DOGS ADOPTED FROM US MUST HAVE THEIR MICROCHIPS REGISTERED TO YOU TOO

If you adopted a dog from us, your pet's microchip must be registered to you.  Please call us at 408-835-4264 so we can authorize the transfer. If you don't have their microchip number, please have a vet or shelter scan your pet's entire body. Have them write down the microchip number for you. We made sure that every dog had a microchip before they left the kill shelters. IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU HAVE AN ID TAG WITH A CURRENT PHONE NUMBER ON YOUR DOG AT ALL TIMES. IF YOUR ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER HAS CHANGED, CALL THE MICROCHIP COMPANY AND UPDATE THAT INFORMATION. IF YOUR DOG WINDS UP IN THE SHELTER BECAUSE THEY CAN'T CONTACT YOU, THE SHELTER WILL CHARGE YOU ALL KINDS OF FEES TO GET THEM OUT. YOU ALSO RISK YOUR DOG GETTING DISEASES FROM OTHERS IN THE SHELTER.

Please send pictures of your dog to our e-mail address below

We'd love to see your latest pictures of the dogs you've adopted. Please send them to: dogsneedhomes@aol.com

This is precious Oakley who was adopted 8 years ago.  He sadly passed away in February 2018.

Here's what his Mom Vicki says:

"He had a good good life with me..when times got hard for me in 2008-2015.. nothing changed for him..I went without a lot..he did not ever!!!! Thank you for helping me get a friend for life..thank you a thousand times."

PUT PHONE NUMBER TAGS ON YOUR DOGS AND CATS

Make sure that your pets are wearing ID tags with your current phone numbers. Keep their rabies, license and microchip tags on their collars at all times. This saves shelter impound fees and gives closure to pet parents who are searching for their lost pets. Animals will be reunited sooner and won't have to be impounded in a shelter with other animals who might be sick.  A tag with just their name and no phone numbers won't get your pet home quickly.

The highest impound time is July 4. If they have a microchip, contact that microchip company to ensure that your pets are registered properly and with current phone numbers. For HomeAgain, contact 1-888-466-3242 and for Avid, contact 1-800-336-2843. Register microchips for free by visiting the following link:

https://microchipregistry.foundanimals.org/

DOGS ADOPTED FROM US ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ID PHONE NUMBER AND MICROCHIP TAGS ON THEIR COLLARS

Contact the microchip company NOW and make sure their chip is registered with your current address and several phone numbers. If they have a yellow microchip tag, contact Home Again at 1-888-466-3242. If they have a blue microchip tag, contact Avid at 1-800-336-2843. If your pet was microchipped by a previous owner before you adopted them, contact the microchip company and have them register the chip with your name and phone numbers and also your vet's. If you're not sure if they have a microchip already, have a vet or shelter scan their entire body. The chip can move around in their body. 

DON'T KEEP ID TAGS IN A DRAWER. That won't bring pets home to you. You only have to pay a few dollars ONE TIME to have the microchip registered to you. The company might send you a renewal bill, but that's for more extensive services. Your pet is registered for LIFE once you pay the one-time small fee. 

MAKE IT EASY FOR SHELTERS TO SEE THAT YOUR PET HAS AN OWNER BY DISPLAYING THAT TAG ON THEIR COLLARS AT ALL TIMES. 

Many animals aren't scanned properly when they arrive at a shelter, so they can sit there for days without you being contacted. This can happen if your animal is scared and appears "aggressive" or if they're injured or in a medical crisis. 

SHOULD YOUR PET BE IMPOUNDED IN A SHELTER, YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR: SHOTS, FINES, A DAILY BOARDING FEE, LICENSE AND SPAY OR NEUTER FEE (IF THEY'RE NOT FIXED)

* IF YOU LOVE THEM, TAG THEM AND UPDATE THEIR CHIP INFO *

* * * * REST IN PEACE OUR PRECIOUS BANJO MADARAS * * * *

It is with a heavy heart I tell you all that our cocker spaniel son Banjo Madaras has died.  He had a seizure (which lasted about a minute or so) and then died in my husband's arms. 

I want to thank the many kind people who wished Banjo well and those who contributed towards his well-being these past few weeks. Your caring allowed him to be much more comfortable.

Banjo was the first animal I got from a kill shelter to start rescue work. He came into the shelter on a pole stick and was skin and bones. I kept him when it was very obvious that he had fear aggression. 

This gorgeous animal, who looked and acted more like a baby lion, was stubborn and not very affectionate. As a matter of fact, the only time he kissed anybody was the minute I met and rescued him; when he met my husband the next day after his neutering; and when my mother visited and she said good night to everyone, with Banjo leaning up to kiss her. He tried to bite all other visitors, including my previous boss, his daughter and a reporter who came to the house to write an article about my cocker rescue work many years ago.

My husband came up with the saying that Banjo was "his own man" and he certainly lived up to that.  He became panicked many years before when he went totally blind from cataracts.  I had a very expensive surgery done to replace both lenses and he was able to see for about another 5 years. I was very happy that I did that, even though I still have the debt - LOL.

I really enjoyed his howling at the fire sirens and that's when we realized that he most likely had some hound doggie in him. I wanted to have the DNA test performed, but he would never let anybody into his mouth for more than a few seconds. I realized when he stopped howling at those sirens that he went deaf several years ago.

Banjo was most likely very close to 17 years old! What animal lives that long? He was turned into the shelter when he was 5 and we had him since 2004. I was honored to have been his Mom and feel a huge gap in my heart and soul without him physically being here. I know that he lasted way longer than so many other animals and feel joy that he was my son for such a very long time.

On a personal note, I wish to thank the thousands of "Friends" on my list for their daily efforts to "Share" pictures and postings of poor animals who've wound up in kill shelters through no fault of their own. Once someone is exposed to the horrors of what goes on with animals in shelters, they unfortunately can't ever get the pictures of the ones who didn't make it out of their minds, souls and hearts. 

I don't regret the billions of hours I spent promoting and marketing the Moreno Valley Animal Shelter in Southern California and its thousands of pets, but the sadness and injustice of unnecessary deaths due to the shelter's actions and non-actions won't unfortunately ever go away.

I had to stop the rescue and networking of shelter animals completely several weeks ago so I can focus on obtaining a paying job. I unfortunately haven't had any luck so far.  I've stopped updating all of my Facebook pages with shelter-related postings and asked that nobody tag, comment, send items to "Share" or add me to new groups. I hope that you understand.

Your compassion and kind actions have meant the world to me, as I go through this current most difficult time of my life.

This was Banjo, Scottie and Holly Madaras. They're all gone and were rescued and loved for many years.

* * * * * * * * * REST IN PEACE WEASEL MADARAS * * * * * * * * *

About 3 years ago, I felt sorry for a little 7 pound boy who didn't have any fur on his main body. The Moreno Valley Shelter was putting him to sleep.

I told them that I would foster him to try and get some hair on his body. Thousands of dollars later, his coat just never came in. All kinds of mange testing, thyroid panels every month, medicines, ultrasounds. They sadly didn't resolve anything.

He was microchipped, but the shelter didn't research the number well enough. I found out that he came from a pet store in Vegas. So he obviously was a puppy mill boy. The shelter had him as 10, but the store said he was 12, based on the date they "sold him" to his owner. In reality, he was around 15 when he died today, since I took care of him for almost 3 years.

I contacted his real owner by mail to see if I could get any information. I wrote my return address on the envelope in case they moved and I could find that out. My letter or a response from them never came, so it was obvious that he wasn't a stray, but an unwanted doggie.

We believed that he was most likely a maltese and a terrier because he was definitely a "terrorist." He wouldn't go for walks; peed everywhere; growled at people, unless they were pampering him; showed teeth if you got too close; nosed at his food for hours; would eat a specific brand food one day, but not the next day. Let's put it this way - he was the most challenging dog I've ever had. Nobody I know of would have kept him because he really wore at your patience.

He would stare into space; circle and spin around at any given time; be OK one minute and try to bite the next; wet his bed if you weren't in the room; scream if you he didn't see you; and many other neurological and personality disorders, which most normal people would never put up with.

But those symptoms got really worse today and the vet visit unfortunately came, with the expected bad news.

Rest in peace, my little son.

Due to financial hardship, our rescue was forced to close

I had to end my rescue efforts because of very high five figure debt.

As the economy worsened and owners couldn't afford to care for pets, I got as many dogs as I could out of Southern California shelters before they were put to sleep.

I also scooped up many dogs that other rescuers wouldn't take. They didn't want to spend extra money for procedures such as: tumor removals, cherry eyes, hernias, foxtails, complicated spays or neuters, etc.

The surgeries, daily medical care, kenneling and transporting costs for so many dogs from Southern to Northern California every weekend added up on my own personal credit cards.

I couldn't stand to see so many dogs get put to sleep when I knew that people in other locations wanted them. So I just keep going and going for as long as I could.

I was separated from my own cocker spaniels and family every Friday through Sunday while I drove a thousand miles from Southern to Northern California.

I did this because the Southern California shelters had thousands of dogs getting put to sleep, while the Northern California shelters didn't have the breeds of dogs that potential adopters wanted.

From Monday through Thursday, I drove to the Moreno Valley Animal Shelter several times each week and took dogs to vets, groomers, eye specialists and potential adopters. I put over 150,000 miles on my cargo van in two years.

I started my rescue group with my own personal cocker spaniel named Banjo (see his picture at the bottom of the right-hand column). And I ended my rescue efforts when I was visited by another dog that I had named Banjo (pictured above). He looked just like my first Banjo who still lives with me.

270 dogs in a kill shelter were saved due to everybody's donations

Over a 5 month period, our many volunteers, donors and previous adopters have saved the lives of 270 dogs at the Moreno Valley Animal Shelter.

Their combined donations have enabled these many different breeds of dogs to live instead of die in a kill shelter.

We will be forever grateful to these kind people who've allowed the poor dogs to live with rescue groups until they've found new homes. The dogs will be able to play, run, cuddle and go on daily adventures instead of being put to sleep.

We wish to thank our many followers, donors, volunteers, groomers, fosters and people who genuinely cared about the work that we did.

Their kindness and care for our dogs enabled us to continue our very hard work when there were so many disheartening challenges for us both financially and especially emotionally.

We will be forever indebted to these people with big hearts who saw the value in what we were doing while we endured the most trying times of our personal lives.

OUR RESCUE EFFORTS HAVE NOW ENDED AND WE'RE OFFICIALLY CLOSED

Ticks are still found on pets - Continue to use medicine and check your dog's body after taking them for walks and playing outdoors

Our dog Weasel recently had ticks on his body even though we put flea and tick medicine on him every month.

Ticks tend to hide under a dog's armpits, in their ears and on the top of their heads.  They tuck themselves into areas where the skin is thin.

Ticks love to jump onto your dog while your pet is bending over to put their heads under shrubs and trees.

You can remove a tick after putting some rubbing alcohol onto the tick. Pull it out with a tweezer or your fingers.

Regularly check inside the crevices of your pet's bedding and turn it inside out to look for ticks that may be hiding.

You can purchase flea and tick medicine at most pet stores and at Costco. The most popular brands are Advantix and Frontline Plus. Make sure that you buy the correct box since the medicine is based on your pet's weight.

Click on the next line to see our video from CBS News:

http://www.cbs8.com/story/23385825/dog-owners-beware-the-heat-brings-out-the-ticks

 

Register your pet's microchip and put a current ID tag on their collar

Little Weasel came into the shelter with a microchip in his body.

However, the shelter couldn't get him back home because his owner never called the microchip company to register his microchip.

It was traced to a pet store, but they had a phone number that was disconnected.

Weasel was wearing a collar, but he didn't have an ID tag with his owner's phone number on it. So Weasel sat in the shelter for weeks - hoping that his owner would come. They never showed up.

Many shelters are sadly forced to put dogs without traceable microchips or ID tags to sleep because they're overcrowded. Don't let this happen to your own pet.

These needless deaths can be avoided with the owner's phone number put on an ID tag or a registered microchip with a current phone number.

There has been a significant increase over the years of pet owners who simply will not keep a collar with an ID tag on their pets. To us, this makes NO sense at all.

These people claim that they love their pets, but they give them no way to get back home should they become stray. If you love your pet, please spend a couple of dollars and keep a tag on their necks or register their microchips with current phone numbers. You can buy these tags in most pet stores.

Why spend money to get your pet out of the shelter or chance your pet getting sick in the shelter when they can easily return home to you with an ID tag?

Luckily for Weasel, we got him out and he's been with us for a few months. We're making sure that he gets his daily thyroid pills to bring his coat back to normal.

PLEASE make sure that your pet wears their collar with a current phone number tag. We've seen so many pets get put to sleep because they had no way home.

Our dogs for adoption came from high kill shelters in Southern CA

All of our dogs were originally household pets.

They somehow became stray and the animal shelters couldn't locate their owners.

Some were turned into the shelter because their owners couldn't afford them due to the loss of a job or house.

Because they didn't have an ID tag or microchip, the shelters couldn't return them to their homes.

Each dog was going to be put to sleep since the Southern California shelters were very overcrowded. They usually only got 1-2 weeks before they were put to sleep.

Pictured above is Binky. He was adopted last year.

The picture on the left is what he looked like at the kill shelter.The picture on the right is Binky after he received a well needed haircut and several medicines which cleared up his eye and ear infections.

Our adoption fee included: a spay or neuter operation, 5 in 1 shot (DHLPP), bordatella and rabies shots, de-worming, microchip implantation and a flea and tick treatment.

We almost always had to pay for other procedures before adoption such as: ear infections, hernias, tumor and foxtail removals and cherry eye surgery.

The dogs cost us much more than the adoption fee because of the above mentioned items, the fees for someone to take care of our dogs every day until they were adopted and the need to drive the dogs from Southern to Northern California so they could obtain a new home.

MAC - Formerly Blackie

His father Dan says, "Mac was a July 4 puppy last year. I remember how tough it was to train him during his separation anxiety stage.

If it wasn't for you and your rescue, we wouldn't have 'our little family.' We love Mac and owe so much of that to you.

 

I hope you know that not only have you saved so many dogs' lives, but you've built homes and families. Dogs have a wonderful way of building love and happiness.

 

I'm sure that you already know this, but it has been something that you've built for all of us. 

The happiness and love that you bring to the world can't ever be quantified.

 

We love our puppy, Mac and we owe so much of that to you!"

 

BUCKLEY - Formerly Maverick

His mother Kathy says, "We adopted Buckley in February 2011 after losing our first rescue dog to cancer (he was about 14 years old and we had him for 11 years).

Buckley is wonderful. After settling in, he bonded with us very quickly. He is a fun-loving dog who loves to chase squirrels and keep our family safe.

Although he is our family dog and he loves us as much as we love him, he has a special bond with my 10-year old son.

Buckley brings joy, comfort, companionship and love to us all.

We will forever be grateful to you for bringing him to Northern CA and into our home."

ELOISE - She was left outside of a closed animal shelter - In a small sealed up box - In 100 degree weather - While she was in labor

Of all of the years I've been working with dogs, this was the most unbelievable story.

Boy, was I in the right place at the right time.

I had to stop at the shelter's clinic to pick up paperwork on my way to a Northern California adoption event.

There was a lot of chaos going on. A man was bringing his dog into the clinic for shots. He saw a closed up box in front of the shelter that wasn't open.

Luckily, he asked the clinic workers if he should bring in the box so nobody would walk off with it. Inside the box, that had been sitting in the hot sun for who knows how long, was a frail little girl dog. She was panting heavily and going into a breathing crisis. The vet called all of the workers over and they saw that she was actually in labor.

Since the dog didn't have an ID tag or a microchip, they weren't allowed to work on her since there wasn't anybody to pay for her emergency medical care. These workers were running towards me and begging for my help.

The vet said that the dog needed an immediate C-section because the poor girl was in labor. She would need bloodwork, special medicines, critical care, fluids and follow-up bloodwork for several weeks.

I gave her the money authorization to go ahead, not knowing how it would turn out for the precious little animal laying almost lifeless and in obvious severe pain. Sadly, the pups were delivered dead. It was touch and go for several days as she tried to survive. The vet and workers kept a close eye on her and took her home for continued care.

As you can imagine, the bill was very large that I footed for this cutie.

The vet talked to her own parents who live out-of-state about this precious animal. They happened to be making a visit weeks later after Eloise was better and guess what? They adopted her!!

I can't believe how beautiful this little girl is nowadays - what a sweet gal whose life has totally changed!

Below is a picture of Eloise on the day that she was left outside of the shelter.

 

REST IN PEACE SWEET COOKIE

Cookie was in the shelter right before July 4th last year. I didn't listen to the shelter workers who said that she was "unadoptable" due to her age, teeth and medical issues. I got her out of that bad place any way.

She cost over $3,000 by the time all of her needs were met.

However, her new family is sure happy to have her and so is their boy dog Lucky, who adores his sister Cookie.

Her father Soe says, "Cookie's doing fine. She's adjusting very well to her new life.

She's having fun, especially with Lucky. They play together and adore each other.

Cookie is such a sweet girl. All of our family members spoil her every day."

KUMA - Formerly Riley

His mother Stacie says, "We'd like to thank you so very much for saving our boy and bringing him to us.

He is truly a blessing. I was a little worried when we brought him home how he would be since we had no background on him.

However, he's turned out to be well behaved! He is such a good boy and brings us so much joy everyday.

I can't imagine life without him!

I'm so sorry to hear that you had to close down the rescue group, but please know that you have done so much good and changed so many lives for the better."

PRISSY

Her father Bill says, "She has become 'family'  and wants to play before going to bed and then again in the morning. She is well behaved and calm.

She has settled in well. She sleeps through the night, goes out to do her dooty and comes right back in.

We have a large yard for her. Prissy wants to play first thing in the morning and last thing at night. She sits in her bed by the table when we eat.

She has been to the beauty parlor and behaved well.  Prissy is such a love. When I am at the computer, she lies by my side. She loves to sit in my lap while watching TV. She curls up against my chest like a baby. My wife loves her company.

 

We couldn't have found a better pet."
 

JENNY AND MOLLY

Their mother says, “We adopted Jenny and Molly after a pretty ugly divorce. We moved back into our family home after living in motel after motel for 6 months.

While we were thrilled to be home, we faced many challenges and changes in our lives. There was a sense of sadness around us. And then…we adopted Jenny (pictured on the left).

At that time, Sarah was 5 years old and Eric was 10. 

A month later, we adopted sister Molly (pictured on the right). 

The gray haze was now bright sunshine. The kids argued over who got to sleep with which dog. Both dogs loved the hugs, love, kisses, fondling, etc. they received from the kids. Sarah even took several of her evening baths with Jenny and she enjoyed being in the tub with Sarah!

The children readily accepted doggie chores, including cleaning up. The kids love these little munchkins. Molly is always on the alert for an empty lap – her favorite spot. Jenny’s tail never stops wagging. Jenny and Molly came to us at a most opportune time in our lives.

I can’t thank you enough for being there when we needed love and happiness. Especially when the dogs and my children are all snuggled together sleeping, I think of your rescue efforts with fondness and appreciation.”

PIPPIN

His mother Phyllis says, “Our dear Pippin was the last doggie adopted from Shelter Dogs Needing Homes before they closed.

On a regular basis, when these ‘rescue dogs’ are mentioned by pet owners on our walks, they’re spoken about with very warm feelings.

Shelter Dogs Needing Homes has left a legacy in the Northern California area - Pippin is no exception. 

After adopting blustery and high energy Captain from them, we now have little Pippin.  We fostered several dogs during the rescue's last few months.  In spite of promising myself not to get attached, I did - with every dog. I cried tears of joy when they found new homes and with this last chance, we have Pippin for keeps.

He’s a happy and cheerful little guy. Initially, 12 pound Pippin wanted to be the leader versus 32 pound Captain. Pippin lost and they are now great buddies, even licking each other’s mouths in the morning.

Pippin sees his doggie sisters Jenny and Molly almost daily (see their pictures above). They were adopted from Shelter Dogs Needing Homes by my daughter.  He likes those romps. 

Pippin loves to be held like a baby and he enjoys snuggling. I marvel at the love this sweetie pie gives to everybody.

We thank you so much for saving our dear, dear Pippin. He is our legacy from you and all that you have done for so many. We promise to love and cherish Pippin for many years to come.”
 

KUKLA - Formerly Dodger

His mother Laura says, "I had an experience with a cancer situation.  It was necessary to temporarily put my husband George into a nursing home, so that if anything happened to me, he would have care.

It was a good thing I did because I had MRSA, a life-threatening infection at the wound site.

It was after it looked like I would come through this OK, I found you and Kukla.

Some time after the dog adoption, I took George back into my home to care for him. He was elderly, had multiple medical problems, and his severe nerve pain was intractable.

The only time I saw George have a smile on his face (because of the constant pain) was when he was petting Kukla. This dog literally saved his emotional life because it gave him something to love. Even during his last hospitalization, George asked me about Kukla until the end.

Six months after the adoption, George, who had congestive heart failure, lost his battle and died. His pal Kukla would go into his room and wait for him to return. I'm really grateful to Kukla for loving George through his last chapter.

Nine months later, I had a serious house fire and Kukla and I escaped with our lives. It was due to a short in the range hood and was not due to anything I did.

We went from living in a three-bedroom house to a one-room  hotel, then were moved into temporary housing. Throughout these six months, Kukla adjusted. After they re-built the house, we moved back in.

Just as he had loved George through his difficulties, Kukla loved me through the time of the fire and beyond.

I am grateful to you beyond measure for this wonderful dog and for what he has meant in the lives of me and George.

I buried George in Hawaii and will be moving out there in the next few months.

You've saved souls with your work. You saved dogs, but you saved people too.  You have my deepest gratitude."

REST IN PEACE SWEET BANDIT - Formerly Spike and Scout - We LOVED this beautiful boy

His father Raul says, "We had lost our two fur kids earlier in the year. Bandit came into our lives just when we needed him.

We were concerned at first about how Bandit would interact with our pug Tandy. Now, they are inseparable.

Like clockwork, every 7 am and 2 pm they perform a duet and 'sing' for their meals. Well, it's a mix of barking, howling and chirping, but it's music to us.

Every night, Bandit sneaks into the guest room and sleeps in the bed. He then sneaks out before anybody is up - acting like it never happened. We really believe that he is happy.

He found us and we sure are happy that we found him.

He loves his walks, treats (of course) and hanging out with his forever family. We love this guy!"

MIA - Formerly Sherry

Her mother Laura says, "I adopted Mia three years ago and she has brought me more pleasure than I could have imagined.

She is the light of my life and makes me happy and smile every day.

She also made my mom happy every day. She always wanted a lap dog and when we got Mia, my mom got her wish. She had the sweetest dog in the world sitting on her lap every day for the last year of her life.

Mia also helped me through the most difficult time in my life after my beloved mother died. I am eternally grateful to you and wish you all the best."

MOLLY - Formerly Connie

Many wonderful people sent in donations for precious Connie's leg surgery.  Her foot was twisted in the wrong direction and she couldn't walk at all.

Her father and mother Tris and Dana say, "She is the most magical and loved dog in the world.

We can't imagine our life without her.

Every day, we think about how lucky we are.

We love and enjoy each minute with her.

Our life has truly been enriched.

As a matter of fact, she's being tested to be a Therapy Dog.

She is a special star!"

* REST IN PEACE BEAUTIFUL FINLEY * - FINLEY and CHICO were screaming in their pens at the shelter

Australian shepherd Finley and long-haired chihuahua Chico were five minutes away from being put to sleep. The shelter workers were behind me, taking other dogs to the back for euthanasia. Finley looked straight at me, screamed and stretched his paw towards me through the kennel cage. I will never forget his screams and looks of pure horror. Then Chico ran behind Finley and was shaking like a leaf. Finley leaned over and kissed him. I walked to the next row as fast as I could to see if there were cocker spaniels that I had to get out. Finley jumped up and screamed again, like he knew what was going to happen in a few minutes. I quickly went back to Finley and he put his paw out to me again - with Chico hiding behind Finley and kissing him.

I kept asking myself how can I find homes for an australian shepherd and a long-haired chihuahua? I wasn't familiar with their breeds and they were black dogs - the hardest colors to find homes for.

The shelter worker laughed because she knew that I was going to take both dogs!

Within 3 weeks, both cuties were adopted in Northern California.

Chico (pictured below) was adopted to a woman who was so depressed, she had trouble leaving her house. Now she goes to the beach with Chico and they meet other dogs there on a regular basis.

CORGI - Formerly Pugsley

This precious cute boy on the left was in the shelter for such a long time because he was older.

I took many looks at him and just couldn't let him stay there.

He was full of life and joy and was always smiling and wagging his tail.

His mother Susan says, "Corgi has added so much joy to my life.

He was a perfect companion match for my lhasa apso Jack (on right).

He has contributed to the happiness of many people."

ROSE

Her mother Cindy says, "Here's a photo of Rose from last year.

 

We did agility for pet dog training and she loved it.

Rose was shy at first, but she quickly gained confidence.

 

We both took her to the training so we could be consistent with her training.

She's a natural."
 

SIERRA - Formerly Sugar

Some of our dogs were involved in capers with their loved ones.

For example, Sugar (Now Sierra) was dressed in a special t-shirt.

Years later, this wonderful couple is about to have a baby too!

Luckily for Dad, he was on the computer very early one morning at the same time that I listed his dog for adoption. 

He was the first one to apply and he has given this golden retriever the best life ever.

REST IN PEACE HANDSOME SONNY - Formerly Sunny

This poor older boy was skin and bones and could just about stand.

When we told the adopters of Sierra about him, they didn't think twice and came to visit Sunny.  It was love at first sight.

He now plays with Sierra and runs around dog parks as fast as the younger doggies.

LEO - Formerly Wishbone

His mother Tova says, "Two years ago, I met Leo at your adoption event.

He's the best dog I could have asked for: smart, playful and always ready to do a trick for a treat or toy.

He loves to meet new people, snuggle and play fetch. He gets compliments and smiles every time we go out.

Thank you so much for doing what you do. It has really changed both of our lives!"

KNIGHTLEY - Formerly Pookie

His mother Michelle says, "It's been a rough year, and there is no doubt that adopting Knightley was the best decision we could have made.

He is the most loving and playful dog we had hoped for. 

We will always be grateful that you rescued him. It is hard for us to imagine how he ever could have been abandoned."

LITTLE BEAR - Formerly Butch

His mother Debbie says, "I wanted to share my story about finding this little angel.

I was devastated after losing my forever Sheltie dog Beau and my heart was so broken. I had a dream the night before I went to the pet store. I was holding a puppy and was with my Dad and Beau, who are both deceased.  I woke up and was crying because I missed them both so much.

That afternoon, I went to the store to pick up food for our dog Jenny, who was also missing her best friend. It was a week before Father's Day.

When I walked in, I saw all of your dogs for adoption. I was looking at all of the babies and got so emotional. I turned and saw these big brown eyes and happy smile! He was warm and furry and some thing just grabbed my heart.

I was sitting on the floor and scooted over to him and was so drawn to his kind eyes. I stood up and that was when I read his name tag - 'My name is Butch.' Oh my goodness! I could barely stop myself from crying. You see, that was my Dad's nickname as a young boy. I knew from that moment on he was meant to be mine. I brought him home the following week on Father's Day.

He gives us such love. He is just like a little teddy bear and cuddles with us every chance he gets! He kisses our other dog Jenny endlessly.  I can't begin to tell you how lucky I am to have him. I can't imagine anyone giving him up, but I guess it was meant to be so he would find his way to us!

Keep doing your great work! It brings happiness and love to many. I am grateful."

SMOKEY

His mother Chantelle says, "My boyfriend Brendan and I came to the adoption event in July ‘just to look’ - his words, not mine. I had already seen a picture of Smokey online and even though he was a scraggly looking guy, he melted my heart.

When I first laid eyes on him, I knew that he was coming home with us. I think Smokey realized right away that he had me sold and that he needed to work on Brendan to seal the deal. My boyfriend now calls him the ‘little closer’ because he sat back and looked up at him with those big brown eyes - that was it. He was part of our family.

We love every day with Smokey, but particularly the weekends when we can take him to Fort Funston or go hiking in Marin. He is a speed demon and his favorite thing in the world is to chase birds. One of these days he's going to catch one and not know what to do with it!

He is also a very spoiled pup. In addition to his dog walks with Mom, he has daily pack runs with his walker and gets lots of treats and toys. The stuffed ones don't last too long though.

If that wasn't enough, his grandparents send him gift packages full of antlers and bones (quite literally -- not sure what the mailman must think)!

We can't imagine life without our little guy. We're so grateful for him and the work that you do every day to ensure that dogs like Smokey find their forever parents and that we find them!"

ABBY - Formerly Tess

Her mother Dori says, "She's the sweetest little girl who loves everyone and they love her back.

It's taken her some time to be totally trusting, but she now rolls over on her back to have her belly rubbed.  During the first 2 weeks, she wouldn't even consider doing that without cringing. Now she just wants to be snuggled and held.

What a joy! She's getting along well with our other dogs and our cat.

We've found a winner!  We are very happy that we picked her and she picked us."

FOLLY, RUSTY AND WHIMSY - Formerly Darla, Skittles, Whimsy

Their mother Pam says, "Darla (Now Folly) fit into the pack and we call our little group 'a tangle of terriers.'

They romp, wrestle and play.

Skittles (Now Rusty) acts like a referee when the 2 girls tussle, barking orders when it gets too rough!

Whimsy is our sweet little bundle of love from the Oakland shelter."

CAPTAIN - Formerly Pal

Captain says, "It’s been 10 months since my adoption and I’ve really settled into my furever family. My favorite time is Sunday morning when we go over to Boothbay Park before 8:00 AM. I can run free with my doggie friends and chase balls. We run, run, run and roll in things that my Mom and Dad don’t like - hehehe. I was OK with my bathing, but then Mom decided to have me professionally groomed.

 

WOW! - Am I handsome when really cleaned up! Now when I get bathed, my Mom and Dad love it. It brings back the pleasant memory of my 2 hours of spa treatment. I love to be brushed at the end of the day. It must be like getting a massage for humans because it’s so relaxing that I fall asleep.

 

I have many jobs at home. First of all, I protect my family from: other people walking by, leaves falling from the trees, and those pesky squirrels. I sleep under their bed at night and I'm always on call. 

 

My human brother and sister (Eric and Sarah) who live with my doggie sisters Jenny and Molly (also adopted from you) need lots of love. I taught Jenny and Molly how to go potty outside too. 

 

I take my Mom and Dad for daily walks to keep them healthy.  They're always telling me that I'm very wanted and very loved.

 

My Mom and Dad just adopted a new brother from you too named Pippin. He was scared - like I was once upon a time, but within days he is now part of my whole family. I’m trying to teach him how to bark. Pippin’s a fast learner about love, but slow about learning how to bark. I’m the master barker and a lucky dog!!! 

 

Thank you so much for rescuing me from the kill shelter. 

 

Remember how I looked after you had to get me shaved? I was skinny and very fearful. Look at me now! I love being loved. 

 

Many, many licks to you from me, Pippin, Jenny and Molly."

 

TRUDY

Her mother Julee says, "We're so happy with our sweet little Trudy.

It's hard to believe that we adopted her so many years ago from you.

We often talk about how thankful we are that you saved her life.

She's a precious little dog who's brought so much joy into our lives."

MADI - Formerly Lulu

Her mother and father flew from Massachusetts to adopt one of our dogs.

Their relatives previously adopted a girl dog from us and a few months later, they adopted a boy puppy.

Her new mother Eva says,"She is doing wonderfully and is such a joy.

We love her to death!"

MILLIE - Formerly Lizzie

Her mother Anne says,"She's gained weight and loves to lay in the sun and enjoy the outdoors.

Our family runs and bikes with her each day and she keeps us healthy.

She likes to cuddle and her favorite place is in our laps.

She does her dance on her back legs when she realizes that we're going for a walk or giving her a treat.

It breaks our heart to think about what our little girl has been through, but she's safe and happy with us now."

BB - Formerly Dotty

Her mother Yang says, "BB is such a beautiful, intelligent and loving pet. Wherever I take her, she attracts people's attention. They always say what a cute and lovely dog she is and then pat her head.

BB learns tricks quickly. As soon as she arrived home, we found out that she was familiar with the word 'no.' Shortly afterwards, she learned 'sit, down, up, stay, come, crawl and shake hand.'

She also learned to 'play dead' and to hold a treat with her nose. Since we speak Chinese most of the time, BB is bilingual.   She understands some sentences in Chinese!

She even plays tricks on me.  Some times when I throw a ball to her, she will get it. Without returning the ball to me, she hides it somewhere and then asks me to go look for it.

BB loves car rides. She remembers where we park, even in a place that she has never been to before. When I pick up my husband from work, she insists on riding with me.  She jumps to the other front seat as soon as I open the door on the driver's side.  She'll stay there quietly or watch the traffic - never distracting me during drive time.

Three days after we adopted BB, I found out that I was pregnant. BB kept me exercising since I took her out for two walks per day. My husband lost 7 pounds in one month because he joined us on our walks after dinner.

I can't write enough to describe how much love BB gives to us. She follows me as a shadow at home. When she hears that I am done with showering, she waits outside the bathroom and gives kisses.

After my baby was born, BB would always cuddle by my side when I fed him, even in the middle of the night. If I don't let her follow me to his bedroom and leave her with my husband, she waits behind the door until I get back.

She loves my baby so much and is protective of him. If strangers make big movements such as waving arms in front of him, she warns them by barking.

When my baby plays on his mat, BB always stays by his side. She even brings her toys to my baby! They have walks together every day. BB walks so well with the stroller that I wonder if her former owner had a baby too.

Life is full of happiness and laughter with BB as a member of our family."

OLIVER TWIST - Formerly Otis

His mother Lynne says, "He is happy and well with his curly grown-out hair.

Many thanks forever to you for saving his life and bringing him to us.

He was afraid to get his haircut for the longest time, but we finally found a groomer that he isn't afraid of.

He has the sweetest face and is a blessing to live with.

He is a true joy as he continues to dance in ecstasy on his back legs."

RILEY - Formerly Muppet

 
The picture on the picture on the left is what Riley looks like now.

The picture on the bottom is what Riley looked like 4 years ago after he got a haircut.

In the shelter, he had so many matts that his long hair was all stuck together.

His mother Mary says," He has come a long way.

Riley is the 'Master Fetch Champ' at day care.

He would play fetch 24/7 if he could."

CHIP

The picture on the right is what Chip looked like in the shelter 4 years ago.

The picture on the left is what he looks like now.

His mother Linelle says, "Chip is still doing very well in our home 4 years later.

He's learned quite a number of tricks such as: sit, lay down, touch, bark and he's even learned how to scratch our backs!

We are impressed by how intelligent this little guy is. Despite all of the tricks, we often find ourselves just watching and enjoying all of the 'Chip' behaviors such as working so hard to paw the one little piece of kibble out from behind his bowl.  He does this despite having a bowlful of food right in front of him.

He never fails to make us all smile and laugh everyday.

Thank you for being able to look past the unruly ball of hair at the shelter and seeing the little heart of gold inside. He is really one amazing pup."

DANIELA - Formerly April

Her mother Cherrie says, "Thank you so much for introducing us.

A year ago, I lost my nephew Brandon to brain cancer. On top of that, I was still grieving over the lost of my mom.

Then I met Daniela at your adoption event.

Since that day, she has brought much love and joy into my saddened eyes.

We met a wonderful man. They are both in love.

The three of us participated in a 5k walk. Normally, she walks 1.5k. Then we jog or stroll with her downhill.

She has a beautiful sport trike jogger. She can have her sun dome opened or closed. She also has a matching umbrella.

We all have such a wonderful time every day."

REST IN PEACE OUR BEAUTIFUL SHANE - Formerly Big Banjo

His mother Margaret says, "I couldn't resist sending you another picture of Mr. Perfect.

You told us many years ago how you rushed up to the South Central L.A. shelter to rescue him right before his time was up.

How could anyone resist the beautiful smile of this attractive Chow Chow and Brittany spaniel?

I'm glad that you couldn't!

My husband promised Shane 'no bad days.'  He certainly has given us much joy.

Whenever I get home from work, he shows how happy he is to see me by grabbing a toy and prancing around the backyard."

DAISY - Formerly Birdie

Her mother Lisa says, "Daisy was a shy little gal and very afraid of people and other dogs.

Over time, she has built some confidence to be willing to meet people and smaller dogs.

She is a very sweet dog who is so happy whenever she see us - it brings such joy seeing her tail wag so fiercely when she greets us.   We take her everywhere with us. 

I can't imagine why anyone would have thought of giving up this beauty!

Thanks for giving all the dogs you rescued a second chance in life."