Ruthe_Tribute

Ruthe Ashcraft was a longtime friend and supporter of Foster Pet Outreach. A champion of the animals, she recognized the dignity, worth, and quality of all animals, and believed in the importance of providing a better life for them. To honor this wonderful person, every year the Ruthe Ashcraft Award is given to a person who exemplifies Ruthe's generous qualities as a friend and advocate of all animals.

This year's winner is Robyn Smith. Through thick and thin, Robyn's generous heart saves countless animals. With no thought to herself, Robyn rescues and cares for any animal that comes her way, at considerable cost to her own pocket. Robyn makes sure each animal in her care is carefully cared for and finds the best, loving, forever home. Thank you, Robyn, for your example of how we should all treat these wonderful creatures!

I want to first say how sorry I am for not being able to make it to the meeting for my wonderful nomination. I have been sick and have had no energy, but was hoping to make it at least to the meeting. I had been looking forward to it for weeks. I am sorry I was not able to give more notice, but up to the very last minute I was still hoping to come with my sister. I want you all to know I am so honored for the award and it means a great deal to me that I was thought of. I really do not know what I would do without F.P.O. You have been such a huge help for me and all my rescues. You have made it possible for me to do what I do and enjoy it. I really feel I have not only found a wonderful rescue group in F.P.O. but I have made some truly wonderful friends and I sincerely feel that way. I really have bonded with some of you and could never express the gratitude I feel for all your help and hard work.

I never help an animal thinking I will ever be honored for doing it. I do it because I love the animals and know it makes a difference to them and of course to the Man above. They are all God's creatures and should all be treated with love and respect, and I know everyone of you make sure the ones we help get that Love. I am again so honored for the RUTHE ASHCRAFT AWARD and for everyone who nominated me, it means more than you will ever know. I hope I can attend the next meeting to personally thank everyone of you. I would also like to personally thank Bev who I heard decorated and spoke at the ceremony. I know she is very busy and I appreciate the hard work you do, Bev, and all the help and kind words you said about me. I hope we will be around for a very long time and can help many more animals in need. Thank you again for everything and the wonderful award. It will be cherished and of course, shown to all my family. It is a very special nomination. Thank you all and hope to see everyone soon.

"Dog Heaven" is a tribute to Foxy Lady, Ruthe's a courageous little friend who died of cancer in 2003. Foxy was cared for by Bev, Ruthe's wonderful friend and Foster Pet Outreach member, after Ruthe passed away. Bev felt this tribute was fitting for anyone who has lost a friend.

If you have ever been lucky enough to have a special dog in your life, then you know there is a place called Dog Heaven.

When dogs go to Heaven, they don’t need wings because God knows that Dogs love running best. He gives them fields. Fields and fields and fields. When a dog first arrives in Heaven he just runs. Dog Heaven has clear, wide lakes filled with geese who honk and flap and tease. The dogs love this. They run beside the water and bark and bark and God watches them from behind a tree and smiles. There are children, of course – Angel children. God knows that dogs love children more than anything else in the world, so he fills Dog Heaven with plenty of them. There are children on bikes and children on sleds. There are children throwing red rubber balls and children pulling kites through the clouds. The dogs are there, and the children love them dearly. And, oh, the dog biscuits. Biscuits and biscuits as far as the eye can see. God has a sense of humor, so he makes His biscuits in funny shapes for His dogs. There are kitty-cat biscuits and squirrel biscuits. Ice-cream biscuits and ham-shaped biscuits. Every angel who passes by has a biscuit for a dog. And, of course, all God’s dogs sit when angels say “sit.” Every dog becomes a good dog in Dog Heaven. God turns clouds inside out to make fluffy beds for the dogs in Dog Heaven, and when they are tired from running and barking and eating ham-sandwich biscuits, the dogs each find a cloud bed for sleeping. They turn around and around in the cloud…until it feels just right, and then they curl up and they sleep. God watches over each one of them and there are no bad dreams. Dogs in Dog Heaven have almost always belonged to somebody on Earth and, of course, the dogs remember this. Heaven is full of memories. So sometimes an angel will walk a dog back to Earth for a little visit and quietly, invisible, the dog will sniff about his old backyard, will investigate the cat next door, will follow the child to school, will sit on the front porch and wait for the mail. When he is satisfied that all is well, the dog will return to Heaven with the angel. It is where dogs belong, near God who made them. The dogs in Dog Heaven who had no real homes on Earth are given one in Heaven. The homes have yards and porches and there are couches to lie on and tables to sit under while angels eat their dinners. There are special bowls with the dogs’ names on them. And each dog is petted and reminded how good he is, all day long. Dogs in Dog Heaven may stay as long as they like and this can mean forever. They will be there when old friends show up. They will be there at the door. Angel dogs.