It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing away of Avery, one of the earliest dogs saved by Sedona Shepherd.  Avery was a remarkable dog.  She was feisty and friendly, lovable and intense.  Avery first came to our attention from a worker at the Hempstead Shelter in Long Island.  She had been found as a stray and was not kenneling well.  Her back legs were a little wobbly, she had bloodied her tail from whipping it back and forth so hard against her kennel walls, and she wasn’t particularly friendly with other dogs.  All in all, Avery didn’t have much of a chance of getting into a home.

When we met her, we fell in love with her spunk.   Despite eventually being diagnosed with wobblers syndrome, degenerative myelopathy, arthritis, and a prior broken tail, Avery had a motor that kept on running.  We knew it would be difficult to find a home for her, but we knew our mission was to help dogs like Avery.  Over the years in our program, Avery received acupuncture and other treatments, medications and supplements for her muscular-skeletal and back issues.  In the fall of 2015, we caught up with an old rescue friend who had recently lost her dog and did not have any other animals.  She was moved by Avery’s story and spunk and agreed to be her permanent foster mom.

Avery’s prior life was most likely a difficult one.  Her foster mom did everything to make Avery’s last two years of her life rewarding and full of joy.  Avery was a constant companion, whether it be on the tennis court, trips to conventions, client visits, shopping or family trips to Michigan, Avery got to do it all.  When her back legs gave out, we set up Avery in a cart donated by one of our supporters, extending her life for another year.  Even the cart didn’t slow Avery down, she still played catch, took trips to the beach and was a constant ‘rear view driver.’