dallas, Waco, and so many more!) with our family. He was loved by so many and was one of the most loyal and sweetest souls I have ever seen in a pet! He tragically and suddenly passed away this Fourth of July weekend, but I wanted to let you know that he was my rock from age 14 to 24 and I will never forget him. I’ve attached some photos (I have so many!) Thanks again for giving me the best friend and companion I could ever ask for. 

Dear Forever Home, This is such a hard note to write and I have put it off for months as my heart is absolutely broken. Last summer my beloved Ben who I adopted from you in June 2008, when he was 4 month old, had his spleen rupture. He underwent emergency surgery and I received the devastating news that he had Hemangiosarcoma. He underwent two months of chemo to no avail and I had to make the most awful decision to let him go. This is not how I ever imagined our journey together would end. Ben was the light of my life for 12 and a half years from the minute I met him at an adoption event. He captured my heart and held it in his paw every day since. He was wicked smart in addition to being so very handsome and big personality that captivated anyone who met him. He was my constant companion, my confidante, the one who I treasured to walk, wag, bark, and run thru life with. He is missed every minute of every day. I know it saddens you to hear news like this, but also let it be known that Ben had a wonderful full life full of love and adventures that would not have been possible with out your organization from the start with Patricia McIntyre fostering him and letting me become his forever mommy. Barb