Rain

September 1, 2026

Some dogs come into our lives for a little while. Others become such a part of our hearts that it is impossible to imagine our lives without them. Rain was one of those very special dogs.

Rain was a Schnauzer mix who lived an incredible 16 years. She was adopted in 2010 through The South Paws Project, and in a way, she never really left the rescue family. Rain holds the very special distinction of being the first “foster fail” from the rescue facility. She was supposed to be a foster, but somewhere along the way, she made it very clear that she had already found where she belonged.

And Rain knew her name.

It didn't matter how you said it, where you said it, or what tone you used—Rain was Rain, and she always knew when you were talking to her. That was just one of the many little things that made her so wonderfully, unmistakably herself.

One of Dawn’s most treasured memories was a winter vacation to Vermont, where it was simply Emily, Rain, and Dawn. They romped together through a light coating of snow, Rain drank from a creek while Emily played in the snow, and Rain made friends everywhere she went. Even the innkeeper fell in love with her—and loved Rain enough to make sure she had her very own plate of bacon and eggs for breakfast.

That was Rain. She had a way of making friends wherever she went and leaving an impression on everyone lucky enough to meet her.

For 16 years, Rain was loved by her pet parent, Dawn Taylor-Church, and shared her life with her human sibling, Emily, along with her many beloved four-legged siblings: Reddy, Teddy, Zori, Sally, Chachi, Duncan, and Lucy.

She was part of a family. Not just a household, but a family built on love, companionship, memories, and all the ordinary moments that become extraordinary when we look back on them after they're gone.

Rain's story is also a reminder of why rescue matters.

She came into The South Paws Project as a foster and ended up becoming something so much more. She became family. She became a first. She became a treasured part of a rescue story that will always carry her name.

On September 1, 2026, Rain took her final journey.

Sixteen years is never enough. No number of birthdays, adventures, cuddles, quiet afternoons, or years together can ever make saying goodbye easy. But 16 years gave Rain a lifetime filled with what every dog deserves: love, belonging, adventure, and a family who never stopped loving her.

Her physical presence may be gone, but Rain's paw prints remain—in Dawn's heart, in Emily's memories, in the hearts of her many siblings, and in the story of The South Paws Project.

She was the foster who became family.

She was the dog who always knew her name.

She was the dog who made friends everywhere she went.

She was simply Rain.

And she will always be loved.

Run free, sweet Rain.
Your journey here may have ended, but your place in our hearts never will.

Until we meet again. 🐾