Sara's Story

Sara came to live at our home on January 31, 1998. She was six years old.We are her 9^th and final home. Our knowledge of Sara’s background is limited to what the rescue knew about her.We know she was born in Georgia and sold to a family in Arkansas. She was placed into rescue at the age of 2 along with her sister.Eventually, Sara ended up in the Missouri/Kansas area.She was placed in homes and returned to rescue several times.The home she had before she came to live with us was with a single parent raising a young daughter.Sara was with them for three years; during that time she did not receive any veterinarian care.When she was surrendered back into rescue she was Heartworm positive.

The story on how we obtained Sara can be found on the "Stories" webpage under Monumental Decision. Sadly our precious girl crossed the rainbow bridge with us by her side. This is a tribute I wrote for Sara:

In memory of our Sara:

5/1/91 to 3/20/04

Sara came to live with us in January 1998 when she was 6 years old. We were her 9th and final home. We don't understand how Sara had so many homes as she was the most wonderful newf we ever had the pleasure of owning. We adopted her from Heartland of America Newfoundland Club Rescue. She had not seen a vet in over 3 years. She was very sick, so sick the rescue had talked of euthanizing her. We had our hearts set on getting her and brought her home to nurse back to health and go through heartworm treatment. After 6 months Sara was the picture of health, thus began a loving friendship that would change out lives in more ways than you can imagine.

Gary played his accordion at a local nursing home. One time he decided to take Sara along. The residents were more interested in seeing Sara than they were listening to Gary. We were so impressed with how Sara reacted to each person that we decided to get involved with pet therapy. We attended the classes to get Sara her Delta Dog certification. When it was all said and done Sara passed her test with a score of 100% and became a Certified Therapet, the highest rank she could obtain. Sara soon set to work visiting many nursing homes, day care centers, schools, hospitals and her favorite Children's Medical Center. Sara always knew just what each person needed and they responded to her in ways that were unbelievable to us. She was never a girl to give kisses so Gary and I were surprised when she actually kissed a crying patient. She had a special touch and knowledge for her therapy patients. She enjoyed her work until we retired her at the age of eleven.

Sara was our first rescue. Within a year we adopted our 2nd newf from rescue (through her breeder), Samantha. Then a few years later we adopted yet another newf from rescue, Panda. So we had three newfs, all from rescue, that were the most unselfish, loving companions anyone could imagine. In our hearts we felt we needed to give back to rescue, to help save other newfs that for some reason or another needed a 2nd chance at life. We began fostering newfs for rescue. So far we have fostered, Izzy, Chancey Bear, Smokie, Audrey, Indy, Suzie and Chaz. All of these newfs were given a 2nd chance at a life and bring their family's all the joys that our three newfs have brought us.

Sara's time with us was short--6 years and almost 2 months. They were years of happiness and years of love. Sara taught us so many things and brought so much into our lives. She not only touched our lives but she touched the lives of many through pet therapy. Because of Sara and our involvement in rescue many more newfs will be saved. Sara may be gone but her spirit, love and memory live on…………forever.

Click here to return to the index page
Click here to return to "Meet our newfs" page
Click here to read "A Monumental Decision". The story of how we got Sara and about her life