THE FROSTED FACES

Page 15

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.  

Zion

Acquired from: SEAACA
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: June 15th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Jim Ito & Melanie Granfors
Fans: Debra Sakata

Frank

Acquired from: Riverside Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: June 18th, 2019
Date of Passing: January 31st, 2022
Family: Ellen Anderson & Jim Mayoral
Fans: Heejin Kim
Tribute: On January 31st, Ellen and Jim fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Frank.

They shared,

"It’s a very sad day for us. Frank’s anemia returned and he declined very rapidly over the last couple of weeks. His blood count was dangerously low. We rushed him to Animal Emergency Hospital late last night when he was just too weak to stand on his own. They kept him overnight and gave him a transfusion to try to boost his blood count, but it didn’t work and Frank left us late this morning.

We already miss this little guy. He came to us a a fling who was very skittish and and a wily escape artist. He soon learned there was nothing but love here for him and became Jim’s best buddy. He followed him everywhere. He loved his long walks with non FF Molly every day and the treats that followed. He wasn’t a cuddler but wanted to be near his humans and would come and ask for ear scritches. Then he would go off into another room and find a quiet spot to take a nice nap as long as he knew Jim was close by in another room. If Jim left the house he would search for him and voice his disapproval.

I know he is running around with all the other Frosted Faces that have preceded him across the bridge.

Big thanks to Kelly, Kendra, Bethany and Jennifer. They were up very late last night supporting us as we tried to save him."

Potato

Acquired from: Downey Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: June 18th, 2019
Date of Passing: July 3rd, 2020
Family: Betsy, Chris, & Emily Peet
Fans: Stephanie Silberstang & Colin Barth
Tribute: On July 3rd we fulfilled our promise to Potato, formerly known as Waldo.

His family shares,
"We said goodbye to Potato on July 3rd. He was such a mellow gentleman. The name Potato was fitting for him because he was a couch potato. Napping was his favorite pastime. He had a hard time walking around because of arthritis in his elbows and knees. Because it was so hard for him to get around I always felt so special when he came to get some extra attention.

Every morning and every night when we were in Emily's room getting ready for the day or for bed he would come and lay down next to us. It made my heart melt. In February Potato's appetite declined and he was very lethargic. He had a pretty bad UTI and was started on antibiotics but he wasn't getting better. Then he started veering to the right when he walked and eventually began circling to the right. We started him on prednisone as a hail mary for what we suspected was a brain tumor. Within 2 days he was walking in a straight line and eating again! The prednisone worked! I was so happy even though I knew this meant he likely had a brain tumor.

In May, we finally were able to get him an MRI which confirmed that he had a brain tumor. Shortly after he developed a rare skin condition from being on prednisone for so many months. We tried to balance his skin and his brain tumor. After going down on his prednisone for just a few days he started veering and circling again. He progressively got weaker and his appetite became poor. We went back up on his prednisone but it wasn't helping. He could no longer get up or walk. I kept hoping he would turn the corner and get better but he wasn't.

I am go grateful for all of the people around me who helped me manage Potato's care. He was very lucky that Frosted Faces Foundation rescued him. But I feel lucky to have had to opportunity to love him and give him a happy home. I was happy that he at least made it to his Frostiversary (the anniversary from when he was rescued). On his last night with us he ate
Cheeseburgers, french fries and beef jerky. He devoured every last bite. Potato passed at home surrounded by people who loved him at sunset.

We said goodbye to him 2 weeks ago and I still look for him.

There is a flower stand that I drive by on my way home. I stopped there 2 weeks ago on my way home wanting to pick up some fresh flowers for Potato's last night with us. I didn't have any cash and I broke down crying. I apologized and explained that I was on my home to say goodbye to Potato. I asked if they would mind sparing a single stem. The lady was so generous and gave me a bouquet. I cried some more. I have been wanting to go back to repay her and get some more beautiful flowers but this week has proved to busy and by the time I drove by they were gone. Tonight, on the night that Potato came back home, they were there! I stopped and thanked her for her generosity and purchased some sunflowers. My heart is still broken but is so full at the same time.

He was the bestest boy and we will miss 🥔"

Cocoa

Acquired from: San Bernardino City Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: June 19th, 2019
Date of Passing: January 4th, 2020
Family: Steve & Doreen Smith
Fans: Mary Arkwright
Tribute: On January 4th we fulfilled our promise to Cocoa.

She entered SBC Shelter as a stray and we rescued her in order to remove a large mass on her abdomen. She survived and thrived! A month later her bloods still looked great so we spayed her and did dental surgery. This girl was going to know the GREAT life for a good long time.

This week her parents noted her not eating meals, seeming lethargic, and having a painful tummy. She declined quickly over a few hours and x-rays and an ultrasound showed a mass in her abdomen and fluid build up. We had to let her go.

"We had to say goodbye to our sweet girl Cocoa yesterday. While she was in our lives a short time she took up a big part of our hearts. This sweet sweet girl was just so loving and gentle. We are just heartbroken. 😢. Our girl was so strong and resilient and we don’t know what her past was like, but we were lucky to have had her in our lives for the time we did. She was always ready with a kiss to give and loved her walks up until the night prior to her passing. We just knew something wasn’t right when she started turning her nose up too food and wasn’t eating.

We are forever thankful for what Frosted Faces does for these precious seniors. It allows us to experience true happiness through the eyes of these dogs who give of themselves so freely. We miss our sweet Cocoa so much already."

Tuba

Acquired from: Downey Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: June 21st, 2019
Date of Passing: August 22nd, 2020
Family: Christine & Dominic Castiglioni
Fans: Lina Leslie, Holly Ann Hoff
Tribute: On August 22nd, we fulfilled our promise to Tuba.

His mom shares, "We said goodbye to Tuba on Saturday, August 22. His decline started with facial paralysis that could never fully be explained. Bloodwork revealed what was termed the "early" stages of kidney failure, but things moved quickly after that. He lost weight and muscle tone, started knuckling under on all four legs, and slept nearly all the time. More bloodwork, two ultrasounds, subcutaneous and IV fluids, and a slew of new medications were not enough to fully diagnose or to fix what was broken. His body was failing him on multiple fronts and he was tired. We had to do right by him and let him go.

We already miss him terribly. He was our third Frosted Face and the most seamless addition to our family. He was the friendliest, most adorable lug that ever Tuba'd. He loved to eat EVERYTHING, but was always so kind and gentle about it. I'll miss the brush of his big mouth taking treats, the way he loved to lay on my leg, and how he would press his forehead up into mine when I would lean down to greet him. We all feel the loss of his cheerful energy in our home. His Non-FF brother Stax will miss his company.

I want to especially thank Dr. Van Maele and San Diego Bay Animal Hospital for trying so hard to help Tuba, and squeezing in appointments when I know they were already swamped. I also want to thank Dr. Almut Reinicke for so compassionately putting Tuba to rest in our home, among the family that loved him and in his favorite place to lay. We only wish we'd had more time with him."

Tater Tot

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: June 23rd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Marcy & Jack Riordan
Fans: RZ

Linnet

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: June 23rd, 2019
Date of Passing: March 18th, 2024
Family: Reid Schaffer & Amelia Clarke
Fans: RZ

Tribute: On March 18th, Amelia fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Linnet.

She shared,

"I’m absolutely heartbroken to share Linnet has crossed the rainbow bridge. She passed away peacefully in both mine and my partners arms at her beloved vets on March 21st. Linnet had been battling heart disease like the real trooper she was, however in the last few months her little body had begun to fail her and it very clearly became her time.

I’m still in disbelief that I don’t have my Linnie Bear with me now. I remember first seeing her post on Instagram in July 2019, knowing instantly I had to have her. Something felt so right about driving 70+ hours in a week for her chubby little body, with the cutest wonky eyes I’d ever seen. I applied and asked Frosted Faces to please hold her- I would be making the drive down from Alberta just to get her in the next few weeks. I remember instantly loving her when I met her, but little did I know that it was the start of the most special bond I’ve ever had.

Linnie was a quirky, lovable, determined girl. Every single day she made me laugh and run to grab my phone because she had found some strange position to lay in. Either on top of dumbells, bags of legos, shoes or her water bowl - you name it - if it looked uncomfortable she wanted to lay on it. She lived for “dinner”, her absolute favorite word, and would chow down her kibble on her snuffie mat and then without failure every time, would run out to my living room waiting for the “game”, which was me throwing kibble onto the floor and her cute little bum scurrying around getting every single piece within minutes. In the last few months her interest in food started to wane, which broke my heart, knowing her time was coming. I still remember sobbing to break my heart the first time she didn’t finish her dinner or look for her game. We had regular vet visits in the last year, tweaking her medications and trying everything possible to give us the best shot at having as much time together as possible.

Our favourite activity outside was go to Bow River, where we made hundreds of hours of cherished quiet peaceful memories just soaking in nature and each others company. She would wander around for a bit and then I would put her up in her stroller, which she absolutely loved. Her little face would “look” around so contently and every two minutes, I would kiss her head, hug her little body and say “Mom loves you some lot Linnie Bear.” To say I was obsessed with my little girl would be an understatement. I felt complete with her in my arms and there is a heavy hole in my heart that will remain there forever. No statement rings truer than “if love could have saved you, you would have lived forever”. To my little Linnie Bear, we were meant to be together, and you’ll forever remain my heart dog. Thank you for loving me back and letting me be your person, eyes, protector, and Mom. I love you with every ounce of my being and always will."

Norris

Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: June 23rd , 2019
Date of Passing: July 6th, 2019
Family: Frosted Faces Foundation
Fans: RZ
Tribute: On Saturday July 6th we fulfilled our promise to Norris.

You can imagine the day after the FFF 5 Year Anniversary Party was one of the few days of the year we absolutely did not want one more dog. Ashley Corrigan Steffey, of The Rescued Dog, was at Humane Society of Imperial County and let us know about three seniors in need of rescue.

One of them was sweet Norris. He was brought in as a dirty matted stray with a horrible cough. She knew he needed immediate veterinary attention and it was humbling she considered us for his care. Shannon Linch drove to the shelter and scooped up Norris and his two buddies.

Norris went to High Valley Veterinary Hospital where they did bloodwork and x-rays. He had a narrow trachea likely causing the cough, while his heart and chest looked and sounded fine. We started him on a couple medications to suppress his cough and reduce inflammation. We also started antibiotics just in case. We knew to keep a close eye on him because he just never seemed to get relief.

Norris spent 4 out of 5 days at the vet last week trying to figure out what was wrong and to keep him comfortable. Andy and I needed to be gone for the weekend, and the night before we left, I slept on the couch with Norris at FFF. It was so nice to see his deep clear breaths as his chest would rise and fall.

On Friday x-rays finally showed evidence of something we could treat- pneumonia. We hospitalized him at Animal Emergency Clinic of San Diegowhere he got injections, fluids, and remained in oxygen for two days. Saturday night the vet called us urgently to let us know Norris was looking terrible and struggling to breathe despite being in oxygen. We always fight for our Frosted Faces and appreciate that it can take a very long time to recover from pneumonia.

One of our Kennel Managers, Alicia Anthony, closed up FFF early and rushed down to the ER to be with Norris. She sent the team a video, of which I wish I could unsee, to help us make an informed decision. Norris was not going to make it and the decision to let him go had been crystalized. Alicia stayed with him until the end.

In Norris's time with us, he spent an evening at our house before we got control of his cough where he cozied up for some Netflix! Just a normal family dog. What he did love were his warm baths. He seemed to forget about the cough and sat under the shower head peacefully while he caressed his chubby pink body. Norris was missing all of his teeth and when he kissed me he licked me all over my face without reservation, drool and all!

So many times we need a diagnosis to give us the peace of mind that euthanasia is the sole final solution. Leading up to Norris's diagnosis of pneumonia we could see something was not quite right, but nothing seemed concrete. We have learned that sometimes, if an animal is presently suffering, even without diagnosis, it is okay to put them to sleep. It has to be, and we have to let ourselves walk away with comfort that we tried our very best. I wish we knew the underlying cause of Norris's cough before it turned into pneumonia, and I wish I knew if we could have done something more to prevent it because we would have.

Innocent little Norris, we love you.

Gigi

Acquired from: Downey Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: June 26th, 2019
Date of Passing: July 19th, 2022
Family: Kathleen Benson & Thomas Mercer
Fans: Gail Rockhold, Cindy White, Renzleen Nolasco, Mendy Drew

Tribute: On July 19th, Kathleen fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Gigi.

She shared,

"I heard about Frosted Faces and Sunday hikes at the beginning of 2020, so I signed up and requested a large dog who was a good walker. I was assigned Anthem for my first outing on January 12, 2020! She came out of the van in an all-business attitude, 'I want to walk, so you need to keep up and I will kill any critter that gets near us!' No, she wasn’t a cuddly affectionate type, but I had her attention for treats! I requested her for every Sunday thereafter, but the pandemic put a halt to the hikes in March. My job got super busy since I worked in Covid testing, but Anthem was always on my mind! I was able to take her on a couple of outings, but I knew she needed to be home with me. Finally in May, I made it happen and she got her new name, GiGi!

Every morning from day one, she barked me out of bed demanding her morning walk. At the end of 2021, GiGi started slowing down due to having to be off of her Cushing’s meds for a few months. We started her back on meds in March and her improvement was gradual, but it was happening, to the point where we started our walks again just this month! She was such a fighter! She wasn’t going to let Cushing’s keep her down and why would she? She had already beaten cancer! I was beginning to feel that she was invincible! That’s why her passing was such a shock. July 17th we celebrated her birthday because that was her splenectomy anniversary, three years, which meant she was 13! THIRTEEN!!!

GiGi was not a cuddler, but she always needed to know where I was and would find me if I snuck away while she slept. I hated leaving her, but she handled it better than I did since she was a champion at napping! She was basically deaf, but we quickly came up with our own language! She was so smart! My favorite was a clap of my hands, which meant we were going outside. She would get so excited and jump up and play bite my hand! She bit the leash too, which always made me laugh. She was so sassy, so I would call her Ms. Sassafrass! When I 'signed' her to come to me, she would lay down just out of my reach and just stare at me as if to say, 'I”ll let you pet me when I’m ready!'

Her last day was no different than any other day… until it wasn’t. Walk, eat breakfast, and then I left for a few hours, came back and walked, afternoon snack, dinner at 8:00, took her meds… By 9:45 we were rushing to Emergency. I was turned away by two before I got to Encinitas. They took her in right away, but it was too late! I still don’t know why I lost my girl…

I don’t know who loved each other more and at this point it doesn’t matter! Her last chapter with me wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped, meaning outings and such, but that girl wanted for nothing, especially love! Best food, best medical care (thanks FFF!) and as much love as she would let me smother her with. Coming home sucks now since it was just the two of us. An empty house is awful! As soon as my heart heals a little more, I will return to FFF to find my new partner because I really feel that GiGi would not want me to be alone! I sure do miss her kisses!"

Miller

Acquired from: Downey Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: June 26th, 2019
Date of Passing: September 14, 2021
Family: Holly & David Zierden
Fans: Melisa Sanchez
Tribute: On September 14th, Holly and David fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Miller.

"It pains me to have to write to let you know Miller crossed the Rainbow Bridge unexpectedly yesterday. Dave and I are in shock still. We knew something wasn’t right and took him to Urgent Care on Saturday. They did x-rays, scans, bloodwork, and concluded his arthritis was acting up.

Nothing remarkable stood out in the results. After we brought him home, he barely ate. We thought it was the pain meds making him loopy. I boiled chicken yesterday morning to try to get him to eat and he wouldn’t. We noticed his belly was getting more and more distended, even without eating so we rushed him to the vet. They did a scan and noticed his belly was full of bacterial fluid. They tested it and he was septic. The vet said that we could do surgery, but most likely he wouldn’t have survived, and even if he did, he probably would only have a couple of weeks. He was clearly in pain and suffering. We spoke with Kelly from Frosted Faces and decided it was best to let him go peacefully before he continued to suffer. They wheeled him in on a gurney so we could say our goodbyes. You have to understand that for four days, Miller looked pitiful. He could barely lift his head. He just wanted to cuddle with him. When they brought him into the room on that gurney, he lifted his head and gave us the biggest smile as if he was saying “Look, guys! I’m on a ride!”

From the beginning, I feel like Miller “picked” us to be his family. I met him while taking him to the vet for his diagnostics after coming to Frosted Faces. He clearly had been living on the streets for a while. His back end was raw from bites or something. In the car, he decided he wanted to sit up front by me. All the way to the vet he laid his head on my arm or nudged close to put his head in my lap. Frosted Faces had named him “Miller”, which is the name of my dad’s favorite beer. He was also rescued the day before my birthday. Was this a sign?

We had two non-Frosted Faces cocker spaniels Bandit and Sadie at home. I talked to my husband and we decided to do a fling for Miller. We never thought we would ever have a pittie in our home, but there was something special about him. We did intros at FF and they all seemed to get along fine. Bandit was so excited to have a play buddy! When we brought him home, we could tell he had been through some things. He was very guarded around his food (we always fed separately), and if we or Bandit or Sadie walked by him while he had a bone in his mouth, he would growl. We were cautious and gave him his space. We also taught him that we wouldn’t “take” things away from him. He marked all over the house and had trouble holding his bladder. We would take him outside regularly to go potty, but ten minutes later he would find a place in the house to go. We still aren’t sure where he held all that pee! It was ok…that is what disinfectant and carpet cleaner is for and we just cleaned it up. After a few short days, we knew there was something special about him and we wanted to give him a permanent home!

We never heard a bark out of him once probably the first four months after he came to our home. Then one day it was on! He barked when was excited about something. He barked at mealtime, so excited for dinner. He barked at Bandit if he had a toy he wanted. After some time we could see him relax. The marking in the house stopped and he knew to go to the backdoor when he needed to go potty. He no longer growled when we walked by if he had a bone. He would even let us pet him while he was chewing on a bone. We think he finally felt safe and that we wouldn’t give up on him.

Miller loved car rides, but would often just fall asleep after just a few minutes. His favorite thing was to lay on us for cuddles. He didn’t care if Sadie was cuddled next to me. When Miller decided it was time for pets, he would jump on the couch and bulldoze over her. Oh and that tongue of his! It was always out of his mouth!

Miller was not alone when he left us. We were there by his side and we told him how much we loved him and thanked him for choosing for us to be his family. He made such a difference in our lives and also to everyone that would meet him. I’m not kidding when I write that EVERYONE he met was his friend. People would comment on how he was the sweetest boy.

We love the Frosted Faces family! We have met so many wonderful people through this organization. Christina Alkire did his Freedom ride to Frosted Faces and even checked in on him one time when he was at doggie daycare while we were on vacation! Thank you Kelly, Bethany, and Ken Dra for guiding us the past few days when we were at a loss and didn’t know what to do. We only had two years with Miller, but we tried to make it the best two years of his life! Miller (not-so Lite) changed our hearts forever and we will never forget him."

Battleship

Acquired from: Riverside Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: June 28th, 2019
Date of Passing: January 20th, 2020
Family: Maeleen Cardoni
Fans: Wendy Davis, Susie Brant, Sammi Selzer, Karin Levi
Tribute: On January 20th we fulfilled our promise to Batman.

About a month ago he had a tense belly and seemed lethargic, but x-rays and bloodwork were okay, so we treated his symptoms. On the morning of the 20th Batman had two seizures that left him cross-eyed and terribly painful. The vet suggested that he may have a brain tumor based on these symptoms. He was not thriving even by the end of the day so we decided to let him go to relieve his suffering.

"Today, I had to say goodbye to my boy Batman (Battleship). I was lucky to be his mom for the last 7 months. My Batman is now with his brother Sheldon. Thank you to FFF for rescuing him and letting me be his mom. I love you Batman and you will be missed."

NANCY

Acquired from: San Bernardino City Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: May 29th, 2021
Family: Jenna Larson
Fans: Hays Family
Tribute: On May 29th, Jenna and Al fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Nancy.

Jenna shared,

"We let Nancy go this week. It was such a hard decision because she had been considered "hospice" based on a bladder tumor for almost two years and just kept living and thriving. She was still eating, happy, and playing with her favorite toys but her body was tired and she became uncomfortable. We did everything we could to keep on truckin' but eventually we had to say goodbye and life just feels different now. I'd rather talk about the two years spent with my best friend and most special girl...

Nancy was pretty much famous for her love of toys and she had a strange affinity for anything that was Sloth or Donut related. She ALWAYS had something nearby whether she was sleeping or hanging out outside and would even take them on walks, carrying them the whole way. She started out as a very picky eater but as we adjusted her medications and started feeling better, she became quite the foodie and always got to try a bite of whatever we were having. Nancy loved, loved, loved to bark at my boyfriend Al. There was a difference between her "mean bark" (get off my lawn!) and her "play bark" with Al, they had a game where they would sneak up on each other and bark and howl in each other's face and her tail was always wagging. It became such a habit and fun pastime for her, that she never stopped barking at him for the whole two years! He could still pet her, play fetch with her, or give her treats and she'd be barking the whole time. We always got a kick out of it.

When we lived in San Diego and I worked at FFF, Nancy came to work everyday and was queen of the lobby. You'd be sure to find her on the famous white couch below the logo. She met hundreds of dogs and even some kittens (one of which, FF Lizzo, was adopted by my parents). She went to breweries, beaches, pet stores, bonfires; anywhere she could tag along. She even did a Freedom Ride for some lucky dogs at the shelter. She went to the pumpkin patch, had a theme costume with me at the Halloween party, met Santa during the Christmas party, and traveled with me to visit family all over CA.

She went to my mom's house in Santa Barbara where we threw her a giant 14th birthday party last year. She went to my dad's house in Orange County and even got to meet her "great-grandma" and other distant family members. Nancy was so special because she was the coolest, most chill dog. She could go anywhere and meet anyone. Plop a bed down and she'd acclimate immediately as if she'd been there a million times before. She was also SO good in the car, she'd lie down and sleep the whole way no matter how long the drive.

This came in handy because this past summer we moved across the country from Ca to Pa! We sent our belongings ahead, loaded up the four dogs and bearded dragon into my 4Runner and started an epic journey through the US. Nancy saw so many states, landmarks (like the world's biggest birdcage), slept in hotel beds, and tried new foods along the way (like 'Alien Jerky'). When we arrived in Pa, we stayed with family for a few months until we found a home of our own. She had never seen so much grass in her whole life and it was a joy to watch her roll around and just have fun in it.

We ended up buying a house a few towns over and the main selling point was the massive backyard for everyone to enjoy. She needed help up and down the steps and they eventually became too difficult for her and the slippery floors on the ground level made it hard on her. So we built her a guest house: climate controlled, carpeted, filled with orthopedic beds, pictures of us and the dogs on the walls, and a Furbo camera for her and her siblings to hang out in while we were at work. That way she didn't have to go up the stairs which she hated and I didn't have to worry about getting stuck on the slippery floors while we were gone. When she started not being able to hold her bladder as long, we hired a dog walker to stop by during the day so she could go out and not be anxious about having accidents. We called it the "dog barn" and it's a permanent fixture at our home and an ode to our love of Nancy.

Nancy actually really enjoyed her new state of residence, she was never bothered by the rain in CA (hence her raincoat) and wasn't bothered by the snow here in PA either! She wished she was faster so she could chase her brother through the mounds but settled for making snow angels and tasting snowflakes in the air. She still enjoyed going on outings to breweries and restaurants although we ended up buying an XXL stroller so she wouldn't have to walk too much.

I remember when Nancy first came to FFF and we were looking for a hospice foster for her, Kelly posted on FB and said 'she's the perfect girl and you'll wish you had found her sooner.' I had known and loved her from day one and when a couple families fell through, knew it was meant to be and boy, was Kelly right. I wish we had Nancy her whole life and that we could have enjoyed more time with her. The two years we spent together felt like stolen time and we always joked that she was faking her hospice status just to come home with us.

Nancy was definitely MY dog, I was her favorite human, but she had the kindest soul and was patient and loving with every single person or animal that she met. Nancy was the best girl ever and the world feels emptier without her now. I miss her so much and wish she was still here but I know that our time together was special and she will always be just around the bend waiting for me. We love you Nancy Pants.

Oliver

Acquired from: OC Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: May 4th, 2020
Family: Frosted Faces Foundation
Fans: Tacit Networks, Kami Gladich, The Holliday Family
Tribute: Today we fulfilled our promise to Oliver.

I know you hear it all of the time from me, but no promise feels fulfilled when the four of us Kennel Managers have to sit in the clinic to euthanize a dog who was never chosen and lived at FFF for 10 months. Not even on Oliver's best day was he chosen and I am positive that every tear shed in that room was for days missed with family.

Oliver was surrendered to OC Shelter by his family who had him since he was a puppy. They had a new toddler that got bitten because he was poorly managed around Oliver.

We had just exited 25 dogs from San Diego Humane Society over the 4th of July due to the high number of strays over the holiday, but we saved one kennel for Ollie who was euth-listed. He had two torn ACLs and if you know our work, we don't fix a whole lot of ACLs because we know they can heal themselves with rest and it's a grand expense and recovery time of being kept quiet considering the age of Frosted Faces. Well we fixed both of Ollie's ACLs because he was a "young" Frosted Face and they were totally torn forcing him to balance on his front two legs.

As months went on, we noticed Oliver was chewing on his toes frequently and was pretty wobbly on his back end. We rechecked his knees and realized his neuro responses weren't quite appropriate. He began to poop without control which was easy to maintain with a quick wash down in the morning and hosing off his bed. His ability to walk came and went, and we used a sling on his bad days.

Two weeks ago he lost function is his front legs, urination, and one of his back legs became oddly shaped at rest. We waited it out and altered medications knowing that Ollie was the king of rallying. He did not bounce back and the assumption that pressure on his spine or nerves was causing his inability to walk, cushioned the decision that although Ollie was bright and eating, his body was failing him and quality was lost.

Through healing ACLs and poor function of his legs, Ollie was included on all of our Frosted Fakers hikes, and one tired wonderful soul pulled Ollie in a wagon for the entire hike each weekend. He loved to be challenged with a rope toy in the yard and squeak on stuffies. He hated peanut butter, so don't even try to be nice and give him a Kong or lick mat with that disgusting ingredient! 🙂 "Cottage cheese please," he said!

We owe thanks to Christine Fisella and Jacqui Le for taking Oliver on Frosted Flings to give him a break from the grind.

If Oliver can leave any kind of legacy, it's that hopefully you have the courage to adopt a dog who may not speak to you immediately and learn to love him because he needs you. Andy says all the time, "I could love any dog who needs it," and I wish more people felt that way.
The lesson, "If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it." The paralyzed, the ones who wear diapers and who need medication, the ones who want to only go on short walks. Loving a senior can be a lifestyle, and a welcome one. Your chance is at Frosted Faces Foundation and we are scheduling appointments to meet our seniors daily.

As for Ollie's care, I am so grateful to work with the volunteers and staff like Jenna and Alicia who helped me shift this sadness. We have had so much loss lately, it is not easy to carry it alone. Thank you for making Oliver's last days special and being present in the end.

Gracie

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Allyson Sutkowski
Fans: Patti Edwards,

Arthur

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: September 22nd, 2019
Family: Ashley LaMontagne & Thomas Picquet
Fans: Manuela
Tribute: Yesterday we fulfilled our promise to Arthur.
We recently shared gobs of photos of him with you letting you know that his health was failing and his Fosters decided to become his Family. Arthur endured relentless petit mal seizures early yesterday morning and his family had to let him go.

"This morning Arthur got the goodbye he deserved, in the arms of someone who loved him, in the arms of someone whose heart was breaking. The bond between us was immediate and strong, we healed each other without saying a word. We went on trips, he snuggled with Gus constantly, he met wonderful people, got groomed weekly and for a little while, Arthur blossomed beautifully. Last week his health declined, so we made the decision to cut our trip in half and come home early. We got in late yesterday and he spent one last night in our bed, curled up against my chest before telling us it was time to go. I wish we had more time together, but I am trying to remember how lucky I am to have spent any time with him at all. Our lil bud will be missed endlessly. ❤️ Vole, vole petite flamme
Vole mon ange, mon âme 🕊"

This was their first foster, a senior dog no less, so you already know how much love they poured into Arthur and the definition of Thomas and Ashley's extraordinary character. Ashley shared this video of her and Arthur as she left him to be hospitalized at San Diego Bay Animal Hospital last week. A thousand kisses to make up for a lifetime ~

Mary Kate

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: January 28th, 2022
Family: Jim Ito & Melanie Granfors
Fans: Michelle Wester
Tribute: On January 28th, Jim and Melanie fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Mary Kate.

"It was March 2020, when earth angel Sue King let Mary Kate finish up a very long fling, and come to live with us. That little brown chi grabbed us by the heart and hung on for almost two years.

Mary Kate was smart, brave, persistent, and loving. Sue and I got to share her— and we both know there will never be another quite like her.

She never had a potty accident, even though she couldn’t walk more than a few steps. She simply let out a loud yap, and we would dutifully carry her to the backyard. She’d yap and wag her tail when she was ready to be picked up and returned inside. If we walked past the water bowl without offering a drink, we’d get a yap. She knew exactly what she wanted and when— and we learned to accommodate.

She would sit on her couch all day — with those ears perked up—and listen to everything that went on around her. Sometimes she would yap because she wanted you to come and sit with her. Who could resist that!

In one short week, a mass in her heart started taking her from us. Her breathing became labored, and there were no more yaps. Our brave little dog warrior moved on.

But she still has a firm grip on our hearts, and she always will."

Buddy

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: JingUei & Drew Verkade
Fans: RZ

Bingo

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: JingUei & Drew Verkade
Fans: RZ

Tallulah

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Linda Hampshire & Belinda Hein
Fans: Shirley Richardson

Tango

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Lori & Glenn Godwin
Fans: Lisa Switzer
Tribute: On January 10th, Glenn and Lori fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Tango.

They shared,

"With a heavy heart we said goodbye to our beloved Tango on January 10, 2023.

He became part of our family in August 2019 as a forever foster and has been tugging at our heart strings ever since. It is hard to put into words how this little guy has affected our household. Simply put...he was just a love bug through and through.

Tango was an immediate bond. There were many memories we could share that have been branded with us but here are a few that always make us chuckle - He was a big sleeper, and we would put him up against any dog "pound for pound" in snoring decibels. How anything that small could output such a high volume of sound is one of life's mysteries. Our walks were always fun....he had this Kris-cross catwalk/bounce from the back legs that always brought a smile. The main prize though has to go to his personality when it came to meals. He would always remind us before walks that food was expected afterwards with a good look to his bowl, then to us….then look back to his bowl. Would shadow press us when he returned if the meal wasn't ready. Good stuff buddy!

As time progressed, Tango battled digestion issues so we had some inclination when his health started to decline the last week, and then really go south the last couple of days. That being said, we're still numb, find ourselves looking around the house for him and continue to hold back tears. It's never easy saying goodbye to one of your angels but it gives us solace we had over three years with him. He’s now at peace, running around over the rainbow catching up with his foster brother who departed over a year ago.

Lastly, we wanted to say thank you to FF - Kelly, Andy, the medical team, all the staff/volunteers for their continual support throughout this and their ongoing commitment to this abandoned age group. It brings us smiles every time we're there. What a wonderful organization to be a part of."

Poppy

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Tricia Luke
Fans: Lisa Switzer

Rosie

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: October 20th, 2020
Family: Denise Mendoza
Fans: Lisa Switzer
Tribute: We fulfilled our promise to Rosie on October 20th.

Her mom shares,

"July 2019 we applied with Frosted Faces to see about adopting a dog for my mom and our family. We were looking for a quiet, older small dog that we could welcome into our home and give it a wonderful life. When Rosie was shown, our hearts lit up and we agreed she would be the one even with her heart murmur and her arthritis in her back. Her sweet quiet personality fit right in and she knew we were her forever family. Frosted Faces rescued her from San Diego Humane Society and we can't thank you enough for accepting her into your care and allowing us to have her in our lives.

She was with us from July 2019 to October 2020 and in that short time she enjoyed snuggling, exploring, snacking on treats, getting lots of rubs and kisses and getting along with everyone. She was my shadow and she loved being where all the action was. When our vet diagnosed her with kidney disease our hearts dropped. Her life took a significant turn after celebrating 1 year Frostiversary. Yet, nothing seemed to hold her back from getting up and showing us her fighting spirit of living life out to the fullest even after losing her eye sight and acquiring neurological issues. She taught me so much from her quiet inner peace within herself. Her passing on October 20, 2020 left our hearts broken. She'll be forever missed.

Rosie, we love you forever!"

Bella

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Amanda Moreno
Fans: Lisa Switzer

Honey

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Kim & Randy MacRostie
Fans: Lisa Switzer

Wendel

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: May 26th, 2021
Family: Erin, Wade, & Barbara McKnight
Fans: Maryann Caban
Tribute: “On May 24th, Wade, Barbara, and Erin fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Wendel.

His family shared,

"Wendel was our family's beloved Frosted Face, as well as a recognized member of the early-morning Imperial Beach surfing community (everyone knew him).

He was a character: he had a disdain for dog toys but loved to sit on or around our feet (as well as get underfoot in the kitchen when something was cooking!). He was fascinated by the beach, and he was a great road-trip partner, too. He also served as the best version of an alarm clock because he was not going to miss breakfast!

We all loved him very much (and thought he was hilarious at times, when he would just stare at himself in the mirror) - the McKnight family appreciates Frosted Faces for letting us spend Wendel's last couple years with him!"

Max

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Steven & Kristen Pilcher
Fans: Lisa Switzer

Henry

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Mark & Jill McGinn
Fans: Lisa Switzer, Mark & Jill McGinn

Lenny

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Marci Runnion
Fans: Lisa Switzer, Delia Haust

Freddie

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Merri & Kevin Kelley
Fans: Kristine Brabson

sachi

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: October 2nd, 2023
Family: Jenny Aleksich
Fans: Kristine Brabson

Tribute: On October 2nd, Jenny fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Sachi.

Jenny shared,

"I can't imagine any Frosted Faces adopter finding this an easy email to write. It is with the heaviest heart ever, I must advise I had to send my little Frosty Sachi on to heaven. We began our "love story" August 24, 2019 after holding my breath for a month that nobody would come to adopt her before I could come back to FFF and get her after our initial meeting. They called her Rachel at FFF. I wanted a special and unique name for my girl. After much thought, I selected Sachi, which means child of joy in Japanese. She was all that and more... We did everything together. If Sachi was not welcome, then we did not go! We went to basic training class and did darn well except my girl would not sit on the concrete floor LOL. She would sit on a towel or blanket. We got our diploma anyhow! Sachi would not chase a ball, but loved her blue raccoon stuffy and carried it around often. She had 3 dog beds and my bed and the couch to lounge on at will in this tiny home we shared. There are two dresser drawers dedicated to her wardrobe... t-shirts, dresses, sweaters, coats, bandanas! There are too many coyotes or loose big dogs here for us to walk close to home, so we jumped in the car daily and strolled all the parks in our proximity so no location was ever used two days in a row. Lots of sniff and pee mail opportunities. I have never seen a female dog handstand pee before Sachi. I thought it was hilarious! We went on many adventures together. Road trips were usually to ocean destinations because I favor them for my recharge needs. Sachi liked them too. We also were in La Quinta for most holidays to share time with my brother. Sachi had TWO annual celebrations... her Frostiversary and Gotcha days. We always had guests celebrating with us. Frosted Faces friends Aunties Julie and Lindy came and showered Sachi with gifts and extra love. I also created a tradition for adventure called "New Park Sunday". I would research locations that were within 30 miles that had impressive natural beauty. We went to so many great places and walked and walked and walked! Sometimes it was just the two of us, and other times we had friends along to share in the fun. Sachi was taken every six months for a senior wellness check to be sure that we kept up on her health. In January 2022 she developed kidney disease. That middle of the night emergency vet run was unnerving as there was no sign of issues at her last exam. Sachi battled that disease like a true champion for almost two years. Our vet called her their "miracle pup" and the techs would all scramble to be the one to help us with her SubQ treatments. She endured 210 of those, along with a few office visits for additional meds spattered inbetween. She was one brave and loyal little dog. Everyone that met Sachi loved her. I have hundreds of friends and family scattered across the country that loved her from afar too. She was a legend in her own time! I had 4 years, 1 month, 9 days with Sachi... 2,161,440 minutes of unconditional love... was that long enough, well no, to me it was not. If love or money could have saved her, I would have been all in. Reality was... I loved her enough not to let her suffer. My vet cried right along with me as we sent her on. Every single vet tech came to hug me and give condolences. I literally have thousands of pictures and videos of Sachi. We made a ton of memories in our time together. They will help me process this monumental life status change. Sachi was the best little Frosty in Covina. She was my first adopted pet and the only one I did not have from a puppy. Sachi was... special... and perfect. I can't tell you how rewarding it is to make a senior dog part of your family. Whoever cast her out as a stray in San Diego turned their loss into my extreme good fortune. Deep gratitude to Frosted Faces Foundation for giving me the honor of being Sachi's person. I love you Sachi... today, tomorrow and always... There is love, so much love. See you on the other side."

Lexie

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Janet Owen
Fans: Kristine Brabson

Redman

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Ann Kelsey
Fans: Kristine Brabson

Flapjack

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: May 20th, 2021
Family: Bert & Kris Wood
Fans: Bev Hollis Photography
Tribute: On May 20th, Bert and Kris fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Flapjack.

Kris shared,

"My little Flapjack, Flapper, McFlapperson, Schmunchkin... too many to remember. You did what I didn't think could ever be done. You filled the Pat Pat size hole in my heart, and then some. You were a little guy with a huge presence and personality...cocky and feisty until the end. We made two great trips to Montana together, snuggled endlessly, created a diet every dog should experience just once and you made us laugh everyday. You are so missed but I know you are healthy and pain free playing with Pat Pat and visiting all the Wood pups up there!

Thank you Frosted Faces for trusting us with this special soul."

christopher

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: March 2nd, 2024
Family: Whitney Richter, Santford Hedger
Fans: Tanya Nielsen, Carla Anderson

Tribute: On March 2nd, Whitney and Santford fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Christopher.

They shared,

"On March 2nd, we had to say goodbye to Christopher. His mind was still there, but his body was done and nothing else left to give. We adopted him in September of 2019 and chosen by his sister Alice. We had lost her big brother, Ulysses June of that year and we wanted to get her another companion. Her little black pug personality picked an 80lb black pitbull mix (Christopher). She always thinks she’s a big dog and prefers them over those her size.

I remember reading the description of Christopher and rang so true to him. It ran along the lines of “Christopher is a goofball who has not idea where he is at or where he is going.” He really did live in the moment and didn’t have a plan. When we had adopted him, he had some bald spots on his back, his eyes were watery, itchy skin, etc. All signs of some stress and FF sent us home with eye drops and instructions. Christopher wasn’t shy and really wasn’t anxious in his first weeks with us. He kind of blended into routine pretty quickly. I still remember the first time he got up on the couch and laid down like “I am home.” It is the best feeling in the world to me when you know a dog is comfortable in their surroundings.

Over time, the bald spots went away and no more itching, which was signs of no more stress. It took some time getting use to him being deaf, even through we still talked to him like he could hear us. He did start earning the nick name Dowser, because instead of going around something, like the kitchen trash can, he would just bull ‘dowser’ it down to get to us. Christopher loved to sit in my office chair and look out the window and watch the birds, or sat next to me while I was working. He was never that much into exercise. We walked around the area almost daily and every day, just into one side of one block, he was ready to go back home.

Christopher was a big cuddler. He really didn’t play, no tug ‘o war or toys, but only what we called “bicycwow”. He would lay on his back and kick his back legs around like he was riding a bike. As for the cuddling, he loved you to lay on the floor with him and lay in a spooning position and he loved being little spoon. He would literally scoot into you and you could just feel him relax with happiness. We did this on the cold night right in front of the fireplace. When Chrissy could, he would get up on the couch and lay directly across me like he was a lap dog. At night he would sleep in his bed or on the couch and I would tuck him in, in his AC/DC blanket. Another thing he loved to show affection was to rub his face on you like a cat. You’d be standing there, and all of sudden he’d walk up to you and start rubbing that cute face all over your pants.

Christopher favorite things on walks was encountering turkeys, that we later started calling catbirds, because you could tell he wanted to chase them down like a cat. He got to go to the beach a few times and excitedly sing at the seals, aka “Merdogs”. He got to enjoy with the family moving into a new home in Ramona from Julian. Therefore, got to spend his last year in a warmer area and with new excitements (wild peacocks). He received many names from us because it comes with the territory. Chrissy, Christopher Jones, Christophe, Dowser, Buddy, Baby Boy.

Throughout Christopher’s time with us, he never really ran into health issues, other than those he had experienced before joining our family (ear infections, mast cell tumors, skin issues, face paralysis, etc). But about six months ago, he started limping on his front left leg. We thought it could be arthritis as he was already showing signs of that in his hind legs. We placed him on gabapentin, which really helped and he was moving well again. But eventually, the left leg started causing problems again. We gave him additional pain meds because during examination, nothing could be felt in the leg and he didn’t respond to any pressure. Eventually, he started losing function in the back legs and didn’t want to place any weight on the left leg. We tried a shot of Librela, which did great for his back legs almost immediately. But the front was still giving him issues. Eventually, a new vet we went to decided to perform an x-ray and found the left leg had bone cancer, to the point it was so thin it could break at any minute with pressure. We got an oncologist’s opinion and she did confirm, and we did agree, amputation of the left would make his quality of life worse, therefore, we made the decision to do palliative therapy until he was ready, which came earlier then we expected.

We miss Christopher terribly and the house feels so empty without our 80 lb black clump looking at us with his beautiful face. The family, Alice and us, have been a bit low since March 2nd, but also relieved he is no longer suffering. We enjoyed every last minute of the little under five years we got to spend with him and we really do believe we gave him the best part of his life. We love you, Chrissy, and always will."

Maggie

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: August 19th, 2023
Family: Shana & Vernon Cabalda
Fans: Paula Singer

Tribute: On August 19th, Shana and Vernon fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Maggie after battling kidney disease and the discovering an oral mass.

They shared,

"Friday we had to say goodbye to our sweet Maggie. She brought us so much love. We’re lucky to have had you the short 4 years we did. We love you Maggie, say hi to Spike for us "

Lucille

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: July 2nd, 2019
Date of Passing: July 17th, 2019
Family: Frosted Faces Foundation
Fans: Venus Catherine AndrechtF
Tribute: I wish we could restart today knowing what we know now. Lucille passed away while being anesthetized this morning for surgery.

Lucille was one of 25 dogs we temporarily housed from San Diego Humane Society for the 4th of July. Just a couple days into her stay the Rescue Coordinator called to let us know that Lucille would be deemed unadoptable/untreatable and euthanized upon her return, so that we should consider our options. We signed her over as a Frosted Face that same day because oftentimes euthanasia is not necessary for U/U dogs, but it's the amount of resources that determines which dogs will be "safe."

Lucille entered the shelter because she was running at large too many times and was brought in by animal control. She had a pretty large mammary mass, dental disease, and was mildly anemic. We covered all of our bases with pre-anesthetic bloodwork and x-rays. She didn't even have a heart murmur and the vet was not concerned. We ran fluids for surgery because she is a senior too.

As it was described to me I believe, her heart started to slow with the onset of anesthesia and it went to a stop. They gave her injections to restart her heart and did CPR for 15 minutes. She never came back.

We do a lot of surgeries. A lot. And big ones. We bring our vets dogs that have never met a vet in their lifetimes, in addition to not being valued by their previous families. Lucille had a lot going on and we are always told that there are risks to anesthesia. There is no certain reason why we lost Lucille, but our hearts are broken.

Lucille was not suffering going into surgery, although we did try to do what was best for her. She was, in fact, always the heartbeat RIGHT at our feet and wagged her tail so hard you could not even see it. She loved being held and would crawl into our laps. She would steal a treat from anyone near to her! She loved to eat! She got to help hold the banner front and center during the Pride Parade from her pouch and got so much love from FFF volunteers. We knew this would be a big surgery for her today, so we brought her home with us last night for snuggles and table scraps. She chased the cats, and even earned a swat from Frosted Feline Feta! She was intrigued with the TV and kept her little sparkling eyes on the moving colors of the screen. She, Knight, and I fell asleep together on the big orange chair late last night, and I am so grateful Andy snuck a photo to share that tender moment.

Where we want someone to be accountable, from her previous owners, to the vets, or even ourselves, I think we need to sting for awhile with the realization that life is just sometimes very unfair. I am not feeling the whole " we fulfilled our promise" bit, as we didn't provide her necessary medical care or place her with a family. We did comfortably house her and now mourn for her absence, so in that, she was loved and treated well.

We owe thanks to our vets for having the courage to give so many of our Frosted Faces an opportunity to thrive and live extended lives through successful major surgeries. It was not meant to be for our Lucille.

We love you sweetie pie.

Roka

Acquired from: Downey Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: July 6th, 2019
Date of Passing: September 18th, 2022
Family: Haven Nisly
Fans: Paula Singer

Tribute: On September 18th, Haven fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Roka.

"I adopted Roka, like many people do, at a time when I needed somebody. It was a difficult time for me, right before my first medical board exam and right before the worst part of the pandemic started. I had never had a dog before but hadn't been able to get the thought of adopting one out of my head for months. When I saw Roka's story on the FFF website, I knew I had to meet her. She was 8 years old at the time, mellow, sweet, and an eager walker when I met her but I wasn't sure how I would know I should take her home. I spent time with a couple other dogs and kept coming back to her. One of the staff asked me if I was going to adopt her. I had already been approved to adopt but was nervous. I looked at her and she locked eyes with me for about 20 seconds and after that I knew that she was going to be my girl.

Every day after that, for two and a half years, I fell more and more in love with her, and she became my best friend. Roka had the most enormous happy smile, with her tongue sticking out, and her whole face lit up. Everyone who saw her smiled too, and then that made me smile, and everything would seem alright. She never barked and was sweet to everyone she met. Roka snored every night, and most of the time when she slept her tongue was hanging all the way out of her mouth. She loved sleeping with her head hanging off the bed. She gave me hugs with her head every day, and sometimes kisses when she was especially happy to see me. She would let me snuggle her if I didn't try to overstay my welcome. I spent more nights that I care to admit sleeping in her dog bed with her. Roka was the goofiest dog I've ever met. When I would get home from work, she would jump up out of bed, run over to me, then look around frantically for the nearest toy, grab it, shake it, make snorting noises, parade her toy around and show me, then catch a glimpse of her food bowl and immediately start eating. She would slide off her bed while she was sleeping until she was all the way off. She loved all treats, peanut butter, cheese, chicken, and whipped cream, and was a terrible beggar. She followed me everywhere especially to the bathroom and always made sure to check on me. She would lay down on the bath mat while I was taking a bath and keep watch. She loved watching cars go by and especially loved riding in the car. When we would get to the garage and she knew what was coming, she would start running to the car. At first, she was territorial around other dogs, but mellowed out enough to actually enjoy hanging out with her cousin Bellamy, my sister's dog, and the two of them had lots of adventures together. Roka's first health scare was a herniated disc in her back in December 2020, which she recovered from with some rest and medicine. Then in March 2022, during Match Week, when I was going to find out where I matched for residency, she had to be hospitalized and I found out she had pulmonary hypertension. Once she got on medication, she didn't seem too slowed down by this. I graduated and drove with her across the country to North Carolina to start my residency at Duke. Over the past few months I noticed that she was tiring out faster. She didn't want to go for walks any further than around the courtyard. I started taking her on daily wagon rides when I got home from work. She would do her business in the courtyard and then we would continue in the wagon. She absolutely loved these, and always earned lots of compliments from strangers about how cute she looked. On September 18th, I noticed she was lethargic. I made an urgent care vet appointment and by the time the appointment time arrived she was barely picking her head up off the bed. The vet found that she was extremely anemic and suspected she may have had a mass on her spleen that ruptured. Because of her pulmonary hypertension, I knew I wouldn't put her through a surgery because she was so high risk, and her state was already critical. At the recommendation of the vet and trying to think about what Roka would have wanted if she could have decided, I made the decision to put her to sleep, even though it was going to break my heart. I don't think she was in pain. She just seemed tired. I brought her bed into the vet's office (her favorite extra cushy Costco bed) and her stuffies and she was all wrapped in a blanket. I laid with her for a while and talked to her about our favorite memories and how much I love her and kissed her head and held her the whole time.

Just as I didn't know how deeply I could love her until I had her, the grief of losing her has been even worse than I could have imagined. Because she was a senior, I knew that I would have to say goodbye to her sooner than if I had adopted a younger dog. I do feel though that knowing that made me never take a day with her for granted. When I called my best friend to tell her about Roka's passing, she told me that she thinks dogs stay with us during times when we really need them, and it seems like when we get our feet under us or when they somehow know we will be ok, then they go. Roka came to me when I was at a low point, about to take my first board exam, about to start my third year of med school and about to endure the worst of the pandemic pretty isolated from others. She was my rock, my shoulder to cry on, an unending source of love. When I wasn't sure what my purpose was supposed to be, I looked at her and knew that at least part of it was to be her mom. She was by my side through the hardest years of med school, applying to residency, matching, graduating med school, and starting residency. She was by my side as relationships and friendships came and went and all the times it seemed like my world was ending but didn't. Maybe she knew that she got me through until she knew I would be alright, and then she knew it was okay for her to go. I'm still trying to figure out how to move on without her, but I would do it all again to experience the love we had. Rest in peace my angel, I love you forever."

Rusty

Acquired from: Owner Surrender
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: July 11th, 2019
Date of Passing: March 17th, 2022
Family: Michelle Fulton
Fans: Patricia Lau, Loren Taylor, Nicole in honor of Jaime & Lewis

Tribute: On March 17th, Michelle fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Rusty.

She shared,

"Another angel got it’s wings. I’m heartbroken to share that Rusty crossed the rainbow bridge on Thursday. He passed away 20 years to the day that I got my first dog ever, also a beagle. I’m sure they are playing together.

I had the privilege of spending nearly three years with Rusty and I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but he was the best pup and truly my best friend. We went everywhere together. If Rusty wasn’t allowed somewhere, we didn’t go.

I will miss our walks in Del Mar and Mission Bay. I will miss our Sunday morning Starbucks visits complete with puppaccino. The spot in bed behind my legs is cold and empty without a snoring beagle snuggling.

Rusty was so stinking smart. He could finish a dog puzzle in three minutes. He knew how to shake, sit, lay, crawl, roll over and paw the door when he wanted to go outside. He was such a gentleman too, he would stop walking and always let me go first down the hallway. He was spoiled rotten and he deserved every bit of it.

Run free, Rusty. I’ll miss you sweet pea!! Thank you for being the best thing to come into my life, and putting up with me, it will never be the same without you. "

Leeloo

Acquired from: California City Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 5
Date of Rescue: July 14th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Jeremy Ducharme
Fans: Shirley Richardson

Dallas

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 6
Date of Rescue: July 14th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Dominic & Ann Lowther
Fans: Amber Tkach

Spaulding

Acquired from: Carlsbad Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: July 18th, 2019
Date of Passing: August 25th, 2019
Family: Frosted Faces Foundation
Fans: Chris Lowe, Noreen McCormack, Dog Devoted, Christy Guitreau, Sara Young, Bobbi Holzworth, Olive L, Christie, Janet Franklin, Yael Meyer
Tribute: On Sunday, August 25th, we fulfilled our promise to Spaulding.

Spaulding was found tied to a chiropractic building in downtown Ramona, and the finder contacted us for help. We called County of San Diego Department of Animal Services, as you should, to have him serve his stray hold in case someone was looking for him. He did have a tattoo in his ear that the shelter traced to no one. We let them know that we were invested in his care and would rescue him as a Frosted Face if no one claimed him. During his stray hold, he began knuckling and the shelter contacted us immediately to see if we would like to vet him as Good Samaritans and exit him early.

The neurologist at Veterinary Specialty Hospital- North County discovered a mass near his spine. We started him on steroids and pain medication and after a couple short days he was able to walk again! We continued this medication regimen and helped Spaulding live large knowing our time with him would be stolen. He was bright and curious, ready to absorb all the love we had to offer.

Having such a magnificent dog grace the FFF lobby, he reaped a lot of attention and treats from volunteers. He seemed to glide across the floors with his long legs at the sight of food and barked for seconds! Only a week after being on steroids Spaulding became paralyzed again. Our philosophy is that paralysis does not have to be a death sentence as long as these three things fall into place:
1. The dog is comfortable
2. There is a willingness and availability of the caregiver(s) to maintain the dog's dignity by keeping him clean
3. The caregiver(s) can enrich the dog's life as a paralyzed animal

Spaulding did not have much feeling in his back end after that and his brightness and willingness to engage assured us that he was comfortable. The volunteers and staff at FFF have the tools and strength to lift Spaulding, flip him regularly, keep his hips lathered in Desitin and raised on a donut to prevent pressure sores, while also laying on fleece blankets. We serviced him with water regularly too! We have harnesses and Spaulding loved rolling around in his wheelchair like a "normal" dog. He even humped his friends while in it!

Spaulding's last weeks were sprinkled with adventure. He went to the beach a handful of times, suited in a life jacket to feel weightless once again in the bay. We took him to watch "The Sandlot" at Movies in the Park, and he got to work on big bully sticks on the soft grass. As sweet as he was, he even lifted his lip at Andy when he tried to take his bone away! Spaulding laid on the couch like normal dog to simply watch TV and be cuddled, with a hospital pad underneath him as he soon lost control of his bladder. Baby wipes and warm baths became routine for Spaulding and it was a labor of love.

Spaulding was loved by his fellow Lobbyists who frequently tried to share a bed with him or even sit right ON him! Spaulding would offer his paw to volunteers to signal they should continue petting him. He stole our hearts.

On Sunday Spaulding spiked a fever, refused food, and declined quickly. We drove him down to Animal Emergency Clinic of San Diego, who are always so good to us, and let him go. Jenna laid sprawled across the dog beds in the back of my Prius spooning Spaulding in case we lost him on the way, as Andy and I drove quickly in the front seats. Our other Kennel Manager, Alicia, wasn't even working and left a social gathering to be present.

I stroked his tummy gently, yearning to lean over his long body to kiss him one more time while he maybe could still hear me, however, it seemed awkward at the time with so many of us around him. Although he had been nearly unconscious, immediately after they injected the sedative and were prepared for the final injection, Spaulding sat up and looked right at me. It was my opportunity to hold his face, kiss him on the nose, and tell him I loved him and not to be scared. I don't know if I have been part of a euthanasia that has been so powerful for me. It was like he needed to see me too one last time, or maybe he did it for me-- surely it was a reaction to the injection. Just the fact that I WANT to believe we had that connection, promises that the last few weeks he was significant and loved.

Jenna, Alicia, and Andy, you are owed extra gratitude for the additional sweat and tears you poured into Spaulding, granting him quality days and making him your own. Thank you. ❤

Steffi

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: July 26th, 2019
Date of Passing: October 17th, 2022
Family: Lynn & ChipJ arman
Fans: Nora and Pam Becker, Andrea & Killian Serrano, Cyn Hendry, Jana Glock, Corinne Marteeny

Tribute: On October 17th, Chip and Lynn fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Steffi.

They shared,

"After three years of family love, our sweet Princess Steffana has left behind all of her pain, anxiety and diminished life style 😪 She was ready.

Thanks to Dr. Benson of Paws Into Grace, FF Steffi peacefully went to sleep and passed away. As we cry and miss her already, Chip and I know that this was the kindest loving thing we could do for our courageous, determined baby girl (still our baby girl at 15 💙).

We love you Steffi 💖"

shamrock

Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 7
Date of Rescue: July 18th, 2019
Date of Passing: October 18th, 2023
Family:
Fans: Diana Coelho, Tamie in honor of Charlie, Michael Brourman, Lori Powers, Christina Alkire, Salpi, Sarah Meehan

Tribute: On October 18th, Vicki fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Shamrock after battling lung cancer.

She shared,

"Shamrock's passing has left a large void in my life. I can't stop the tears, and my world feels like it has been shattered.

From the beginning, my goal was to give Shamrock the best life possible, even as I hoped to find him a forever home. Watching him transform from a dog that came with a bunch of warnings to a happy, playful, and silly little princess was an incredible journey. Discovering his love for the ball, in particular soccer, was a turning point in our journey together, and it filled me with so much joy to see him embrace these simple pleasures.

I remember the first time we went to a dog beach; I was so nervous, even bringing a muzzle just in case. But he handled all like a true gentleman. At Ocean Beach, riverside, I introduced him to the calm water. He was anxious at first, but then he relaxed and his face turned to pure joy. We then tackled the chaos of the ocean waves, and he handled them like a surf pro. Each time we hit the beach and waters, he had an enormous smile on his face and a bounce in his step as if he were a puppy, not a senior.

Shamrock never wanted to leave this world; his spirit was strong, but the tumors were suffocating him. I knew I needed to make an appointment this week, but that day didn't seem like the day as he seemed mostly ok.

His last day he was surrounded by love. It wasn't planned, but his biggest San Diego supporter volunteers (Sarah, Danielle, and Ryan), one by one came to visit him. Not planned, but as one left, the next arrived. Sarah in the morning with some duck soup, Danielle in the afternoon with a sweet harmonic soothing sound, and Ryan with In and Out cheeseburgers that Shamrock gobbled up. He was very loved. An hour after Ryan left, Shamrock decided it was time.

Despite all the pain, I want to thank you for taking my call (Kelly) and helping me through that moment of loss, and Alicia and Andy immediately coming out to be there to help with Shamrock, and also listen.

I'm grateful for everything you've done, not just for Shamrock, but for all the dogs you care for. Shamrock's memory will live on in my heart, and I'm thankful we accidentally found each other. I initially signed up to volunteer on site and an occasional Fling during the pandemic. It ended up being a completely different experience that I'm truly grateful for that. Thank you to the AMAZING volunteers, plus staff, and a lot of kind donors. You've done well for these dogs."

Dorian

Acquired from: South LA
Age upon Rescue: 5
Date of Rescue: August 5th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Margaret Galloway
Fans: Joni Duke

Merci

Acquired from: South LA
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: August 5th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Elijah & Kaitlyn Mesa
Fans: Jacquie Jordan, Sammy's Family, Rachel Charles

Junior

Acquired from: South LA
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: August 5th, 2019
Date of Passing: May 3rd, 2023
Family: Marci & Robert Peck
Fans: Jacquie Jordan

Tribute: On May 3rd, Marci and Rob fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Junior.

Marci shared,

"I had to say goodbye to my precious Junior Seau today. To say I’m heartbroken would be an absolute understatement. His loss comes less than two months after FF Skippy passed away. I will miss getting up every night to let him out to pee and at the end cleaning up all the accidents that he could not help. I will miss him getting up with me when I would get my coffee(he always got a treat of coarse). I will miss how he always knew I was sick and would cuddle with me. I will miss everything about him. He was a happy and fun little guy. I was so blessed to have him 4 years. He made my life better and I am a better person thanks to Junior.

ALWAYS in my heart Junior. 🐾😭💔🐾❤️🐾"

Jingle

Acquired from: South LA
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: August 6th, 2019
Date of Passing: June 19th, 2020
Family: Dawn Dully
Fans: Jacquie Jordan, Lani Marie
Tribute: On June 19th, we fulfilled our promise to Jingle.

Jingle was adopted by the Dawn Dully with the hope he could keep her dad company. Sadly, she lost her dad to cancer late last year and Dawn took over Jingle's care.

Within the last month Jingle had some odd behavior and after trialing some meds and with time, it became evident that he had a tumor in his nasal cavity and was struggling to breathe. His mom shared that there would be "no more pain for him! Now he can go and eat chips with my dad! My time with him was worth every minute. Plus, he gave my dad a reason to live longer."

Ray

Acquired from: South LA
Age upon Rescue: 15
Date of Rescue: August 5th, 2019
Date of Passing: September 23rd, 2021
Family: Lori & Glenn Godwin
Fans: Donna Beinfeld, Silva Family, Andrea Samarkos, Annmarie L
Tribute: On September 23rd, Glenn and Lori fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Ray.

They shared,

"It is with a heavy heart that we said goodbye to Mr. Ray (formally known as Leyton) on 9/23/2021. He came to be part of our family a little over two years ago and has pitched his tent in our hearts forever. Straight outta of the South LA shelter, Ray came to FF- a blind 15 year old with neglected teeth and an unknown past.

We remember arriving to FF that summer day in 2019 to gather up our new forever foster Tango. We were close to leaving, when we noticed Ray hiding under a chair. It was at this point Kelly and crew told us his story. Our hearts just sank. We were going to go home with one forever foster, and decided to add this little blind guy in as a foster fling as well. He looked neglected, was emaciated and had an aggressive demeanor. Dental work and neutering were the starting points through FF. A total of 17 teeth needed to be removed.

This little guy was angry and had little trust with those around him. He was not a cuddler and when we did not honor his space, Ray gifted Lori with a painful bite to the nose, months later another bite to Glenn’s hand. We discussed if we should have him placed with another family- but decided to request more assistance from FF. We placed ourselves in his shoes - blind, in pain and just trying to survive. Needless to say the foster fling quickly turned into a forever foster. We. Were. In.

The change was gradual and there were hiccups along the way. Getting him on a routine of meals, songs with his new name, rhythmic clapping and a lot of love was our main course of action. Slowly the metamorphism took place. He quickly learned his way around, that clapping meant a walk or a meal. His name in chorus meant we were coming close with a leash or to quickly give a pet. This guy taught us so much about the process and how precious every day is to be a part of.

What stood out for us - the survival instincts of this little guy was off the charts. What a battler...feisty, no fear attitude. Went around banging into walls trying to get a lay of the land, always excited when it was time for walks. Ray was vain and would not allow his mustache to be trimmed, though Lori fully explained the hygiene factor. We decided he may be a Sam Elliott fan and let it be. Ray also knew time and could be found at the front door 3-5 minutes before 8 am, 12 pm and 5pm. Ray was a firm believer in military time.

Unfortunately, time marches on and the age factor slowly begins taking its toll. Ray's breathing became very labored over the last few months and it was obvious to us there was a lot of pain. The bad days became the norm with some Intermittent good ones mixed in. Just too many nights wheezing and late night pacing around the house trying to get to a comfortable place. Medication initially helped, but in the end, there was little change and a diminishing quality of life.

We felt honored to be a part of Ray’s final chapters. The commitment FF has to the well being of this abandoned age group is beyond words, and we wanted to do our part to make the lives of these angels the very best before they get called up to the big leagues.

So many memories are thanks to our Ray Ray. He was an amazing addition to our family and we can't thank FF enough for bringing this little guy into our lives. We know he was loved in the 2+ years he was with us and hope he came to know that. Seeing how he progressed we both believe he learned to trust again. We even had cuddle time which was wonderful for us to be a part of.

There's comfort knowing he's now pain free, at peace and in a better place. We picture him on the other side running around, breathing easy, chasing other dogs and it makes us smile. That being said, we look around the house now and there's an empty feeling in our hearts. We miss our Ray Ray.

Safe travels buddy, we love and miss you!

Glenn, Lori, Chewie and Tango"

pRIYA

Acquired from: South LA
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: August 5th, 2019
Date of Passing:
Family: Delia Haust
Fans: Anneliese Hunter, Cori Higley, Dave & Kim Steele

lily

Acquired from: South LA
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: August 5th, 2019
Date of Passing: February 4th, 2021
Family: Briana & Dillon Smither
Fans: Laurie Roberts, Dan and Diann N., Jessica & Holly
Tribute: On February 4th, Dillon and Briana fulfilled their promise to Lily.

Bri shared,

"Last night, we said goodbye to our beautiful, kind, amazing gentle giant Lily. It happened so fast. One day she was fine, and the next she wasn’t. We were able to get her on some medicine that gave us an extra week but I really wish we had more time with her. We are so thankful for the time we did get. We are so happy we got to give her such a good last year. She is already missed soo much. Thank you to Frosted Faces for giving us the opportunity and to College Animal Hospital for helping us in such a difficult time. Love you always and forever Lily!"