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Volunteer News!
Want to
get the recent news from CARA? Check out the
Happy Tails
We love to hear from you!
Over 700 of our beloved Charges have left to their forever homes. While we are very happy for them, we miss them too. They have played an important role in CARA's history and each and every one of them has touched our lives in one way or another. They are what keeps us fighting, for their unconditional love, courage, strength and so many other great character trades have inspired us to no end.
If you are one of those wonderful people whose life is now enriched by one of our beloved Charges, we would love to hear from you and them. May it be to share experiences and lessons learned; or just to let our awesome volunteers know how their former Charges are doing.
If you have stories and maybe even pictures to share, please email our Historian Jean at cara_adoptions_follow_up@cara-nc.org
And with your permission, we will enjoy posting them on this website for all of our volunteers and those interested to read.
This page is updated as often as we receive news from our beloved Charges and you may find new stories towards the bottom of the page.
01/01/2008
Linus
Linus is doing great. He is getting HUGE and is an absolute sweet heart.
All is well with him and our family. Thank you once again!
01/04/2008
Sawyer
I'm glad you remember Sawyer. Here are a few recent photos. As you can see, he is a big boy - he's huge compared to our other cats! He is best buddies with our daughter. She just loves him so much and he is always very gentle with her (not always the case with us, though :) so we still watch them closely, of course).
01/09/2008
Zeb aka Miles
Say hello to the newest addition to our family — Miles.
My wife Jennifer and I adopted Miles Tuesday from Carolina Animal Rescue and Adoption, Inc. in Sanford. He’s a 3-month-old Bernese/Lab mix, with more Bernese than Lab as far as we can tell. He’s already bigger than our 6-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, Honey.
So far, they get along OK, with the occasional nip from Honey when Miles gets too close to her food. They like to tug-of-war and wrestle. So far, so good.
I’m sure I’ll post more pictures of my dogs in the near future.
As posted by Miles' happy father at Big Miles
Update: 26-Jan-08
I made a brief mention in a previous column that my wife and I just adopted a nearly 3-month-old puppy from Carolina Animal Rescue and Adoption, Inc.
Well, now, I’m going to introduce you to Miles, a.k.a “Bigs,” a.k.a. “Hell Puppy.”
A disclaimer: We love Miles.
From the moment we looked into those impossibly cute puppy eyes just three weeks ago, we fell in love, and the feeling’s only grown in those three weeks.
That said, Miles is a handful, to put it politely. It’s been said that young couples considering having children should get a dog first, because it’s good “practice.”
I agree with that, especially if your child winds up eating you out of house and home, chewing on every imaginable piece of cloth you own and triples in size in his or her first three weeks at home. Then yes, a puppy is good practice.
Miles is a white and black Bernese/Labrador Retriever. When we brought him home, he was smaller than our 12-pound Jack Russell Terrier. Today, he’s nearly a head taller and has grown nearly twice as long.
Three weeks.
We predict within the year, he will eventually be about 120 pounds (I didn’t reach this weight until high school).
We’ve bought more toys for this dog than I had growing up, yet when he gets “bored” with a toy, he attacks our dirty clothes hamper. When we get him away from that, he gets the bottom of the couch. Then it’s on to our pillows, his bed, the metal legs of a chair (yes, he chews on metal), rugs … you name it, he’s put his teeth into it.
I had my hand dangling off the bed one night (he sleeps next to our bed), and I woke up to him gnawing on my thumb.
Had it not been for the sweet pain, I’d have a difficult time hitting the space bar right now.
And before everybody gets all “dog whisperer” on me, we’ve tried it all. Rotating toys so he doesn’t get bored, spraying “bitter apple” at the bottom of furniture, trying “submit” techniques when we catch him … but when it comes down to it, he’s a puppy, and he’s going to chew.
And since he’s growing, and not quite used to big legs, he’s clumsy. When playing with our other dog in the back yard, Miles doesn’t know the concept of brakes. When he runs to you, he doesn’t stop before greeting you … it’s more like a bowling ball hitting pins.
And we think the Jack Russell, who we thought for sure would be the “alpha dog,” is scared to death of Miles. My wife had a vision this week of Miles bursting through the baby gates (yes, we use two) we have set up at home and tearing up our living room, all while our littler dog sits in the corner trembling.
It was an extremely funny thought, especially if you picture Miles bucking up and down like a wild bronco (which he does when he’s particularly spastic). I added to the vision by picturing a small Army helmet on Miles … I can’t figure out why I did that.
But the humor went away within 10 seconds when I realized it all could very well happen (sans the Army helmet).
Wouldn’t you know it, when we got home that day, Miles had “blown up” one baby gate, but the second one was in tact. Score one for us.
Now, I’m not trying to discourage people considering adopting a dog or cat from doing so (nor is this an anti-kid column). In fact, it’s good to know these things, because all too often, people adopt or buy a pet and put it straight into the shelter when the dog becomes too much to handle.
For all of his faults — I never mentioned he snores, likes to relieve himself on one particular rug and can clear a room with one mighty, uhm, wind — Miles is an amazing dog.
Believe it or not, my wife has taught him sit, down and stay. About 95 percent of the time, he tells us he needs to go outside (I’d be more impressed if he actually spoke English to do so), and when he’s finally settled down, he’s warm, he’s soft and he has a completely unique personality.
I’m sure when he reaches adulthood, we’ll look back at Miles’ terror stage and laugh, laugh, laugh.
That day couldn’t come soon enough.
Dear CARA Care Staff,
Thank you for the follow-up mail.
Banjo has been fine and he is getting so friendly all of us.
He is so cute!!!
We took him to see Dr. Ashford at Apex threee days ago for check up.
Banjo took one vaccination and he does not have ear mites anymore and any infectons.
We are so happy to have Banjo.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
I attach Banjo's pictures, so I hope you all enjoy it.
Update:
Hello! Cara care Staff,
Thank you for the e-mail! Banjo has been fine and he is our preciaous family member now. He likes watching golf channel with my husband. Also, playing with small ball inside house.
Here are some latest his pictures, I hope all of you enjoy it.
01/11/2008
Alex
Alex is doing fabulous! He has fit right in with our family and our children love him. Sometimes I wonder if he thinks he is a child. Alex still is all puppy but with long legs. His health is great. He is growing like a weed and is up to date on all of his vet appointments. Thank you again to your organization and especially to the Dalys for rescuing Alex and giving him a chance. It is great to have him in our family.
01/12/2008
Boone
Hi there!
Boone is adjusting pretty well. He gets along well with my other dog and does well with my cat although he does like to chase him from time to time! He also does well in his crate. He still has a few accidents in the house here and there but he is mostly housebroken.
We took him to the dog park for the first time the other day and he was in love!! (I am sure you know he loved playing there also) There was a Springer Spaniel there faster than him so he would chase and chase and bark until he could get him!
He has improved tremendously considering the first day he jumped at the table to try and get my bagel and spilled my orange juice everywhere! We tell him to sit and stay right outside of the kitchen and he does much better being around human food now!
He only jumps when he is SUPER excited like getting out of his crate when we have been at work.
In the backyard he likes to dig which we are trying to get him not to do! He loves sticks as you know and pretty much any toy and especially bones!
He does walk pretty well on a leash. He recently started to lunge at cars when they go by! So we are definitely trying to help him with that. I am sure he hasn't had much exposure to cars in his life. He does better with getting him in the car now!
Overall Boone is a great dog!! He needs to learn some manners but he is very friendly and outgoing. He has learned alot here and we are happy to have him!
Here are some pictures we have of him and my other pets!
Update:
Boone continues to do very well at home.? He is no longer in a crate while we are at work and does well at home with our other dog and cat.? Boone tolerates Damion (our cat)? jumping on him and hanging from his ears!? We introduced him to water which he isn't too sure of yet.? He loves taking long hikes at Raven Rock and loves running a mile with his dad after work.? He still pulls on a leash which we are still working with him.? I am considering to eventually make him a therapy dog since he loves people so much.? He just needs to learn some more manners first.
We are very pleased with Boone and are happy to have him as part of our family!
01/13/2008
Tiddly Winks aka Gracie
I had a good first night in my new home. I am waiting for my new cat
companion Harley to accept me in my home. I am eating and using the
litter box. My new family say I am so lovable and easy to handle so
far. I will keep you posted and will send pictures soon. Thank you
for keeping me so safe at CARA until the Willis family came to take
me home.
Hello all....
Thank you for such a great cat.
Update: 16-Jan-08
Hello,
We sent an e-mail the other day to let you know how happy we are and to let you know Tiddly Winks now known as Gracie is doing great. What a wonderful cat we now have in our family! Thank you for keeping her in such a great place. Our other cat Harley was a little put out on Sat. and Sunday but now the two of them are having a ball. Gracie is eating, playing, and yes, they are using the same litter box and eating in the same area. Gracie seems to talk to Harley and then he chases her. It is so funny! Also, it seems to have given Harley who is almost 2 some of his kitten-like behaviors back. In a week or two we will take her to our vet and let their staff meet her. My sons loved your place in Sanford and enjoyed visiting. They would love to volunteer sometime. Do you allow them with their parents to volunteer? We will send pictures along the way and keep you posted on how she is doing.
Thank you again
Update 13-Apr-08:
Hello,
It was nice hearing from you. Gracie is doing well and she and the family have bonded well. She is so sweet and loving. She wants to be by one of our sides at all times. She and our other cat Harley are like brother and sister. They are fun to watch. She loves to play and eat! She loves to hear the pantry door open. Her other favorite things are to sit at the sink and watch the water go down the drain, watch the mouse and the cursor move on the computer, and sit at our laundry room window and look out. She is a great cat and we love her.
Thanks so much for catching up!
01/15/2008
Barney aka Angus
Just wanted to let you know that Barney made the trip to Virginia, safe and sound! He went from seat to seat between 4 little boys all the way, wagging his tail non-stop!
We changed his name to"Angus" and we all love him. Including our dog, Sushi, who is a new man now that he has a puppy to play with! Thank you so much!
We are attaching some pictures.....
Update 23-Apr-08: Angus( formerly known as " Barney'), is doing GREAT...doesn't seem like he has any burnese mtn dog in him- more like a bird dog mix,but we still love him!
he's in the photo on the left...thanks!
Jane, Marty, Max, Ben and Eli
01/17/2008
Hope aka Oliver
HI!!! "Hope" a.k.a "Oliver" ... is doing wonderful! We kind of got off to a rough start, due to his seizure on the second day, but ... things could not be better! He is healthy and soooooo very happy!!! I will try to send some pics of him in his new home... he's a very happy cat!
Thanks for giving us a new baby to love!!!
01/21/2008
Heritage
Tiger (Heritage) had his first agility class this week !
He's 34 pounds, and he is FAST !!!
01/28/2008
Tamora aka Tori
Hi,
Tamora (Tori) is doing great. She adjusted well and she and our two year old cat have a great time together. The only problem we are having with her is she eats the tails, ears, etc. off all her toys, we have to be careful to cut all those off of all the toys, we don't want her getting sick!
Otherwise, we have a completely adorable, lovable kitty.
Leah
01/28/2008
Putter
Putter is doing wonderful. We are thinking about getting him a companion, as we recently had to put our dog to sleep (He had severe arthritis and neurological damage to his spine - which resulted in constant accidents in the house and an inability for him to get up on his own.). We would like to get a younger kitten (3 months) as a companion and would appreciate if you could let us know when you have some kittens available.
Thanks and best regards
Cathy
02/04/2008
Violet aka Daizy Paizley
Hi everyone~
I wanted to share some pictures of Daizy Paizley Murphy (formerly known
as Violet).
She is a sweet heart! Her first day home was very much a change for her, but by the 2nd day she was a different pup. We are working on crate training and commands such as sit, come, outside potty and inside. She is a very smart pup and already knows her name. She only needed me to carry her out to potty a couple of times the first day~ now she walks
outside and inside on her own. She loves to play but gets very tired..and
takes lots of puppy naps. She wakes us up 2 times per night so far which
is not too bad. She gets along well with children, other people, dogs and
cats! We had our first trip to the park yesterday and she did very well.
Big hills pooped her out, but she loved it! She likes cat toys too!!
After 2 days of being puppy parents we are tired and sleep deprived, but
it is worth it.
We will keep you posted on her and how she is doing.
Thank you so much for letting us adopt her. You all are a true blessing
to these animals!
Mama and Papa Murphy
Update:
Thanks for checking in on us. She is getting huge..25 pounds + at 3 months..she loves her puppy chow! We have had some health issues but are dealing with them. She has dermedectic mites and they have caused her some real problems. We are treating her with topical cream and an oral medicine and will be doing so for the next several months. Not sure if any of the other puppies have this but it came from their mom. All dogs and people have these mites, but sometimes when they are young and immune system is low, they turn on them. And she just got over 2 eye infections. She hates her cone, but we need her face to heal before we can take it off.
On the bright side, we love her soooo much! She is my best friend in the whole world.
She is funny and sweet and a little Crazy...we call her Crazy Daizy:) Thanks and have a great day!
Hi
We made it through the first 24 hours just fine. They, now called Eliot and Olivia, both seem to have adjusted quite well. They are full of energy, especially Eliot. And boy are they spoiled! Eliot loves this dangly teaser toy that hangs from one of my doors. He even cries to me when he gets it stuck up top and can't get it down! Olivia would love to play with it, but anytime she starts to, Eliot pretty much takes over. They were really excited to see and greet me today when I came home from work- it was so cute.
Anyway, here are a couple of the first pictures. I will hopefully have some better ones to print out and take to CARA this weekend.
Thanks for everything,
Erin
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by how well its animals are treated.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Update: 27-Feb-08:
"Snickers" and "Moonpie" (now Eliot and Olivia, respectively) are doing really well! They enjoy cuddling with me, but the are also very rambunctious. They also really love each other, as they are inseparable.
02/12/2008
Alfalfa
Hey Folks !
Just wanted to let you know that Alfalfa is doing great ! He has
already become a wonderful addition to our family ! We'll send
some pictures later. I do have one question. Can you find out if
the previous family had a different name besides Alfalfa. He
doesn't seem to respond much to that name and if there's a name he
knows, we'd like to keep that. Could be selective hearing
depending what else is going on in the house ! He has really
become attached to my wife and follows her where she goes !
Thanks, John
Update:
Hi,
I don't know how to download a picture, but he is currently sleeping on the couch on his back with his legs in the air. He seems very happy here. Our neighbor has a dog and they have playdates where they can run in the yard together. He loves to beside someone at all times. He likes his toys. He loves walks. However, he always wants to be the leader. He is very strong. I think he must have some hound in him because the smells drive him wild. He is excellent with my 3 yr old granddaughter.
She calls him Pups. He was on the bad list for awhile because he chewed a wooden windowsill to shreds. He does like to chew, so we have to keep him occupied and put everything away. And does he like to dig. I won't have to use the tiller this year. But all in all, he has become a beloved part of the family. He is rarely alone and seems to be smiling all of the time. I will have my kids upload or download some pictures for you. Thanks for working with us.
02/21/2008
Tyler aka Chattham
Thanks for checking in. Chattham (now Tyler) is doing great. He actually just "graduated" from his first obiedience training course at the Durham Kennel Club and we're looking into additional classes (the instructor indicated we could move him to the intermediate level).
He's still a little tenative around new people but he warms up to them as soon as he sees that we are ok with those people.
He's also grown quite a bit, he's up to about 40 lbs. now.
02/21/2008
Sam
Thanks for your email. Sam is doing fine and seems to have adjusted to his new home well. I think that we are good for each other. I have been in touch with his foster mother and we plan to see her before too long.
02/21/2008
Molly
Molly is fine, blending in with the other 3 dogs. She's a sweetie.
Many Thanks
Update 23-Apr-08:
We are doing fine, she is coming around, and we are adjusting! She's a sweet baby.
02/21/2008
Sarah & Sam (aka Adam)
I've been meaning to send pictures but I'm waiting on my hubby to download them! I guess I'll have to figure out how to do it.
Sarah and Sam (Adam) are growing and learning a lot right now. Sarah is
17 lbs. and Sam is 24 lbs. as of last week. They've had their booster shots and rabies shot last week.
We take them to class on Saturday's at 1pm to Petsmart in Burlington.
We've had two classes so far. I feel sorry for Sarah mostly because there are so many distractions (smells, people, other dogs, etc.) that I feel like she gets overwhelmed (I know I do!). Sam does good just checking out everything. His personality is cuddly and studying things.
Sarah is a typical girl (she just wants to have fun). On one hand Sarah jumps into anything without thinking and then on the other hand she stays close to me when she's unsure of something. They both have a
(home) crate and a pen in the garage. They love their 'homes' because it usually means treats.
The first time Sarah caught the Frisbee it was straight up in front of her face and she was running like a drunken sailor and ran into a tree.
So funny! Sam is not too much into catching things but I think he'll do good on an obstacle course. I've starting walking/running with Sarah on my left side and Sam on my right side.
Potty training is going very good. Sam still has a little problem when he gets excited. Sarah is good coming or 'watch me' but hasn't gotten the hang of sit. Sam does good on the sit and watch me.
Our older dog Duke is getting use to them and is starting to play with them. Sarah just loves Duke! She can lick him all over the face and put her face into his mouth and I think he's enjoying the attention. Sam was a little leery of Duke but is to the point of jumping around him like a rabbit. That's a funny sight.
I could go on and on about our babies but as soon as I figure out the camera thing I'll send you some pictures.
It was kind of overwhelming a first having 'two' puppies but they are good for us and for Duke...keeps us active for sure!
Oh yeah, one more thing before I go...they love the water! We have a small stream behind the house and they love jumping around in it. We're going to get a kiddy pool this summer for them.
Sorry for the dissertation!
Please pass this along to all the folks at CARA who had a part in our adoption. You guys are great and I tell everyone about you.
Sincerely,
Pam
Update 14-Apr-08:
Hello!
Sarah is doing very well. We had her spayed 4/1 and Sam (Adam) goes in tomorrow 4/15 to be neutered. Sarah is ~40 lbs and Sam is ~50 lbs. I can't believe they came from the same litter as they are so different.
They graduated from their training classes on 4/5 so now they can sit, down, stay, crawl, shake, drop it, leave it, watch me, lets go, and come (when there's nothing better than a dog biscuit). We were thinking of bringing them down for a visit with you guys the end of May. Do you think that would be alright? I still can't get the picture-download thing to work right.
Overall, Sarah and Sam are doing really good. They definitely are into having a good time all the time. Sarah's little operation hasn't slowed her down at all. We'll see how Sam does. Stay in touch.
Pam
02/21/2008
Buddah
Everything is great - you would think Buddha and Pumpkin were brothers.
It's crazy!
02/21/2008
Cooper aka Tucker
Cooper (Tucker) is doing well. He's such a sweet fellow - unfortunately he is still very shy, is terrified of everyone but me (including my daughter who lives here), and has not stopped the submissive urination - so we find it very difficult to train him on many things.
He has mastered SIT, COOPERS BED (crate time when I go out or to bed), PAW and about a 2 weeks ago his tail is finally up - its been pretty much down since I got him.
Great on a leash for walks, but the tail is down the entire time, so I'm not sure if he's really enjoying them.
Plus if anyone walks by he cowers
He adores my other two dogs and they him, so animal-wise it was a great match. I have a huge fenced yard and he loves to run around and play - very happy outside and every now and then will retrieve a ball or toy - not sure who's training who on that - he looks at me sometime with that 'you better go get it stare'.
I have someone from Carolina Canine Solutions coming on Friday to aid with the shyness and wetting - as they seem so hand in hand. She talked with us on the phone for a long time so I look forward to see what assistance she can offer.
We do love him so we hope it all works out.
02/21/2008
Sky & Silver
Hi Jean,thank you for your email.Skye ans Silver are both doing great.Thank you all for all your help,especially Annette,who has been following up with me and talking me through some of the issues we had with Silver.We enjoy both kittens very much and are blessed to have found them both.Have a wonderful day,Tijana.
Update 24-Apr-08:
Hello and thank you for the email.Yes,both Skye and Silver are doing great.Have a wonderful day,Tijana.
02/24/2008
Mac aka Stubby
He is good. We changed his name to Mac. He is very comfortable and knows exactly who I am. We are having problems with getting him house broken. I think he has some kind of seperation anexity problem. He poops in his cage the second I leave the house. I am constantly cleaning his cage. Other than that things are great.
He has adapted quite well and gotten very big. He has a playmate that lives next door. He burns off energy with a lab that is the same age as he is. I will send you some pictures within the next week.
02/25/2008
Madie aka Savannah
Savanah (Madie) is doing great! Her and Oscar are getting along fine.
They play all the time. I've included a few pictures of her for you to see.
02/27/2008
Buttons
Buttons is great. She has really begun to feel at ease, and her trust
in us has increased exponentially.
03/02/2008
Sadie aka Darla U'Rascal
Hello to everyone at Cara!!! We are the lucky parents of Sadie (formerly Darla of the Little Rascals)!! We adopted her last year on January 7th!!
What a wonderful year it has been!!! We thought we would update you on the progress of our little one!! She LOVES her big brother, Murphy (also adopted). They play together constantly!! I don't know how he puts up with her sometimes. She chews on everything from his feet, to his tail, to his neck. He just stands there and lets her chew away!! They constantly play tug-o-war!! He always lets her win...I guess that's what big brothers do!! She also loves to be outside.....we have a good size backyard where they can run and play. We also have an electric fence to keep them safe. So does our neighbor, so sometime the dogs just sit on the "invisible" fence line and just stare at each other....funny!!! When we adopted her, she weighed about 19 lbs, she weighs about 30 lbs now.
She was thought to be a boxer/lab mix (all of her brothers look like boxers), we think she has some terrier in her, as she can jump about 5 feet off the ground straight up!!! It is amazing to see!! She can also run so fast!!!! She loves to roll over and over and over!! She is always a happy pup!! She is also quite the little snuggle bug. Keith swore a "dog" would never sleep in "his bed". Ha ha ha. The funny thing about saying never...she sleeps in between us every night. In fact, he will not go to bed unless she is snuggled up beside him. I guess she's not considered a "dog". :- ) We sent some pictures of her "firsts"......her first trip to Petsmart, her first bath, her first time eating peanut butter!! Sorry to go on....but she is our little angel!! We just love her so much and wanted to take the time to say thank you for all the hard work that you all do at Cara!! Without you, we would not have the joy and excitement of coming home every night to our little Sadie, that loves us no matter what our day was like and loves us unconditionally!! We just want you to know how much we appreciate all that you do for the "Darla's"
of the world...... In appreciation, Crystal and Keith and Sadie.
03/02/2008
Jaccob
Day 1 and 2 went very well. He is very polite, did all his business where I wanted him to outside, slept well without crying, etc (Josh slept beside his crate on a mattress as I am not ready to have him in a bedroom on his doggie bed until I see how he is with housetraining. ) We went for about 3 short walks yesterday and again today. Today he spent about 4 hours outside with me - I was gardening and he was on a 30 ft lead rope - happy to roll in the grass, chew sticks and sleep in the sun. He is quite skittish with everything new - sounds, people, etc. He has a little trouble with the 3 big men in the house - runs to hide first or comes and stands behind me. I told them to just ignore him for now, plant themselves on the carpet and let him come to them on his terms. He had a fit when I started the coffee grinder (but my guys hate the loud noise too :) He ran into his crate - which was a good thing. When he decides something is too scary for him, well then he is done. Thanks for everything - have a good week.
Update:
Things are going quite well with Jacob. He's done very well in the house, walking on a leash and with kennelling for night. He was quick to learn boundaries and manners in the house and enjoys being around us all day. He has a sweet personality and wants to please people. He's quite laid back but enjoys running with my oldest son on his bike and playing outside.
Currently someone is home basically all day so he hasn't been alone much.
We did have to leave him for 9 hours one day as we went to Charlotte for
immigration stuff and were pleased to see he did well in his kennel (he has an Xlarge one which is big for him - we turned on the TV to Animal Planet and pointed the kennel in that direction :)) not sure if he enjoyed it or not! He has been a good addition to our family and we are enjoying having a pet once again, after many years.
On the down side - he is VERY skittish at times - still quite afraid of my younger son (who he doesn;t see much) and not crazy about my husband. It's like he wants to engage and be okay with things but his first instinct is to pull away, find a corner to hide in when they come etc. He has the fear and flight instinct down very well. Noises, movements, etc will send him fleeing or cowering. So we will work on his self esteem and believe it will get better over time. But it seems to be a man thing for him - he will approach kids and women but jump away from new men and won't let Jeff or Brendan approach him - he has to be the one to approach them (BTW: my guys are quite quiet, laid back men who never have issues with other animals - so I am pretty sure it is Jacob who needs to relax and get used to them).
I'll bug Josh to send you some pictures as he has some on his computer (Jacob stays in Josh;s room and Josh is the one who does the most stuff with him - he follows Josh around like a sheep :)
Right now we just went for a 2 mile walk and he is splayed out beside my computer desk - snoring! Have a good day - thanks again for the work you do.
03/03/2008
Douglass
Hi, just wanted to let everyone know that Douglas is settling in nicely.
Seems his safe place is our bed...hahahahaha...wants nothing to do with the crate, so the Fat Cat Weekes (28 pounds) has claimed it for his own.
Weekes adores Douglas and is frankly a little upset that Douglas is not allowing him to shower him with more attention. But it's getting there. The other two cats are keeping their distance and a little more "annoyed" by the change, but no one has packed a hanky and are all eating well, so I've told them to get over it quickly.
He has had no accidents in the house. Slept soundly between my husband and I, and this morning when I patted to come closer he did easily. I told him I'm tired of seeing his behind. I'm working away on my laptop and he is nestled next to me (on the couch). He's already warmed up to the family and loves to wash my son's arms and give big wet smells to Krista, the 5 year old. She has served him make-believe hot cocoa from her tea set twice tonight. My husband spent the day with him (he works from home) and finally got him to come downstairs and hang out with him. He walks well on his leash, and still timid when he sees other dogs. If they bark he becomes a mess, but he's getting there and already met the neighbor dog through the fence, and they have hit it off.
But really he is great! We love him and everyone is just being wonderful with him and taking turns with him so he can be comfortable with all of us. He's eating well and we are a great fit! But a 28 pound cat and Douglas who likes to spread long....we'll be needing a bigger bed!!!
We'll send some pics soon.
Take care and thanks.
Update:
Hi, he's doing great!!! He's a sweet, sweet dog and making excellent progress. His "safe" places are our bed and the couch in our family room. But he now comes down or out of the room on his own. He's still skiddish and will rush off at a sound that startles him, but he comes right back. He played like mad last night with my daughter's little dog who is just over a year old and has way too much energy. But he and Douglas went at it for a couple of hours and were both exhausted later.
He eats very well and his potty is always outside. It's adorable at night as he comes into our daughter's room while he do our good night ritual and gets on her bed and gives her lots of smells and licks to her face. He has his routine in the morning, follows me downstairs to be fed, and the cats get fed then he and i go for his walk while it's still dark since I have to leave by 7am. He is definitely more at ease in the morning since there are only a couple of others walking dogs but he's friendly with the other dogs we run into. We love that he sleeps between her at night and comes up for all the petting we both give him. We are really enjoying him and as he becomes less skiddish we can even teach him some thing like sit and stay and lay.
He is very smart. When I tell him no, he listens. He'll be going to vet next week just for an intro and f/u and so I can get an idea of his weight since he eats very well and loves a snack! He's chewed through many toys but that's okay, let him chew through as many as he wants until this phase passes. He has done no damage at all to any furniture or anything. Thanks for checking and thanks for blessing us with him. He's wonderful, and we know that the day will come where he'll see he's really safe and staying for many many years and hopefully come to trust us completely :-) We'll send some pics soon!
Update: Douglas is doing GREAT!!!! He is a wonderful dog and we all just love him so much. He is still timid, but making real good progress. His "safe" zone is our bed and our couch in our family room. He loves his early morning walks (6am) because it's still quiet and not too many people out. He now comes downstairs on his own in the mornings to eat and hang until we leave for his walk. Loves to sleep right between me and my husband and just stretch out...hahahahaha...gives lots of lick kisses. My oldest daughter brings her small dog Rocky (about a year old) and they just play and go at it for hours!!! He has not had any accidents in the house. He gets tons of attention, and chews through all his toys but hasn't touched anything else. He listens pretty well and is definitely a smart dog. The timidness is getting better but it doesn't take much to send him back to his safe zone if a sound or something startles him. But we give him lots and lots of reassurance that it's okay. We have no doubt that he will be perfectly fine. Time and patience :-) I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Douglas. He is gaining weight and loves his snacks. We heard him really bark for the first time just a couple of days ago!
Thanks for allowing us to adopt Douglas, he fits in perfectly with this crazy bunch! We will send more pics soon.
03/03/2008
Sadie aka Patience
I spoke with Patience's (now Sadie) mom last night. They are so happy to have her. They think she is the best dog ever and never plan to give her back. She said she's never had an accident in the house, is sleeping in everyone's beds, and even plays fetch!
Abbey
Update 13-Apr-08
Sadie (aka Patience) is doing great! She is the best dog and has adjusted well to her new home. She came totally house broken so what's not to love!!! She has never even had an accident! We do spoil her alot by letting her sleep on our couch and beds - but that's okay. She loves are fenced in back yard with lots of trees and squirrels! She just loves to chase the squirrels too. I will forward a picture of her when I have more time.
I'm sorry but we will never give her back to you! She is happy, loved and forever a part of our family!
03/09/2008
Rosy
I thought I'd share a few pictures I took or Rosie this morning. As you can see, she rules! Thanks so much for allowing me to adopt her - she is such a wonderful, sweet girl and we enjoy our walks and time on my patio. Her obedience training starts next Wednesday and I am sure she will have me trained in no time.
Update 16-Apr:
I just wanted to let you know Rosie graduated from Beginning Obedience Class today! We start intermediate training in a couple weeks and are working towards getting her qualified as a therapy dog! She continues to be her sweet, loving self only more so!
Thanks again for your gift of Rosie!
03/12/2008
Maya
She's doing great. We have her enroled in training classes at petsmart and she's taking to them very well. She's starting to loose her first coat. It's not too bad just a lot of brushing. Hope everything is going well with you. Let me know if you get any more full blooded akitas.
03/12/2008
Lewis
Lewis is doing just great! He's put on a few pounds and just loves hanging out with the dogs. They look so cute sleeping together on the bed. I can't believe how well they've all adjusted to each other!
He's definitely part of the "pack"! He really is one of the most sweetest cats I've ever had and I just really, really love him!
Thank you for letting me adopt him!
03/13/2008
Zoey aka Peppermint Paddy
Here are some pics that we took this past weekend. You'll be happy to know that Chester is starting to play with her more with less growling and snapping (unless she gives him too many kisses or steps on him).
Quick question: did someone give her socks as a chew toy? The reason I ask is that she takes our socks, totes them around, and if we don't get to them in time, she nibbles a little hole in the toes. We always replace the unacceptable chew object with a toy that she can chew up to her heart's content. She's getting better with Ethan and the cat. The cat is so funny to watch with her. ZOey wants to play and runs circles around Cali. Then gets into the "let's play" pose with her butt in the air and wagging her tail. Then barks once, and runs in a circle again. In the meantime, the cat hisses and swats her paw at Zoey. (She's declawed, so no injuries
sustained.) LOL It's just comical to watch.
Well, just thought you'd like an update and some pics.
03/17/2008
Zoey aka Minnie
Just wanted to let you know Zoey has an appt at the Vets 3/24 to get her physical. She is quite the energetic little one and appears to be settling into her home quite well. Zeus and her love playing with each other but Zoey has much more stamina to keep going. Yesterday Zeus looked at me with pitiful eyes and jumped up in the chair behind me to hide from her!!! Think he had enough of her at that point. It was hilarious. With a short rest he was back down there romping around on the floor again. Thomas has been taking some great pictures of them so will send soon. Have a Great Monday Erica
Update 14-Apr-08:
Hello
Zoey is doing great!! She is quite full of energy but she is a very quick learner and doing well with walking on a leash, house training and learning not to jump up on guests in the house. I attached a few pictures of her and Zeus. They have become companions and she imitates everything he does so it helps with her training. She loves the beach but is a little apprehensive of the water. Zeus isnt a big fan of it either so they just run all over the beach together. Have a great day
Erica
03/27/2008
Tidbit
Tidbit and Max are doing just fine. They've taken to each other very well and are inseparable. My wife and I couldn't be happier with them.
Thanks.
03/27/2008
Faith
Hey Jean,Faith is doing great!!!!She has adjusted wonderful with my other cat,Runt. They are 2 of a kind togather.I have pictures,i just need to get them off my memory card & bring some to you. Hope to be able to help again.
03/27/2008
Pistachio
First we want to say thank you for allowing us to adopt him. He has instantly become a part of our family and he fits right in here. Whoever does the profile descriptions was dead on with his! He is very much a lion who loves attention.
03/31/2008
Chloe aka Miss Chloe
Just wanted to let you guys know what was going on with Miss Chloe.
She is growing so fast and is such a Love! I couldn't ask much more of
a pup - She's pretty much house trained and everyone she meets (myself most of all) is totally in love with her!
Thank you guys so much!
04/11/2008
Laney
Laney is doing just fine. I love her so much.She is a joy to have. I Spoil her. She is avery smart little dog.
I am thankful to have her.
Thanks Again,
Essie Clark
04/13/2008
Cara aka Coretta
Cara, formerly Coretta, is doing well. She did have a reaction to the internal sutures from her spaying. She is currently on medication for it and the incision site looks much better. She is a very sweet dog and it's hard to believe that someone gave her up. We are really enjoying her. She loves our cat and our cat is learning to like her.
Thanks for the follow up,
Lori
04/13/2008
Zagnut
We are ok.
Thank you for asking.
Zagnut is quite fine. She plays with my daughter and wakes everyone in the morning.
It seemed to me she even gained some weight.
I think she likes to be with us.
Have a great day, Oleg.
04/13/2008
Biscuit aka Manny
Hello Jean,
Thank you for touching base on "Manny," now Biscuit. He is doing well but there has been a lot of change in his life with us. We went on vacation for a week, and he adjusted to our wonderful pet sitter. Now, he's trying to adjust back to us. He probably felt overwhelmed and got diarrhea, and left presents all over the house. I took him to the vet and they couldn't find any usual cause for his diarrhea, and recommended confinement and a high fiber diet for 2-5 days. We are following that currently, and hope to see improvement. Biscuit has not really had regular stools (comparing to our other cat) since we got him. I know he had a touch of diarrhea earlier in the shelter, but did he have a huge problem with his stools?
The vet thinks it could be anxiety or that he ate a toxic plant. We're trying to rule those out with his confinement.
I'll look forward to hearing from you.
And please convey my thanks to Annette for leaving the tip for Brewer's yeast. I couldn't return her message because we were leaving for vacation and had a few hectic hours remaining.
Thank you,
Shibani
04/13/2008
Lilly
Thanks for getting in touch with me.
Lilly is doing well. She has had a calm weekend this weekend. She was spayed on Friday. I will be sending you the paperwork. Today, she seems to be feeling better. Potty training is going well. She hasn't piddled too much in the house. (Gave her a break on Friday night, the surgery messed her up a little) I think she likes us. She is very happy, and very very playful, and much adored by my kids. She loves her walks, (or runs with my son), she loves her crate, "Lilly's pad", and she loves chewing anything that makes lots of noise. Forget furniture, give her cardboard. We took an old plastic bottle with a lid, put holes in it, and put treats in it to make noise, do you know she figured out how to open the bottle and get her treats out!!! SMART!!!
We are really enjoying her!!! She is definately part of the family now, you can't have her back!!
04/15/2008
Scooter
Hello! Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your email...we have been in and out so much lately! Scooter is doing really well,...adjusting nicely to his new home. We love having him and are so happy we were able to adopt him. I have attached a couple of pictures of him that we have taken. Thank you for contacting us!
04/15/2008
Rye aka Petunia
Our little Rye (aka Petunia) is doing very well. She's in today getting spayed and looked pitiful when I left her. She's quite the pistol. The sheet I'm supposed to send back in for the spay refund has been chewed on quite a bit by the little gal, along with my 1,000 piece Elvis puzzle, and multiple Elvis books (she has something against Elvis... I don't get it!)
Just the same, she and sister TyTy are funny little gals together & she follows TyTy's every move. While she was originally purchased for / by our daughter, she's become quite the family dog. Mornings are with Waylon, afternoons / evenings with Bailee and nights she's all Momma's (cuddling from the minute the sun goes down).
We love her and are so glad we found her. THANK YOU!!
04/25/2008
Bingo
Bingo is doing great! He is quite a character and we enjoy his antics - He is getting along with our dogs and the kids love him!
04/28/2008
Morgan aka Drew
Hi,
I adopted "Drew" back in September of 2006. He now goes by the name of "Morgan" and I just want you all to know that he is the most wonderful cat! I really think he enjoys his forever home with me and my two other kitties, Mac & Mollie.
I thought you might enjoy seeing a glimpse of a day in the life of Morgan.
See pictures attached..........
Thanks so much for the wonderful work you do!
1-Jan to 31-Dec-07
Reflections
10/18/2007
Xena
Hi there. Xena is doing WONDERFUL! She seems to be so thankful and happy to be with us. Yesterday she went and got her first grooming at Petsmart.
All the workers there just fell in love with her and told us how lucky we are to have found such a sweet, sweet dog... but we already knew that! We have become so attached to her already. She sleeps in her crate without problems at all at night, and during the day she just hangs out in the family room curled up in her spot. She hates to be in a different room than me, she's my girl! She loved her first Booda Bone... I think it was gone in a half hour. She still doesn't get the hang of the Kong though.
She is working on 'come' but has pretty much gotten the hang of sit and down. We are slowly working on stay... since she can't stand to be anywhere but under my feet, that one will take a while.
She has had a couple accidents, but we expected that. She is getting better with it, I think she just had a hard time 'going' while on the leash. We eased her into going with us on the leash by tethering her for a few minutes so she could go potty in private. Then she seemed to get the hang of it from there. Her first obedience class is Saturday, as if she needs it...since she's already the perfect dog. Lol!
The kids adore her and she fits right in like she's just always been a part of the family.
We'll send pictures soon!
Thanks for everything you have done and for helping us to add this precious dog to our family!
11/29/2007
Romeo
Hello,
Romeo is doing great! We love him :-) He is very loving and affectionate which is exactly what we were looking for. He likes sitting on the couch with us to watch TV and sleeping with us at night. He is so cute :)
I have attached a picture of him playing in a paper bag which is something he loves to do! and a few other picture as well.
Update: 23-Feb-08
Romeo is GREAT!!! We love him so much. He has started sleeping not only in our bed, but under the covers when he gets cold, it is really funny.
My stepdad also just built him a very nice scratching post that has places for him to crawl and lay in.
I have attached a few pictures from today so you can see how he is doing.
Thanks!
12/11/2007
Scarlett
Scarlett is doing great. She fit right in with the family and loves being a "farm dog". She is right in her element. And she makes us very happy. She is such a clown, she keeps us laughing.
She is going to senior puppy class on Thursdays (the reason I couldn't take care of kitties on that night) to work on her shyness. She does get used to people in time and has learned to love all the important people in her life.
Here are some pictures of Scarlett doing her daily "chores".
This is for Michelle, who never fails to help those in need and turned yet another scarred and scared flower into a beautiful and happy rose.
Thanks for all you do!
12/15/2007
Charlie Brown
Everything is great! Charlie Brown is growing so fast. He's a big boy now.
We can't wait for Santa Claus to come see him. He has his own stocking and everything. I'll send you guys some pictures. Thanks!
12/15/2007
Snoopy
Snoopy is doing great! He is getting so big and is close to 30 lbs. We are enjoying him very much and he is such a sweet dog. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to adopt him.
Have a Merry Christmas.
Beth, Blake, Jake and Snoopy
They are located at 1450 N Horner Blvd, Sanford, NC 27330, past All Animals Veterinary Hospital. Once you pass the Veterinary Hospital the animal shelter is the next drive on your right.
Update 14-Apr-08:
Hello
Zoey is doing great!! She is quite full of energy but she is a very quick learner and doing well with walking on a leash, house training and learning not to jump up on guests in the house. I attached a few pictures of her and Zeus. They have become companions and she imitates everything he does so it helps with her training. She loves the beach but is a little apprehensive of the water. Zeus isnt a big fan of it either so they just run all over the beach together. Have a great day
Erica
