Koda's mom, Kim, reached out to PAWS Atlanta to share Koda's story and to honor her with love.

Kim writes:

My husband and I adopted our dog, Koda, back in October of 2009. I had been volunteering at PAWS Atlanta for a couple of months, and when my husband came with me one day to walk dogs, he instantly fell in love with Koda (her name at the time was Cosmo). I wasn't sure we were ready to own a dog, as we were both fresh out of college, but we adopted her the next day, and I think we can both say it was the best decision we ever made.

Koda was such a mellow, sweet, and loving dog. She became an integral part of our lives: We brought her everywhere we could, and she saw us through so many phases and changes. Koda moved with us from Atlanta to Connecticut, to San Francisco, and, most recently, Portland, OR. She lived in 7 different apartments and houses with us over the years, and in so many ways, helped us grow up. In California, she got to spend so much time exploring the outdoors with us, going hiking, camping, and backpacking. We could never tell what she loved more, the sand or the snow. Luckily, she had plenty of access to both when we lived there.

Sadly, though, just 10 days after our move to Portland, we very unexpectedly had to put her to sleep. After 12 years with her, we are heartbroken that we don't have her with us for this next chapter of our lives - we welcomed our first child in April. But we know we have Koda to thank for laying a foundation for us as parents. She taught us how to be a better team, and she will always be with us in our hearts.

I can't thank you all at PAWS Atlanta enough for the great work that you do helping dogs and cats find their forever homes. Koda made our lives so much better, and it's impossible to imagine what it would have been like if we didn't have her with us these past 12 years. We miss her deeply and always will. 

If you're looking for an adventure buddy to love, you can learn more about our adoption process.