Results tagged “adoption” from Petfinder Blog

When we last heard from Greg Kincaid, author of the novel A Dog Named Christmas, he and his wife Michale Ann had just adopted a scruffy terrier named Chance after a long search for the perfect dog. Read all of Greg's posts here.

Chance was a good name, but we wanted to try on a few of our own. We settled on Hank, the name of a favorite character in my book, A Dog Named Christmas, for about an hour, and then shifted sequentially to Denny (from my favorite TV show, Boston Legal), Joey (from my favorite musical, Pal Joey), Lewis (my favorite comedian is Lewis Black), Jerry (my second favorite comedian is Jerry Seinfeld) and then, out of exhaustion and fear of bodily injury from our vet's tech if we called one more time to tell them we'd changed the name, we finally settled on Rudy (like the famous third-string Notre Dame football player).

Unfortunately, Rudy soon earned some additional nicknames.

When we brought him home, we were expecting the five-month-old pup to be a little rambunctious and in need of at least some training. But Rudy seemed surprisingly quiet and extraordinarily well-behaved. He was so smart that we only had to tell him things once and he seemed to "get it." He was naturally house trained and got along great with the cats and our other dog. We seemed to have hit the canine jackpot. At that point, being the proud adoptive parent, I gave him the name MIT (like the prestigious college).

But Rudy had been taking allergy pills for a rash, and once the allergy cleared up and Rudy came off the Benadryl, another dog took his place:  A genuine full-fledged puppy we named Nubs -- like horns we could practically see emerging on his devilish furry head.
 

In the mood for some positive thoughts? (Who isn't these days?) Then check out our Thanksgiving Happy Tail contest. We asked readers to submit stories about how their pets changed their lives. We picked our favorites, and now you can vote for yours through Dec. 19. The winner gets a BISSELL Pet Clean-Up package. You can vote once a day, every day. Spread the word (and some holiday cheer!). Cast your vote here.

Finalist #1 - Carbon
from Sharon Legrand of Silverdale, WA

I've just moved to the U.S. from India. I'm a Navy wife, and three months after my arrival, my husband was due to be deployed. I was miserable and homesick. I didn't know anyone, and I was terrified of being alone in a new country without my husband.

I visited the Kitsap Humane Society, where I met Carbon. He wasn't young, and was a stray, but I loved him. I brought him home, and my life just turned around. My husband left soon after.

Carbon has made sure that I'm never lonely. He loves me and hugs me and does all those things that just makes my life complete. If it wasn't for him, I probably would have just turned around and gone home to India. He is the first wonderful thing that has happened to me in the U.S., and I love him for it.

Carbon was adopted from Kitsap Humane Society in Silverdale, WA.

Finalist #2 - Luke
from Sarah Matthews of Houston, TX

My daughter was diagnosed as being bi-polar five years ago. She hadn't smiled in a long time. Her peers made fun of her because she was socially immature when compared to other girls her age.

I promised her a long time ago that when we bought a house, we would get a pet. That finally happened. We went to the shelter right before one of her doctor's appointments and visited with a few dogs. We left to make our decision and when we returned that evening, our choices had been adopted.

I talked her into looking at the dogs again. She saw Luke, and she wanted to visit with him. We took him outside and they chased each other around. She laughed more than I could ever remember, and ever since, they have been chasing each other around our backyard with her laughing and giggling the whole time.

Luke was adopted from the Houston SPCA in Texas.

Finalist #3 - Mochaccino and Dakota
from Kimberly Mockler of Port Washington, NY

Mochaccino and Dakota are my rescue dogs. They both know American Sign Language (Dakota also knows touch signals since she is deaf and blind).

Mocha and Dakota both passed their CGCs and participate in agility, fly-ball and little rally. They have also won several Halloween costume contests.

Mocha is also a Delta therapy dog and will be working with the deaf and deaf/blind population.

Since Dakota is a special needs dog, she has inspired me to help out with rescuing other deaf and deaf/blind double merle dogs. She is an inspiration -- she can do anything except hear and see!

Rescue dogs are the BEST and Mocha and Dakota have just helped to make my life so much better and so much more FUN! :)

Mocchaccino and Dakota were adopted from Wing and A Prayer Dog Rescue And Referral Inc., in Binghamton, NY.

Finalist #4 - Carmyne
from Lonnie Gerbracht of La Center, WA

Carmyne, a little Chihuahua, belongs to my disabled daughter. He is the best thing that has happened for her. We found out that he can tell when she is about to have a seizure migraine, and he tells her to take her medication and go to bed. He also helps her overcome her social phobia. And he has had NO training for this!

Not only has he helped her emotionally, but he has exactly the same hair color that she does! When he curls up on her shoulder you can't tell the difference between her hair and his! He is as attached to her as she is to him, and he means the world to her! Thank you Second Chance Companions! You made it possible for my daughter to live on her own in spite of her disability!

Carmyne was adopted from Second Chance Companions in Battle Ground, WA.

Finalist #5 - Casey
from Jennifer Clouse of Springfield, IL

I have been recently diagnosed with bi-polar 1 mixed disorder. It's been months since being diagnosed, and I still have a hard time with my life.

I adopted Casey after being in the hospital in January. He came with medical problems, like problems with his eyes and Lyme disease, but every day we are glad that we adopted him.

He knows when I have my bad days because he will not leave my side. He is 70 pounds, but he will jump on my lap so that I can hug him until I stop crying. Even on my better days I can count on him being right next to me, looking into my eyes as if to say, "I will always be here for you."

Adopted from Menominee Animal Shelter Inc. in Menominee, MI.

In anticipation of Adopt-a-Senior-Pet Month, the ASPCA asked members to send in their senior pet adoption stories, and here they are, in their gray-and-white glory, blurry-eyed and creaky, bowed but proud.

The joys of owning a senior pet are often overlooked as tiny kittens or jumping puppies usually grab everyone's attention at the shelter. As the human companion of two senior dogs, I can tell you that the companionship of a quiet, older pet can be very satisfying.

We often lie on the bed, spooned together, breathing together and being "in the now" in a way that would be impossible with a squirming youngster. These dogs know me -- and I, them -- in all my moods and states of low-energy or high. They delight simply by BEING with me. I don't need to amuse them. I just need to be me. (I have yet to meet a man who would be as happy as that, with "just me." LOL!)

One of the best things about being part of a big company like Discovery Communications (which acquired Petfinder in 2006) is getting the support and enthusiasm of hundreds of our fellow employees.

Petfinder and eight local rescue groups felt the love on Oct. 21, when we held the second annual Petfinder.com Adoption Event, in honor of Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month, at Discovery's Silver Spring, Md., headquarters.

Hundreds of Discovery staffers turned out for the event and met more than 30 dogs looking for their forever homes. Already several adoption applications have been submitted to the rescue groups, and our fingers are crossed that many of the dogs will be joining their new families soon.

More photos and a list of rescue groups who attended are after the jump.

As a member of the outreach team, one of the best parts of my job is planning and attending our Adoption Options seminars.

Adoption Options is one of our biggest initiatives and is a traveling educational seminar that brings training and networking opportunities to our shelter and rescue members throughout the country.

We do 20 per year and try to travel to areas that don't have affordable access to training. We bring with us some of the nation's best-known speakers and discuss the hottest topics in animal welfare. Each attendee also gets breakfast, lunch and an Adoption Options T-shirt -- all for $10 per person. The program is sponsored in part by our friends at the PETCO Foundation.

I just returned from Memphis, TN, where 80 dedicated animal welfare professionals came out to network and discuss adoption policies, dog behavior, shelter medicine and how to most effectively use Petfinder.

A great story came out of this day.

All animals are special. Some are extra-special, and have needs that go beyond the scope of normal pet care. For pets in loving homes, getting these needs met can be challenging at best. When these pets end up homeless, it's often impossible.

Pets with Disabilities in Prince Frederick, MD, gives animals who have been injured through trauma or disabled by illness the time, care and attention they need -- often for the first time in their lives.

The animals in their care include cats who are FIV-positive or blind and dogs who are deaf, paralyzed or missing a leg -- and pets with just about every condition in between.

Not only does Pets with Disabilities nurture the pets in its care, it also lists adoptable special-needs pets for other shelters, rescue groups and veterinarians. The group also offers support to the families of these special pets, including advice on pet wheelchairs and an active message board.

Pets with Disabilities is more than a rescue and adoption agency -- it's a lifelong source of hope and support for the pets and their adoptive families.

Visit Pets with Disabilities on Petfinder

When it was announced that the movie Beverly Hill Chihuahua was hitting theaters Oct. 3, many in animal welfare worried that it would cause a rash of impulse purchases of the little dogs. But Best Friends Animal Society looked at the film as an opportunity to educate the public and spread the adoption message.

They created the above video (which you can also watch on their Web site) and a fantastic poster (after the jump).

Lisa Marie from Sarasota, FL, sends this Happy Tail:

On Thanksgiving Day 2007, my beloved 16-year-old Siamese cat Simon had to be euthanized for renal failure. This was devastating to me.

The following Monday my co-workers urged me to check Petfinder.com, not in the view of replacing Simon, but in giving another cat a much-needed home.

The very first picture I clicked onto was a wonderful fluffy white cat with a goofy crooked tail named Jack, who was residing at the Humane Society of Sarasota County.

My very understanding co-workers insisted I leave work and drive to the shelter to adopt him right after seeing him online. I fell in love with him the second they brought him out of his cage to meet me.

Teens, especially girls, love animals. I've noticed there are lots of young people, again mostly girls, who volunteer at animal shelters and boycott products that were tested on animals.

But when it comes to adoption, most of my peers give me a frightening wake-up call. I've heard of many teens who got their pet from a breeder, pet store or, in one case, for $10 at a flea market.

Sometimes we have debates in class that give me a pit in my stomach. One time, some girls were saying that they loved their dog and bringing it to the groomer, where they put the little bows in the dog's fur.

Somehow, this led to that ASPCA commercial with Sarah Mclachlan. "That commercial makes me feel so depressed," one of the girls piped up. "Yeah," said the other, "I change the channel when I watch that because it makes me guilty about my animals."

If you watched Live with Regis and Kelly or read USA Today yesterday, you probably saw the story about the 44 lb. cat rescued by the Camden County Animal Shelter in New Jersey.

The cat, 2 lbs. shy of the world record, was dubbed Princess Chunk until it was learned he was a male named Powder, abandoned by his owner when she lost her home to foreclosure.

Shelter director Jennifer Anderch tells the New York Post, "The phones have been ringing off the hook. We've gotten about 800 phone calls already from people inquiring about [him]."

Cute story, and Powder will most likely go to a great home. But that's not all there is to it.

Here's a fine, feathered tale from Margaret and Jeff in New York:

We found Petfinder after seeing a commercial on Animal Planet. We put in our information and selected two lovebirds that were at Companion Critters, Inc., in Clark, N.J.

We later found out that they had been rescued from a hoarder's house, and it made us even more inclined to give these birds the happy home they deserve.

Let me tell you, they are spoiled rotten now. They have a bird pool connected to their cage and all the fresh fruit and veggies they could want. We keep one of those musical birthday cards next to their cage because they just go crazy when they hear the song "The Chicken Dance" when it's opened.

I recently wrote about how Barack Obama reportedly promised his daughters a dog after the election. Since then, Best Friends Animal Society has gotten 45,000 signatures on its petition urging the Obamas to adopt.

Now we'd like you to nominate a Petfinder dog for the Obamas! Just leave a comment with a link to that dog and an explanation of why you think he or she would be a good fit.

My candidate? Pride (right), an American bulldog-pit mix at Chicago Canine Rescue. Why? He's from Chicago, like the Obamas. He's a pit, so he knows what it's like to be misunderstood. His last family lost their home -- so he can help Obama stay in touch with the common person's financial troubles. He misses being part of a family with small children. And Pride -- you can't ask for a more American name than that!

Since the passing of my beloved dog Kobie late last year, I've been keeping an eye out for a suitable friend for my dog Sophie.

Sophie requires a companion of just the right temperament and understanding. Goofy, playful, funny-looking and loving were the things she adored about Kobie, and when I saw Alan, I knew she and I would like him.

A 2-year-old flat-coated retriever mix, he had been taken in by the kind folks at My Loveable Rescues in Queens, NY, more than a year ago and needed a good home. On Saturday we drove out and met him.

Alan and Sophie quickly assumed an attitude of peaceful coexistence. I knew this was a good sign, and that with a little time and opportunity, they would become tight companions. And so I returned yesterday, completed the adoption and took Alan to his new home on my horse farm in New Jersey. 

Adopter Wendy Roy writes:

I have a new love in my life. Her name is Stella.

Being a Glam-Granola girl, I have always believed in rescuing a dog as opposed to the breeder and pet store options -- the whole "Don't breed or buy while homeless animals die" philosophy. 

So when I was ready, I went straight to Petfinder and looked for dogs in my zip code that matched my criteria. Up came my "options," one being a Schnauzer mix named Stella who was 5 years old and blind.

After double checking on some logistics via a few questions to the rescue group, American Lab Rescue in Willington, CT, it was a no-brainer. She was mine to rescue, and I hers.

I'm so happy! At long last, I got to the tipping point in my debate about whether or not to adopt a cat and whether to adopt a kitten (or two?) or an adult cat.

This weekend, after much searching on Petfinder, I finally took the plunge and adopted two unrelated kittens. I had been meeting various kittens and cats at adoption fairs and through their foster moms, but there was something totally magical about these two kittens' online photos -- and then, too, my meet and greets with them.

New pet parent Martha writes:

Hello! We recently adopted two terrific mixed breed dogs, Jake and Tycho, and can now, more than ever, appreciate all the wonderful work you do. We have produced a public service announcement video starring Jake and Tycho that we want to share with you.

Thanks Martha!

(You can also check out the video on the Petfinder.com Foundation YouTube channel!)

This past weekend, I got closer to adopting living, breathing creatures, bringing them into my fairly sedate and austere life.

I had searched Petfinder for weeks and had found two kittens I thought would be fun to share my life and apartment with: Hope (right) and Jesse (below). They were both being fostered by Homeward Trails Animal Rescue, Inc. in Arlington, VA, where I now live.

Why them? I don't exactly know except that I had had a cat named Sooty when I was growing up and she was a tabby like Hope and Jesse.

And there was something about the faces of the two kittens, angular and small, with big ears and almond-shaped eyes. It seems totally insane to "pick" an animal based on their color and the shape of their eyes, but that's what I did. (I knew I would meet them in person before anything was final, so doing a pre-sort was not only practical but also efficient.)

A terrible, totally unexpected thing happened to me last year. My 17-year marriage broke up and I couldn't put it back together again despite trying everything short of brute force.

I had to leave the home that I'd hoped to have as my forever home, a five-acre sanctuary for various aging pets. When I finally I drove away, I had to leave behind my three shelter dogs, my closest, dearest companions (that's Buster, my 13-year-old Great Dane/Border Collie mix, in the photo). I went north to find an apartment, a job, a new life ...