I would like to introduce you to "Bodie"...

[Eric Mayer]

The story:

Unfortunately, my dog "Buster" had to be put to sleep a week ago due to massive kidney failure. I had him for about 13 years and treated him like a son. It broke my heart to let him go. I buried him up in the Sierra's near the California/Nevada border next to my other dog, Grendel, who passed away in 2001.

The last week was **** trying to figure out if we could do without a dog in our daily lives. Also, the hole we had in our hearts was getting bigger, so we knew we needed another little, furry guy to save (Buster was originally a stray).

Well, I happened upon a Jack Russell Terrier Rescue site based in NorCal. After seeing the picture of this little guy and getting the full story about his life as a stray, rescue and his personality, we knew he was for us. So, yesterday we drove up to Coalinga (they met us halfway) and adopted him. He was named "Bodie" by us, only because it is my 6yo's favourite ghost town and reminds us of the wonderful times we have up in the Sierra's.

So, if you see a family of three walking through a ghost town with a little Jack Russell Terrier, stop and say "hi" to Bodie!!

Eric A. Mayer

[Cecile]

Eric, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of Buster. I know all too well what you are going through! We lost my our best trail dog, Jessie, named after Jessie Benton Fremont, last November when she was 14 1/2 years old. It was hard enough on my husband and I losing her, but it was even harder on my two younger dogs Jake & Sadie, as she was their brain. I spent September to November last year nursing Jessie, then spent November to February consoling Jake & Sadie.

Someone from another message board offered me a rott/lab from their litter and I took him up on it. Our now 8 month old 80 pound Maggie Moore, is the joy of all of our lives and as good a trail dog as Jessie ever was. Maggie is named after one of the red light ladies from Cerro Gordo.
We paid tribute to Jessie & introduced Maggie online in March: http://www.explorehistoricalif.com/march04.html
In August, Maggie Moore made her debut as an author writing about the original one:
http://www.explorehistoricalif.com/maggie.html

Like you we have a very special resting spot in the Eastern Sierras for Jessie - we just haven't had the opportunity to take her ashes there yet.

Maybe someday your Bodie & my Maggie will run into each other on one of our favorite ghosttown trails!

[Timberwolf]

I'm very sorry about your loss. Losing a dog is miserable business. We had to put our last one down.