In Honor of Kris Kristofferson!

Today has been great until we received the sad news, from our dear friend, Fay, up in Canada, that their beloved family dog, Kris Kristotfferson, that they had adopted from us many years ago, who Ben Welch and our first great volunteer, June knew and patiently worked with—has passed away from old age.

Fay wrote a beautiful obituary to honor her and her family's beloved dog, Kris aka Prince. So tonight, made in loving memory of Kris, one of the greatest, gigantic mutts, that had lived a tragic life until coming to our rescue ranch and then luckily being adopted by Fay and her family. I am posting her words made in loving memory of Kris Kristofferson, truly one of the greatest dogs that Kinky, June, Ben, Tony and I have ever known. Fay wrote:

"It is with deep sadness that I inform you of the loss of our beloved Texas gentleman, Kris Kristofferson, aka “Prince”, aka “Wheedle” on Monday June 30, 2014. Kris spent his early days in Houston, Texas before bring dropped off in Hill Country, at the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch in Medina, TX. Cousin Nancy, Tony and Kinky welcomed him with open arms, whilst running his rather unsavoury previous owner out the gate and locking it behind him. Kris soon settled in at Utopia and became an ambassador for any new dogs that arrived at the Ranch for as Cousin Nancy said to me on a recent visit to the Ranch, “we knew he’d get along with every dog they ever put in the pen with him.” After several years of residing at Utopia, Kris found a few homes to try out, but was returned shortly thereafter – each time - as none of them were a good fit for his exuberant and Texas-sized personality. It was in the Summer of 2006, when Kris was enjoying yet another summer at Utopia and living with a pretty young blonde named Pricilla Presley, that his luck changed.

At that time that Fay Maclachlan, residing in the great country of Canada, best friends and great neighbor to the USA, heard about the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch and visited the website to see all the amazing dogs that were looking for their forever homes http://utopiarescue.com  Fundraising for the Ranch was carried on by Fay throughout the Summer and was wrapping up in the Fall 2006. Fay had noticed Kris’ photo and made polite inquiries as she was looking to give a fine dog a home with her family. By a huge stroke of luck, much to Fay’s disappointment, (but she was happy for him!), Kris got adopted to yet another Forever Family in his home state of Texas. Kris was promptly returned, because, as Cousin Nancy said in her call to Fay, “He’s meant to be with you!!”

It was January 2007, at age 7, Kris decided to assume dual Canadian/US Citizenship and booked a flight up to Toronto via Houston TX. He arrived in the middle of an ice storm and became quickly adapted to the Canadian winters. On his second day in his adopted country, he immediately mastered a technique for jumping on snow banks at the nearby ponds to force mice out from their winter slumber and then chasing them down. This was amazing since he had never seen snow or ice in his 7 years on the planet. Truthfully, we all wondered if he had been concealing a more international secret past, as we all claim to have heard him mention “MI6” on late night phonecalls to his good pal Felix Leiter, although he always denied it vehemently.

In his 8 year appointment as Texas Ambassador to Canada, he became legend for jumping out of every 2^nd floor bedroom window in his new home, slaying skunks who wandered into his yard and won the Counter Surfing Championships for 6 consecutive years. He embraced life and lived in the moment. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment was spending 15 years on Earth without ever acknowledging the words “Kris, come!” and it is rumoured that the prolong running scene from the film Forrest Gump was based on one of his multi-hour running escapades down at the ponds.

Kris lived with the Maclachlan family for 8 years after his arrival in Canada until he stepped on a rainbow on the last day of June 2014. He left a legacy of wonderful stories and big love from all who ever met him. In the words of the peerless Kinky Friedman, residing at Echo Hill Ranch in Medina, TX “Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail.” 

Godspeed, my Son. You will be missed but never forgotten. Fay xo"