June Rainbow Bridge

Submitted by the families who loved them.

Ringo

RIP Ringo, adopted 01/2012 when he was seven years old. His mom says: I am letting you know he passed 05/29 at the age of 15. We miss our sweet boy so much. His name was Mingo..we changed his name to Ringo Starr. Attached is a photo from last week. Of Ringo and his also rescued aussie brother. Ringo was unable to stand on his own at this point. Because of COVID we had to wait a few days. So we hand fed him and carried him so that he could relieve him self. Best dog ever.

Lacey

Yesterday (June 1), our beloved Lacey crossed the Bridge as gently and quietly as she lived. Lacey was born March 17, 2008, one of five collie puppies that came to be known as the St. Patrick’s Day puppies. We received her as a foster at  nine weeks of age and fell in love at first glance. Lacey had two MWCR older brothers, Astro and Max. They fell in love with her just as fast as Bruce and I did. Now she is racing through the meadow with her big brothers and all the wonderful pets we have known and loved.

Scotch

Saying So Long:
Through tears, I am trying to honor one of my best friends and one of the best studio assistants ever. We had to have Scotch put down last Sunday due to laryngeal paralysis that was getting worse and causing more and more bouts with aspiration pneumonia. He was a sweet gentleman to the end, still initiating play in the morning and “bopping” me for a snuggle even though he was having trouble breathing.

There are so many memories:
•His love of keep-away, staying fractions of an inch out of our reach for a toy, ducking his head just enough to keep the toy away—with a gleam in his eye the whole time
•Watching him roll in the grass for the shear joy of it
•Seeing him figure out how to play hide-and-seek with us, another of his favorite games
•Zoomies!!!!!
•Many, many collie kisses and snuggles
•Having him lay close when he sensed his humans needed him to do so
•Poking me when I sat down to practice piano to get a rub, then laying down with a HUGE groan. My toughest music critic
•Watching him cuddle his teddy bear
•Listening to him “cry” with joy when I came home a few years ago from an extended hospital stay. He never left my side that night
•Always, always seeing his shear love of life. A memory I/we will never forget

Our hearts are broken. There will be more collies in our house if at all possible — that’s just a part of our lives. We’d fail at any attempt to foster any rescue collies, like Scotch was, but we can do our best to give the best home possible to a collie in need. Scotch taught us that.

June adoptions

By Sarah Rebernick, VP & Adoption Coordinator

Teddy

Terrific Teddy, a 4.5 year-old, white factored sable collie/border collie/husky male has been adopted and will be living in Wisconsin. Teddy was surrendered to MWCR by his owner after the death of her husband. Teddy is a happy, gentle, loving boy; a real live teddy bear. Living on the farm, Teddy slept in the barn and had little experience riding in a car and his foster mom had her work cut out for her getting him to the point where he wasn’t afraid to go in or come out of a vehicle. Teddy loves everyone and he also loves all the dogs he meets no matter their size. His love and trust for people and dogs was very helpful in working with him to overcome his anxieties and over the course of his foster, he bonded so closely with the resident collies that we all realized it would be cruel to split them up. So congratulations to this big Teddy bear and his new family!

Ryder

Adorable 4-month-old sable/white Ryder has been adopted and will be living in Wis. Ryder was surrendered to MWCR because he was too high energy for the resident dog and because his mom knew she was not able to give him the socialization he needed due to COVID-19. That’s definitely about to change for him because his new home has lots of bonuses for a puppy, including another collie playmate, human siblings and lots of outdoor space to romp and play. With all this attention we’re sure this typical collie youngster will grow into a fine collie gentleman.

Lassie

Four year-old sable/white male Lassie has been adopted and will be living in Wis. Lassie was being sold from a Craig’s List ad and when MWCR reached out the owner agreed to work with us. Lassie had not been neutered or given any vaccinations or preventatives while in his former home and we had quite a scare when his initial testing came back as positive for Lyme and a ‘light’ positive for heartworm. Our vet sent out blood for further testing which came back as negative for HW so he was able to be neutered and started on treatment for Lyme. Now this handsome boy is starting his new life with parents who will make his health and safety a top priority and we couldn’t be happier for him

May Rainbow Bridge

Robi

Beloved 12-year-old collie mix Robi went over the Rainbow Bridge May 10 due to lung cancer. Robi is truly an example of MWCR’s care and commitment throughout our collies’ lives. He was first surrendered to MWCR in 2010 with a badly broken leg and nursed back to full health by one of our wonderful fosters (thank you Monty & Victoria, before being adopted. In 2012 Robi was returned when his herding instincts were causing him to be reactive toward the comings and goings of the neighboring school. So Robi headed to his next foster home in the wilds of northern Minnesota where they fell in love and realized that he had found his forever home with them. There Robi discovered a love for the outdoors and a special affinity for skijoring. We grieve his loss along with his loving mom, dad and canine brother – run free sweet boy.

 

Dice

Saying goodbye is never easy. To say goodbye to two of your dogs in a few months is just hard. We said goodbye to DiceMan today (May 11). We have had Dice for eight years. He took a huge piece of my heart today. My pack feels so empty. Rest in peace boys till we meet again. – Laura, Dice and Dakota’s mom

 

Keeper

From Keeper’s mom: My beloved Keeper was humanely euthanized this afternoon, after an emergency exploratory surgery revealed inoperable, untreatable stomach cancer. He was 11.5 years old. I adopted him from Minnesota Wisconsin Collie Rescue five years ago, almost to the day. Five years was not enough. It was a privilege and joy to be his mum and I am forever grateful to MWCR for entrusting him to me.

He was beautiful. He was a very tall, very long collie with the most beautiful mahogany coat that I have ever seen. He was radiant in the sun, and when he ran to greet me with his big, happy smile, he took my breath away.

His greatest beauty was his personality. He was a gentle, kind, sensitive dog. He loved “his” kitties and was always patient and kind to them, even when they were demonic. He tolerated his bossy “brother” dog without complaint (except for the occasional disagreement over treats). His only enemy was the road grader/plough. He barked ferociously to protect his family, and sometimes just for the hell of it.

He was serious and funny, elegant and goofy, obedient and sometimes naughty, always loving. It’s hard to think of going on without him.

Gracie

Thirteen year-old Gracie crossed over the Bridge to join her siblings, Aurora and Cody. She was adopted in 2008 and will be greatly missed. Run free sweet girl!

 

 

May adoptions

By Sarah Rebernick, VP & Adoption Coordinator

Wallace

Wallace, a 7-year-old sable headed white male, has been adopted and will be living in Minnesota. Wallace was surrendered when his growing family realized that he was not getting the attention that he needed. He also wasn’t super thrilled about sharing his life with toddlers, except for snarfing up treats that little hands might drop – he’s a bit of a chunky monkey – so a more laid back lifestyle was in the cards for him. He recently met some potential adopters but in the end Wallace decided that he would be happiest staying with his foster family even though he’s been on a diet (he’s lost almost 10 lbs so far!). So congratulations to his family and good luck with his continued weight loss!

 

Toby

Handsome Toby, a 1-year-old sable/white, has been adopted and will be living in Wisconsin. He was originally intended to be a balance assistance dog and has always been loved but Toby failed the test. His mom reluctantly surrendered him knowing that she was not able to provide the care this active boy needed. Happily, this bouncy boy has landed in the perfect place with a large fenced yard and another young collie for a playmate. Congratulations to all!

 

 

Cooper

And on Dog Rescue Day another happy young boy has found his forever home. Nine-month-old Cooper was surrendered to MWCR due to his owner’s poor health and will be living in Wis., with his new mom and dad. Congratulations!

April Rainbow Bridge

Duncan

We got Duncan from MWCR in August of 2008 as a puppy. He joined a sable sister, Ruby, who was also a MWCR adoption, and tri brother Trouble, who helped raise him.  Duncan eventually became the pack leader.  He slept on our bed with us.  He was very vocal and liked to sing along with us. He would be the first to announce any strange noise or whenever a coat was put on or a door was opened. It’s terribly quiet here now. On March 3^rd, he was at a grooming appointment and collapsed. The vet was in that same building and quickly ran tests to tell us he was anemic, and a scan showed fluid in his abdomen.  He had an emergency splenectomy and initially did well,  but did not regain the use of his back legs and was in a lot of pain. We helped him cross the Bridge on March 7^th.  He is survived by collie brothers blue merle Luke and tri Gustopher. We all miss him terribly.

Gabe

RIP Gabe: We volunteered to foster Gabe and he entered our care on 9-1-2012. Gabe with a few other collies were rescued from a hoarder in Iowa. Having two other (MWCR) companions he fit right in. Our plan was to get Gabe healthy and be ready for his Forever Family. He was so joyous and accepting of all that we and our collie companions could offer. Gabe was so very sick having severe medical issues and malnourished. He barely weighed 50#. It was estimated then he was about four years old. But our vet felt he was about six  or seven. He was with us for six months before he was finally ready to be adopted and at his targeted weight of 95#. Like I always say, “What’s one more”! Gabe got along very well with our other  collies, Reese and  Ryder. He decided to become our #3 collie companion. He was so easy. Gabe always had that collie smile, so sweet and wonderful temperament. Gabe, like so many large breed dogs, began to have weakness in his rear. Cold laser therapy, joint meds, vitamin B-12 injections and acupuncture did not help. He was a trooper and never complained. Reese and Ryder passed within three years of Gabe being here. So I became his one and only, my heart dog. He read me like a book. We did everything together. He was mine, and I was his. I miss you dear boy. Our home is very quiet with no pet companions now. We loved you so very much sweet boy. Tom & Vickie

Jo

RIP sweet boy: This is Jo. We brought him home from his foster family the summer of 2010. He was an energetic boy, full of life and happy to be with us. As you might guess, he was something of a scamp, but he was our scamp. He loved playing ball, playing with his tug rings, and hunting for mice in the field near our house. While he enjoyed getting attention from others, he was happy to do anything that involved being with his people, whether it was taking walks, riding in the car, or just lounging while we watched TV.

For all his enthusiasm, he had his quiet moments where he’d just look at you with those collie eyes, and those times, you got the impression he was seeing depths in you that you didn’t know you had.

Once he started pushing 13, little aches and pains seemed to last longer. His hind legs didn’t work quite as well as they used to. There was a diagnosis of arthritis. He wasn’t so interested in balls or tugging, and when he did decide he wanted to play, he didn’t care to do it for as long as he did when he was younger. He still liked going for walks and rides, so we did as much of that with him as we could.

Last fall, he started breathing funny and it was a while before we finally got a diagnosis of laryngeal paralysis and a “spot” on his lungs. It was while we discussed tie-back surgery that we learned about GOLPP. Suddenly it wasn’t about the arthritis or the spot and his symptoms seemed to snowball.

It was a systemic break down that we weren’t able to overcome. Breathing became a chore and his gait became unsteady and he couldn’t figure out whether he was walking on the top or bottom of his hind paws sometimes.

After a while all the meds couldn’t help. When he didn’t care to eat – Jo, a dog who never turned down a meal, and managed to find “snacks” of his own on our walks – even on an kick-butt appetite stimulant, we knew the day we’d dreaded, the day we hoped would never come, had arrived.

He had his last car ride on March 26. He no longer hurts, he can breathe normally, and he can chase as many balls and do as much tugging as he wants – just not with us right now.

We love you, Jo, and miss you terribly. Thank you for nearly ten years of being our boy. Best Collie Ever.

Thank you MWCR for entrusting him to us. He’s left a Jo shaped hole in our hearts.

McCoy

McCoy, adopted in August of 2008, went over the Rainbow Bridge April 25, 2020. RIP handsome boy.

 

April adoptions

By Sarah Rebernick, VP & Adoption Coordinator

Cinder

Lovely Cinder, a 3-year-old collie/shepherd mix, has been adopted and will be living in Wisconsin.  She is named for the striking gray/merle color of her coat and her backstory is a bit sketchy since she was surrendered to MWCR by local animal control after a humane intervention at her home. She is quite shy so will really benefit from the patience of her new mom and dad and their quiet home situation. She is an extremely sweet and loving girl so some basic training and gentle socialization should help her become an excellent companion. Congratulations on your new home, beautiful girl!

Tucker

So happy for Tucker, the 1.5=year-old male smoothie mix, to start his new life in Michigan. We’re all confident that Tucker will love his new home – lots of acreage, large fenced yard area, another collie for playmate, and a young, active mom and dad who are dog and animal lovers to the core. As an added bonus, he gets some new grandparents nearby with their fun-loving pups as well and everyone is so excited that he’ll be a part of their extended pack.

Abby

Lovely five year old tricolor MWCR alumni Abby was also adopted the same weekend as Tucker. Sadly, Abby’s dad developed serious health issues that required her to be re-homed. Abby is a sweet loving girl but not overly fond of other dogs, so we were happy to have a great waiting adopter where Abby can enjoy her role as an only dog.

March adoptions

By Sarah Rebernick, VP & Adoption Coordinator

Callie

Beautiful Callie, a 1.5-year-old female tricolor, has been adopted and will be living in Nebraska. Callie is an energetic girl who was surrendered by her heartbroken mom, when she realized she did not have the energy and good health to give Callie the attention and exercise that she needed. Happily, her new home has another young playful collie brother and very active parents who will make sure this sweet girl gets the training and exercise she needs to be a wonderful companion. Congratulations to all!

Blaze

Handsome Blaze, a 3-year-old sable/white male, has been adopted and will be living in Wisconsin. He was surrendered by his loving mom after a change in life circumstances caused her to realize that the best thing for Blaze was to find a new place to live. His new home includes kids to play with, lots of room to romp and a family who is able to spend lots of time with him. Congratulations!

Buddy

Handsome Buddy, a 1-year-old tricolor male, has been adopted and will be living in Nebraska. Although this sweet boy had created a loving bond with his owner, as a very shy and fearful boy, she realized that the circumstances in her home made it a poor fit for him. Buddy’s foster home has worked diligently with him and a trainer and he is doing remarkably better, so we’re excited to have found an adopter with a loving, quiet home and experience with frightened dogs. Everybody looks pretty happy with the way things turned out.

Our special boy, gorgeous Graham, a 2-year-old blue merle, was adopted and became a true Lassie-style hero all in one day!

See Graham’s story featured in our newsletter.

Originally an MWCR adoptee as a young pup, Graham came back into foster after he started having seizures which quickly progressed to being frequent and severe. We are so grateful to the Kiesow family for stepping up to take on this difficult foster and for all the love they gave him. While in foster Graham had a neurology consult at UW-Vet with an MRI and spinal tap to see if there was some underlying cause for his seizures. All his test results were normal so it was classified as idiopathic epilepsy and the only thing we can do at this point is work on finding the best combination of medication, etc., to control his seizures. Happily, yesterday Graham went to live with his new family who understands his needs and is ready to make sure he gets the appropriate care. We know he’s going to enjoy his new human siblings and his collie sister.

February adoptions

By Sarah Rebernick, VP & Adoption Coordinator

Arlo

Adorable Arlo, a 2-year-old sable/white male, has been adopted and will be living in Arizona. Arlo was surrendered because his owners didn’t have enough time for him but his new mom, dad and sister collie are excited to welcome him to his forever home, where he will get lots of love and attention.

 

Murray

Mischievous Murray, a 1-year-old sable/white male, has been adopted and will be living in Wisconsin. Murray may look familiar since he became quite famous when he decided to jump the fence and take a two week stroll around the countryside. Happily, he was found and brought home none the worse for his adventure. Murray was originally surrendered because he kept getting loose (surprise!) and wasn’t bonding with his humans, so they felt he needed a situation where he could get enough human attention to overcome his shyness and give him the confidence to bond. His new home is happy to report that things are going well and he’s even been wagging his tail.

 

Gideon

Gideon, a 3-year-old sable/merle (he has one partial blue eye), has been adopted and will be living in Wisconsin. His original home breeds collies and he was surrendered because his owners are moving to an un-fenced property and were concerned that because of Gideon’s obsession with noisy motorized vehicles, this will be an unsafe place for him. Gideon is such a charmer that his foster parents fell in love and now he is a permanent member of their family.

 

Goliath (Golly), a 6-year-old sable headed white male, has been adopted and will be living in Wisconsin. Golly was being re-homed due to his owner’s changing situation and is a sweet loving boy who just wants to get attention from his humans. When he first came in this gentle giant weighed in at 123 lbs. Unfortunately, although he is a tall boy, he should only be about 90 lbs, still big but not of biblical proportions, and I’m happy to report that he has already slimmed down to 115. His new mom is retired and is excited to have a companion to cuddle with and a new walking partner.

Red

Adorable Red, a 1.5 year-old collie/cocker mix, has been adopted and will be living in Minnesota. Red was originally purchased by a young girl as a puppy and was in pretty rough shape. She nursed him back to health and took excellent care of him but when she went off to college it was clear he needed to find a home where he could get more attention, so he was surrendered to MWCR. Red’s new mom is so excited to have him join her life and he is already doing great and making tons of friends on his daily walkies. What a good boy!

February Rainbow Bridge

MWCR foster brother, Brett (Favre), lost his battle with old age, Feb. 15. He was a few months older than 13 and lived an adventurous life. He was a champion at showing foster siblings the ropes of indoor living, how to do steps, how to sleep on beds and behave at dog parks. He loved to run and splash in the water. But most of all he loved his boy, KJ.

Brett did not like being left alone. He tore the screen in KJ’s bedroom and jumped out the window (above the garage), to the driveway, twice. He leaped over the deck railing several times, even when someone was in the house. He didn’t like it when KJ left. We always got him back from his tag or microchip.

Adopted from the Coon Rapids shelter, three days after his namesake retired, we were told he was Australian Shepherd and cattle dog. We’re pretty sure he was more catahoula than cattle dog. Catahoulas are pig herders, and that was definitely Brett’s herding style. We did a Wisdom panel on him a few years ago, only to be told he was 50% herding dog, 25% husky, 12.5 cocker spaniel and 12.5 lab.

He will be missed.

 

Dakotah

Dakota, almost 15 yr old sable-headed white, adopted in 2009. Fly high Dakota we will miss you, but we know that you are with Buddy now.

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