Peanut
Our story starts with running into Diane at German fest in 2009. She had been part of Emma's medical journey starting as a baby. We made the decision to start becoming involved with DDR as a foster family. Mr.Peanut came to the rescue as a 2-year-old dapple pup. He was blind in 1 eye and couldn't see very well out of the other. Every time we had a meet and greet Peanut and Terry would suddenly not be around. Terry would make excuses for it. Then one day he said that no one would adopt a blind dog. Then on September 11, 2010 our kids won the duck pond scholarship and Peanut became part of our family on our wedding anniversary. He was supposed to be Terry's dog but that was not in the cards. He was Colter's dog from the start. Peanut did not leave "his boy's" side . He would sit with him, sleep with him, he was Colter's shadow. He always tolerated all the foster dogs that have come thru our house in those 15 years. When Colter moved away it was tough but as soon as he would come in the house to visit Peanut knew. Colter took his Senior pictures with Peanut because that is always how it should be. Colter really wanted Peanut to meet Mack, his Golden retriever puppy and luckily, we were able to do that for a few months. It was the hardest decision we have ever had to make in May 2025 but Peanut was close to 17 years old and his quality of life was not good. Much to our surprise Colter was with him as he crossed over the Rainbow bridge. We miss him every day and loved him more than words could ever express. Terry, Hope, Emma and Colter Bader

Pepper
My name is Pepper. After being allowed to be a foster dog with Ben and Char in early 2011, I found a Forever Home with them. I was 9 years old and a "senior" pup! They allowed me to join their "pack" and I lived with them just over four year until this past weekend when I passed away and crossed the Bridge on Sunday. We had lots of fun, and the three of us went for car rides two or three times nearly every day, and spent lots of good times together. We went on walks around the neighborhood and I was allowed to ride with Ben in a golf cart several times at Prairie Green Golf Course! That was fun! I will be waiting for them in heaven, so I can thank them for rescuing me and giving me a Second home. I may get to wait outside the gates of Heaven so I can greet them when they arrive, just like they greeted me into their home! I know they will still talk to me and remember the things we did together, and hopefully will do it with a big smile on their faces! I know they will cry for me because I am gone from them, but I will be waiting for them in heaven! I will miss them too. It will not be heaven for me without them! Thanks, Diane, for getting the three of us together!

Phoebe
Phoebe came into the DDR after one of the volunteers heard about a Yorkie that the family had sent to the local vet to be euthanized after the owner suddenly died . She was a 13 yr old,chubby, food driven pup with her famous Yorkie demeanor. It took her a month before she decided we could be her foster family but once she settled in we couldn’t let her go so she became another foster failure! Sadly Phoebe only lived a little over a year with us but she had lots of adventures and spoils in that short time. She is missed but we know that her spirit is happy to be reunited with her first mom. Senior pups are often over looked in favor for puppies or younger pups but they have a lot of love and companionship left to offer.

Priscilla

Priscilla ( 2008-2010) Miss Priscilla Graydog lived a short but happy four months with her adopted brother Hans and her adoptive parents Pat and Nancy after she had been saved by DDR from a potential life of servitude in a puppy mill. Having been fostered by DDR, Priscilla quickly became a true companion doxie upon her adoption. She loved snuggling in our laps and cuddling with Hans or grabbing his favorite chew toy and claiming it as her own. Of course Hans deferred to the little lady. In her brief time with us, she enjoyed several summer trips to the cabin, eagerly settling into her pet taxi for the ride to Wisconsin and just as eagerly again to return home. She loved going anywhere with her humans. The sudden onset of her disk problem was unexpected and could not be resolved. Dr. Jenny’s consultation with the other vets at All City indicated the prognosis was grim. Letting that little girl go was the hardest task Pat and I have ever done, but we know she is at the rainbow bridge. She was unique: her coloring, her coat, her manner. She lives on in our memories.