10/07/2026
When you work in dog rescue, you learn to live alongside heartbreak. You hold the hands of owners, fosters and adopters through tough decisions, you grieve the dogs that arrive too sick to save, and you give everything to heal the broken ones. But nothing prepares you for the silence when it’s your own dog who passes away.
We spend our lives making promises to rescue animals: You are safe now. You are loved. You will never be forgotten. When the dog who shared your home, slept in your bed, and served as the anchor for every foster dog passing through your doors leaves this world, the loss cuts to the absolute core.
If you have followed our page for very long, or have been to a Hearty Paws event in DFW, you know Dixie, and last Monday, I faced the unimaginable when she suddenly passed away from GDV. Dixie was the quiet backbone of our family. She welcomed every foster that I brought home, shared her space without hesitation, and sat beside me through countless late nights of rescue work, with lots of Resting Dixie Face to go around.
Today would have been her 7th birthday. Every part of me wants to climb into bed, shut out the world, and let the grief consume me. But the dogs who still need us can't wait. We carry on for them—and for her. In her honor, Hearty Paws will keep saving lives, ensuring her legacy lives on through every rescue story that we share.
To our rescue community, adopters, and friends: thank you for wrapping your arms around me during this painful time. To everyone who has ever loved and lost a heart-dog, you know this heavy space. To everyone who loved Dixie, I THANK YOU. Please keep my family in your thoughts as we navigate the days ahead without our beloved Dixie Doololly. 🐾🌈💔
-Kim, Co-Founder
