03/13/2026
💔🐾We have lost a true hero and an angel today. 💔🐾
Susan Mullaney Cookson was one of those rare souls whose presence made the world feel gentler, kinder, and more hopeful. She loved deeply, gave freely, and asked for nothing in return. So many of us are heartbroken because she was not just part of Rescue — she was the heart of it for countless people and pups.
Susan was a force of nature wrapped in grace. She burned the candle at both ends and somehow still found time for one more phone call, one more message, one more act of kindness for someone in need. Her compassion had no off switch. Whether it was a frightened dog, a struggling volunteer, or a brand-new foster unsure of where to begin, Susan showed up — steady, calm, encouraging, and full of love.
For many of us, she was the first touchpoint with Australian Shepherds Furever. She made opening your home to a rescue dog feel possible, safe, even joyful. She guided new fosters with patience and warmth, celebrated every success, and quietly stepped in to help when things didn’t go as planned. If a dog needed to move, she coordinated. If a person needed reassurance, she gave it. If hope was running low, she restored it.
Her impact went far beyond what most people ever saw. Susan built and nurtured an entire community of supporters — A fundraising team bound together not just by a cause, but by the way she made each person feel valued, included, and never alone. She brought together people who might never have crossed paths and made them feel part of something bigger than themselves. Reading their tributes is a testament to the countless lives she touched, human and canine alike. That Fundraising team she built has supported ASF through good and bad times. Without them, we would have never saved as many 4 paw lives that gotten a second chance at a new happily ever after. We at ASF are Blessed to have everyone on that team.
She spearheaded the Seniors for Seniors program in honor of one of our favorite little “now rainbow bridge” dogs Shani. So many lives have been enriched because of her passion for senior dogs helping senior people live fuller lives.
She wore many hats for ASF: booster, mentor, friend, foster, proud “foster fail,” organizer, cheerleader, problem solver, and quiet hero behind the scenes. But even those titles don’t capture her essence. She was also a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a surrogate mother to so many who found comfort, guidance, and unconditional support in her presence.
Susan did a truly staggering amount of work — the kind that rarely seeks recognition and often happens late at night when no one is watching. She was the bright, steady light that helped guide lost souls — both two-legged and four-legged — toward safety and love.
Because of her, countless dogs found second chances, warm beds, full bowls, and families who will cherish them forever.
The hole she leaves is immeasurable. Not just within ASF, but within her family, her friends, her fundraising team, and the wider rescue community she helped shape. Yet her legacy lives on in every dog saved, every family formed, every volunteer she inspired, and every act of kindness she set into motion.
Susan Mullaney Cookson showed us what it means to live with purpose, to love without limits, and to give until your heart overflows. We will miss her voice, her wisdom, her humor, and her unwavering belief that every life is worth saving.
Please keep her family and all of her ASF family in your thoughts and prayers.
Run free, sweet Susan. Thank you for the light you gave this world. We will carry it forward in your honor. 💔🐾
