A sad shepherd

Molly Shore

Stat sits forlorn and alone in his kennel, having suffered two

devastating losses in a few weeks.

The 8-year-old German shepherd is a resident at Grace Konosky’s

German Shepherd Rescue. He and longtime canine buddy Cheeky were

brought here six weeks ago when their elderly owner died. Last week,

the overweight Cheeky died.

“I think her heart just gave out because of the excess weight,”

Konosky said of the 10-year-old dog.

But Stat cannot comprehend what happened.

“He’s depressed,” Konosky said. “[Volunteers] take him for a walk

every day, but he’s still depressed.”

When people walk through the facility, most of the dogs come to

the front of their pens and wag their tails, but Stat just lies there

and looks sad.

“He’s not eating well, he’s just picking at his food,” Konosky

said. “He’s just not exactly ‘with it.’ ”

Before Stat’s ailing owner died, Konosky said he told her his

relatives would euthanize the dogs upon his death. He made Konosky

promise to take the dogs instead.

Stat weighs about 80 pounds, and is friendly and housebroken.

Because he is so large and relatively old, Konosky fears finding Stat

a home will be hard. Fortunately, the dog is in excellent health .

“He’s a beautiful dog. He doesn’t really look his age,” she said.

Today, with modern medicines and improved diets, dogs like Stat

can live to be 13 or 14, Konosky said.

Stat would do well in a home with an older female dog, Konosky

said, adding that he is not used to cats or children.

Konosky, who has run the rescue in Burbank for 14 years, has 26 animals in her compound who, like Stat, hope to find loving owners.

For more information about Stat or Konosky’s other shepherds, call

558-7560. The rescue is at 417 N. Moss St.