Hi, I wanted to notify you of  Tucker’s passing on 5/16/2025. We were so fortunate to have adopted him from AFH and have over 12.5 years of joy, antics, and mutual unconditional love.  Tucker was experiencing some loss of mobility with his rear legs which we initially thought was arthritis, but in January of this year it was determined he had an inoperable spinal tumor and over the next months his ability to get around deteriorated.  With veterinary care and guidance we made the heart wrenching, but ultimately necessary decision for the vet to put Tucker to sleep in our home.   We loved him so much and miss him dearly.

Thank you for bringing him into our lives!

Lynn 

In May of This Year We Lost Our Beloved Dog Lucie – We Adopted Lucie in October of 2012. Over the Next Dozen Years She was a Huge Part of Our Family. She Enjoyed Our Yearly Camping Trips – She Loved Going In the Water and On the Water in the Boat ! She Travelled All Over the Region, from Assateague Island and the Atlantic Ocean, the Boardwalk of Ocean City, to the Mountains of Western Maryland and West Virginia. It’s a Void We Can’t Fill – She was Loved By All. She was Mommie’s Dog Through and Through, but with a Good Treat I Could Distract Her – At Least Temporarily! We Miss Her Dearly, and as We Embark on Our Summer Vacation to the Lake, She’s Truly Missed. It Won’t be the Same Without Watching Her Run to the Water ! Lucie Gave Us Countless Joy Over the Years – We Miss You !

I adopted Atticus ( was known as Rudy) from a Forever Home Rescue in July 2009 as a 4 month old puppy.  His foster mom was wonderful; she said he was the best puppy she ever fostered and her own dog would be heart broken when he was adopted.  He was playful, cuddly and smart.  Atticus won many contests at our local Bark in the Park including doggie musical chairs and best trick.  He could identify 10 different toys and put them in a basket.  We also had fun with Halloween celebrations where he won many different costume contests.  My favorite was Atticus as the UPS driver  and I was  the truck!  He comforted us during sad times and always made us smile.  As a puppy he chewed up several items, including a coffee table book of 97 Ways to Make your Dog Smile.  In 2021, we adopted another dog from a Forever Home (Amica known as Winnie) to keep him young.  He was angry at first since he had been the only dog for so long. After a few weeks I noticed Amica laying in the sun and Atticus using her butt as a pillow. She looked up to Atticus and treated him with respect.  He was healthy, agile and walked several miles a day with me until June 2024 when he started to lose his energy and his appetite was off.  He went to the vet and was diagnosed with a tumor.  He passed away on June 25, 2024.  Amica looked everywhere for him.  He was so well loved in the neighborhood that several neighbors shed tears when they heard he was no longer with us. We enjoyed every day of the 14 years and 11 months we had him.  My husband called him the Dog of Dogs and said no matter how many other dogs we ever own, he will always be the best. Our vet said we gave him a wonderful life, but really he made our lives wonderful.

Pamlea Tedeschi

Our hearts are broken. Our beloved,  sweet, beautiful black labrador retriever died yesterday at the advanced old age of 15. She never met a stranger – just loved everyone. She and I and my son grew old and gray together and had a wonderful life together. I can’t thank you enough for rescuing and fostering her until we met and fell in love with her at first sight. She is forever in our hearts.

Dorothy-Anne and Michael Johnson 

Sadly, we lost our beloved, goofy Ramsey at the end of March to a ruptured tumor. He would have been ten in August. In the five weeks leading up to that, we said goodbye to Ella, our soon-to-18yo boxer mix, and our daughter’s seven year old cat Lola to FiP. It was a devastating six weeks from which our family is only recently turning the corner on our grief. Ramsey and Ella were the anchors of our puppy fostering. Ella was the disciplinarian and Ramsey was the fun uncle who taught them how to play. Even Lola got into the act. 

– Holly

In December 2007, we visited some puppies at a foster home. They had been rescued from a kill shelter. We chose this sweet little puppy who had no problem coming right to us. Then, of course, we had to wait until he was old enough to take home. The foster family called him Max. We finally brought him home and try as we might, we could not find a name for him that suited him better. When we got the call that we could pick him up, we couldn’t wait, and without a puppy care arrangement, he got to go to “bring your puppy to work day.” A few years later, Max and our other dogs moved with us to Kathmandu, Nepal, for a couple of years and then to Kampala, Uganda, for 3 more years, then back to NoVa. Max weathered the travel necessities well, bouncing back after each landing. He was the sweetest companion. Max was 17 years and 3 months when we lost him. He lives on in our hearts. And we thank A Forever Home for bringing him into our lives.

In early 2013, just before a huge snowstorm hit the DC area, my two little girls and I went to Stacy King’s house to look at her litter of rescued double merle Australian Shepherd puppies. There was a smaller one named Nikki trying to keep up and Stacy mentioned that she thought the dog was deaf. I didn’t know anything about double merles, deaf dogs or even Aussies, but she taught us! We named her Piper. For almost 15 years Piper was my Velcro, my shadow, my ball-obsessed, puzzle-solving, up-for-anything dog. She participated in flyball, agility, disc dog, treiball (herding yoga balls) and nose work when her body slowed down but her mind didn’t. She recognized more than 50 hand signs and signals and would watch my hands to see what I wanted or what was next. She slept on my feet in case I moved or by the door so she’d know if we left. She was featured in a kid’s magazine about dogs and how to teach them tricks. My brother credits her with saving his dog’s life when his dog escaped from our fenced yard. Instead of following him out the open gate, Piper alerted us with her “something’s wrong” bark and we were able to catch him before he ran into the busy street. She barked when our other dog was waiting at the door to be let in, to be let out, or was doing something he “shouldn’t”. With her strong recall and desire to check in with me often, she enjoyed a lifetime of off-leash woodsy and beachy adventures, something we’ve never been able to offer our hearing dogs. In her last week of life and with cancer throughout her body, she continued to jump over logs, roll in the grass of her favorite meadow, and wade in what will forever be known as “Piper’s Creek.” She brought us a lifetime of joy, fun, laughter, intelligence and pure love. Piper gave me her final gift moments before she passed when she lifted her head and licked my face–her sign for “it will be all right, Mom.” Thank you AFH for the privilege of adopting Piper and Stacy for fostering her and her littermates. Fly free sweet girl.

 Kate, Lorrie, Claire and Annie

We adopted Alvin in early 2011 at 3 months old at the Chantilly Petco. At 14 years old he could no longer get up. We had to make the heartbreaking decision to let him go. He went to sleep peacefully eating his favorite snack. That was a week ago and I still can’t stop crying. He was one of a litter of 8 Pyrenees/boxer pups all with A names. We kept his because it fit. He became the celebrity of the neighborhood and a friend to all. He helped me recover from back problems by walking me every day. If I make to heaven I know I’ll see him there. I hope he puts in a good word for me.❤

Hi, We said goodbye to our sweet girl Almond on Valentine’s Day. Almond was adopted on January 10th, 2010. She was originally Prancer, one of the reindeer pups born in October 2009. A month before I met her at an adoption event, I dreamed about a dog named Almond. She looked nothing like the dog in my dream but the name stuck. I’m so lucky to have spent 15 years with her. As a puppy, she was weird and quirky but loved to snuggle. Afraid of random objects (pillows 😂) but so patient with all humans. She loved rolling in the grass and sand, but hated water. She loved to walk, run, and hike – even hiking Mary’s Rock in SNP with us in 2020 when my husband proposed at the top. She was by my side for so many important life moments, including several moves, our wedding, and visiting me at the hospital the night before heart surgery. She fought a possible brain tumor and lymphoma over the past two years, her prednisone-fueled appetite kept us laughing. My shadow, the definition of loyal companion, she followed me everywhere I went, even on her final day when she was so deeply tired. Thank you, A Forever Home, for allowing us 15 great years with this one-of-a-kind best friend. There is a dog-shaped hole in our hearts but we will always love and remember her.

Mary Gordon and Matt Costakis

Hi, Ko-Ko Lamar the 2nd Walker passed over the rainbow bridge today. He was born in WV in August of 2008 and was one of Stella’s Pups. He lived a great and adventurous life and was so loved. Thank you for giving me the best gift my family has ever received.