Memorials

This year our Shepherds lost a very dear friend in Duane Rakowski.  At the young age of 56 years Duane suffered a heart attack.  His passion and love for Shepherds showed every time he came to sit with them at the pet store and talked to folks about their need for a forever home.  He helped them during fund raising events, pictures with Santa, shower parties and mega adoption events.  He would contact agencies and news media to post events and information about these wonderful dogs.

Duane, will truly be missed for his warmth, smiles and jokes as well as being a good friend to the rescue.  Duane is in heaven watching over our Shepherds.

Thank you Duane..

Marian Byrnes is a big reason why the whole southeast side of the Chicagoland area is not a giant landfill.  In her retirement after being a Chicago school teacher, she became an environmental spokeswoman advocating for clean air.  When she needed to move from her home to an assisted living facility, she needed to find permanent homes for her 7 cats and 1 dog.  The cats were taken to PAWS and all found loving homes.  She was having difficulty finding a home for her dog.  She contacted CSR and they agreed to take in her German Shepherd Dog and find it a permanent loving home.  "Contessa" was fostered by Kathy Bartosiak.  This small pocket shepherd was frightened and confused and not sure what to expect in the foster home of large shepherds.  After a few weeks of gentle coaching and reassurance from the larger dogs, she started to relaxed and enjoy life.

In January, she was adopted by Divinia and her husband to be.  That was 4 + years ago.  Marian was able to visit with Contessa's new family and she was very happy to see how Contessa enjoyed her new life.

We here at Simply Shepherds Rescue are proud to have met this sweet lady and know she is now looking after the environment from a better place. Her love and compassion for the environment and her creatures should inspire us all to work to make this a better world.

Read more about this amazing woman: 

http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/fall2001/marianbyrnes.html

http://www.chicagorecycling.org/marianbyrnes.htm