Date: 4/16/02 7:33 AM
From: Gretchen
Date: 10/23/01 11:56 PM
From: Marilyn
Her fur has shown a vast improvement- even the vet was surprised. We thought that it was just a winter coat coming in but he thinks that it is because of better nutrition. She is quite puffy and her tail is three times what it was when we got her. She is the softest little thing now!
We at enjoying her so much! She is still a champion sleeper and loves to sit in my lap while I play bridge. She is such a little princess though- she has to be forced to go onto wet grass for her walks and she will not go to sleep unless she has a comfotable spot like a pillow, blanket or lap.
Thank you again for such a wonderful job!
Marilyn
Date: 10/23/01 3:10 PM
From: Cathy
I'm glad that you are ok and God Bless you for working for the Red Cross during the WTC disaster. Ironically, we were going to the top of the world that morning, but my sister telephoned to tell us to turn the tv on......... We absolutely love Rusty, although we re-named him after a favorite movie of mine, We now call him Rudy. He answers to it beautifully, and he has blossomed into the greatest little guy! He has gone to Ohio twice and has still to like kids, but has not bitten or snapped yet. He is very good at listening to us, and knows when he needs to settle down. He is a wonderful companion and even the cats like him. He is so happy, always wagging his tail when we walk. we feel that he was meant for us!
He has gained weight. but looks great and the vet says it is ok. With the recent surge of popularity for the Mayor, he hears his name frequently on tv and perks his ears up! People in the neighborhood always smile at him at fuss over him!
Thank-you again for saving his life and allowing him to be in ours. Write back anytime
Cathy ,Greg and Rudy
Date: 10/19/01 9:55 PM
From: Eileen&Jenine
Hi!!! It's Bogarts family.......We are just writing to let you no that bogard is doing wonderful. He now sounds out the words momma, crazy huh? Of course he is very intelligent......lol
Well, he is a devil and is very protective of me and my sister. He also likes to steal dish sponges from the kitchen and make you chase him for it! We also want to thank you for bringing bogard into our lives, he really does brighten my life. Although he is really spiteful towards my sister for fun of course. He would never harm her, which I think is the greatest!! Once again thank you and please keep up what you are doing for people and animals. You do make a difference to many lonely people and animals. I know for a fact....:))
Hugs,
Eileen&Jenine
PS
Slobbery Kisses from
Bogard
Date: 10/15/01 10:35 PM
From: Maryann
Here is are some updated pictures of Carlie -- as you can tell she is quite spoiled
http://community.webshots.com/album/22409516WqrbUxYoLL
I was wondering if there is any volunteer work needed to be done. Transporting dogs or what not. I'd have 20 if I could but my husband would throw me and the dogs out!
By the way-- do you have any additional information regarding the Female Keeshond?
Maryann
Date: 10/9/01 9:57 PM
From: Rene'e
This is a Golden that was taken out of the Burlington County Shelter last
October. He is the one that had the huge tumor under his tail. Remember?He is doing well.
Rene'e
Date: 10/2/01 4:35 AM
From: Jerrie
Its hard to believe, but it will be one year since I adopted Sabastian from you.He is doing quite well.He is going for his annual visit to the vet next week and I am sure everything will be fine.His only problem ,as with most dogs with floppy ears, is his ears do get sore from time to time and he is not the most cooperative when I try to clean them for him.In fact is is a real battle.Perhaps, that it why he doesn't hear too much.Please send me your mailing address so I can send you a check in honor of his first year.
He really liked it when I was home for six weeks this summer, recovering from my surgery.I'm better now and hopefully will be for a long time.Thanks again for a wonderful pet.I encourage everyone to adopt an older animal.They need homes too.Sabby is my buddy.My one cat has a particular fondness for Sabby. She is always around him and tries to sleep next to him. He puts up with her for a while, but he doesn't understand she wants to be close to him.They are real cute together. Marmie is always looking for her dog.Sabby doesn't even bother chasing the cats around the house anymore. Just one big happy family.
Thanks again for a great dog.
Jerrie
Date: 9/3/01 12:50 PM
From: Rich
we successfully adopted Casey. My wife and kids love her. she is so sweet I cant believe her original owners were going to put her to sleep.
thank you so very much
Rich Manners and Family
Date: 8/19/01 15:31 PM
From: Marika
Thank you BCAA!
Date: 8/16/01 3:57 PM
From: Tina
Hi! Just wanted to let you know that my husband and I adopted a dog from the Burlington County Shelter this past Saturday. She is a 3 year old Chocolate Lab and she is wonderful. She checked out fine at the Vet and seems to be happy so far. She knows a lot of commands and has been very good when we leave her home alone. She has had the run of the house and sleeps on the floor at the bottom of our bed. We are currently looking at fences because she loves to run and play ball. Here are some pics of her in her new home!Tina
Date: 8/16/01 2:21 PM
From: Chris
cjacobi@bee.net
Date: 8/18/01 9:32 AM
From: Joe Yamaoka
I adopted a male beagle from you in mid-June. I just wanted to let you know that he is working out fine. He was housebroken but is a chewer (magazines, sox, shirt, etc.)--- fortunately he does not chew furniture. He really is a big baby---and loves to drag around and chew a security blanket.
Thanks,
Joe Yamaoka
Date: 8/10/01 2:35 PM
From: Renee
Date: 7/26/2001 11:01 AM
From: Kathleen
The akita found a good home, but I was suddenly obsessed with checking the Petfinder listings for shelters near my home. We had been thinking about getting a second dog while Lester is still young and playful enough to enjoy the company. We took Lester with us to the shelter in Pennsauken to see a puppy we had seen on your site. The puppy had already been adopted, but we looked at some other older dogs, hoping that Lester could choose his new mate.
Maybe he was afraid that we would leave him there (he came from a shelter as an 8-week-old pup, do you think he still remembers?). He wanted no parts of interviewing any candidates, he just wanted to get back home. So we went to the Mt. Holly shelter without Mr. Lester, and still could not find that perfect mate. Back to Petfinder where we found the Burlington County Animal Alliance—a group that rescues dogs from the Mt. Holly shelter when they reach the end of their stay and puts them in "foster homes" until they can find a family to adopt them. The first dog we asked about had just been adopted, and then we found Sophie. Sophie, a yellow lab and ?? mix, was found as a stray in Pemberton sometime at the end of June. She did her stay at the shelter, and now was living with a family in Burlington.
It was a perfect match in every way—especially because we could bring Lester with us to check her out, and he just loves to visit other dogs in a fenced-in yard like his own. They got along extremely well, and now, 8-month-old Sophie has a new home, a new playmate, and a new place in our hearts.
For the first few days Miss Sophie thought she wanted to rule the roost, and for a few days the gentleman Mr. Lester allowed her to do just that. But then he decided to take back the reins, and it has been a lot of fun watching these two big dogs cavorting around the backyard and playing together in our very small plastic baby pool. After only a week of playing with Sophie, and teaching her the rules of the house, Lester truly missed her when she was at the vet for the day (to be spayed). She has been a very good little girl, and I tell her everyday that she gets to stay with us forever, no matter what happens.
Date: 7/23/01 7:40 PM
From: Cheryl
Date: 7/23/01 7:06 AM
From: Athena
Haven't heard from you guys in a while so I thought I would drop you a line. Coaljack continues to impress me more each and every day. He has begun to mellow and is getting more and more affectionate. I believe that his wild behavior at the shelter and at your home was being caused by seperation. He hardly leaves my side when I'm at home now and while he's still very, very playful, he knows to sit still when told. Instead of bolting all around the house in he morning, he now jumps into my arms and lays still until I get up. He then goes inside, lays down and waits to be fed. In fact, if I leave the room while he's eating, he will stop eating and come looking for me. He has seperation issues and now that I understand that he's coming around beautifully. He grew to be a very handsome dog and is actually taller then my Simon. He doesn't have nearly his girth though. Simon's chest measures 14 inches accross the front, from sholder to shoulder. Coal weighs about 85 lbs.but he still has 6 months to grow. He's slender, muscular, very agile and he can't be hugged enough. In fact, he wants affection more then he wants to play. He's just a big, big baby who wants his mommy.He nests with myself and Simon all night long now. They used to wrestle all night long. I learned to sleep through it. In fact, I think I just slept from exhaustion.
I have been wanting to send you pictures but he wouldn't stay still long enough. Perhaps now I can get some good shots. He hears the camera making noise and runs straight for it trying to figure out what it is. He's a good watchdog and doesn't let anything get past him. He's really doing well now and I can't wait to see his first full winter coat. He's going to look like a baby bear.
Drop us a line when you get a chance. Take care for now,
Athena, Simon, Gretta and Coaljack
Date: 7/18/01 9:57 PM
From: Susan
One sad thing -- we discovered that Timmy has seizures. He went outside a couple of weeks ago and just fell down on his belly. His head started moving strangely. He was then ok in about ten minutes. We took him immediately to the vet and they did all kinds of tests. It appears to be Epilepsy. They suggested we monitor the seizures and write down when they occur and how long they last. He has had another one two weeks after the first. If they are very frequent, they will start him on medication. The vet assures us that he will live a long and happy life with the proper medication. This may be the reason he was abandoned or stray. He does get disoriented when the seizures happen. But he has come to the right place to get great care. We will see that he gets the best.
Thank you for helping us find such a wonderful new member for our family.
Susan and Jim
Date: 7/18/01 8:17 AM
From: The Lochs
WE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT STORMY IS DOING GREAT! WE TRULY LOVE HIM. HE IS SUCH A GREAT DOG AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND HIM.THE RIDE HOME WENT WELL,ASIDE FROM THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WE GOT CAUGHT IN, MY DAUGHTER THOUGHT THAT IT WAS COOL RIDING THROUGH A THUNDERSTORM WITH A DOG NAMED STORMY! JUST THIS MORNING WE HAD HIM DOWN ON THE BEACH AND HE REALLY LIKES THE OCEAN
WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON HIM AS THINGS DEVELOPE.AGAIN THANKS,
ROBERT AND DEBORAH LOCH
Date: 7/9/01 7:34 AM
From: Linda
....just wanted to drop you a note to let you know I saw the article about BCAA and your foster home in yesterday's Courier Post. I'm so happy to see that they published that article. You couldn't ask for better publicity. Thank you for all your group has done to help pets find new homes in Burlington County.
Linda
MAESSR
Date: 7/8/01 09:30 AM
From: Tina
Date: 7/6/01 10:52 PM
From: Joan
I just wanted to tell you my success story. Yes, I did find my beagle on your web site. Lorraine and the woman who was my little girl's foster Mom told me about success stories. So I would like to tell you mine. We adopted our little female beagle from the BCAA. She is around 4 yrs old and we have her about 1 month. She is more than special. I previously had a female beagle who lived to be 16 1/2 yrs old. She died last May and I never thought I could ever replace her. But Dacey (that is the dog we adopted) sure does come very close. She is not only well behaved but also house trained and crate trained. She is a very expectional beagle girl. She is very loveable and sweet. We can not thank Pet finders enough for giving us this second chance at having a wonderful pet again. We were very cautious about adoption, because my other beagle was obtained from a breeder as a puppy. I did not want a puppy this time around. They are very cute but a lot of work also. So my husband and I decided to adopt an adult dog. And we did look for a long time. But finally we found little Dacey, and we are so grateful. So if anyone out there is a little cautious, but does their homework, asks the right questions and goes to see the dog that want to adopt, your instinct will do the rest. I know we are very happy we did. Now our lives feel more complete with Dacey in it. Again thanks to petfinders.
Joan
Date: 7/1/01 11:38 PM
From: Laurie
I'm sorry it took so long for me to answer your e-mail. I hope you had a pleasant trip.
As for Cynthia, she's doing wonderfully. She has been re-christened Niki and has made herself an integral part of the Stephen household. She has been to the vet. Her stitches came out one, two, three and she is in good health. She has been to the groomer, and she now has somewhat less hair, but she's still a hairball. She's been to Eric's school for show and tell and loves to play with children.
At first, she was somewhat shy and timid. However, once she figured out that she wasn't going anywhere, she adjusted quickly. Every week a little bit more of her personality comes out. She LOVES chasing a tennis ball in the back yard. She loves going for a walk. She loves to stalk birds (we had to remove the bird feeder from the back yard) and chase squirrels. Unfortunately, because of the squirrel thing, she has to stay on the zip line whenever we're outside, but she doesn't seem to mind it at all.
She charms everyone she meets because of her sweet disposition and incredible cuteness. She has my husband completely enthralled. She's very playful and she and my son are friends for life.
She has her own bed, but prefers to sleep in our bed. She has two little stuffed animals that she carries around the house. She is very agile and can jump quite high. Between the jumping and the bird stalking we think she's half cat.
Niki has worked out extremely well and we couldn't have asked for a better dog or a more perfect fit. We can't thank you enough for taking her from that shelter.
Regards,
Laurie
Date: 7/3/01 9:02 PM
From: Dory
WELL.....LOOK AT BECCA NOW!!!!!!!!!! It's her Birthday.....check her out....
it's becca's birthday and she'll bark if she wants to!
I thought you'd enjoy this......amazing what love can do.
Dory
Date: 7/1/01 11:52 AM
From: Burlington County Times
Date: 6/29/01 12:36 PM
From: Sherry
Sherry
Date: 6/25/01 1:59 PM
From: Chris
Date: 6/24/01 10:44 PM
From: Angela
I wanted to write and let you know that Jack is doing very well in his foster home!! they adore him, and we see him finding a new "foreevr home" very soon! He has been good with housebreaking, ut they are now working on crate training and "no bark". I believe if I remember right they will start his obedience training very soon!
Just thought you'd want to know.
Angela Woodruff
Bull Run ACD Club Rescue
Date: 6/23/01 11:12 PM
From: Denise
Updated info: Click Here
Its 10:55; we got home with Gracie about 30 minutes ago.She is very, very FAT. Looking down at her, you'd swear she was a little pig. She could not make the step up into the house -- the stairs are out of the question, so I'll stay downstairs with her tonight. She has trouble walking because of her weight.
The infection she has on her butt is because she can't turn around to clean herself, so she had a lot of poop caked there. That's why they had to shave her. It still looks very irritated.
She is a tiny beagle, under 13 inches, I think. Smaller than Max, anyway. She is very sweet, and has followed me around since we got home. She just comes to wherever I am and leans her little head against my ankle. She has not made a sound, except for a little grunting. Martin thinks she's been debarked.
She appears to have a problem with her right eye. It doesn't seem to track, and both eyes are red and somewhat wet.
We gave her some water and a little food, then she went out to potty. She is definitely potty-trained. She responds to 'good girl' and wants to be petted and talk to.
We have a lot of work ahead of us. BTW Carol, you were absolutely right -- no way could this girl have survived a flight.
Martin and Judy are very nice; we liked them right away! Really, the kind of folks you would want to be around a lot.
And - y'all will kill me for this -- we didn't take a single picture. It was dark and drizzly, and in all the excitement I just forgot all about it. But I will take some pics of Gracie tomorrow, and post them for you. She goes to see our vet on Monday.
Thanks so much, Kar and Elissa, and Carol, for putting this together for us.
You guys are the best!
And all the BBBBB's for prayers and support! We love you!
Date: 5/25/01 1:25 PM
From: Richard
Thanks very much. The experience was a pleasant one.
Rich Zaiss
Date: 5/8/01 7:38 PM
From: Amanda Davies
Thanks!!!!
Date: 5/5/01 5:44 AM
From: Lisa
I wanted to drop you a note saying how thrilled we are with Sparky! Words cannot express how great he is and how he has fit into our family so well. You really know your dogs! The kids love him so much it seems like he is always the topic of conversation, they fight over who he gets to sleep with. He is so good when left alone, but mainly I try to take him with me because we enjoy each other so much. I'm planning on getting a doggie seat belt so he is more secure in the car.
He spends most of his days with me following me around and I find it hard to accomplish anything because all I want to do is play with him! When the kids get home he forgets me and ends up in the yard playing with my children and most of the kids in the neighborhood. Our house has become the popular one now with Sparky. He loves balls as much as my son does. Everyone comments on how great of a guy he is.
We are teaching him to sit and stay and he doing very well with it. I'm not sure if he will ever be the type to be off a leash, though I doubt I would take the chance of losing him.
My husband and him have bonded, he has taken him for walks to meet other neighbors and calls from work asking what Sparky is doing. I can see the love growing.
In every way Sparky has amazed me, it feels like he has been part of our family forever. We love him so much and I can tell he loves us.
Thank you again for the wonderful match you have made and all your hard work and devotion to the dogs. I've been telling everyone to see you if they would like a dog. Please stay in touch and I will do the same, maybe we can arrange for you to came and see Sparky in his new home.
Sincerely, Lisa Cuffari
Date: 4/30/01 9:06 AM
From: Janis
Date: 4/26/01 9:49 PM
From: Kate Coppola
off a sheep, not the fur off of a dog. Now, only 4 1/2 months later his fur is growing back and he is a happy healthy little shih tzu. I have often heard myths about never adopting an older dog, but I don't believe a word of them now!!
Date: 4/16/01 12:14 PM
From: Sue and Sandy
This is just a quick e-mail to let you know I absolutely, positively ADORE this little Sandy! She goes with me just about EVERYWHERE and last night we met a lady who has a similar-looking dog named "Meggy." It turns out this lady has a small house with a lovely yard to rent, so perhaps Sandy was my good luck charm. Also, Sandy has been playing with another dog's stuffed animal duck, shaking it all about and galloping through the house with the duck in her mouth. The other dog won't share it too much so I finally bought Sandy her own stuffed animal toy. She loves it, and she shakes it all about, and gallops about the house with it. She has tons of personality, and I couldn't be happier she is mine.
Tomorrow we go to the doggy beauty parlor. I've taken pictures, and will take pictures after she is beautified too. Then I will get them all developed and send them to you.
Thank you so much, keep up your wonderful work!
Love,
Sue and Sandy
Date: 3/23/01 5:22 AM
From: Barbara, Frank & Sarah
We absolutely adore our Murphy. We haven't had a dog in 20 years, and don't know how we lived soo long without one. Murphy is a perfect little guy, and we cannot imagine not having him in our family, now that he has been with us almost one month.
After taking him to Doctor Carter, he discovered that Murphy has a non-functioning thyroid gland. Thus, this was alot of the reason why Murphy's skin was so black, he is so overweight, and his skin is in such bad condition. Since being on medication, Murphy's skin is starting to clear up, and each day he appears to be more energetic. He now walks much quicker than he used to, and he wags his tail when he first sees any of us in the morning!!! (He didn't wag his tail at all when he first came to live with us.)
He still loves his "football" that you left with us. It is the first thing he goes for in the morning, wanting us to "play" with him. Yesterday, for the very first time, he was actually running around the house without playing with any of his toys.
It seems that each day he trusts us more and more. He cries whenever his "daddy" or "Sarah" leave the house. In fact, when we went food shopping, he wouldn't come in the house until daddy brought all the groceries in (Sarah had him outside when we pulled up the driveway in the car from the foodstore).
We want to thank you for taking such good care of him for us, and trusting that we would make a good home for him. We are REALLY GLAD that we "found" him on the internet. Doctor Carter told us that if he did not receive treatment for his thyroid condition, that Murphy likely would not have lived much longer. In a few weeks we take Murphy to Doctor Carter's to get a blood test to see how the medication is helping his thyroid to function.
We also have gotten "Murph the Surf" a Hamilton Township dog license. We are very glad that Murphy just LOVES to get a bath, AND he doesn't mind having his coat dried with the hair dryer!!!
In fact, we haven't found ANYTHING that he dislikes having done to him, including giving him his medication. Of course, he just loves the fact that we make a ball of bread, into which we put his dose of medication. Some things never change, though, as he is STILL a FOOD HOUND, always underfoot in the kitchen or dining room, wherever we happen to be eating.
Just wanted to keep you up-to-date on Murphy's status.
Date: 3/21/01 10:15 AM
From: Chris
cjacobi@bee.net
Date: 3/21/01 12:05 PM
From: Diana
Last year, about a week before Christmas I saw a beautiful Shetland Sheepdog on the site maintained by the rescue group that works with Burlington Co. Animal Shelter. I surfed Petfinder often looking at the animals that were up for adoption, although I wasn't looking to adopt. A few months before it was brought to my attention that Burlington is a kill shelter when I was helping someone try to spread the word about a dog there.
I already had a Sheltie -- who is the most wonderful dog in the world, I think, but I'm partial -- and to make a long story short, I was upset for days at the thought of this dog being PTS. I convinced my reluctant-to-get-involved husband into going to check him out. He went, and we went back to see him that night. He had about 4 days until he would be released and had another application on him. We decided, after much debate, to put an application in.
He actually played with my husband there -- the shelter person said it was the most reaction they had gotten out of him -- but he showed no interest in anything, not much in us, moreso in the other dogs who were barking constantly, and there was no quiet place to go with him. We went back on Sat. and spent as much time as the shelter worker could spend with us with him. We took him outside and brushed him and sat and talked to him. Not much reaction, but, again, played with the ball with my husband through the bars.
We decided that we definitely wanted to adopt him at that point. We wanted to go back with our dog, even though we didn't know if we would be chosen to adopt, but they decided a day early to release him, and they picked us.
On Dec. 22nd we drove to pick him up. He seemed to remember us and went willingly. He met our dog, after taking him to our wonderful groomer who agreed to bath him at 9 pm when we got back from the shelter, and there was no problem. He saw the vet and within a week was neutered.
Now the fun started. About 2 weeks after bringing him home, we encountered our neighbor walking her smaller sheltie on the street. He went wild. I was very upset about this. This proved to be his attitude toward every dog he saw. Fortunately for us, he did not do this with our dog at all. He ran from anybody who came in the house. Then the thing that really got to me was that he bit my sister. Not doing any damage, just put her hand in his mouth. I found he would do this to me when I would try to physically give him commands such as off and then guide him with my hand.
He had no inclination for human attention. I would hug him all the time and say soothing, soft words to him, and I always thought to myself, "This dog's going to bite me, but if you want to live in my house, you might as well get used to the affection now." The only thing he wanted to do with us was play and play and play. He had major fear-based problems, afraid of anything over his head, any items like a mop or broom, flash lights, and he wouldn't just bark at them, he would bite. His first reaction to anything frightening was to bite, period.
This went on for months. We fought about what to do. We were afraid of what could happen to people or dogs on the street. We have always believed that once an animal came to us, he would stay, but he was a pretty dog, and adults and children would just run up to us and try to touch him. We considered finding a home with a fenced yard where he wouldn't have to be walked on the street. But he was also totally unhousetrained. He would go whenever he felt he had to without warning.
He was turned in at the shelter as a stray with a last-call on him. We decided that he must have been someone's dog in Aug when he was shaved, maybe even the people who turned him him, as he is so afraid of strangers, I doubt he would have went with anyone willingly. He must have been kept outside at all times, as he would just stop and go to the bathroom whenever and was afraid of anything over his head, like lamps. And he must have had very little or no human contact. We felt he deserved the benefit of the doubt and more time feeling that he would end up back at the shelter if we let him go and maybe not be adopted this time out.
We went to traditional training classes and had him evaluated by that trainer in our home. They felt he would improve with time. But at the class he was hard to handle, even for the trainer, with the other dogs. But we managed, and it was a positive experience for us. I got lots of advice from some very helpful people on the community BB. I joined an agressive dog list and learned a whole lot of info about handling dogs and their fears. We worked very hard on management with housebreaking and fear-aggression. That made the situation liveable.
After about 6 months there was a huge difference in him. His posture in the house was relaxed. His ears fell comfortably towards the sides instead of straight up waiting for something. He was turning into a different dog. He hair was growing back -- did I mention he had been shaved and looked like a sick, scroungy mutt? And he actually started to greet us when we came home. He would sit between my legs for an affectionate kiss, hug, and pet with the reward of throwing the ball through the house a few times afterward.
Now the 2nd Christmas has come and gone, and it was probably around that year mark that I said to my husband, "Look at what a wonderful dog Duncan has turned into." He's beautiful -- even prettier than Casey. Ssshhh! Don't tell Casey that -- he's happy, loves to be pet, hugged, kissed, even comes to me in the morning when he knows that's my intention. He accepts my sister and mother in the house, even sits on their laps or gives kisses on their faces. He will let us pick him up, put him on his back, touch his feet. He and Casey love each other now. It took Casey about 3 months to even play with him. He rarely chases the cats. And the best part is that he sleeps on his back with his feet stretched up in the air without a care in the world. We trust him now and he trusts us. And my husband agreed wholeheartedly for the 1st time.
Now, we look at him while he's sleeping without a care in the world and say, "Do you know how lucky you are?" and he comes over for a kiss or to sit in our laps, and I imagine he's saying, "Yes, I do. Thank you."
**********
Diana, Ted, Casey, P.B, Miri, Fidget, and especially Duncan, all thank you for being here and making it possible for us to understand that which we did not fully understand previously ... what an extreme commitment and priveledge our pets are, and for giving me the catalyst to understand and learn so much for having to deal with a difficult situation and the support to be able to find the ways to learn what I needed to to be able to deal with it.
Duncan has inspired us to help in rescue as much as we can, and we have temporarily fostered 2 dogs on a very short-term overnight stay basis, and we have safely tranported as many as 10 dogs from shelters to foster homes or foster homes to forever homes in the last year.
We, and they, all thank you for maintaining this site and making our story possible.
Date: 3/20/01 2:42 PM
From: Holly
Hope all is well with you and the pups. Things are going well on our end. Allie has come a long way. She is just the cutest and we are crazy about her. Who knew the shy little one would be so playful and frisky. Brandy is still adjusting - she has good and bad days - sometimes I worry about her. This week, thus far, has been good for her. Every once in a while she gets cranky and sort of yells at Allie, but that's to be expected. Allie still has potty accidents every now and then, but they are getting less and less, as I make sure to know where she is most of the time. We still crate her, but she seems ok with that cause she only gets crated when we are not home. She still only ventures into certain rooms of the house. For some reason, she won't go in our living room or kitchen, but part of it may be that she feels it's Brandy's domain. I try to figure out dog psychology, but I don't always get it. She is still afraid of strangers (our friends/family) and hides and barks most of the time they are at our house, but even that is getting less and less. In due time, she'll get used to different people - probably when it gets warmer out and interacts with them more. Well, check me out -- I wanted to say hi and I end up writing a novel. Anyway, hope all is well with the dog rescue and with your extended family.
xox Tara, Larry and the gang
Date: 3/19/01 10:37 PM
From: Patricia Cardinale
Date: 3/19/01 8:31 PM
From: Brett M. Young
i work at the Fort Dix VTF i would just like to say thank you for all you are doing to fine good homes for our animals. Once agin i would like to thank you so very much on behalf of the staff and all the little animals that you help save. SPC Brett M. Young
Date: 3/17/01 3:11 AM
From: Holly
Sue spent months looking for a puppy. She couldn't find one. She didn't care if it was male or female, had pitbul or not. Six months ago, a 5 week old puppy was returned to our shelter. It was female and it definitely had some pitbull, and it needed someone to nurture her. I pulled the puppy and Sue adopted her. Susan was thrilled with the little girl she named Sugar. For 5 months Susan has been telling me this is the best pup ever. Incredibly smart, wonderful with her kids, etc. Susan was a perfect home as she's home most the day and has the patience for the nipping stages and such that accompany puppyhood.
Yesterday, Sue thanked me profusely for bringing this pit mix puppy into her life. Her 7 year old son was upstairs watching TV while Sue and her daughter were working on homework downstairs. Sugar was laying by her side. Suddenly, Sugar ran up the stairs. Sue didn't think much of it until the dog came back downstairs frantic. After a couple minutes, Sue got exasperated and asked Sugar "What is it?" She followed Sugar upstairs to find her son, an epileptic, was in the middle of an attack. It was a bad attack, and without Sugar's warning, could have had serious consequences. Sugar stayed by Sue's side the whole time she administered to her son. When the attack was over, Sue took her now sleeping son and put him to bed. Sugar was right at her side, pushing repeatedly on her leg. Without looking, Sue told Sugar. "Not now." Sugar stopped pushing, but hopped up on the bed. Sue looked up to order Sugar down, when she saw what Sugar had in her mouth. It was her son's blankie, the one he never slept without and clung to when scared. Apparently, Sugar thought this a scary enough situation, because as Sue watched, Sugar dropped the blanket onto her son's face, and then curled up beside him. She stayed guard until he recovered and was up and about.
Needless to say, while Sugar's beginings were not great; treated like disposable garbage at four weeks old, left outside a kill shelter on a cold winter night duck taped into a cardboard carton, at the young age of 6 months, she has proven herself invaluable to her adopted family who treasures her beyond belief.
Holly
Date: 3/19/01 10:40 AM
From: Steve & Eileen Corrado
Lorraine & Kelly, I just wanted to thank you for letting our dog Scooter
into our lives. I can honestly say he's made us smile every day since we got
him back in September. We just had our first child (Gabrielle) in January
and he gets along with her great. He is a very loving dog and it makes us
feel good that he has a home now. Attached are some pictures.Sincerely,
Steve & Eileen Corrado
Date: 3/6/01 5:05 PM
From: Cathy Chatelain
Thank you,
Cathy Chatelain
Date: 3/6/01 6:04 PM
From: Jason and Lori
Jason and Lori
Date: 2/27/01 7:55 AM
From: Amy Peterson
As is my habit, I turned to the internet for help. By doing a search for Beagle adoptions I came up with Petfinders.com and began to search the huge list of beagles available for adoption. I spoke with several people about pets on the site, and all were very helpful and eager to work with us for a good match. We finally settled on a dog from Burlington County Animal Alliance in NJ.
Trixie, as they had named her, had been found stray at Fort Dix, NJ. We filled out an adoption form online and emailed back and forth several times to learn more about the dog and for them to check with our vet and learn about our family.
When the decision was finally made, my generous (or crazy) husband hopped in the car and drove 7 hours each way to meet the dog's foster family and bring home our new sweetie.
Without the internet, this happy match could never have been made. We are so thankful to Beagles on the Web and Petfinder.com; as well as the shelters, organizations, animal foster homes and financial supporters out there helping to match pets and families.
Amy
Date: 3/15/01 9:00 PM
From: Luke
I think of and miss you a lot. I have a good home here. My mommy and daddy are very good to me. Thank you for taking the time to make sure I would be happy in my new home.
I'm love my new mommy and daddy so much, especially my mommy. When she's not around, I hear voice sometimes on the answering machine. I get so excited because I get all confused and think she's there. I always wonder why she just won't come out of that little box. So when mommy's not around, or not paying any attention to me, I like to eat her shoes, pocketbook, glasses, what ever it is that will remind me of her.
My poor mommy has had to buy me 2 more snuggle buddies. My daddy helped me rip the first one, and I tore apart the second on my own. I keep hearing mommy yell at daddy because he showed me how to do that. I like the stuff inside. It's fun to pull it all out and drag all over the house. It's evener funnier to watch daddy pick it up.
My mommy changed my doctors. I heard her say she didn't feel too comfortable with them and wanted to change them. I was glad because I didn't like them either. My new doctor plays with me, gives me treats and talks to me. She hurts me when she gives me shots, but not like the other doctor did. I heard mommy say that we have to go on Sat for vaccinations. I don't know what they are, but I sure do hope they are not shots!!!!
Mommy and Daddy spoil me rotten. More Daddy than Mommy. He makes me dinner a lot, lots of yummy steaks and he likes to play fight with me. Mommy doesn't like play fighting with me, but that's OK, because she lets me cuddle with her. I like to sleep inbetween Mommy and Daddy. Sometimes, I sleep at their feet, but mostly, right in between them. I get really made at them when they try to take the blankets from me. They should spoil me. If I the bed alone isn't comfortable enough for me, then they should allow me to have some blankets too!
Mommy just bought a book on how to keep me from making in the house. Doesn't she realize that I am head strong and will do what I want? Oh boy, will she be surprised when she finds out she wasted her money. My mommy puts me in the corner when I'm bad. I hate it there. I'm not allowed to come out until she or Daddy says so. I cry, hoping they'd feel bad, but it never works. That is so mean of them. How can they resist me crying?
I love when mommy gives me a bath. I drink the water as it comes out. I just don't like her taking off my coller. Doesn't she know that's my security? She figuired out that placing it on the edge of the tub will ensure an easy bath for us both -- that is unitl she want's to wash my face -- I hate that. Why does she do that?
Well, Mommy Linda, I just wanted to pass you a note to say Hi and all is well.
Love,
Luke
Date: 2/23/01 12:27 PM
From: Pat
Hershey got here yesterday afternoon with our daughter and grandson. He and my husband instantly bonded, "he's much better looking than his picture, and he's not really fat." He has been exceptionally good with the four cats and he loves the snow. His nose never leaves the ground and he makes funny little "snort, snort noises." My daughter says it's his Vietnamese pig imitation. He snores (slept with my husband last night and didn't seem to mind John waking up every two hours to smoke and go to the bathroom - it bothers me.) He's a great car rider, just sacked out in the back seat for the 5 1/2 hour ride up here. He had a couple of little accidents in the house when he got here, no big deal, he was just new and it was all strange to him, today he has been fine. Monday he and I will go up the Scarborough Town Hall and get his license and then stop at Petco to get a special tag with his name and phone number. If this damn snow ever melts - two feet on the ground - I've been taking extra hours so we can fence the entire back yard instead of only a portion this spring - back yard is a good quarter acre - he should like it, lots of trees, squirrels, good stuff.
Guess you can tell it was love at first sight. Thank you so very, very much. As soon as we get some photos, I'll forward on to you.
Pat Rinehart in Maine
Date: 2/21/01 11:41 AM
From: Maryann
She is so friendly and so loving! She had a fear of other Dogs (no fear of humans at all) so we started taking her to classes at Pet Smart and now she has four new friends and classmates, plus a Golden Retriever buddy she has made in our development.
She is absolutely a wonderful dog and gives us so much happiness. Many of our neighbors and friends comment that Carlie has hit the jackpot coming to live with us-- I always smile and say "then we hit the lotto."
Thank you for the opportunity to find a new jogging partner, companion and best friend and when Carlie is ready-- we will be back to get her a brother or sister!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Maryann Alioto
Date: 2/15/01 10:36 PM
From: Bridget
Today my new mom took me down stairs to go out and I hung out with her until big brother came down.
I stayed in the kitchen all day. I guess my first day was OK. I was very happy to see my new Mom when she came home. She took me out and then played with me. I showed her how strong I am and played tug of war with her. Boy, was she impressed with me! We also played ball too. I was so cute! I ate my supper, but not all of it. I am still too excited. Big brother came home and played with me too. I think he likes me. He was smiling at me.
Now I think I am going to take a nap next to my new mom.
I will write again soon. Thanks for giving me a home and love.
Love Bridget (Mitilda)
XXXOOO
Date: 2/15/01 12:00 AM
From: Pat and John Rinehart
The nice lady at the Burlington Co. Animal Shelter
Brenda at the Bryan Animal Hospital
Lorraine Schrieber at the Burlington Co. Animal Alliance for pointing us in the right direction.
and Most of All, Barbara Gianno of the Burlington Co. Animal Alliance for picking Hershey up and taking him to the Bryan Animal Hospital for us
and to our darling daughter, Mary Green, who will be driving Hershey to his new home in Maine
The wonderful things we can accomplish when we all work together - many thanks from Pat and John Rinehart in Scarborough, Maine.
Date: 2/8/01 12:02 PM
From: Terry
How are you? We are all fine and doing very well and that includes Mae. She is the sweetest most affectionate dog I've ever known. She gives the best hugs and loves both Chelsea and I the same. Did you know she will give hugs when we ask for one, as well as whenever she feels like it? We melt over this. We look forward to walking her every day as she is well behaved and listens well. Playing and running around in the yard has become a ritual for all of us. She runs so fast and can turn herself around on a dime. Everyone that meets her is amazed by her beauty and friendliness. She has gained some weight, mostly around her upper body, neck and shoulders, but still needs a few more pounds at the back end to hide her hip bones. Her rib cage and vertibraes can barely be seen now. During the last week or so her fur has become thick and very shinny. We still brush her everyday and she loves it. I think we will give her another bath soon and she will look even prettier. We took her to the beach on Sunday and found a place where she could walk on the sand. We met lots of nice people there and everyone comments about how beautiful she is. Most people guess that she is half lab and half shep. That must be from one ear straight up and the other folded in half, her trademark. Mae is so good around other dogs too and always remains calm. We are letting her off the lease in front of the house a little and taught her not to go into the street. She listens so well. Okay, I could go on forever, like I usually do when I speak of Mae. Then I must stop myself or no one will ask me how she is doing anymore.
We think of you often because you are the memory we have whenever we think about how lucky we are to have Mae in our lives.
Thanks for writing and for caring about Mae the way you do. You are welcome to come visit anytime.
Hope all is well with you and all the doggies you currently have in your home. Talk to you soon.
Terry
Date: 2/3/01 1:08 PM
From: Jen and Rob
Casey is doing great! She had a rough 1 or 2 days, not quite understanding where she should go to the bathroom and where to sleep and all, but that seems so long ago already! We take her for her long walks, and play with her in between. There have been a couple of visits from neighborhood dogs, too. She is so sweet.. we are really lucky! She has a clean bill of health from the vet, too!
Thank you for everything!!!
Jen and Rob
Date: 2/4/01 5:05 PM
From: Dave and Elsie
Murphy update: still no accidents in the house he like getting up at 5:30 am for a potty run!! lol
Murphy has gotten to the point with me that at times when we walk off road he no longer needs his leash and if he strays to far he comes right back we have started to train him to heal I'm sure as intelligent as he is he will pick this up in a couple of weeks
Murphy and i went up to our cabin today and he went into the water up to his knees in as quick as a flash until i called him back guess i don't have to worry about him liking water
Elsie and i are planning on giving him his first bath after supper !! this ought to be fun!
thanks for such a wonderful dog he is my new best friend!!
Dave and Elsie stem
Date: 1/29/01 9:50 AM
From: Joy
We adopted our little guy through BCAA at Westampton, and although he is a little feisty yet with chewing hands, he is definitely coming around as very affectionate and more well behaved than I would have thought at first.
Keep up the good work, and after we move to another state in 2002, I'll probably check back in for another kitten in that location.
Thank you again,
A new kitten owner
Date: 1/24/01 11:51 AM
From: Gina
Just wanted to write and keep you updated on our girl Roxie . Thank God we saved her , It would of been such a shame to let a dog this loving and sweet be put down . Well the other day I was out in the yard and I got the water hose out to do something , When the water started coming out our dear little Roxie started jumping and playing and grabbing the water as it was coming out ! She got soaked and was really enjoying herself . Then the night before last I got my flash light out and was going to look for something and when I turned it on the light hit the sofa and Roxie was trying to grab the light . Everywhere I would shine the light she would run and try to grab it . She is going to stay right here with me , I feel very Blessed to have her and she is a couch potato ! She doesn't like to get her paws dirty she wants to play with the other dogs but not outside . She wants to play inside !She wants to sit herself on the sofa and play from there . She is a sweetheart , Thank you Lorraine for adding this bit of sunshine to my life !
Hugs,
Gina
Date: 1/23/01 11:58 AM
From: Sandra
I am writing to update you on the hyper escapee Shepherd-Beagle mix that our family adopted last week.To say we are thrilled would be a major understatement!This fella, (whom was renamed Carter after Chris Carter of the Minnesota Vikings because of his running and catching abilities)has got to be the calmest,sweetest ,most loving pup we have ever seen.He is quite simply the perfect boy!I was afraid at first he would try to run away because of his previous record,but this sweetheart wants nothing more than to be at your side so he can give you kisses and receive lots of hugs in return.He truly seems to want nothing more out of life than to please us.We were suprised to see he was already housebroken,knows a few commands,and is wonderful with children (when our three children go to bed at night,Carter makes his rounds to check on them,and then returns to my huband and myself to either sleep with us or as near to the bed as he can get.He loves to sleep on the waterbed and has picked out his spot on the recliner -sofa (now known as Carter's seat.)he doesn't mind sharing his recliner with you as long as you don't mind his curling up on your lap for a nap,which is great because he is soooo warm and loving.When I took him for his first walk,he was so well behaved and walked so nicely,I was amazed.He does not beg at the table for food,instead he lays down around the corner from the kitchen untill we are done.He has a new friend next door named Dusty (German short-haired pointer)with whom he loves to race up and down along the fence .Carter is also not a barker,I have only heard one woof out of him in a week.We are so proud of him,we can only hope he will come to love us as much as we love and adore him.Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for allowing us to make Carter one of our family.
Sincerely,
Sandra Nicholson
& Family
P.S.To anyone out there who is looking for an addition to their family,may I say PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE,make these shelter animals your first consideration.Even if you don't find what you want at first,keep going back.I guarantee you will find the pet that was meant for you.We Certainly Did!!!
Date: 1/23/01 4:05 PM
From: anonymous
We went to the Burlington County Animal Shelter looking for a short haired, spayed female. But our hearts took over and we adopted Stanley, a long haired probably Border Collie mix who was surrendered with other dogs due to the death of his primary care owner. Stanley was curled up in a ball, scared to death. When he came out of the cage he gave me a quick kiss before curling up on the floor afraid of what will happen next. Two days later, I returned to the shelter with my husband and all three kids and after my husband took one look at Stanley, he was ours.
Stanley was so scared he had to be carried everywhere his first 12 hours. When it got too dark for him to stay outside, I carried him inside. I sat with him for a couple of hours until his shaking stopped. It took awhile for him to realize he was safe!
We had no idea how Stanley would do with our 3 kids and 4 cats. We've had him for about 2 months now. We bought him a crate to stay safe in during the day when no one is home. He wants to make friends with the cats but 3 of them still keep their distance. However, our 16 yr old cat and Stanley became friends right away, since they both like to stand by me when I'm cooking hoping to get a treat. The kids totally love him!!!!
Just like all dogs Stanley requires some training but overall he is a sweet dog who fits in very well with the family. He will be neutered this month and we've been successful finding a vet that won't charge us too much extra because Stanley has an undescended testicle. (Most animals from the shelter can be fixed for $20.) At the shelter Stanley made himself look small.
He's actually the size of a golden retriever with a beautiful black and white coat. It took a few weeks to see how much hair he actually had and how soft and silky he was. His hind area was bald from the shelter floor or nerves but has since grown in.
We still have a ways to go with Stanley, leash training and getting him used to the car. (He was taken away by animal control and is very nervous about where he's being taken when in a car.) However, the people at the shelter were very nice and had a honest, caring nature about the animals in their care. The shelter itself was very clean and I left there feeling better about the animals that pass through there. Adopting a dog from the "pound" is always a scary thing, but so far it has been a wonderful thing, not only for an orphanded dog, but for a family wanting a pet.
Date: 1/21/01 11:31 PM
From: Terry
Well we've only lived with Mae for a week now and I must say "there is a whole lotta love going on here". Mae has become very caring for both Chelsea and myself. When the three of us take walks together, Mae makes sure we are not far apart from one another, and she will even give a little jump for joy during our walks to let us know how happy she is that we are all together. We are convinced that Mae was a person in her previous life because she is so smart and polite. Actually she has more on the ball than some people I know! She understands everything we say and listens without hestitation. Her devotion and love for us is equal to how we feel for her, it's in abundance. She gives hugs lots of hugs and affection and makes sure not to leave either one of us out.
Chelsea wrote a paper about Mae for school this week, and when the teacher read it she cried. So did I when I read it. What can I say, except Chelsea and I feel blessed with the best dog in the whole world.
Mae is eating well, gets lots of treats and is walked (for some long periods) between 3 and 4 times a day. She enjoyed the snow today and put lots of smiles on our faces with her playfulness. Her beautiful black coat is getting prettier everyday. We brush her a couple of times each day and she loves it.
Thank you again Lorraine for bringing Mae to us and for keeping in touch.
Terry Amatucci
Date: 1/15/01 12:51 PM
From: Terry
Wanted to let you know how much we enjoy and love having Mae(va) in our family and home. We are glad we met you yesterday and fortunate that you suggested we take a look at Mae. As you could probably tell, Chelsea and I fell in love with her immediately. And who wouldn't, she is beautiful and so well behaved. We gave her a sponge bath today, as she didn't want to get into the wash tub. She sat nicely as we rubbed her body with washcloths soaked in warm water and special shampoo we bought for her at the pet store. As we brushed her dry, with the blow dryer on low, she was very relaxed and enjoyed one of her special treats. She looks great and her black coat is extremely shinny. We are planning to walk her now before we take her to the bank and back to the pet shop for some more stuff.
Thanks for our wonderful new friend.
Terry