THE FROSTED FACES
Page 19
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.
Saint
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Whitney Handy
Fan: Jessica, Sarah Taylor & Zoe
veteran
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 7
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Nicholas Zotos
Fan: Rayleen Wall
josh
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Ray & Nancy Funderburk
Fan: Alida J Lucas
boots
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: October 11th, 2023
Family: Adelpha & Athene DeGuzman
Fan: Marc Grossman
Tribute: On October 11th, Adelpha and Athene fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Boots.
They shared,
"Boots was the sweetest, calmest, friendliest dog we have ever had and seen. Bootsy was an endearing nickname we gave her which she responded to.
Anyone who petted her head made her so happy and she acknowledged that gesture by rubbing her head on them, letting them know she wanted more. She jumped excitedly into our van when she saw the door open. She knew it was joy ride again. She loved walking in Balboa Park especially for the attention she got from anyone she met.
Whenever we came home, Boots would be in front of the door to the garage anxiously waiting for us to come in. She preferred to eat when we ate. She slept on her bed but often snuck into our bedroom to bring toys and to lay down. When we saw all the toys she brought in, we took them out but she brought them back one by one again.
Because our house is close to the school, Bootsy wanted to be in the front yard to watch kids go by when they got out in the afternoon. After the kids were gone, she loved laying on the ground like sun bathing.
Her passing away was so unexpected because she gleefully walked our route in the afternoon the previous night. Boots was a very special dog. Our lives were truly blessed with the love and joy she gave us."
HONEY
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 7
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Diana Hall
Fan: Erin Garibaldi
Frankie
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: February 27, 2022
Family: Chase Friedman & Steven Roston
Fan: MM
On February 27th, Ilana and Chase fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Frankie after a splenic mass ruptured and there was too much metastasis to offer surgery as a sensible option.
Ilana shared,
"Frankie was the most exceptional dog I have ever met. His new life started when my son fostered then adopted him when COVID began. Frankie's new life was living with 3 young men in Los Angeles, and he turned out to be quite the 'chick magnet.' His charm and deep stunning eyes won everyone over.
After a freak accident leaving my son unable to take care of Frankie, a 5 day stay turned into his forever home here with me at 2 The Rescue Animal Sanctuary. Frankie immediately became best friends with Thor, our 160 lb Great Pyrenees. Every morning when I fed the animals breakfast Frankie would stay by my side making sure I was safe, and then romp around with Thor playing as if he was a teenager, not an almost 13 year old dog. We had the most amazing love and connection with each other. Frankie never left my side. For a dog with so many….. and I mean soooooo many issues and complexities and truthfully severe PTSD, Frankie knew that he was truly loved 100% and loved back the same way.
When you looked in his eyes you could see all the way to his soul, and he never ever forgot to show how grateful he was for his life. I miss him every second of every day. Thank you all for rescuing him, and allowing us to be the luckiest people in the world to have the honor of being his last people. He died knowing that he was truly loved."
Zoey Belle
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: November 10th, 2023
Family: Mary Larson
Fan: Sammi Selzer
Tribute: On November 10th, Mary fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Zoey Belle.
She shared,
This is the email that none of us want to write. My special girl, Zoey Belle, crossed the rainbow bridge on Nov 10th at the age of 15 1/2. The last few months of her life were sad as her dementia escalated rapidly. Zoey lost the last of her sight over the summer after already being deaf. She seemed to almost give up and the dementia took over. She could not map at all and had to be guided even to her water bowl. Zoey became anxious about everything she used to love doing. I know she was not in physical pain but was so very lost and helpless. When she stopped making any effort to get up in the morning I knew she was telling me she was done.
Zoey Belle, fka Linda Chrissy, was one of the Wishing Well dogs rescued in January, 2020. She became my baby girl just a month later on February 15th. Zoey was 10 pounds of pure Shih Tzu personality! She was never the snuggliest dog and had no interest in toys but so loved to be with her “people”. She really liked children and always sat patiently when a group of kids wanted to pet her. Once Zoey established a couple routes for her daily walks she absolutely refused to alter them and insisted on turning back at exactly the same spot every time!
Strangely my granddaughter and I had to work with Zoey for months at first before she was comfortable walking in the grass. She never wanted to sleep under a blanket or lay in the sun. I always thought she must have suffered being outside in the heat before.
When I moved back to Virginia in August, 2021, Zoey was the best traveler on our cross country drive. She also took a couple road trips to Rhode Island in 2022, and loved the adventure. Zoey also loved to go shopping and would clearly prance down the aisles. I had to keep a bag of treats in my purse because she decided that getting in the car or waiting for me in the car meant she got a treat and never let me forget!
Zoey always seemed happiest when she knew she was being included, whether it was going to the office with me, running errands on weekend, going to the grandkids soccer game or taking them to the playground, or attending a family party. She had a full life in our almost 4 years together. I know she knew how much she was loved. Zoey’s legacy will surely be how this cute little stubborn 10 pound senior dog could endear herself to so many people who will remember her forever. I miss my Zoey girl every day.
Thank you to everyone at FF. Zoey Belle was so lucky you chose to rescue her that day so she could feel loved the rest of her life."
lizzie
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Jerry Ross
Fan: J.R.
Leroy
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: February 2, 2022
Family: Jeff & Kim Dollins
Fan: Wendy Davis
Tribute: On February 2nd, Jeff and Kim fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Leroy.
They shared,
"To say I’m a little numb is an understatement. My emotions have been tested and as I sit here silently in a quiet space in my home, I’m trying to formulate words that will honor our quirky little man.
Today, unexpectedly, we needed to rush Leroy to the vet at FF (such a blessing to have them). It was a roller coaster of emotions and in the end, a tumor bleeding internally left us having to make a difficult decision. I guess upon reflection we had suspected he wasn’t feeling his usual self and had just made him an appointment to see if his liver values were worse. We weren’t sure if he was down about his best friend passing or his own disease progressing, maybe it was a little of both.
Our little man, a dog name ‘Boy’, pranced his way into our hearts June 2020. We say his theme song would be from the roaring 20s and we could picture him strutting his stuff with a hat, vest, a time piece, and the ladies in the crook of his elbows. It didn’t matter he was blind, had no teeth, had to wear a belly band, had us play ‘where’s the poop?’, he was friendly to everyone and was always up for whatever adventure we took him on or just to chill in his multiple dog beds. He was the best nighttime sleeper and slept in the ‘big bed’ every night tucked right in between his humans.
Losing two dogs in the span of 3 days is hard, it is sad, but it is worth the reward of providing Leroy the final stop in his life. We figured out what Leroy wanted and needed; dog beds, patient humans and a dog best friend. Now, he is reunited with his best friend Kygo.
I’ll spend tonight being thankful for FFF and our doggies "
toro
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Kalia Karr & Marlo Greta
Fan: MM
riley
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Ray & Nancy Funderburk
Fan: Nicole Mancini in Memory of Peanut, Annemarie & Jared, Barbara VanHorne
vanessa
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: February 27th, 2020
Family: Frosted Faces Foundation
Fan: MM, RZ
Tribute: We had a devastating start to our day. This morning we fulfilled our promise to Vanessa.
We rescued 8 year old Vanessa from Wishing Well Ranch along with 21 other dogs in January. She had lived there her entire life because records showed that she had been vetted by them as far back as 2011.
Vanessa was kenneled with her blind brother Alberto at the ranch. When we got them to FFF we saw that they did tend to share beds and find each other in the yard. 8 years together in an 8x8 kennel is quite a long time!
She enjoyed going on three different Frosted Fakers hike where she pulled on leash and was excited to be out in the fresh air in a fun new environment. Volunteers took her to dinner, wineries, out for coffee, and on walks.
This morning when we opened FFF it was noted that her breathing was labored, so we rushed her to High Valley Veterinary Hospital. We know they had to move appointments around to accommodate our emergency and we are so grateful. We had done X-rays at Banfield a month ago and they were clear. Those same x-rays were reviewed by our vets at College Animal Hospital for her dental surgery last week and they were also clear.
When High Valley got Vanessa's breathing quieted they snapped another quick film that showed a very tad of something in her lungs, but nothing to cause the significant distress we were seeing. Her belly was full of air from gasping which also made it even harder to breathe, so they tried passing a stomach tube. They ultimately anesthetized her and her breathing was finally okay. It was then that they found she had a mass in her airway completely obstructing airflow. They talked to a surgeon and started to debulk the mass, but her heart stopped shortly into the procedure. They did 15 minutes of CPR but could not revive her.
How did Vanessa endure all those hikes, survive her dental, and breathe normally all this time until suddenly today she was critical? We have so many super seniors here at FFF who volunteers know to give extra love just in case we are their last stop. Vanessa was simply not a dog we ever dreamed we would lose while in our care. The fact that she was shown so much love by all of Frosted Faces Foundation's volunteers as her final family is a testament to the importance of showing up and giving back. I am sure as the volunteers whose photos were captured holding Vanessa learn of her passing they will think, "Oh my gosh, that was just last weekend and she seemed just fine." To you, thank you for being those people who made the time to change this little dog's life for the better.
Vanessa, we love you. We will take care of your Alberto.
panko
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: June 12th, 2023
Family: Raquel & Marcus David
Fan: Jaimee Beach
Tribute: On June 12th, Marcus and Raquel fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Panko.
They shared,
"I wanted to inform you that our beloved Panko has passed away. We made the choice to say goodbye to him on Monday June 12th. He was with us since May 2020 and we can honestly say that those 3 years have been the best years of our life with that little dude. He's always had a heart condition but it ended up being his kidneys to fail him. Within a few days his kidneys failed and during his small window of time of not throwing up or having diarrhea, we made the decision to end his suffering. While adopting senior dogs is nothing new to us, it will never get easier making that decision and we feel so heartbroken without him.
This has been a hard few days, especially since we run a boarding and day care facility for senior dogs. Some of his friends that knew him well can feel the difference. In the 3 years with us, Panko made over 300 new friends that all enjoyed his calm and stoic presence. He was a funny guy that always knew when it was snack time and never missed a beat being the first dog in line for treats. Full set of teeth or not, he was ready to inhale any treat that crossed his path. He was such a gentle dog when he met older dogs that needed special assistance. He chose our girl Grandma when we went back to frosted faces and loved her till the end of her days. Panko was the best at setting a great example of what a calm and collected dog should be like. He never barked, never got aggressive, knew how to tell you he wanted to use the bathroom (took himself out even), and all he ever wanted was a hand to pet his face and a treat to accompany that.
During Panko's last few days, while he didn't have the best appetite, he was able to get all of his favorite treats as well as some forbidden treats dogs never get to have. He loved being in his stroller and took his last stroller ride with us. We truly thank you guys for bringing Panko into our lives and being able to give him a forever home during the last years of his life. He was loved by so many and it's so hard realizing he's not there when I wake up but I know he's with his girl Grandma up in doggie heaven so it makes us happy that they are finally reunited."
fritter
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 14
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: March 9th, 2023
Family: Molly Meekin & Steve Gott
Fan: Julie, Shari Irby in honor of Dixie, MM
Tribute: On March 9th, Steve and Molly fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Fritter.
They shared,
"Remembering the best times with Fritter. After she was rescued by FFF from Wishing Well Ranch in Jan 2020, she flourished in her foster home for a few weeks and then with us as her forever fosters for the past 3 years. She gained weight and started to run and play in the first few months and really let her light shine. These are some of the happiest videos, and they are giving us solace in our heartache. We said goodbye to Fritter on March 9th, 3 years and 1 day after she came home with us. We didn't know at the time that she was our pandemic puppy, and all the dogs would be scooped up in the next couple of weeks. We were so lucky to get her! And to have her for so long as well.
Her last few months were pretty rough. She was restless and wandered a lot in the night and needed to be carried up and down the porch stairs for multiple potty outings. She had severe facial paralysis/atrophy and was losing an eye. In the last few weeks, she was developing difficulty eating and needing to be spoon-fed. The last few days of her life, her legs could no longer hold her off the ground to pee and poop. She was still as sweet and beautiful as ever and melting hearts everywhere she went. Our greatest wish was to give her as many good days in her life as possible, knowing the time before Frosted Faces was probably less than fulfilling. We were trying to stretch it out as much as we could before making the call. We wanted to give her the most time and most ideal departure. We wonder if we stretched it out too far. It didn't happen as we hoped and planned and it's something we will always feel badly about. We miss you and we love you and we thank you dear Fritter."
helo
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: March 31st, 2022
Family: Rebekah Warren
Fan: Corrine in honor of Chiquita
On March 31st, Paul and Rebekah fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Helo after battling kidney disease.
They shared,
"Yesterday evening we had to let our sweet Helo go. My heart keeps going through conflicted emotions of not having enough time with him, but also giving him 14 extra months that he was not expected to have.
He was the sweetest boy who just wanted all the love from humans and his dog siblings alike. We are going to miss his sweet smiling face but we are so grateful he is out of pain and for all the time that we had with him."
hunter
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: September 30th, 2020
Family: Kami Mastrangelo
Fan: Amy T, Carol Harris
Tribute: On October 8th we fulfilled our promise to Hunter.
After spending nearly his entire life living in a chain link kennel outdoors at Wishing Well Ranch, he only got 9 months of freedom.
His mom shares, "On Wednesday, Sep 30th, we rushed Hunter to ER as he had explosive diarrhea and was vomiting. My son Sam and I sat in the car for 4 hours while they ran diagnostics, performed an abdominal ultrasound, bloodwork, etc. They highly suspected lymphoma and it was confirmed a few days later. They started him on an injection of Elspar (chemotherapy) that day but it didn't work as well as we hoped. We decided not to move forward with further treatment and instead try and keep him as comfortable as possible. He started eating a bit better and gained some energy over the weekend and was able to celebrate Sam's 13th birthday on Sunday, Oct 4th. His diarrhea continued and he and I found our routine of gently cleaning him with warm washcloths and soothing his raw behind with Desitin. On Wednesday, Oct 7th, he pretty much stopped eating and drinking and I knew I had to make that difficult but merciful decision. I scheduled Dr. Peter from Hearts & Halos to come out on Thursday afternoon. Hunter was able to eat a little In-N-Out as his final meal. He passed peacefully in the breezy courtyard, his favorite place, just after 4pm... surrounded by pure love.
We knew our time was limited with him but we didn't expect it to only be 7 months. We had so many plans for our gorgeous boy. Top on our list was a trip to the mountains because we knew he would love the snow and his thick gorgeous coat would protect him like a warm blanket from the cold. We were excited to celebrate his first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Frostiversary on January 31st, 2021. And although we were robbed of these moments we find great comfort knowing we showed him the love of his very own family until his final breath. Hunter was loyal as can be, learned how awesome belly rubs were and demanded we keep petting him by pawing at us or nudging his head under our hands so we were forced to pet him. He was just starting to get used to sleeping in cozy beds as his whole life he lived outside in the dirt. He learned to sit, shake and lie down. He was smart and figured out quickly how to finagle treats out of us.
I believe one of Hunter's purposes was adoring and protecting my oldest son Sam. They had an immediate and unbreakable bond. Another purpose was helping me through some very emotional changes. The day Hunter passed, Oct 8th, my dad was moved into an assisted living home, my mom was a wreck, it would've been my and my ex's 14th anniversary and the sale was finalized on our home together just before we married. To say that day was hard is a gross understatement. Hunter's fur absorbed oceans of tears and his soulful eyes looked into mine saying "You're going to be ok" before crossing over. He changed our lives and we changed his. We will forever be grateful that Frosted Faces rescued him on Jan 31st so that he could eventually find his way into our home and hearts. My boys learned a valuable lesson in selfless love and are open to guiding another senior dog through their final stage of life with compassion, patience and love. We hope that in Hunter's 13 years of life his last 7 months were his very best and most loved. We miss you so so much, beautiful boy and were honored to be your family. Rest easy, my handsome man... rest easy.
mona
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 14
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Caryn Kralovansky & Jeff Barker
Fan: Perry Family, Denise Mendonca
tiki
Acquired from: Wishing Well Ranch
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: January 31st, 2020
Date of Passing: June 4th, 2023
Family: Leslie & Mark Amancio
Fan: The Giuffre Sisters
Tribute: On June 4th, Leslie and Mark fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Tiki.
They shared,
"💔I haven’t been able to pull myself together to post all week, but we are very sad to let you know that our Tiki girl has crossed the rainbow 🌈 bridge to her happy place where her legs aren’t failing her and she is running around with the wind in her hair and treats everywhere!!!
She has been such a blessing to our family for the last 3 years! (In 1 week it will be 3 years since we got to bring her home). She is a timid girl but I know she felt loved and comfortable with us. She loves her nonFF sister, Maggie and her human brother, Jake! She looked so content when laying near them. She got to visit many places, ran and swam at the beach, hiked, explored every inch of her yard, camped at Palomar Mtn, announced to our family that she was getting a human brother and walked with many friend dog packs. She loved her dog sitter, Shelley, who always took such great care of her and took so many great pics!
Tiki had been losing weight and was having trouble waking the last few months but a few new harnesses helped her get around with assist. She was still eating and enjoying treats until the end. She had a little bit of a rough night her last night and then fell asleep and drifted off to her happy place in loving arms.
It is so sad waking up and not seeing Tiki in her bed, but knowing she is free of any pain or handicap makes us happy.
Thank you, Frosted Faces Foundation for bringing us together and giving us so much extra joy with Tiki. We love her so much and she will be missed forever. Everyone that met her fell in love with her💞
🐶Tiki Bear 8/12/07-6/4/23
P.S. her Mama Mona has outlived all her kids 💕 "
Jumba
Acquired from: Humane Society of Imperial County
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: February 2nd, 2020
Date of Passing: October 17th, 2020
Family: Jennifer Campos & Joshua Shru
Fan: Cindy Lewellen
Tribute: On Saturday, October 17th, we fulfilled our promise to Jumba.
Jumba spent a year and a half in the shelter at Humane Society of Imperial County. We even passed him up one time back in October 2019 when we were there to exit dogs. We rescued 22 senior dogs- but not him. That will forever torture my soul that we left this sweet boy to spend four more months kenneled as his life passed him by, before we realized we needed to rescue him.
Jumba was one of those dogs at FFF who touched everyone. He was SUCH a good boy. You wanted all wonderful things for him and to never know pain or abandonment again. The sight of him warmed your heart, and his innocent silliness made you laugh. He was gentle and magnetizing.
This winter Jumba was adopted by a caring woman named Robin Young who passed away from colon cancer in August, so Jumba came back to FFF. It took no time for him to be scooped back up by pittie lovers, Jen and Josh.
Last Friday Jumba's parents noticed that he didn't want dinner and his belly was bloated. We rushed him to the ER where they discovered a lot of blood in his abdomen from a ruptured splenic mass. We opted to go in and try to save him. His spleen had two large ugly masses on it that we sent out to biopsy. It has come back as hemangiosarcoma. Jumba recovered quickly, eating and alert in the hospital after 24 hours. As the early morning hours of Saturday the 17th came upon us, Jumba coded. They did CPR and got our boy back. Just an hour later the vet called to say Jumba coded again. They did CPR again, and while they got a heartbeat back he was no longer breathing on his own, so they were breathing for him manually. While trying to get in touch with everyone in preparation for a hard goodbye, Jumba's heart did ultimately stop beating on its own.
Somehow, the bestest boy did not get to live anymore.
His mom writes, "I'm so grateful my family got to show him 24/7 love for even 16 days. I truly believe he wanted to be with his Mama he just lost such a short time ago. It gives me peace to know they are together forever now. Thank you all for loving him so much, we all did."
We owe thanks to the volunteers who made sure Jumba never knew a day without love, and thank you to Jen and Josh for being diligent about Jumba's care so that we had an opportunity to act quickly and give him a chance at life. It wasn't in the cards, and he has left a jumba-sized hole in our hearts.
Ethel
Acquired from: Long Beach Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: February 6th, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Angelica & Rob Barrett
Fan: Natalie Gibbins
Petey
Acquired from: Long Beach Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: February 6th, 2020
Date of Passing: August 10th, 2021
Family: Felicia Trader & Mary Budke
Fan: Michael Brourman
Tribute: On August 10th, Mary and Felecia fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Petey.
Felecia shared, "For the last couple of months, Petey had been losing weight, drooling excessively and eating less and less. We have taken him to the Vet for blood tests and exams, but there were no clues about what was wrong. His teeth were clearly a problem. The Vet thought he might combine a cleaning with a good exam of his mouth, if Petey was sedated.
Today Petey was sedated and when the Vet tried to insert an airway, he saw a large cancerous mass on the floor of his mouth and down his throat...closing his throat. The Vet said it was inoperable and thought we should put Petey to sleep while he was already sedated. We agreed.
Our only wish is that we could have had Petey for a longer time. During the time we had him, he was well and truly loved."
Mews
Acquired from: Chula Vista Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 20
Date of Rescue: February 8th, 2020
Date of Passing: June 11th, 2020
Family: Andy & Kelly Smíšek
Fan: R. D. Kardon, Author
Tribute: On June 11th we fulfilled our promise to Mews.
Mews had allegedly been a feral cat fed by the same woman for 16 years. When she noticed him getting thin she took him to the shelter for care, who then reached out to us for a safe exit.
He was in kidney failure so we immediately started a nightly fluid regimen. He had recurring UTIs and frequently peed on our bed, so we diapered him and took him in for a couple antibiotic injections. There was a point in March when he had totally stopped eating and looked terribly nauseous. We hospitalized him and then we did a follow up appointment with Dr. Lipman who did acupuncture to stimulate his appetite. It worked and bought us months! In the end, Mews had blood coming out of his nose, which we thought was a result of dental disease. It wasn't. One morning it was evident he had a nasal tumor as enflamed tissue was protruding from his nostril and his face was suddenly swollen. This helped us to decide that Mews was all done and had certainly battled valiantly to stay by our side and us his.
That's the bad stuff. The good stuff is what sticks in my mind! Mews loved to play with my hair during the night and he rubbed against Andy's beard waking him up. Mews was insatiable for attention! Even when he was ill, he leapt the dutch door out of our bedroom to be near us while we watched TV! I will never forget his cute little diaper butt and how compliant he was with us trying to manage his behaviors/illness while maintaining some level of sanitation! Ha!
For the 6 Year Anniversary Party he was made one of the 6 lucky Frosted Faces to land on a celebratory beer can. I don't know any other cat on a beer can, so in my mind, this is pretty darn special!
We loved Mews very much and we carry on his legacy by fostering one end of life Frosted Feline at a time in our home.
Wonka
Acquired from: Owner Surrender
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: February 9th, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Bob & Victoria Conway
Fan: Gail Rose
Mozz
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society-Oceanside
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: February 9th, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Stephany Nguyen & Greg Hall
Fan: Delia Haust
Chiquita
Acquired from: Carson Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: February 15th, 2020
Date of Passing: February 26th, 2020
Family: Rocky & Kelly Kanaka
Fan: Katie Biddle
Tribute: Today we fulfilled our promise to 13 year old Chiquita.
We rescued Chiquita from Carson Shelter after she was surrendered by her owners. Her bloodwork was concerning, and a more extensive panel showed that her SDMA was off the charts, indicating kidney failure. A few days after rescue, Chiquita's mouth began to smell sour. That lone canine began to pus with infection and her nose was runny. Instead of pursuing the dental we were eager to do, we started her on Clavamox, Baytril and a fluid regimen since her labs were poor. That tooth was so loose, it could've taken one good yank- but not one the vet felt comfortable doing because it was just secure enough, so we hoped for it to fall out where we could place it under her pillow. 🙂
We were excited to see an application roll in specifically from Rocky and Kelly Kanaka. They are kind of a big deal!! We were surprised to find that they are genuinely kind and have extensive knowledge about caring for a senior dog with the purest intentions. We were a little uneasy sending Chiquita home so soon when her long term treatment plan had not been developed and her health was confusingly declining, but if there was anywhere she should be, it was in a home with individualized attention where of course she would have continued veterinary care. You bet, Rocky Kanaka is a sensational YouTuber to watch and our partnership through Chiquita's story brought awareness to our organization and educational light-hearted material for his stream. Even in the presence of this hype, Chiquita was always the main focus of our exchanges and she was going to thrive in her new home.
Rocky, Kelly, and I talked last night about how Chiquita has not been eating as well as she should be and the game plan was to hospitalize her today for a few days to flush those kidneys, rehydrate and support her from whatever was causing her to not want to eat. This morning came that call where Chiquita did not make it through the night. We rehashed how she seemed so bright in her surrender video, and how an elevated SDMA value only really indicates 40% kidney failure without a simultaneous elevation of BUN and Creatinine values. How did we lose this sweet pea when she was surrounded by all the good things?
Did she get too dehydrated?
Did she catch a virus at the shelter that she was too frail to beat?
Was she finally in a safe place where her body could relax and let go?
Was she already declining and her owner didn't articulate that in the video? So often we see dogs shine with the adrenaline rush of a new place and then we start to see their bodies fail as their owner’s had seen.
We have to see Frosted Faces over The Bridge often enough where its nice to take the time to reflect so we can appreciate similar scenarios in the future. Truly in the end, it was simply how Chiquita's story was written and everyone did their absolute best for her. It is really really sad that she could not receive all the love that the Kanakas had planned to offer. They are selfless people and we hope that they can assign that love to another senior when they are ready.
Rocky shared, "RIP Chiquita. Join me in wishing her well across the rainbow bridge. While our time was short with her, we loved her like our own as did so many of you. Chiquita passed in her sleep last night feeling safe and loved. My wife and I think that she could feel that and was able to let her guard down and go peacefully. Like a lot of you, I felt the full range of emotions from anger to sadness, but in the end I feel gratitude for the opportunity to be with her in her final moments, and make sure she knew that she mattered.
A big thank you to Frosted Faces Foundation for not thinking twice about helping this gal. We are so thankful we had the opportunity to meet this wonderful organization. We are blown away by how hard their team works to save these senior animals every day. Please go follow Frosted Face. We hope that our efforts to help dogs like Chiquita Banana will open your hearts to a senior pup. Rest easy Chiquita Banana, may your next journey be filled with unlimited treats and love."
Melody
Acquired from: Carson Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: February 15th, 2020
Date of Passing: September 10, 2021
Family: Ann Tebbetts Coffeen
Fan: Michael Brourman
Tribute: On September 10th, Ann fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Melody after battling heart arrhythmias and kidney disease.
"I had to say good bye to my sweet Melody on Friday. She had been declining for the past week and a half and would not eat or drink last couple of days. We had a wonderful 18 months together.
Thank you so much FFF for allowing us to come to Frosted Faces to have Dr. Russell tend to her. He was so kind to both Melody and me. With his help, Melody had a peaceful and loving transition in my arms. I also want to thank my niece, Karen, for coming up and giving her support and helping me make a very difficult decision."
Rex
Acquired from: Carson Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 9
Date of Rescue: February 15th, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Leah Richardson
Fan: Vikki and Arnie Medrano
Leah
Acquired from: Carson Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: February 15th, 2020
Date of Passing: July 25th, 2020
Family: Rita O’Brien
Fan: Vikki and Arnie Medrano, Brooke Snow
Tribute: On July 25th we fulfilled our promise to Leah.
Her mom shares,
"I adopted Leah and her brother Cappy one week after my dog GiGi had to be put to sleep. GiGi was the dog of my heart and Leah became so precious to me because she looked and acted like GiGi. I only had the privilege of having her for four months, but every minute was worth it. I was so fortunate to have loved and enjoyed her and I think I made her last 4 months very happy. I would not have given up the time I had with her, even if I had known how short it would be.
She loved to be held and would just melt into me. Leah and her brother both slept in bed with me. She would just melt into my side under the sheets. He slept up by my pillow.
They both were always in the same room with me. When I had to go to another room, even for a minute, I would tell them I would be right back. Always I would look down in the other room and 2 little faces would be looking up at me. Wherever one was, the other was also. They always slept in the same dog bed during the day.
Cappy and Leah were together for all of their lives. I am giving Cappy lots of extra love and attention because I know he misses her. He is bonding with Queenie, my other terrier rescue.
Because of Covid I rarely left the house, except to take them for walks in their stroller. We all were so happy to have this time together to bond, and we did.
My fur babies bring so much joy and pleasure to my life."
Whiskey
Acquired from: Carson Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: February 15th, 2020
Date of Passing: October 11th, 2021
Family: Becky & Jason Walker
Fan: Kirsty & Winnie, Diana Kilkenny
Tribute: On October 11th, Becky and Jason fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Whiskey after suffering from internal bleeding likely from an intestinal mass. At first an ultrasound detected no masses or bleeding so we transfused Whiskey to buy him time for a path review and treating for IMHA. His hematocrit quickly tanked and his stool became black- it was time.
They shared,
"I’ve been avoiding posting this all day, not because I can’t accept it but because I cannot do his life justice with words. I’ve loved our sweet Whiskey/Whiskety/Whisk/Whiskey Sours /Spin Move/Other Dog /tiny dog for 1 year and 8 months.
He was a scrappy, silly, friendly to all, kinda dood. He ran in circles when we would go get their leashes, he would bully Harry out of the kitchen if there was food and he would snort like a pig when looking for the perfect place to poop. But above all else he was a fierce cuddler and a loyal lap dog who showed us so much unconditional love
The boy knew how to lounge and he saw me through a pandemic . I was never alone and he will live in our hearts forever."
jacks
Acquired from: Carlsbad Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: February 29th, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Michelle Gatschet & Dana Duey
Fans: Johanna Leap, Jerrie
Campbell
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 15
Date of Rescue: March 4th, 2020
Date of Passing: May 21st, 2021
Family: Angela Gunnett
Fan: Mike & Cathy Paulson
Tribute: On May 21st, Angela fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Campbell.
Angela shared, "There is a running joke about Campbell being so fast on his feet (because he wasn’t) and one of his nick names given lovingly by others was speed racer. We joked that he would totally win a race against other dogs, goats, people, pretty much anything that moved!
I’m heartbroken to share that Campbell was ready for his last race on earth and that was to the rainbow bridge. He got his head start on his comfy bed on our patio while I buried myself in his fur soaking up his smell and softness, the sounds of birds in the background and the promise of many friends who would look out for him until we meet again.
When I brought Campbell home I was realistic that our time together may be short. At over 15 years of age with several medical issues he was slated for euthanasia at the shelter but gratefully Frosted Faces offered him a chance!
This little guy was much of my strength through the really rough crazy year of 2020 and then some. I hope he in return enjoyed his time with us full of lots of love and chin scratches, endless yummies, stroller rides, places to explore and holes to fall into, outings with his fellow Frosted Face buddies and being able to just be him.
As he eventually lost all use of his back end he required more care and I want to acknowledge his human sister who helped to care for him in my absence. I’m also so appreciative of the Frosted Faces family who supports one another on our journeys with these special seniors.
Mama loves you always and forever, my sweet soup. I will go again share my heart with another who is looking for their last place to call home in your honor. "
Micky
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: March 4th, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Bonita Beighley
Fan: Terrilea Hopson, Lucky FF Family
Carl
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: March 4th, 2020
Date of Passing: April 12th, 2023
Family: Nicholas Apablasa & Michael Martin
Fan: Theresa Mulligan, Lori Haskins, Mike & Cathy Paulson
Tribute: On April 12th, Nick fulfilled his promise to Frosted Face Carl after battling heart disease.
He shared,
"He was such a good and sweet old man. He is in a better place and his last episode was rather quick so I’d say he didn’t suffer.
Carl ate, walked, lifted his leg to pee, and had hard poops through to his last day. He’s was the epitome of a 'good boy.'
But we will miss our buddy Carl!"
davinci
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: March 4th, 2020
Date of Passing: February 17th, 2023
Family: Carrie Chung
Fan: Mahler’s Aggressive Strength LLC
Tribute: On February 17th, Carrie fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face DaVinci.
She shared,
"I keep writing this message and either break down in tears or feel that anything I say is grossly insufficient.
On February 17 I had to let my precious Davinci go to heaven. His body was declining rapidly but even more rapidly we were seeing cognitive changes to the point that he didn’t even realize that we were near…and he was clearly in pain. I knew with every ounce of my being that it was time to let him go, and yet it was quite honestly the most excruciating thing I have ever done.
Just after the beginning of Covid I decided that since I was working from home it would make sense to take in another frosted face. I found a dog online, but when we got there, we met Davinci who was blind, deaf and pretty incontinent. I’ll be honest, I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to meet his needs but his foster mom was there and sold him as sweet, gentle, and a huge cuddler. My son and Kelly double teamed me and we packed him up and took him home. That was one of the best decisions of my life.
To say that Davinci was a cuddler was the gross understatement. He was Velcro. He sought me out, slept in my lap as I worked… Even though to be honest he was slightly too big to be a lapdog…loved being carried around like a baby, and slept on my shoulder at night. He loved his walks and enjoyed exploring the yard and finding a spot in the sun. And man oh man, did this boy’s nose work amazingly well. He could sniff out a treat or a meal from quite some distance, and didn’t even bother begging but dove in full force. The best was when he discovered a popcorn bowl and literally dove in and scattered popcorn all over the place. I couldn’t be mad but we sure got a laugh.
Davinci truly became my best friend. He saw me through some amazingly difficult times and intuitively knew when I needed his presence near me. He humbled me with his trust. He was my everything and my life is far of emptier without him in it. As with the far majority of our dogs, I don’t know what his life looked like before he came to me, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that in the end he was cherished, adored, and appreciated. I can’t thank Kelly and frosted face is enough for giving me the opportunity to love and cherish the special boy."
Odessa
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society
Age upon Rescue: 13
Date of Rescue: March 4th, 2020
Date of Passing: June 28th, 2021
Family: Mary Davidson
Fan: Lori Powers, Allyson Mackinney
Tribute: Mary fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Odessa.
She shared, "I still have a heavy heart after helping her reach the rainbow bridge. Her death, one of three in the last year, left me feeling lonely and empty.
We worked hard to find our joy throughout the year we had together. But ultimately, getting through each day became a struggle for both of us. Odie, I have recently decided, will likely be the last dog with which I'll share my life.
She was such a sweet light in our lives (me & my fur cats) and will be remembered fondly forever. And Frosted Faces gave us this unique opportunity to find love and compassion for each other."
Gilmore
Acquired from: South LA
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: March 5th, 2020
Date of Passing: August 21st, 2021
Family: Margaret Mueller
Fan: Carol Harris, Claire Shipman , Christina, MM, Krista Nadolski
Tribute: On August 21st, Margaret fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Gilly.
Recall that Gilly was being fostered for a shelter volunteer when he killed her small dog when left unattended together. He had originally been placed in foster because he was very wobbly on his feet as a result of a neurologic condition. He was returned to the shelter and immediately euth-listed.
We exited Gilmore and found that he was a great dog who was actually social with most dogs, and with the proper warnings in place, tried to find him a family.
Gilly's history did not scare away Margaret and she loved him as the best boy in the world! He traveled with her, loved the golf cart, went swimming, and rocked booties with care.
Margaret writes,
"I'm so sad to say that my big guy, Gilly, got his angel wings today. Gilly was just done struggling. He could not walk by himself anymore. He struggled so far to stand up. He got a UTI from wearing diapers all the time, then he started to just sit and whine all the time from frustration. I knew it was time to help him cross over.
Thank you all for the wonderful opportunity to love him. When I first went to FF to 'look around' I would have NEVER thought I would be falling in love with a wonky silly pit bull!
I shall have another FF soon!"
Story
Acquired from: Final Wish Program
Age upon Rescue: 14
Date of Rescue: March 5th, 2020
Date of Passing: December 15th, 2020
Family: Big Sister League of San Diego
Fan: Pamela Aikman, Kathy R, Leslie Tobias
Tribute: On December 15th, the Big Sister League of San Diego - BSL fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Story.
Around here, this is absolutely nothing better than an elderbull. When you are labelled as an "aggressive breed" and somehow get to live every last day until the frosting is good and thick, oh man, that's a good dog right there to have overcome stereotypes, loved well through and through.
Story was perfect in every sense of the word and she was lucky to be loved by truly a countless number of people. She was loved by her mom, Danielle, who recently passed away. She was loved by the rescue advoactes who entrusted her to our care when her mom became ill. She was loved by everyone at FFF. Story was loved by long time foster mom, Lisa Harchut, and by her final family, the members and directors for Big Sister League of San Diego.
What seemed like progressing arthritis, turned out to be metastatic cancer as an ultrasound identified masses on Story's spleen, liver, and kidney. Her splenic mass was bleeding and surgery was not sensible.
She went home for last loves and her family brought her back to the vet for a dignified peaceful send off. They made this video of their time together and so she will never be forgotten.
Bart
Acquired from: Bonita Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: March 6th, 2020
Date of Passing: November 28th, 2023
Family: Maja Bjarnasom & Cory King La Rochelle
Fan: Jennifer Baum
Tribute: On November 28th, Maja fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Bart.
She shared,
"Nov 28, 2023: The day that I have dreaded since Mar 25, 2020, which was the best day of my life. It’s crazy how 2 different days can be so drastically different but also somewhat similar: both of these days changed my life forever, but in completely opposite ways.
3 years, 8 months, 4 days. That’s how long I was blessed to call Bart my son. During that time, I loved him with my entire being, to the point where I can’t even put into words the amount of love I had for this boy. He was my life, my everything. He was never left alone the entire time he was with me, except one time when we first tested it out and let’s just say I made everyone stop eating, pack up their food, and go straight home when I heard him crying on the Nest cam 🤣❤️🥹
If he couldn’t go with me somewhere, I simply didn’t go. And what’s funny is that I never felt like I was missing out on things or felt like he was a burden. My favorite thing to do was to just hold him on my chest, with his furry little fro tucked right under my chin, and hugging him so tight. The thing I loved the most about Bart was that he was a cuddle bug and the snuggliest little lamb that ever lived…he would rather snuggle up with me than eat, to the point where it was a problem! I’ve never known a dog that NEVER got sick of being held, until I met Bart. And that made him truly special to not just me, but everyone he met.
Now for all of you who knew my little man, I know you are waiting for me to mention his grumpiness with other dogs and with humans who tried to approach me while in my arms 🤣 yes, I will admit that my boy was NOT a fan of other dogs, but I contribute that to the fact he was an only child dog, even with the 6 other FFs that he was forced to call a sibling. I always told people that he was an “only child with siblings” and that was 100% accurate. He always felt like he needed to protect me and/or discourage people from interacting with me because I was HIS property. Even with having literally no teeth, he never backed down and didn’t have any problem gumming you if it meant “saving” his mommy.
As I write this post, I’m getting mad and upset at myself because I feel like I’m not doing a good job honoring Bart’s memory. I feel like I’m not describing all the little things he would do that were signature Bart-isms. But in reality, it would be impossible because 1) there were just too many incredible things about Bart to share and 2) I am pretty sure Facebook posts have a character limit 🤣 so I will do my best to just say one simple thing: for all the reasons I don’t have the strength and time to say, Bart was my soul dog. My best friend. My favorite thing in the whole world. In fact, my life revolved around him because he WAS my world.
Bart had his first seizure in Nov 2022 and I was told he had about 3 months because of the severity of the seizure and also his age. The fact that I had an entire YEAR with him after this prognosis is the only thing that helps me make peace with his passing. With Dr. Russell’s help, we were able to manage his seizures with medicine but as time went on, the seizures got worse and the more meds we had to add. Towards the end, he wasn’t able to stand or walk on his own so I had to use a little harness to help him. He was so happy to have that extra help and had no problem being puppeted around 🥹
I know this post is already super long and again, I feel like I’ve said nothing about Bart, or at least what I want to say. But I know all of you know how much I love my Bart Bart, and I also know how much you understand the pain and grief of losing a beloved fur baby. I feel guilty about how much Bart’s passing has affected to me in comparison to my other babies, but he was my firstborn, the very first FF I adopted and he will always be special because of that.
I have him to thank for finding out about FFF, which led me to adopt 6 other amazing doggies since then. He would hate me for saying this but he is the reason I’ve been able to give so many other dogs a loving home. And for that, he will always be in my thoughts and forever in my heart.
To close this tribute post, I would like to share the inscription I had etched on his urn:
Barto, Bart the Fart, Ba-ba-cue, Bartholomew, BAW BAW Bear, Pony Boy…
You will always be my soul dog, my best friend, my life…my absolute everything.
I know you miss me as much as I miss you, but don’t worry: I promise that one day I’ll be able to hold you on my chest again, your head tucked perfectly under my chin.
My little lamb, you will forever be the bestest little boy in all the lands ❤️ I love you more than life itself."
Hook
Acquired from: Riverside Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: March 14th, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Gustavo Arellano & Deliliah Snell
Fan: Ryan Rubin
Peach
Acquired from: Owner Surrender
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: March 14th, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Nicholas Apablasa & Michael Martin
Fan: Tom Handsaker
Cappy
Acquired from: Rescue Transfer from Animals Rule Rescue
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: March 15th, 2020
Date of Passing: November 24th, 2020
Family: Rita O’Brien
Fan: Marie Ligety, Terry Schacht
Tribute: On November 24th, Rita fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Cappy.
Rita shares,
"I wanted to let you know that I had to put Cappy to sleep.
When I adopted him he had a damaged trachea and did a lot of coughing. On Tuesday, all night in bed next to me he coughed and struggled to breathe. I took him to the Emergency Vet on Montpelier Rd, San Marcos. They took him in immediately when they heard him. I thought he had pneumonia or bronchitis.
They put him in an oxygen chamber right away. After X-rays, blood tests, the vet told me his trachea was stage 4 completely collapsed. I couldn’t let him suffer so I went in and held him, still on oxygen and said goodbye to him while he went to heaven to be with his sister Leah, who died about 6 months ago.
I loved him so much and he was the gentlest, funny, loving little boy. Everyone who met him immediately loved him.
I know I gave them both so much love and care during the last months of their lives.
But they gave more back to me! I admire what your foundation does. This was hard to write because I loved him so much. Thank you for giving me the gift of Leah and Cappy."
HARLOWE
Acquired from: Long Beach Shelter
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: March 19th, 2020
Date of Passing: March 29th, 2020
Family: Frosted Faces Foundation
Fan: Terry Denning
Tribute: On Sunday, March 29th, we fulfilled our promise to Harlowe.
Long Beach Shelter reached out to us on March 19th to ask if we would exit this paralyzed little fraggle. I must've answered within minutes of the plea, that absolutely yes, we would send a transporter as soon as possible.
Volunteer Dennese Flowers had the honor of doing her freedom ride to Frosted Faces Foundation. Harlowe was indeed unable to use her legs, but you could place her upright on all fours without her crippling to the floor. A step was not possible without support as it took her longer than usual to place any of her four feet. Even beyond her broken little body, she was missing fur and had scabs all over, including an ulcerated mammary mass.
I gave her a warm chlorhexidine bath that she seemed to like and then when I wrapped her in a thick towel she shook her whole body off right down to her tail. I didn't know what to expect, what her prognosis would be, but she was bright and eager for attention.
We did bloodwork and x-rays at High Valley Veterinary Hospital. She had a mildly enlarged heart, an enlarged liver and bloodwork to reflect this, with a loss of detail on the intervertebral foramen. We started her on antibiotics and she had an MRI scheduled for yesterday to look for something fixable.
We ordered her a wheelchair just her size and I couldn't wait to see her trekking around the play yard with her pigtails flopping!
We tried having Harlowe sleep in our livingroom, but she would have none of it! She barked and barked! Stumbling in darkness we moved her to a big dog bed beside our bed so she knew she was near us. Right as the world fell away, she startled us with more barking. We grabbed a washable pee pad from the laundry room, laid it on our bed, and then pulled Harlowe up onto the bed to sleep against my tummy. She was sound asleep the rest of the night!
During Harlowe's week as a Frosted Face she received medicated baths, she did therapy with Danielle, she wore everything pink, and ate all of her hearty meals.
On Saturday evening Harlowe's breathing changed and we suspected she had contracted a little bit of a cold that some of our dogs from Escondido brought in. During the night she let out a few barks, but we thought nothing of it. I had a dream tugging at the back of my brain that something bad was going to happen to her and seemingly slept lightly. In the morning when we woke up, she was gone. Part of me feels like her barks were trying to tell us something, but barking was her M.O. for simply being a princess.
Of course we knew something could be terribly wrong and Harlowe presented as a very sick dog, but her personality begged us to care for her, and so we did. Harlowe was turned in as a stray... a paralyzed stray. I just have a hunch her owner may have seen her decline, but saw how bright she was and did not know what to do. I am sorry she could not be with them in the end.
Mickey
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society- Escondido
Age upon Rescue: 11
Date of Rescue: March 21st, 2020
Date of Passing: July 1st, 2022
Family: Debra Nielson
Fan: Shannon Hadley
Tribute: On July 1st, Debra fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Mickey.
Debra shared,
"Nearly two weeks ago, I said goodbye to Mickey. The tiny little guy who captured my heart from that first day, more than two years ago, broke it when he had to leave on July 1st.
Mickey was a huge and very opinionated personality crammed into a small, crooked body. He was perfect. He was the most beautiful dog that ever lived. His lopsided grin, the wonky joints that sometimes popped in and out, his gigantic ears, and his unmistakable jaunty little swagger, all added up to BIG love.
He was fiercely protective, and sometimes fiercely jealous. He never tired of being held and carried, and fussed over. He loved paw rubs, and would sometimes sit on my lap for hours if I kept massaging those tiny little feets. They were velvety soft.
Thank you, little man. It was an honor to be your person. And I will always love you. Sleep now. "
Pete
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society- Escondido
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: March 21st, 2020
Date of Passing: March 3rd, 2023
Family: Nancy Watson Evans
Fan: Mary McClintock
Tribute: On March 3rd, Nancy fulfilled her promise to Frosted Face Pete.
She shared,
"Pete was such a lovable dog who gave unconditional love to his Mommie who loved him in return. He was adopted 3 years ago this month and was the best dog ever.
He had a lot of health problems but that didn’t stop him
from enjoying life. He liked riding in his car seat and even went to Yuma with his Mommie. What he liked best was the pool parties that were held where he lived. There were always around 25 -30 people who all loved Pete. He loved to hang out in the outdoor kitchen with his buddy Eddie who cooked him his own personal hamburger which he loved. He also would go around begging food from others but they knew he wasn’t allowed to be fed.
Pete is missed soooo much but the memories are wonderful. We will meet again in heaven."
Ruby
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society- Escondido
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: March 21st, 2020
Date of Passing: January 23rd, 2023
Family: Diana Fane
Fan: Priscillia Seelan
Tribute: On January 23rd, Diana and Anthea fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Ruby.
Anthea shared,
"When I had to move my mother out of her New York apartment to a place near me in California where she could get more help, it felt like I was betraying her. She would be leaving the art that covered every corner of every wall, 4,000 books, her neighborhood coffee and wine store and a place where she had raised two children and shared a life with my father.
As she got older and less able to focus on her writing and research, she found the most joy in watching the dogs play in the park. She could be found at the dog park everyday longing for a dog of her own with soft ears. Yet it seemed out of reach for her.
Enter Frosted Faces and their Senior for Seniors program. Enter Ruby, who I can say without hesitation saved my mother. She saved her spirit, her dignity and her joy at a time when nothing else seemed to be going right for her. As soon as we had her settled in California, we went to search for a companion for my mother. Ruby was advertised as cuddly and affectionate and came with a warning that she had been returned to the shelter for attacking chickens. We joked the whole way home about all the chicken restaurants we passed and how Ruby could be a threat.
Within a few hours, Ruby completely understood her assignment that she was to be by my mother’s side at all times. When we walked together, Ruby would slow her pace and look back to make sure she was in lock step with my mother. She followed her everywhere and If my mother was ever out of her sight she would wiggle with joy like a puppy upon her return. I hadn’t seen my mother so happy since the day she lost my father. She would laugh and marvel at the softness of her ears. They seemed to understand each other.
All the sadness and loss that can come with the final years of a life well lived slipped away when Ruby was around. When Ruby started having heart issues and and was needing more intensive care, I had my mother’s caretaker and dear friend keep her for a while to nurse her back to health. Ruby lost weight, had peace and quiet and plenty of exercise. She had began to run and jump and act like a young dog. She would come to visit my mother at the home where she was showered with affection and overfed scraps and treats. She was so loved and brought so much love to my family and so many other people that she touched.
Last night she quietly passed in her sleep on her bed next to her senior dog friend, Lee. My son and I imagine her eating sausages and having long walks in heaven. Maybe she has found my father. I know he would hug her and thank her for caring for my mother the way she did.
Thank you, Ruby, for being a bright beautiful soul and a light of hope in a difficult time. We will miss you so. Thank you, Frosted Faces Foundation. ❤️
Snoopy
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society- Escondido
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: March 21st, 2020
Date of Passing: February 23, 2022
Family: Santana & Justin Boudreau
Fan: Mandy Lo
Tribute: On February 23rd, Santana and Justin fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Snoopy.
They shared,
"Snoopy spent almost two years with us. He came to us at the beginning of the pandemic and we were lucky to have had so much extra time to spend with him. He was our first dog and we all fell in love with his little quirks and sounds and temperament. Snoopy loved to sunbathe, adventure around the yard, sleep, be held sitting up, belly rubs, wearing costumes, traveling, being tucked in, following us around the house, treats and more sleep. He was our little doggie friend right up until the end. We love and miss him and are grateful for the opportunity FFF gave us to spend his final years, together."
kiki
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society- Escondido
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: March 21st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Kevin Gardner & Erica Montoya
Fan: Goldstein Family, Catherine Taylor
Jimmy
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society- Escondido
Age upon Rescue: 12
Date of Rescue: March 21st, 2020
Date of Passing: July 11th, 2020
Family: Judith Rieke
Fan: Heidi Ostlund
Tribute: On July 11th we fulfilled our promise to Jimmy, formerly known as Tex.
His mom shared,
"I had Tex (Jimmy) to my vet on 5/22 because he was limping. He was put on Carprofen for pain and inflammation due to arthritis. In early July he became very lethargic and not eating. I have another vet that comes to the house to treat him. She had a blood test done and saw he had kidney and liver problems. He was put on a special diet for renal problems.
He seemed to be doing alright then last Friday I took him out for a walk and noticed his rear paw was curling under him and he would drag that leg. He was urinating and suddenly just collapsed on the grass. The vet came that night and she prescribed a pain medication for him that should help. On Saturday he would not get up. I lifted him and he could not put any weight on that leg. After consulting with my vet I felt the best most humane thing I could do for him was to euthanize him.
I loved Tex (Jimmy), he has so loyal and loving. Before he was laid to rest he kissed my face, that's when I totally lost it. I wish he were here now..."
Nelson
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society- Escondido
Age upon Rescue: 8
Date of Rescue: March 21st, 2020
Date of Passing:
Family: Jennifer Montgomery
Fan: Goodman Family
Millie
Acquired from: San Diego Humane Society- Escondido
Age upon Rescue: 10
Date of Rescue: March 21st, 2020
Date of Passing: April 16th, 2021
Family: Nara & Nury Lee
Fan: Patricia Gonzalez-Powell
Tribute: On April 16th, Nara and Nury fulfilled their promise to Frosted Face Millie.
They have shared,
"In the end, we got one year and 18 days with our sweet Millie. She was a true pandemic pup—we brought her home a couple weeks into lockdown and said goodbye the day after we got our first vaccine shots. Because of covid, we were literally always with Millie; she was home alone for just a few hours, ever. Maybe that's why it feels like she was ours for years. We packed a lot of quality time into the 383 days we had together.
Our Moopy—one nickname of many—was the sweetest, calmest, gentlest soul. She got along with all dogs and was shy around new humans, but she warmed up once she got to know you. She wasn't a cuddler, but she tolerated some cuddling (maybe even liked it) for a few minutes at a time. She loved plain spaghetti noodles, pooping while she walked, and running marathons in her sleep. She had the cutest fluffy pom pom paws and approximately 19 freckles on her nose. She was perfect.
In mid-February, we noticed that Millie was starting to slow down significantly. Her hind legs grew weak and her gait was crooked. A big lump formed on her back. Eventually, an ultrasound revealed that the lump was just the tip of the iceberg—a giant, aggressive mass had invaded her body. It went from her back and extended to her side, wrapping tightly around her leg and into her abdomen. Our vet said she'd never seen a mass wrap around like that. It was squeezing all of Millie's organs and even if the mass were benign, it couldn't be removed because of its size and location. We were in shock and utterly devastated.
We had bought a stroller when it was getting harder and harder for Millie to walk, and in her final weeks, we took her on many long stroller rides. She really loved lying in the cabin with the wind blowing through her hair, watching the world roll by.
When it became clear that even lifting Millie in and out of the stroller was causing her pain (because it was impossible to lift or hold her without pressing against the mass), we faced the inevitable and scheduled an appointment for the end of the week.
We said goodbye to our sweet Moopy at Mission Bay Park, under the same tree where we'd said goodbye to our previous senior dog, Edie, less than two years ago. It was a beautiful day. Millie lay in the grass, with the sun shining down and the breeze blowing in her fur. She had an appetite until the very end. That afternoon, she scarfed down an entire baseball steak, an In-N-Out burger, cheesy noodles with meatballs, tuna, a teeny pizza, french fries, and chunks of rotisserie chicken. Her belly was full, and she looked peaceful even before she quietly slipped away.
Millie loved to lounge on her fluffy comforter on the floor, a.k.a. her "cloud." We hope she's lounging on the fluffiest cloud in the sky now. Rest your tired body, little moo moo. Thank you so much for the time you shared with us. We wouldn't trade it for anything. We love you with all our hearts, forever."