In Memorial

My mom's fiance's dog, Sugie, was a beautiful, auburn, lab/ridgeback rescue who loved life like no other dog I've ever seen. She had the run of a 40-acre ranch in the Santa Paula mountains where she spent her days chasing raccoons and skunks, nosing around fruit trees and making sure that all was as it should be. She was the property's happy, smiling mascot. When people came to the house she would bound down from the hills and run up to the sides of their cars, wagging her tail and waiting for the love (i.e. scratching) she always hoped would be coming her way.



But living in the country has its hazards. On March 21, Sugie went out on her usual morning rounds and never returned. A mountain lion and a bear were sighted on the land adjacent to the property, and we feared the worst. A lovergirl but also a defender, she would have protected her home to the end. Her body was never found.

She'd had the kind of life I wish every dog could have - one of endless opportunities and nearly limitless boundaries. She was allowed to run free but always came home for her dinner and a snuggle, and although we'll really miss her, I believe she wouldn't have had it any other way.