Did you adopt a pet from the Animal Welfare Society? This will be the place where you can let the world know how you and your adopted pet are doing! You can write as much or as little as you like. Please email your story and a photo (if possible) to Heather at heather@howardcountypets.org if you would like your pet to be one of the first featured on our new site!

[to the top]



Misty: A Happy Cat!
Dear Animal Welfare Society of Howard County,

We adopted a young female cat from you this summer. You had called her Momma and told us that she had nursed her own kittens plus two other litters. She was really thin and had some kind of eye problem when we got her.

I've attached a photo of her so that you can see how beautiful and healthy she is now. We have named her Misty and we love her very much. She's extremely affectionate and social - she "talks" a lot!

Thank you so much for all you do for so many animals.

Sincerely,
—Doreen C. & my daughter, Allison

[to the top]



True love strikes twice: Chara & Tobias
My name is Amanda and I have only been to your facility twice in the over 3 years I have lived here. And because of these visits, I now have two dogs :)

I adopted my first dog from you in November of 2005. I only went into look at dogs and the rest is history. She was very thin and a little neurotic but I fell in love with her as soon as I saw her face. When I adopted her, her name was Tara and I soon changed her name to Chara (meaning "Joy"). Three years later she is still neurotic and I still love her face :)

Since November of 2005, I have not been back to visit you. I love what you all do, but shelters are really made for people like me. I take one look at them and my heart just melts and I have to take everyone home. Chara has been such a joy to me over the years. Since the moment she came home she has been so loyal and just follows me everywhere. I can't leave her side let alone the room without her trotting right along next to me. Two years after adopting her, against her will, I got married. For two years at that point she had been sleeping next to me in bed so I was interested how she would handle a new addition to the bed. Well, the first night Chara jumped up on the bed like normal, saw that James was there and immediatly laid between us. I thought that this was cute and that she was actually going to welcome him into the family. Sure enough, she put her back against me and in short but strong pushes with her legs she kicked him right off the bed! Don't worry though, she has learned to love him and no longer makes him move. But she does still follow me where ever I go and I wouldn't have it any other way.

September 2008 and my husband and I found ourselves pulling into the AWS parking lot on Saturday (the 20th) just to look and offer some love to some animals and then leave and be on our way. Well, as soon as we saw Brother, I knew I had to take him home. We petted him and loved him and then we left. We discussed on the way home how much Chara did not like other dogs and it would never work. I finally convinced him to let me bring Chara back to meet Brother so that she could do her normal attack/dominance thing to him and I would know that I could never have another dog (that sounds awful, but Chara had some real trauma with other dogs before I rescued her). So we brought her to the parking lot and brought him out. And then a miracle happened. She started wagging her little nub and sniffing him and licking him and it was love at first sight! I didn't buy it, I knew she had something up her sleeve, so we took Brother home, just for the weekend (riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight). Wouldn't you know they got along the entire time?!? So on Monday, Septemebr 22nd I went into AWS and adopted Brother officially. We renamed him Tobias (meaning "God is Good"), gave him a bath, and he has been learning (mostly from Chara) ever since! He really is a smart boy. He had accidents in the house, but only for a day. Now he goes to the door and waits. He has learned to sit and we are working on "lay down". He can even go outside without a leash!!

He has adjusted rather nicely and Chara has found a forever friend. Thank you so much Animal Welfare Society for everything that you do! Your volunteers are so helpful and accomodating every time I go in (maybe because they know I'm a sucker that will adopt all the dogs). I want to encourage everyone to go in just to look. You'll never know what you'll fall in love with. A rescued dog is a friend for life!

—Amanda W.

[to the top]



"We love Nacho!"
We just wanted to say thanks for letting us adopt Nacho. I had no idea we would get so attached to him in only a few days! He is a great dog - playful, sweet and obedient. So far he is adjusting well to his new home. He took to Lisa almost instantly and although he was really shy around me at first he's warmed up and I'm now his new favorite playmate. He's great with other dogs and loves going on walks. We really couldn't have asked for a better dog and we wanted to take the time out to thank your organization for fostering such a wonderful little guy. We'll be sure to keep in touch.

—Tim and Lisa

[to the top]



Stella's Love at First Sight
Hi there,

Just wanted to give an update on the Black Lab Mix girl puppy I adopted last Monday.

When my boyfriend, EJ, and I stopped by the shelter we only wanted to see what kind of puppies were available and get an idea of the adoption process so I'd know what to expect when I was ready to adopt. For about 2 years I had had my heart set on getting a Boston Terrier. I read books, did lots of online research and contacted breeders just knowing that a Boston was the only breed for me. That all changed when I came to the Shelter last week because there she was, a cute little black Lab mix with the sweetest eyes and floppy little ears. I forgot about my obsession with Boston Terriers and knew almost right away that this lil pup was supposed to come home with me. It's been a week and I can see that it was a great choice cause she is so awesome.

Stella is getting used to her new home here, enjoying all the love and attention from her new family. She is such an easy, laid back puppy. She is so happy playing with her ball and chew toy. She's slowly understanding the occasional "noooo" when she tries to nibble a shoe or the sofa. Stella is doing so good with housetraining and is working well with her schedule. She even went to the front door yesterday to show that she was ready to go for a walk. She is almost at the point were she will "Go Potty" on command and loves meeting her doggy neighbors while on her walks. She also loves all the outdoor curiousities like the falling leaves and children at play and the occasional car that passes by. She's even met another Lab in the neighborhood so she could see what she'll look like when she grows up.

Stella loves to ride in the car and got to enjoy a day at the park this weekend. We are looking forward to her being old enough to visit the Doggy Park and socialize more with other pups. For now she seems so content snuggled on the sofa, in her crate or sprinting through the apartment chasing Squeeky, her chew toy. Every day with her brings a new lesson for me as I am really learning as I go with her. So as she grows as a dog I will grow as her owner.

This first week has been full of funny moments, unexpected surprises and lots of sloppy puppy licks and nibbles. Stella is the just a sweet, cute, smart lil pup that has melted my heart and makes me want to go out and tell the world that adopting a rescue is the only way to go. Yes, Bostons are beautiful, but Stella is mine all mine and for me no other dog could compare!

[to the top]



Hello from Baloo
Hello! Baloo here. Once upon a time I was lost in a big city fending for myself. Lucky for me some good people found me, gave me some food, shelter, love, and most of all belly rubs. I love me some belly rubs! They even gave me a name, "Lucky," but I think "Baloo" is more fitting. I am sleepy and cuddly like that bear from the Jungle Book. Thank you! I didn't stick around that place very long because once my mommy set her eyes on me, she had to take me home. I've now been in my forever home for almost 3 months and I'm having a good ol' time! I get to lay around and relax, go on long walks, follow mommy around and play with my toys, especially Kong and Monkey. I would have written sooner but, it took me a while to figure out the whole typing thing with these big paws. I just wanted to say thank you and let you know I'm doing well!

Wagging my tail to you,
— Baloo

[to the top]



Maggie's Growing Up
I wanted to take a moment to update you on the gray kitten that we adopted from AWS a few months ago. Maggie was only 8 weeks old when we took her home. As you can see from the pictures, she is growing every day and becoming more and more adventurous! She quickly took to our other cat and they are constantly playing with one another. Maggie is full of life and has been a great addition to our family.

Thanks again,
—Katy & Derek P.

[to the top]



Honoring Seven Wonderful Years with Moe
Hello Shelly,

You probably won't remember us (Darlene & Andre), but we adopted Moe from you almost seven years ago. Moe's first owner moved out west and decided not to take Moe—a lucky decision for me. Here is the first email you sent to me. You don't know how happy I felt. I've saved it all of these years.

Hi—I left you a message a few minutes ago on your home phone. Little Moe is at my home for the long holiday weekend so if you would like to come and see him call me and we will set up a time. He is a dear boy. He slept next to my bed last night and knows to go to the door to go outside. Will talk to you soon and give you directions.
—Shelly

Yesterday Andre and I made the difficult decision to euthanize Moe. At 3 am the night before, I was up searching the Internet to find hospice care for him. This summer I was able to take a day here and there from work to be with him, but as of late I knew he could no longer be left alone. He would get in all kinds of twisted positions. His body didn't work anymore, although his eyes still looked at me with life and love—especially at meal time.

At some point in the morning, Andre and I knew the time had come and he calmly called the vet and our plan evolved. I had a sedative from several weeks ago when I backed out of my first attempt at this decision. Moe swallowed it with a bit of salmon that I baked for him for dinner the night before. He slowly relaxed and fell asleep in his little area in our living room surrounded by all that was familiar. I kissed him and gently touched him. When the time came, we wrapped him in a beautiful cloth and placed him in his doggie stroller. Andre and I walked him to Del Ray Animal Hospital where the vet on call agreed with our wish to let him pass outside in the sunshine. I was able to kiss Moe and hold his paw during the process and he passed quickly.

We returned home and played a couple of songs—Blackbird (The Beatles) and Over the Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole) while Andre held him. Our other dogs, Patches, Molly and Captain, seemed to sense our emotions and were still. Andre and I shared a few happy "Moe stories" together and then headed over to Sunset Pet Services.

The day's events still all seem surreal. Seven years ago almost to the day, I first saw Moe's face on Petfinder.com and fell in love with him instantly. His advanced age (10) and disability (deafness) were both meaningless to me. On September 1, 2001, he entered our lives. People often say that I saved his life, but I only can think of how he saved mine. I struggled with my purpose in life. Yes, I was (and am) a teacher and through the years have touched many lives, but I still felt empty. It gave me so much pleasure to be his mom. I'll never forget the first time I picked him up at the vet's office after a teeth cleaning and the vet tech came out and asked, "Who's Moe's mom?" Moe introduced me to the world of animal rescue and for this I will always be grateful to him.

Okay my dearest Moe, I promise to take time to enjoy the simple pleasures that were yours—a walk on a sunny day (you hated rain), a car ride with the wind in my face, the aroma of food cooking, a nap with the covers over my head, and time spent just being in the same room with the people I love. Your papa and I will always love you and you forever will remain in our hearts. May your spirit soar to what's to come—Godspeed.

—Darlene & Andre B.

[to the top]



Best Friend Buddy
I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how happy we are with Buddy (you named Piper). We adopted him from you in late October 2007. Buddy has proven to be an absolute treasure and a wonderful addition to our family. We love him immensely! I have attached a photo of my husband's new best friend.

Buddy is without a doubt the smartest dachshund we have ever owned. He thinks he is a mountain goat. He has figured out how to climb over things to get into the bed even though it is very high. He also discovered that if he jumped onto the kitchen chair, he could then jump up onto the table and get to the cat food. We now have to be careful to keep the chair pushed in.

One of the things Buddy enjoys most is playing tug of war with a rope bone, but if no one is ready to play with him he'll just throw it into the air and chase it by himself.

Thank you for your part in matching us up.

—Dianne P.
Coatesville, PA

[to the top]



Winston, the Refined Cat
On Monday, July 14th, my wife Kim and I became the proud parents of Scoops the cat. We fell in love with him instantly, and he has adjusted completely to his new home. Kim decided that a cat as clever and majestic as Scoops deserved a more refined name, so we have decided to call him Winston... although he will always carry the endearing nickname of Scoops.

We have attached two pictures of Winston, aka Scoops, in his new habitat, one of which features his favorite toy... a plastic bottle cap!

Thank you so much for allowing us the privilege of adopting this beautiful creature. We hope and pray that we bring as much joy and love into his life as he has brought into ours.

God Bless you, and all that you do.

—Don P.

[to the top]



Abbey's Transformation
Dear Staff and Volunteers at The Howard County Animal Welfare Society:

Thank you for allowing us to adopt Blondie this past week. In 5 days, she made a remarkable transformation from a shy, scared dog to a happy, playful dog. She never leaves our side!

She loved her home grooming... a bath, haircut, daily brushing. Her scabs and jaw have healed (before coming to AWS, she had been struck by a car and suffered a broken jaw) and she is gobbling up her food. She is house trained, crate trained, is learning basic commands like sit and loves to sleep in bed and snuggle on the sofa. We have re-named her Abbey which she answers to. She loves exploring the backyard and taking long walks. If there is a bunny or squirrel in the yard, she chases it. Abbey did not have toys but has learned to fetch her favorite squeaky monkey. She has visited our friends and their pets and gets along with everyone. We are thoroughly enjoying Abbey and thank you so much for taking care of her and letting her join our family.

—Debbie & Mac R.

[to the top]



Tiffany's New Life
I adopted my dog Tiffany, a "lion Peke," on June 13, 2003. I had been looking for a little "foo-foo" dog like a Pekingese, shih tzu, lhasa apso, or mix — black or black/white like the color of my childhood Cocker, and learned of 3 such dogs available at AWS. So I drove from Montgomery County to meet them — excited and somewhat apprehensive — for she would be my first dog as an adult.

Mind you, I also had 4 cats and was a foster home for cats, so requested a cat-friendly, housetrained doggie. When I got to AWS and Shelly placed this dog on my lap, my life changed in that moment. I saw how insecure, timid and needy she was (oh yes — and adorable). Then I was told she had come from a home where a person had surrendered dogs to the shelter for the third time. I could see from this dog's tummy she had recently had puppies, so assumed she was used as a breeder. Something urged me — this is the dog for me, despite her not being housetrained or having ever been around cats.

So I drove home with my new dog, now very thrilled to have such a beautiful animal, and awed at my responsibility — this little one needed to learn to live and enjoy life, probably for the first time ever! I named her "Tiffany." She had apparently never been outside before, and it took about a month before she understood that was the place for elimination; and by Christmas I had decided her best gift was a lifetime supply of puppy pads, to help us live together in harmony.

We went through 2 sessions of obedience training at Petsmart, since she flunked the first one and the second was complementary. Yay for this, as they decided to try clicker training in the second round. Suddenly Tiffany understood!! She learned very quickly to follow commands — only one of the basics from this class, "heel," stuck. On our own, after "graduation," she learned "speak," "stay," "wait," "come," "no," "lie down and roll over," and "high five!" I learned that one can teach an older dog new tricks, but it's harder to help them unlearn their old behaviors!

Tiffany has had some medical issues — 2 benign tumors, 2 benign nodules in mammary glands, an allergy to chicken, and dental issues — however her recent bloodwork is ALL normal — she is a healthy girl. I am a believer in the most natural care, and she seems to thrive on her regimen of quality food from holistic pet markets, avoidance of overvaccination, and herbal parasite prevention.

From a fairly nonsocialized, aloof adult dog, my Tiffany soon became beloved by all who met her — and a favorite in the neighborhood! She especially loves children, as they are on her level. She has learned to love the outdoors too, mostly because it means more social contact (and lots of places to sniff...). She has not a mean streak in her; however, she is a dog and would go after squirrels or ducks if allowed, so we keep her leashed.

She has turned out to be one of the sweetest creatures ever (albeit stubborn and willful, just like me...). She sleeps beside me, obeys my "no" command about chasing cats, rides in the car in her own car seat, wags her tail at the vet's office where she gets lots of treats and kisses, accompanies me on trips as a "service animal" (due to a disability I have), trembles when I trim her nails and licks my face when I reassure her, over and over, "you are safe now." I don't know exactly what her life was like before, but she has blessed mine beyond measure with her beautiful spirit, adorable appearance, and soothing wags. When I lost my two elderly cats, companions of over 17 years, and was devastated beyond belief, it was Tiffany's turn to help me come back to life. She did so with her comfort and unconditional love (and also her need to have 3 teeth pulled — and so life goes on...). God works in mysterious ways? or dog works in calculated ways? — it doesn't matter — I just want to say:

Thank you AWS for my wonderful little dog!

—Connie
[to the top]



Ollie, the Little Setter
We adopted Ollie when he was 10 weeks old — no sob story here — who could pass up an absolutely adorable puppy? My story about Ollie comes from a different angle. I've been a volunteer at AWS for about 3 years now. When we get puppies in we get two main questions: what kind of puppies are they and how big will they get? When Ollie and his brother (who was adopted immediately) arrived at our shelter, it was the consensus of the group that they were some type of setter mix. Having two other setter dogs, this appealed to me; my husband and I like big dogs. Two years later, Ollie has maxed out at 35 lbs. and comes up to my knees. My other two boys are in the 70 lbs. category and come up to my hip. Is Ollie any less appealing or loved because he surprised us? Absolutely not! His vertical challenge has given me a new appreciation for the smaller canines that come through our doors. My point? We don't always know how our puppies are going to turn out as far as pedigree and size — it's an educated guess. What we do know is that, with the right family and the right mixture of love and discipline, they will all grow up to be incredible additions to a family.

—Judi D.

PS. This is a picture of Ollie watching "Eight Below" — he loves any shows dealing with dogs.

[to the top]



Kirby's Second Chance
I have been a volunteer at AWS for about four years, ever since adopting my white Shepherd mix, Lance.

Kirby was one of those dogs that you don't soon forget. We used to refer to Kirby as "big head Kirby" when describing him to people, since he was the oddest combination of a big head and small body we had ever seen. My son-in-law has used the term "proportionally challenged" which hits the nail right on the head.

You would never know by looking at his picture that Kirby was one of the most dreaded dogs ever to come through the doors of AWS. He was rescued from the Baltimore City shelter and had the worst case of cage aggression we had ever seen. Initially it was almost impossible to get a leash over Kirby's head without running the risk of getting bit. It was obvious that Kirby's past life must have included some serious abuse. Few volunteers wanted to even get close to Kirby, since over the course of several months at the shelter he snapped at most all of them. Kirby also had a bad habit of snapping at your feet which probably was due to previous owners kicking at him.

After being at the shelter for almost six months, it was starting to look like Kirby might not be a good candidate for adoption, so I decided to take him home over Memorial Day weekend of '06 to give him a change of scenery and see if there just might be a nice dog under all that nasty exterior. On the ride home I thought, "this could be the biggest mistake ever; what if he fights with Lance, or goes after my senior cat or totally destroys my furniture, or worse yet, if he bites my husband or me?" I looked over at Kirby quietly sitting in the passenger seat, gazing out the window, and all of a sudden he just looked like a completely calm and happy little dog.

I got Kirby home and introduced him to my other dog and they proceeded to run and play in the back yard and they haven't stopped since and are the best of friends. Kirby has turned into the sweetest, most lovable, goofy little dog you could hope for and I am just so glad that I decided to give him a chance. It just proves that almost any issues a rescue dog has can be cured with a little patience, kindness and love.

Oh yeah, the little brindle guy in this picture is Dingo, also an AWS adoptee, but that's another Happy Tail.

—Kerrie A.

[to the top]



Buddy's New Family
We adopted "Brownie," a six-month-old Pit/Lab mix about a month ago, in April 2008. I have to admit, I was a little nervous about adding a dog to our family since we have a very active 5-year-old daughter. After much discussion with my husband, and begging from my daughter, we decided to go to the Animal Welfare Society to see what they had available. We saw a few of the dogs that were playing in the yard. Although they were all adorable, none of them tugged at our hearts. We asked to see the other dogs they had and they took us out to the kennels. Well, from the minute my daughter saw "Brownie" she was hooked. I never even considered owning a Pit Bull because you hear all of the horror stories about their aggressiveness. We took him out front to play and he was just the most lovable thing, no aggressiveness in sight. We decided to take him home with us.

Since we brought him home we changed his name to Buddy and he has settled into the house like he was always there. He is a quick learner. We have enrolled him in obedience classes and he is excelling. Although he still has a lot to learn about what is acceptable and what is not, he is a great dog. I have attached some pictures of him at home. Thank you so much for uniting us with our newest family member.

—Jenny L.

[to the top]



"Marlo and Me"
Hi! It's Marlo's owner and mom Bianca. Marlo and I are doing great. I remember on March 8 when I got him how the first week was hectic, but as the weeks went on we got used to each other. Having Marlo changed my life because now I know the feeling of adopting an animal. Marlo is loved deeply by my family. Marlo has made many dog friends. I hope that other dogs there can find a good home like Marlo did.

—Bianca
age 13

[to the top]



Our Cat Cam!
We got Cam last May. I remember seeing some new baby kittens on your website and I called and spoke with Robin. She thought I was talking about other kittens which you had in the back. She held the phone up to these kittens—Cam and his sister—and they were talking like crazy. She told me I should just make an appointment and come in right then, but unfortunately I had to work. I begged my boyfriend after work to let me get a kitty. I showed him the picture of the kitten I thought would be ours and we went to Petco and loaded the car up with supplies.

Racing against time that Saturday morning we got there bright and early to see the baby kittens from the website. Little did we know Robin had recognized my voice and took me to see the other two kittens in the back room. They were not the kittens we expected to see, but there was Cam's sister trying to hog the attention and then there was Cam in the back just fighting to get attention. Though I thought he was adorable I had to see the kittens that I had seen online. When I was taken back up front, everyone was surrounding them. We held one and we decided that the little guy in the back was more quirky and therefore he would definitely fit in with us.

We took him home that day. Little did we know that he loves car rides, playing with Smart Water bottle caps (and only Smart Water, believe me we have tried giving him other caps), organic/hollistic foods, and siting in front of fans catching the cool breeze in his fur. He was very shy at first and hid from us the first day—that is until it was time for bed. That is where he hopped up and made himself comfortable in my nook. This has led to an everyday routine starting with him sitting on my chest every morning waking me with his loving meows telling me to feed him. Once he has satisfied his cravings he runs back in the bedroom to wake up daddy with a friendly game of pounce.

He then spends the rest of his morning playing around until we leave, when I am sure he sleeps for the rest of the day. When we return home from work in the evenings we are greeted with those loving meows. He immediately looks at me and sits in front of the pantry until I give him his daily treat. After much play time with dad it is time to eat some more, drink up, and get ready for bed with mommy. He then goes into his nightly routine of "let me walk all around and feel for the right spot" (which coincidentally is the same spot every night) and falls fast asleep.

I cannot be any happier. Cam is an incredible cat and he is my little love bug. I have recommended Animal Welfare to any and everyone I know who is looking to adopt an animal. I think it is great that the animals are rescued and provided for. I just want to thank you all for everything that you have done, and yes you have made sure to give us medicine when he was sick and you have also made him unafraid of the vet!

Here are some pictures of our little muffin head!

Thank You So Much,
Jessica P. and Luke R.

[to the top]



Fostering Titan
One day in December, our Argentine Dogo (named Kaos) was at his acupuncturist's office receiving his usual treatment for arthritis. A few days later, the acupuncturist called me to say that there was an Argentine Dogo at the Animal Welfare Society. She just wanted me to know given that we are intimately familiar with this rare breed of dog and that perhaps we knew someone who might want to adopt him. His name was Lightning. I took a look at him on the website and he looked so much like our Argentine Dogo I had to go to Welfare and see him. So, we loaded the family van with our 9-year-old 130 lb Dogo, our 1-year-old 80 lb Schnoodle (Schnauzer and Poodle mix) and our 9- and 10-year-old children.

We took one look at Lightning and fell in love. We took him for a walk and he even met our dogs. We went home without him but thought about him every second of the next couple of days. As much as we loved him we just didn't know if we could have another large breed dog in our home.

After a family meeting, we decided that we would do whatever it took to bring him into our home. We just couldn't stand the thought of him not having a home and family who loved him. It was clear that Lightning did not have a very good start in life. He was not very trusting it appeared as though he had been abused.

On Christmas Eve 2007, we brought him home. He was so happy on the ride home in the family van and snuggled up in my kids' laps. The next few months went very well. He slowly allowed himself to become part of the family and learned so much by being part of the pack. Initially, he was very leery of the human hand and was not sure if it was going to deliver something nice or something painful. After a period of time, he came to realize that people really can be loving and nice and sweet to him. We changed his name to Titan and it seemed very fitting. He responded to it immediately. Titan loved sleeping on the kids' beds and wanted attention all the time. If he felt as though we were not petting him quite enough, he would make lots of noises just to let us know he was in need of more attention.

Unfortunately, it also became clear that he and our Dogo (both males) really could not live in harmony in the same house. However, we were determined to keep him and foster him until the perfect living situation was found. Ironically, friends of ours were looking for a family dog. They had no other animals and had always loved Kaos (our Dogo). They considered adopting Titan and we had many visits with Titan and our families so Titan could get to know them. After several visits and a trial sleepover, our friends were hooked and fell completely head-over-heels in love with Titan and formally adopted him from the Animal Welfare Society.

So, now Titan has a new home just a couple of miles away from our home. His mornings begin with a long walk around a local reservoir. His new family walks him at least two miles a day and he loves every single minute of it. Titan seems as though he was born to walk. His new family also consists of two very active boys (11 and 13 years old). Titan's evenings and weekends are spent at various ballparks where the boys are playing ball and Titan has sniffed out every corner of every ballpark in a 30 mile radius. His evenings are spent cuddling with the family on the sofa or playing games with his family. At bedtime, he can choose whether he will sleep on the sofa or any one of the comfortable human beds in the house or on his brand new made-to-order dog bed.

Titan is a changed dog from the time we first saw him in December 2007. He has such resilience that he can allow himself to love over and over again even though his past showed him that humans cannot be trusted. However, he has a very bright and happy future in his forever home. We are fortunate to see Titan regularly. Although he is always glad to see us and his former pack, he only has eyes for his new family.

For those who think that a dog cannot be changed or rehabilitated, this story should end those thoughts. When we first acquired Titan, we did call a trainer to assist us in integrating him into our home. The trainer said that there was really no hope for Titan given his past and that he was not going to be able to overcome the aggression and insecurities he was showing. It is a good thing that we did not listen to her and just took matters into our own hands. Titan is a great listener and lives to love, hug and cuddle his family. We are so fortunate to have been a part of Titan's rehabilitation.

—Stacy S.

[to the top]



Bug-A-Boo & the Bunny
I started volunteering at the shelter last spring. I watched dogs come and go and loved them all. One August day Curtis arrived at the shelter, a Shih Tzu-ngese mix. His pelvic bone was fractured in three places and he had a dislocated hip. Never was there a day that I experienced or any other at the shelter that Curtis wasn't eager and excited to be carried out to his walk. I guess what I'm saying is this poor little guy, picked up at the Baltimore City shelter, showed no anger or fear and remained so optimistic and happy just to "BE" to me. I loved that about him!

September 7 I had surgery on my foot and couldn't come to the shelter for a few weeks. I missed it terribly and continued to think about little Curtis. A week or so after my surgery I asked if it would be all right for me to foster little Curtis. I just couldn't stand thinking he was sitting in that metal cage waiting for that next walk and chance to try to walk. The first night home we went for a walk and he sprinted down the sidewalk holding his rear leg up and his head high. All the time I had him prior to surgery and after he never showed any pain nor fear nor that sense of loss most shelter dogs have.

Curtis had his hip surgery on October 1. He came home that night with me carrying him up and down the stairs. He took his walks as always. Gradually he climbed the stairs on his own. Within 4 weeks he was walking, running, and doing stairs beautifully. He has a swagger that probably has more to do with the Pekingese in him than the surgery after effects. I call him my little waddle butt!

On October 31 I officially adopted Curtis and his new name is Bug-A-Boo. He has been such a positive influence on my two yorkies and has added so much love to our pack with his optimistic attitude and his easygoing persona. He's a treasure and I'm so happy to have him in my life!

—Dawn S.

P.S. I also adopted a bunny from the shelter recently. Bug is obsessed with him. He follows him around, just watching him. The bunny was initially named ReCon because he could get in and out of his cage pretty quickly when he wanted to retrieve a treat, but after a few days home he suddenly became know as... wait for it... Bug's Bunny.

[to the top]