Edgar was a very laid back easy going boy. He was the perfect Basset. He was
so funny at times. He loved bananas and cheese, when I would come home
from grocery shopping there was Edgar waiting until every bag was brought in
and he would look in every bag to see if he could find his yellow thing's.  It
took Edgar a few months to realize we weren’t going to keep him outside or
let him go hungry or dirty ever again. Once he knew that, he started to come
out of his shell and he was the best.  One time I got up to go to work and he
had moved his bed from the living room to the kitchen and put it right in front
of the refrigerator.  I said Edgar, “What are ya doing?”  He just gave the grrr.
He wanted his Cheese.  He loved his walks and he never met a stranger.  All
the kid's in the neighborhood loved Edgar. Edgar, there will never be another
one like you buddy. We still miss you very much.

Mommy-Sissy-Toaster-Sally-and Lilly
Edgar
Dason, what a funny boy!  He loved to "Talk” to you.  He would sit up on his
hind legs for a long time just carrying on a conversation with you.  He was a
beautiful Basset inside and out.  He loved going on his walks with Kaitlyn.  He
was so easy with her.  She would say, “Grandma, I want to be Dason”s Foster
Mommy.”  They really bonded.  When he came to GABR we found out he had
Cushings disease. At times he would shiver so bad and we would wrap him in a
blanket and rub him until the shivering stopped and he was ok for a while.  
Then we would have to repeat the blanket game.  In January we could tell he
was getting worse and was in more pain so we decided the fair thing to do was
to let him go.  Dason, we miss you and we all love you.

Kaitlyn- Momma-Sissy-Toaster-Sally-Lilly
Dawson
01 - 2008
When I first saw LeRoy at the shelter, I knew he was a special boy.  He had been thru so much.
He had one of his eyes removed before coming to GABR, had ear infection so bad that we had
to have his ear canals removed then we had to clean them 3 times a week.  In January of 2008
he lost sight in his other eye, but that didn't stop my boy.  He could go anywhere he wanted to
go, even up the stairs. Sometimes he would bump into the wall, but he still got around.  We
would still go on our walks and he loved to ride in the car.  He turned out to be a momma’s
boy.   If he couldn't find me he would bark until I said LeRoy momma's right here and he would
be my shadow the rest of the evening. We were going to use him at school to show the kid's
even though you have a handicap that doesn't mean you don't have feelings.  He would have
been so good at that, because he loved everything and everybody.  LeRoy was just an
awesome Basset, I loved him with all my heart. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him.
LeRoy, momma loves you and I miss you. There is an empty spot in life because I had to let
you go. You are pain free and you can see now.

We love you,
Momma-Sissy-Toaster-Sally-Lilly
Truck
Paw Prints on our Hearts
On the path we walked he was by my side each step, In the deepest sleep he goes
from me. Then quietly he left. On my mind our lives together flashed, The visions are
in some scenes, our special times, All the training times we spent together and
playing with your favorite toy, all the rides in the van, The dog shows we did
together. Now just a single set of prints, will be the hardest time of my life. My family
and friends all stood by me, in good times and bad. I know you had to leave me which
made my life sad. But I know you are running with your ears flapping in the wind. The
pawprints he left behind on our hearts will never be forgotten. All who knew him
loved him. My Precious Beautiful Friend has gone from me. Till we meet again.   

I love you Truck
Love Mommy
Adopted (aged three)  October 19th 2002 - November 20th 2008

He moved into our lives.
He took over our lives
He was stubborn
He was droolly
He ate everything (including road kill, if he had his chance!)
He chose his friends
He took forever to walk
He broke wind... constantly
He was loved

We miss him terribly.

Gary, Joanne, Holly and Sophie Will
Scooter
Lulu
08/28/2009
Leroy
08-2008
ALBERT T. DOG
NOVEMBER 15, 1995 to SEPTEMBER 3, 2009
Adopted by Randy Fleer and Greg Sabetta though GABR
JULY 4, 1997

He made people smile

A Perfect Gentleman

To call him a dog hardly seems to do him justice, though inasmuch as he had four legs, a    
tail and barked, I admit he was, to all outward appearances. But to those of us who knew     
him well, he was a perfect gentleman.
(Hermione Gingold, 1897-1987)

Profound Thanks and Appreciation

To Guardian Angel Basset Rescue for the best dog ever.

To Drs. Aldridge and Roman and the entire staff of North Avenue Animal Hospital in
Chicago for their expert care and compassion. They knew Al before we did.

To Dr. Julie Mayer and the staff of Integrative Pet Care in Chicago for their dedication to
holistic veterinary medicine that kept Al limber and pain-free.

Rest in peace, my sweet angel!
Albert T. Dog
I made a special trip to Fairbury Illinois in October 1996 to look at a litter of Basset Hound puppies as I had wanted one since I
was a teenager.I spotted the one I wanted, a little tri-color girl that from one side had markings that looked more like a Holstein
cow. She was so cute and only four or five pounds.  She was adorable, but as she was only four weeks old, she was not ready
to be separated from her mother.

In early November, four weeks later, Jane, Lauren, Daniel and I got in the car and made the 200 mile trip from our home in
Wisconsin to pick up their first dog. I had dogs when I was a kid, but this was going to be a new experience for my wife and
children. They didn't know how frustrating, yet wonderful, having a dog could be.

It was a sad day at the Studebaker house in Fairbury. Another one of the puppies was going to be leaving. Mrs. Studebaker and
her children all cried.as Jane, the kids and I put our new puppy, Gracie, into the back seat of the car and headed home for
Wisconsin. Four hours and 200 miles later we were home.

It's almost 13 years later now, and our girl grew up to be a big dog tipping the scale at 65 pounds. She was never fat, just big.
She has always been a trying girl, stealing food off of tables, chewing up remote controls and having more health issues than I
care to remember (emergency stomach surgery after eating some carpet when she was one, back surgery at six and
numerous other maladies throughout her life). She was diagnosed with an enlarged heart two years ago and we didn't think
she would be with us much longer. But other than heavy panting, she seemed to be okay. Then in February 2008 she had an
episode of great pain and we thought her time had come. But again, with a couple of special injections from the vet, she came
through.

About a month ago Jane and I notice that a lump (she has them all over, hence the nick-name "lumpy") under her chin had
become grossly enlarged. It was a Saturday night so we took her to the emergency vet. The exam did not indicate any specific
problem, and an x-ray of her head didn't show any involvement with her jaw. We elected to have the lump biopsied, even later
the results came back and were positive for cancer. She had a Grade 3 Mast Cell Tumor on her face, and the prognosis was
grave.

Over the past few weeks her health has been deteriorating. She is sleeping almost all the time, has been losing control of her
bladder and is getting more and more lethargic. The time has come to end her suffering.

Jane and I had the kids home on Sunday from college so they could say their goodbyes. They are 21 and 18 years old now, but
were only 8 and 5 when this little plumb fur-ball came to live with us. I don't know if they even remember a time before we had
her.

This morning at 11:00 Gracie's suffering ended. She died peacefully in the arms of Jane and I, knowing that we loved her very
much
.

Matt, Jane, Lauren and Daniel Knudson
Gracie
9/19/1996 - 9/08/2009
I remember the first day I got Dirby back in February of 04 . I had just come home from a
deployment in the Navy when my wife called and told me she had a surprise for me. When
she came come she had a basset puppy in the front passenger seat. She knew I loved
basset’s  and wanted to surprise me.

Dirby had a personality. She and I bonded well. When ever I had to leave for awhile she
would always get excited and meet me at the door when I came home. Even though She
was 6 years old she would still want to be treated like my puppy dawg and when I would sit
at her level she would hop into my lap with her back to me and I would rub her back. I did
that for her as a puppy and when she was older. I had a recliner that she ended up making
hers. She would sit in it when I wasn’t home because Heather said she missed me. I know
she did because I missed her. She would lay in that chair until the end.There is more to
type about her but it would take a small book.

She lost her fight last night with her battle against a form of rare cancer. I found her
suffering in the back yard and had to put her at ease. Baby girl forgive me for not paying
as much attention to you as you wanted. I hope you find a nice lap when you get to your
next home and a soft recliner to wait for me in. I will miss you..

Jason O’Dell
Masami
Lady Jade
Dirby
My Masami girl came to me in May 2000, at 6 mos. old- a precious, rambunctious, long eared torpedo of curiosity,
clumsiness & mischief! She had a nose made just for sniffing herself into trouble and a tongue the length of an anteaters
and was not above using either in any way possible to get her what she wanted-from procuring just out of reach items to
drowning me in "please mamma" kisses she knew I could not resist! She was a princess in every sense of the word,
obeying no rules other than the ones she decreed, expecting, demanding and insisting upon being catered to and doted
preferred not to (or who might happen to be brazen enough to sit in HER throne -which of course-included every possible
sitting surface NOT on the mere foot level!), and could charm her way out of just about any mess she got herself into
-which were numerous and ridiclous throughout the years- including eating a bottle of White Out, dozens of tubes of lip
gloss,the contents of countless trash cans, the contents of 2 overflowing Easter baskets,and 2 giant Hersheys Chocolate
Kisses -to name just a few examples. She accumulated quite a few nicknames such as Masami-Bombi,Tsumani, Salami,
SamiBombiDooDah, Sammers, Sami Girl, and... goat dog, for her stomach of steel antics! But lest you think she was just an
unruly troublemaker, I assure you that she was also the most beautiful, funny, sweet, silly, amusing, adorable, precious,
affectionate, loyal, and giving dog I have ever had-and I have had dogs in my life from the day I was born. All dogs are
special in their own ways, but this girl, she was beyond special. She was a shining light, so beautiful in so many ways, a
dog who knew what she wanted (mostly food, attention, adoration &  love!) and how to get it (by any means possible!) She
truly believed she was above mere canine status, and made sure everyone who came into contact with her knew it as
well. About a year after she came into my life, an abused abandoned male Basset (Max) found me, and they immediately
became fast friends & partners - in- crime and she doted on him like a mom & wife all rolled into one! They were
inseperable and happy as two pees in a pod, and it was so heartwarming to see their bond grow everyday. At the dog
park,as Max ran all over making friends and generally reveling in being 100% dog, Masami would stay at my heels,
preferring to sit on my lap on the bench, or at least fixing  those big brown eyes on me with a pitiful soon to turn highly
annoyed "why the heck are you punishing me by making me be outside with these creatures?" stare. She begged
shamlessly for pettings from those of her own kind (people) and adored little dogs, cats, ferrets, babies-anything her size
or smaller, but would growl, bark and lunge at larger dogs in her crabby old lady way, and we laughed at her cantakerous
ways when the bigger dogs did not even notice our chunky little ankle biter! She was such a light in our lives, such a huge
presence with her holier-than-thou personality and spirited funny little quirks-she kept us smiling and laughing and
wondering what she would be up to next. She was such a kissy dog, and we joked that she would lick off 6 layers of skin if
you didn't make her stop, so full of love she was for any human she came into contact with! We pretended to complain, but
actually loved all the affection from our little "woolsucker" (a term for an animal taken from its mommy too early in age)
On Aug. 13,2009, she became sick to her tummy, and we figured that she just once again ate something that was not
necessarily edible-possibly a slug which we thought she would have considered a delicacy! She refused food all that day &
evening, which was a major warning sign to me because I had never once seen her refuse to eat ANYTHING...we put her to
bed that night beside ourselves with worry and vowed to call the vet first thing the next morning if she still would not
eat...she arose bright eyed, famished and back to her normal self the next day and we reveled in our relief and happiness,
doting on her more than usual with plenty oof playtime, a walk, special treats and all around extra loving out of
gratefulness. The next morning however, we woke to find her gravelly ill again, vomiting, lethargic, barely able to stand,
and we rushed her to the vet...shortly after getting us into a room, and before the vet had even come in to see her, she died
peacefully in my arms- less than 48 hours after showing any signs of illness-and my heart broke into a million irrepairable
pieces. (the vets best guess was that unbeknownst to us, she had a tumor on her spleen which ruptured). We took her
home, layed her in her favorite chair, and spent an hour saying goodbye to her...telling her what a pretty girl she was, how
much we loved her, how good she was, how much we'd miss her, and thanking her for all the love & joy she had brought
us in her too short life. We then buried her in the shade of the Dogwood tree in our backyard near the pond she loved to
watch the fishies in and drink from, wrapped in her blankie and with her favorite toy, her leash, and a photo of the four of
us together at the beach. I have cried for her every day since then, and would not be able to stand the pain of missing her if
it were not for still having Max to love and be loved by. She was such a huge presence in this house and our lives and it is
so quiet without her here.
My Sami girl-I hope you is rooting through trash cans, stealing socks, bossing big dogs and lounging on the cushiest
throne in doggie heaven, and that you knows how much we will always love and miss you.Thank you for allowing us to be
your family.


warm, under- the -blankie snuggles,
velvety ear, stinky paw & potted cow belly rubs,
and endless kisses on your sweet little head from
mommy Laurie
daddy Jeff and your best dog buddy forever, Max