Jack Flashback 2012: Mars

We love all of our rescues, but there are just some who completely win our hearts. Mars was (and will always be) one of those.

Maybe it’s because this gorgeous boy was at the ranch for years. Sometimes, it was hard to understand why, considering how incredibly handsome he is. He was the perfect Parson Russell by all given standards, and none of us could fathom why he had been abandoned at the shelter years ago with skin allergies that made him scratch at his gorgeous face.

He loved treats. He hunted. He was strong … and strong-willed. Sure, those are all Terrier traits, but he was all of them to the max. He was also very loving. He had been taken home by prospective families more than once and was returned because of his, um, spirit. His sugar mama worked with him many times to focus this energy for good, teaching him to sit, to not pull on a leash and, well, to just be handsome beyond words. If she hadn’t already had a boy like him at home, he would have been hers.

Check out this video of his diposition on any given day. This is how he lived life at rescue, even after spending it in a 10-by-10 kennel most of the time.

We wanted nothing more than for him to find his forever family … even though we dreaded how it might break our hearts. We had grown so accustomed to that smiling face that we knew it was going to be hard to say goodbye. But it was meant to be and we were ready to accept it.

In June, we received an email from a man named Gary Siverts about Mars that just up-ended our worlds. There was no doubt it: This was Mars’ forever family. The problem? They lived across the country in Missouri. Once again, we do not have any kind of transport system in place and had to rely on volunteers to make it happen.

It eventually became a very successful “Mission for Mars” and it one of our favorite memories of the year.

Mars is now living an incredible life with his dad, mom and sister Tiger. He still looks for trouble on a daily basis, but is enjoying running on the golf course … and napping on the couch, the ottoman and the bed … His daddy keeps us updated all the time about his progress, and we could not be happier for him. He is the reason we rescue.

Here’s some pics since his adoption. Yes, he stays active; this is just the only time Daddy can catch him for a still photo. 😉

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