Zaphod's Story

Pet's name: Zaphod
Adopted by: Kristen and Drew
From: Catahoula Rescue Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Kristen and Drew's dog Hailey appeared on From Alone to Home in September 2011, and they recently found their new family member, Zaphod, after deciding that Hailey would benefit from a companion. You can read more about Hailey and Zaphod at Kristen's blog, The Hailey Chronicles.

After nearly a year of being a one-dog family after the tragic death of a beloved pet, I began to think about adding a second. Our lives were about to profoundly change as we moved from a small house in the city to a large house on two acres in the country. Hailey, the current canine pack member, suffers from anxiety and we thought a companion may help. Also, we knew being in the country would not offer the same daily canine contact that the city did.

I started by putting feelers to Catahoula Rescue, from whom we had rescued Hailey. I started with the disclaimer that while we adored Hailey with all her energy, anxiety, and craziness, we were looking for the opposite, someone calm, cool and collected. Gloria, the head of the organization, gave it some thought and suggested we meet Zaphod, whom she described as a gem of a dog. He had been picked up as a stray (which made his foster mom think of hitchhiking, which made her think of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which made her pick the name Zaphod) and had been in a local pound, severely underweight. Gloria had removed him from the pound and put him into foster care.

I admit to being slightly nervous about meeting a German shepherd mix. As a child I knew one who was aggressive and possessive. I didn't want to paint the whole breed like that, and I knew that at the dog parks, shepherds were Hailey's favs. We went and met him. Our first meeting was a little disappointing. Hailey was completely not interested, likely because we were in a new place trying to force her to play with this strange dog. Zaphod was very quiet and calm. We left thinking maybe, but knowing even if it had been a yes, we were moving in a week so it would have to wait.

Day 4 in our new house, Zaphod was brought by his foster mom, Jenn, and Gloria for a second play date. This one went much better, and at the end we knew he was going to stay with us. We have never looked back; in fact, although it hasn't been three months yet, it feels like he has always been with us.

He truly is a gem and the best dog we have ever had. He is quiet, calm, and obedient. He tries so hard to make us happy. He loves to play fetch and swim in the lake. He can generally be trusted off leash (as long as the deer or foxes aren't in the yard), and if he does run out of sight usually runs back within one minute. He respects the cats and loves to play with Hailey. He is a very gentle soul despite a clear history of abuse (if you raise your voice to him or scold, he becomes unnecessarily nervous).

We believe after a few weeks of being with us, he did help Hailey either be less nervous, or so tired from all the playing she is less destructive.

We are truly grateful to have him as part of our pack and grateful to Catahoula Rescue who not only saved his life, but recognized he would be the perfect dog for us.

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Cooper's Story

Pet's name: Cooper
Adopted by: Barbara
From: National Mill Dog Rescue, Peyton, Colo.

Cooper's story originally appeared on Barbara's blog, That Was Vegan?

Cooper came to live with us on December 7, 2007. Jason and I decided that year that, rather than buying gifts for each other, we'd each choose something we wanted and buy it for ourselves. Perhaps not the most romantic method, but certainly efficient. For my gift to myself, I adopted Cooper from the National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR). They're a WONDERFUL organization who rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome puppy mill survivors, and educate the public on the evils of purchasing puppies from pet stores and online. I had recently heard through a friend about the amazing NMDR—and I wanted in on the action! I looked on their website, and although every single dog looked adorable and loveable and everything else-able, I decided to wait until we could visit the rescue. I wanted to see if I had an instant connection with any of the pups. I wanted my new dog to choose ME.

Fast forward a few days, and Jason and I drove out to the rescue. I was sitting on a stool as they brought dogs to me one at a time to meet. Obviously I loved every dog that I saw and wanted to take them all home with me, but I never stopped her from bringing more dogs in. I wasn't done yet. Then she came through the doorway carrying a little black bundle, and placed him on the ground at my feet. Not only was he covered in mud, but his fur was matted too—I really wasn't even sure what breed he was. He was very shy (they called him "Timmy the Timid") and although he wouldn't approach me, he was doing this adorable little "commando crawl" on his belly back and forth in front of me. I knew immediately.

Some paperwork and an adoption fee later and Cooper was on his way to his Forever Home with us. He was about five years old, and had been rescued a few weeks before from a breeding dog auction in Missouri. That's a story for another (longer, sadder) post, but suffice to say my sweet boy was minutes away from a cruel death when he was saved. But all that is in the past, and he's now the happiest pup you could ever meet. He only has one eye, but that doesn't stop him from scampering around the house begging for treats, or sitting on my lap watching while I watch TV. We're best friends, totally inseparable!

Happy birthday Cooper! Thank you for four years of happiness and love and little doggie kisses—and I look forward to many more!

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Kiva's Story

Pet's name: Kiva
Adopted by: Jessica Swaim

From: Western Border Collie Rescue, Wyoming

Jessica Swaim, author of the children's book, The Hound from the Pound, tells the story of Kiva, her border collie. Visit her website for some great videos of Kiva in action. 

Once upon a time—in the summer of 2009—I was looking for a dog. My friend Cindy and my golden retriever Sprocket came with me to visit a one-year-old border collie named Sadye. Sadye was an "owner surrender" living in a foster home in nearby Ft. Collins, Colo. As we watched this dog-shaped missle blast around the yard after her ball, our conversation went something like this:

CINDY:  Wow, what a beautiful dog! Smart. Athletic. Eager to please. She's exactly what you're looking  for.

ME:  Are you kidding? You saw how she barked and lunged at those cyclists when we walked her to the park! And remember how her foster dad described her? "Energizer bunny." "Go-Go girl." "A lot of dog."  Translation:  nut case! Her eyes spin like pinballs! She snaps at flies!    

CINDY:  So? You want a high-energy dog, right? One that'll make you a better handler?    

ME:  Yeah, but border collies need a minimum of two hours of exercise a day, including flat-out running. TWO HOURS! If they don’t get it, they chew holes in your drywall!

CINDY:  Well, haven't you been wanting to remodel?

ME:  Border collies are the smartest breed, you know. This dog has a higher I.Q. than I do.

CINDY:  Great! Maybe she can balance your checkbook.

ME:  I'm too old for this dog.  

CINDY:  Argggh. Do you or do you not walk Sprocket miles every day? You live on five acres. You’ve got agility equipment. Clickers in every room of your house. You've got a neighbor with sheep, who even teaches herding, for pete's sake! Get a shepherd's crook. Make like Bo Peep. It'll be fun!

ME:  Fun, my fanny! I don’t need another dog sport! I can't play with dogs all day, you know. I've got a life. I've got a lot of important stuff to do.

CINDY:  You know what? You’re absolutely right. You're too important for this dog. Too old. And too dumb. Let's go.

ME:  Shhh! Look. She finally laid down. She's staring right at me. Aw, did you ever see such a sweet face? Look at the hope in her eyes.  

CINDY:  That's not hope. She's plotting to destroy your drywall.

ME:  She needs me! I need her! We’re perfect for each other.

CINDY:  Duh. Ya think so?

ME:  I know so. C'mon, Sadye. Let’s go home.

CINDY:  Yay.

Soon afterwards, Sadye became Kiva. Kiva plunged headlong into agility, tricks, musical freestyle, and herding. In her spare time, she continued to chase flies. Cindy remained a close friend and earned a Ph.D. in Reverse Psychology. Sprocket shared his toys and modeled good canine citizenship. And me? I gobbled multivitamins, learned to throw a Frisbee, and embraced my inner Bo Peep. And we all lived hyperly ever after, with the drywall intact.

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Emmett, Lucas, and Cooper's Stories

Lucas, Cooper, and Emmett

Pets' names: Emmett, Lucas, and Cooper
Adopted by: Maggie and John Marton
From: Friends of Homeless Animals, Washington Animal Rescue League, and Mended Hearts Indy

Maggie, who sent this story of her three dogs, blogs at Oh My Dog!, where you can read more about Emmett, Lucas, and Cooper's adventures.

In 2006, after my husband and I bought our condo in Washington, D.C., we knew we wanted to adopt a dog. We researched different breeds, combed through adoptable-dog profiles, and drove out to Friends of Homeless Animals as fast as we could. We met a couple dogs, but none seemed to fit. We described our "perfect" dog to the shelter volunteer. "You have to meet Emmett," she said. That one little sentence changed our lives.

Emmett is a (nearly) perfect dog. He has been since day one. We knew nothing about training, behavior, feeding, health, anything! Yet Emmett’s personality—calm, confident, sturdy, sometimes silly—helped us navigate the challenges of new-dog parenthood. His one problem? He hated being alone, even for one second. If I closed the bathroom door to take a shower, he would bash his bully head into the door to come in. He'd curl up on the bathmat and wait for me to finish. Whenever we left for work or for the store, he would smoosh his nose under the door and cry and cry and cry until we got home.

Emmett

After nine months of little improvement, we decided to adopt Emmett a buddy. This time we went to Washington Animal Rescue League. We were less diligent about our research because we knew exactly which dog we wanted. We met Darby and played with her in the little side room, and as the volunteer went to get the adoption paperwork, we squealed with excitement. Moments later, the volunteer came back with news: Darby had been adopted already. They just forgot to hang up the sign.

Distraught, we wandered the aisles of the shelter. I paused in front of one of the crates, and a skinny yellow dog with humongous Dumbo ears raised his head and looked me right in the eyes. After a few seconds, he put his head back down and sighed. My heart broke. I called John over, who wasn't super excited about this mangy guy. I persevered and won (of course), and when the volunteer looked over our adoption form she said, "Lucas doesn’t do well with other dogs." We countered, "He’ll be fine with Emmett."

They had us bring Emmett to the shelter. Lucas behaved inappropriately for about five seconds before Emmett corrected him. Lucas fell right in line behind Emmett … and has been there ever since. The volunteer was right, though; Lucas was terrible with other dogs. But he has had Emmett as a role model over the last four years, and he's improved tremendously.

Lucas

All was great. We went for long walks and took the boys hiking on weekends. We did training classes, learned everything we could about nutrition and health, got Emmett certified as a therapy dog, and Lucas passed his Canine Good Citizen test. We poured all our time, effort, and energy into Emmett and Lucas.

Then, something came over us last Halloween. I agreed to foster a tiny little American pit bull mix named Scooter. He came to us from Mended Hearts Indy at 6 pounds, 2 ounces. The big boys adopted him immediately. They tolerated his puppy shenanigans and snuggled with the little bean when they thought we weren't looking. His presence brought out new sides of the "big boys." After a few short weeks, we renamed him Cooper and submitted our adoption application.

Cooper

Cooper has been with us for nearly a year now, and the three guys have had a lot of adventures already. They snuggle and play well together, and though it hasn't been an entirely bump-free adjustment, they are 100% committed to each other—and us.

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Teddy, Sherlock, and Boo's Stories

Pets' names: Teddy, Sherlock, and Boo
Adopted by: Bobbie Pyron
From: Sheltie Rescue of Utah and Wasatch Humane (now the Utah Animal Adoption Center)

Bobbie Pyron, author of A Dog's Way Home, shared this story of her three dogs. Visit her website to learn more about her books. 

The most common question writers are asked is "What inspired you to write your book?" For my new book, A Dog's Way Home, the answer is wonderfully simple: my dogs!

I am fortunate to share my life with three rescued dogs; two—Teddy and Sherlock—are Shetland Sheepdogs adopted from Sheltie Rescue of Utah. My third dog is my "wild child," Boo. My vet's best guess is she's a coyote mixed with some sort of herding dog.

A Dog's Way Home is a contemporary mash-up of Lassie Come-Home and The Incredible Journey featuring a lost Sheltie rather than a collie. I like to say the book is my personal love letter to the breed. I first fell in love with Shelties when I fell in love with Teddy. We met when he was four years old. He and his sister had been given up to Sheltie Rescue when their family fell on hard times and had to sell their house and move in with family—family who would not let them bring the dogs.

Teddy

Teddy’s sister got adopted right away. Teddy waited for me. When we met, it was clear from the beginning we were meant to be together. I have never been loved as deeply by any dog as I have been by him. He would be perfectly happy if he could somehow be surgically implanted in my side! He was my muse for Tam, the devoted Sheltie in my book. Now that he is nearing 13, he no longer hears me call his name, and those gorgeous chocolate almond eyes are fading. But if possible, we love each other more than ever.

Sherlock spent the first three years of his life in a tiny cage in a puppy mill. When the puppy mill was busted, he and the other Shelties were lucky enough to land at Sheltie Rescue of Utah. They were all in terrible shape—underweight, terribly malnourished, and cowering. When I first adopted Sherlock, he was terrified of stairs, had no idea what grass was, bumped into furniture, and had to have several teeth extracted. Now, three years later, he loves, loves, loves to run, play ball, wrestle with his "big sister," Boo, and cuddle as close as he can with me. He is truly a testament to the resilience of dogs.

Sherlock

Boo was the first of my rescued pack. A friend of mine who ran Wasatch Humane [now the Utah Animal Adoption Center] said she’d pulled a feral street dog from a "kill shelter" who needed an experienced dog lover. She warned me that the dog was fairly wild and aloof, but would I be willing to meet her anyway? My husband and I drove north to meet her. What I saw was a scrawny, scrappy blue merle coyote. What she saw when she was brought into the room to meet us was my husband’s waiting lap. She threw herself into it and gazed up at him adoringly. Needless to say, she came home with us. My vet confirmed that she probably was a coyote mix of some sort. "She’ll be one of the smartest and most challenging dogs you'll ever own," he said. And he was right. In my book, the Sheltie, Tam, is befriended by a young coyote, a character inspired by Boo.

All dogs inspire us, I think. They inspire to be better than we are, to live in the moment, and to play. But there's something extra inspiring about a rescued dog. They inspire a kind of compassion, love, and open-heartedness not found elsewhere. They rescue us.

Boo

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Henry's Story

Pet's name: Henry
Adopted by: Katie
From: A rescue group in the Dallas area (via PetSmart)

The story of Henry, who was adopted eight years ago, originally appeared on Katie's blog, Chocolate-Covered Katie. 

Let me introduce you to the best birthday present I ever received: Hello Mr. Henry!

As an avid animal-lover, I always loved to go into PetSmart on Saturdays. Well, loved and hated it at the same time. You see, Saturdays are adoption days at PetSmart, which means that the store is filled with adorable little critters in desperate need of a loving home. Visits to the store would play out like this:

CCK: Mommy, can we please adopt a dog? Pleeeease?
Mom: Katie, we have a dog. Molly would not be happy if we forced her to share the limelight with another dog.
CCK: But Mo-om, otherwise they’ll go back to the shelter, and many of them will be put to sleep.
Mom: Don’t think about it; it’s too sad, and we really can’t adopt another dog. Your dad wouldn’t allow it.

About a week before my 18th birthday, Molly needed dog food. A trip to PetSmart was in order. And it just so happened to be a Saturday. By now, I knew not to even ask anymore if we could adopt one of the wide-eyed, tail-wagging pups at the store. Resigned to my one-dog life, I silently cuddled with an especially-spunky puppy. So my jaw almost fell through the floor when:

Mom: Would you like to take him home?
CCK: That’s really mean. You know how much I want to save one; why would you joke about something like that?
Mom: What if I’m not joking? It’s almost your birthday.
CCK: (Still not letting herself believe it.) You said Dad wouldn’t go for it. Nor Molly.
Mom: I don’t know, Katie. He’s really cute. Your dad couldn’t stay mad at a face like that for long. And I bet Molly would at least tolerate him, if not learn to love him.

And so…

It always makes me sad to see all the dogs for sale in pet shops (mostly from puppy mills). Why buy a puppy when you can rescue one as cute as Henry? It’s cheaper and you’re saving a life! I shudder to think of what would’ve happened to Mr. Henry had we not adopted him. He came from an abusive home, so at first, he was terrified of people, animals, and especially feet. In fact, it was months before we even knew he could bark. But the poor (well, not anymore) guy has come a loooooong way. Nowadays, he is the ultimate lap dog, and you can’t stop him from giving you kisses!

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Angel's Adoption Story

Best friends

Pet's name: Angel
Adopted by: Karen and Jennifer Kali
From: Maryland Pug Rescue (now merged with Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue)

A divorce in Angel's previous family brought her to a rescue group when she was a young dog. She recently celebrated her seventh birthday in her new home.

Before adopting our pug, we swore we would rename any dog that came to us as a “Pugsly” or a “Buster” or any other cutesy name. And while “Angel” is not our preference, it most definitely suits our sweet 7-year-old female pug. Angel came into our lives when she was 2.5 years old. We adopted her in May 2007. Even then she was more of an old lady than a young adult, content to sit and nap on our laps instead of run and play with other dogs. We immediately fell in love with Angel’s sweet, cuddly personality after meeting her briefly at an adoption event in Wheaton, Md. We submitted our paperwork and knew she would be ours, but that didn’t stop us from telling others at the adoption event, who openly talked about adopting her, that Angel was taken.

Angel was put up for adoption because the couple she called her family was getting a divorce. Angel went to live with one-half of the couple. (We never knew if she ended up with the husband or wife.) The expense of a dog for someone on a limited income proved to be too much, and Angel’s owner specifically cited the cost of having to pay for an apartment with a pet fee as a limitation to his/her finances. Thus, Angel was put up for adoption.

She was originally going to go to a shelter, but a friend of the owner suggested Angel go to Maryland Pug Rescue (now merged with Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue) instead. Shelters are great places in terms of giving animals another chance, but they can also be terrifying places for some dogs. Knowing Angel and how anxious she can get, she would have been extremely upset in such an environment.

Luckily, she went to live with a Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue foster family in Ellicott City, Md., that included two adults, three kids, three dogs, and one other foster pug awaiting his turn to be adopted. We were told that pugs typically stayed in a foster family for about a month to assess any behavior and health issues before being listed for adoption.

Overall, the adoption process—from submitting our first application to finally adopting Angel—took about three months. Before Angel, we were denied by various rescue groups along the east coast for various reasons. We found a pug at a shelter in Prince George's, Md., and rushed to adopted her, even leaving work in the middle of the day, but just as we were about to pay our adoption fee, her family came in looking for their lost pug. Because we found the process so frustrating, we reached out to the Maryland Pug Rescue for some advice. The president was very helpful, and over our conversations, she told us about Angel.

When we picked up Angel at her foster home in May 2007, she had no qualms about us. She rubbed up on us, happily jumped in our laps, and bolted into our car for the ride home. Her foster mom said that she could tell that Angel was meant to be ours by how happy she was to go home with us. With all our adoption misadventures, we feel the same way. Angel was meant to be ours.

When we brought Angel home there was a period of time that we had to work on housebreaking, walking on a leash, and even playing with toys. Apparently her family never walked her, because she would constantly wrap the leash around us, as if she had no experience with it. And she just couldn’t quite figure out what toys were—which seemed really sad to us. We also discovered that prior to joining our family, Angel probably had a broken bone in one of her paws that was left untreated.

The only regret we have with the adoption process is that we weren’t able to get any photos of Angel as a puppy. Having some photos would give us some idea of what she was like as a puppy and make us feel like we hadn’t missed out too much on those first two years. Still, it was our preference to adopt an adult dog that was already housetrained over those cute puppies.

Four and half years after bringing Angel home, she is still everything we could want. She’s cuddly, sweet, and extremely nice to our toddler. We just celebrated Angel’s seventh birthday. Our daughter specifically asked to have a birthday party for Angel, so that’s just what we did. Angel is such an important member of our family; we can’t possibly imagine what it would be without her.

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Lucy's Adoption Story

Pet's name: Lucy
Adopted by: Katherine Burns-Christenson and family
From: Minnesota Boxer Rescue

Lucy's story originally appeared on (DOG)SPIRED, a blog dedicated to dogs and the people who love them. 

I was rescued by a rescue dog. Actually, our entire family was rescued by a rescue dog. My husband and I had lost our beloved lab mix, Miller, after 10 years together. We grieved deeply. Months later we decided we were ready to add another dog to our family. We researched breeds. We fell in love with the Boxer. We learned their various colors: brindle, fawn, white, reverse brindle, flashy fawn, and so on. We learned about their breed-specific medical challenges, their fun-loving personality, and their clever and crafty wit. We chatted with strangers and neighbors whenever we saw them with a Boxer. We looked at rescue groups, humane societies, and Petfinder.

Then we saw him. Pendleton. A beautiful 2-year-old fawn Boxer boy. We completed the lengthy and thorough application process through Minnesota Boxer Rescue. Neighbors were called. Vet references were checked. We were approved. We waited like anxious parents for Pendleton’s transport from Kentucky to Minnesota to be finalized. Then the call. The shelter had euthanized Pendleton. He was a "“messy eater," the shelter told the rescue group. What? He had an adoptive home! We were stunned. We lied to our children. Pendleton, we told them, was adopted by another family and it wasn’t meant to be. We wondered if there was a reason Pendleton wasn’t chosen to be with us. We leaned on our faith trying to make sense of it all.

Then another call came from Minnesota Boxer Rescue. Would we be interested in a 10-month-old female, white Boxer from Missouri? She was an "owner surrender," we were told. Her family was moving and couldn’t take her with them. She wasn’t completely house-trained, had some basic obedience training, was “hearing,” which we knew from our research was unusual. White Boxers have a higher incidence of deafness. Photos were emailed. She was beautiful. I was smitten. We were smitten.

However, life had changed significantly for our family in the last month. My husband had been laid off work. Money was tight. Time, however, was plentiful. Did it make sense to adopt a pet? Could we really justify the expense and adoption fee? In this economy? With so much uncertainty? We decided yes. There must be a reason Lucy came to us.

We anxiously waited for Lucy at the transport location. She was traveling from Missouri to Minnesota. I knew to be calm. Give her a chance to warm up to us. Ease in. Blew it. I totally blew it. I rushed to her with squeals of glee and gratitude. The children laughed and Lucy bounced.

On the ride home, I watched Lucy chase reflections in the van. She flew from reflection to reflection. Mesmerized by all that flashed and flickered. Those flashes seemed so exciting to her! She ignored our calls. She accepted our touch, licked our faces, and then flew in a flash at a new reflection. The children giggled at her antics. I smiled. I knew now why Lucy had come to us. I’d seen this before, but in human form.

Our oldest daughter is deaf. When my daughter was an infant, I watched her visually chase reflections and be mesmerized by light and colors. We later learned that Lucy had chased the reflections from the aquarium at her foster home. They thought it was adorable. It is! Lucy never consistently responded to her name. Playful and distracted? Typical puppy behavior, or so everyone thought. We knew better. Our daughter had done the same thing. Sometimes responding. Sometimes not. Our daughter, we learned, wasn’t responding to our voice, but our shadow on the floor or wall when we entered a room. Lucy, like my daughter, was using her strongest sense to communicate with the world; her eyes. While Lucy is not deaf, she does have a significant hearing loss.

My daughter was absolutely thrilled to have another person in the family “like her.” Other families might be overwhelmed by such a gift. We weren’t. Lucy fit right in. We started immediately using visual communication with Lucy. She was a fast learner! It’s a lot easier to learn what those humans want you to do when you can crack the communication code with your eyes!

Lucy was my husband’s constant companion during the day while he searched for employment. Her presence buoyed him and I’m so grateful. Lucy played with the children, snuggled next to me while I knit, and made herself right at home, claiming her own chair. Our hearts swelled. She was and is a constant ray of hopeful sunshine and joy. My husband found work. We found unconditional love. Without a doubt, we were rescued by a rescue dog.

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Murphy's Adoption Story

Pet's name: Murphy
Adopted by: Lee and Jason Becknell
From: Adopt a Golden Atlanta

Lee sent the story of Murphy, who, as you can see, has a great doggie smile!

I had a golden retriever growing up, and I knew that I wanted another as an adult. At the same time, I wanted to help a dog that was in need of a home. Fortunately, I discovered that there are rescues for pretty much any breed out there. I contacted AGA and had to apply. It was actually quite a lengthy process. Not only did I have to fill out an online application, but they had people come to our house and make sure we were suitable dog parents.

It turns out that we were, so after about two months of waiting, we met Murphy (whose former name was Ricardo). He was a 2-year old golden (maybe a mix; we're not sure) who was about 10-15 pounds underweight. We don't know his full backstory, but were told that his previous family just couldn't afford him, so they gave him up. We've had Murphy for almost three years now, and he's pretty much the best dog ever.

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Finnan and Keira's Adoption Story

Pets' names: Finnan Butterscotch (formerly "Butter") and Keira Rowan (formerly "Rowan")
Adopted by: Janette Noelle Dean
From: Mansfield Animal Care and Control, Mansfield, Texas, and Lookin' for Love Animal Rescue, Rockport, Texas

Janette, who wrote In Defense of Cats! A 17-Verse Poem for Cat Lovers of All Ages, sent a tale of a different species—the story of her two dogs:

Finnan and Keira's Adoption Story (aka "No Woman is an Island")

Finn and Keira came into my life because I lost my first adopted dog, Katie, when my ex-boyfriend and I separated. I was supposed to be the one keeping Katie, but that promise was not kept, and she was taken to Colorado to my great pain and woe. (Katie came from Friends of Castaway Companions Animal Shelter (FOCCAS) in Winnemucca, Nev.)

After a lonely, tear-filled Thanksgiving missing Katie, who was like a child to me, I decided that the only recourse I had (besides a bounty hunter that could kidnap her back!) was to adopt a new dog that needed a home. Throughout my life, whether I was a child, single, or with a partner, cats and dogs have always been family members that have made my life feel rich and whole. I've always known that for my own health and well-being, we all need somebody to love and receive love from, and "somebody" can certainly be a beloved pet.

My goal was to have a family I could call my own again by Christmas. I went online to see what local shelters had pet postings, and before I knew it, I was at a site I'd never been to before called Petfinder.com. Wow, what a site! With all the search options, it wasn't long before I was scouring the whole country for a dog who could somehow replace Katie in the hole of my heart. I searched for shepherd mixes and looked at picture after picture. They were all appealing, but I hoped to find one with Katie's coloring, her folded "Flying Nun" ears, as I called them, and most of all, her eyes.

Katie (and her sister Moxie) in 2006

Suddenly, listings for Texas appeared, and two young dogs peered out at me that shared different features of my special Katie. "Of course!" I thought. "Why not get two that could be a brother and sister to each other!"  Dallas and Rockport were in the same state, even if it was one VERY BIG state. Soon, my mind was set. I was going to Texas, and the idea of a long road trip to clear my mind and start my new life sounded great to me.

"Texas!" many replied, including my dad in the La Crosse, Wisc., region. "Why do you have to go that far when there are so many shelters closer to you?" I knew it sounded crazy, but those dogs were the ones. Their pictures and expressions were emblazoned on my mind, and the promise of our new family of three filled my heart. Several telephone calls, many emails, and a thousand miles later, I was in Texas adopting Butter and Rowan with brand new collars, leashes, and other dog supplies.

It was thought that Finn and Keira might be shepherd mixes, but they've grown into what I'm pretty sure is a whippet mix and a "chug" (chihuahua-pug) or perhaps russell terrier-pug. Either way, they are a loverboy and an adorable whippersnapper who love to play in the snow, the meadows, and their new grassy yard in the hills of Carson City (that their new dad Peter bought for them on a one-acre ranch).

Finnan and Keira often remind me of Katie, but more often they remind me of themselves, because no two (or three) beings are alike on Earth, and that's the way it should be.

I encourage anyone to adopt a homeless dog or cat in need and to enjoy life as a 21st-century "family" in all its amazing forms.

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you! (And by the way, From Alone to Home is now on Twitter and Facebook!)

Bardot’s Adoption Story

Pet’s name: Bardot
Adopted by: Cely Smart
From: French Bulldog Rescue Network

Cely (of Running off the Reese's) tells the story of her dog Bardot, who changed her mind about adoption:

Meet Bardot. Don’t let that sad face fool you up there; you are looking at the boss of everything. In early 2010 I decided that I was financially ready to have a dog. I had been a longtime lover of French and English bulldogs, but the cost of a puppy from a breeder was far out of my reach. Around that time I was lucky enough to meet a breeder who was heavily involved in the French Bulldog Rescue Network in Texas. She advised me to look at their website and apply for a couple of the Frenchies. She also warned me that their process was highly selective and I would be applying against a large number of people.

When I visited their website, Bardot immediately caught my eye. She was older (they guessed around age 6), did not require a yard, ignored cats (I have one hateful 18-pound cat), and was extremely loving and affectionate. No one knew where she came from or why she was abandoned, but she was in need of a home. I applied in October, months passed, and I heard nothing. I was convinced that I wouldn’t get her when suddenly I got a call for a phone interview and home visit shortly thereafter. By mid-January I was driving to Houston to pick up my new best friend.

She’s really excited in that picture, I swear. Since that day I have been the owner of the laziest, gassiest, and most stubborn creature ever known to man, and I’ve loved every second of it. Her favorite thing to do is sleep:

But occasionally, she musters some energy to go to the lake:

But mainly she prefers to lay around in the air conditioning:

Perfect pet. I’m so happy with my decision to adopt because are there are so many animals in desperate need of a home. I had always had a negative stereotype about adopted animals, but now I know it is the best way to go!

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

George's Adoption Story

Pet's name: George

Adopted by: Katherine Burns-Christenson

From: Minnesota Boxer Rescue

George's story originally appeared on (DOG)SPIRED, a blog dedicated to dogs and the people who love them. 

Meet George. At six-years-old, he is now retiring with us in northern Minnesota. After a hard life, he has earned his retirement. Big time.

You see, George was ignored, neglected, and used like a breeding machine for the first five years of his life. But thanks to some wonderful people in Kentucky and Minnesota Boxer Rescue, a non-profit rescue group, he was rescued, along with his female companion, Mary.

Both dogs had been found in an old abandoned building in Floyd county, Kentucky. They were thin, with red patchy skin, swollen faces, and runny eyes. When they were rescued, they didn’t even know how to eat food from a bowl, as they had been fed only on hard ground.

Mary and George began to recover in Kentucky with the financial support of Minnesota Boxer Rescue and the loving care of a Kentucky volunteer rescuer. They learned the basics of home living. When George and Mary were recovered enough to travel, they were transported from Kentucky north to Minnesota. Minnesota Boxer Rescue took in both dogs and continued to give them the medical attention and human contact that they needed and deserved.

In Minnesota, both dogs lived in a foster home together. Mary was adopted first. George was adopted by the foster family and lived with them for a year, until he was targeted by another dog in their pack. With his safety at risk, George was put up for adoption again. The foster family was heartbroken, but put George’s wellbeing first.

This is where we come in. We adopted George. Lucky, lucky us. We continue to be in contact with his first Minnesota adopted family. We share stories and photos often. We are beyond grateful to have George. How animals can forgive and still trust humans inspires me. Seeing George run giant Boxer circles in the yard, snoozing on the deck, and playing with our other Boxer, makes my heart sing. We all could learn a lot from George. Resilience. Courage. Love. Forgiveness.

George at the lake

George with friend Lucy

If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you!

Maisie's Adoption Story

Pet's name: Maisie

Adopted by: Francie
From: New Leash on Life Chicago

Maisie's adoption story originally appeared on Francie's blog, Maisie and Me, where you can read about their adventures together.

Nobody's Perfect

Although I obviously adore Maisie, I feel I should also try to make an effort to paint a realistic portrait of what living with her is like. She is a dog with issues ... although she's great off-leash at daycare and the dog park, she is leash-aggressive and sometimes man-aggressive, and I have more than once referred to her as "my cross to bear." 

It may help you to understand Maisie a bit better if I share some of her history. In the fall of '08, when she was probably not yet a year old, she and another dog were found at an abandoned house near the United Center. Here is a picture of where they were discovered by a lovely and dedicated woman named Sue (who also started the Trio Animal Foundation). They were near the open space at the bottom:

Maisie was found here with another dog.

This is what skinny little Maisie looked like then:

Maisie when she was found

After Maisie spent some time at Animal Care and Control, Sue managed to find a family to adopt her. They named her Harley. The husband wanted a dog to be a running partner, but something Maisie experienced in that first "lost" year of her life made her fearful of strange men. She would not run with him, and the two just did not bond. So the family relinquished her to Playful Pets, a daycare facility that sometimes housed dogs without foster homes for a rescue called New Leash on Life Chicago. (Full disclosure—I was a founder of that organization and still serving on the board of directors at that time.)

In January of 2009, I had to put down my dog Kaya after over 16 years together. It was a very painful time, and after less than two weeks I could no longer stand the silence and stillness of my empty apartment. So I decided to foster, and then to foster "Harley." She'd been living at the daycare for a month at that point, with no applications to foster or adopt her. Although (as you all know) she is very very cute and also quite smart, she is a) black and b) a pit mix, both of which greatly reduced her adoption potential. Black dogs tend to be overlooked in favor of lighter-colored dogs, and pit bulls (and pit mixes) are obviously not the easiest dogs to place. So Maisie came home with me, and with the exception of walks and eating, basically slept for two days straight. These are two of the first pics I ever took of her:

After a month or so, I had fallen in love with her (and she with me). I was determined to make her feel safe at last. A month later, she was mine. And she was Maisie. 

In addition to the aforementioned fear-related aggression problems, Maisie also has horrendous separation anxiety (she's been on anti-anxiety meds for well over a year but still freaks out when left alone) and a loud, frequent bark which actually once made me lose my apartment! We've done quite a bit of training together, and while there have been significant behavior improvements, she is and perhaps always will be a work in progress. I hate to think of what Maisie's early life must have been like to make her so scared and jittery so often. People have asked me why I went through with the adoption after knowing her issues ... but we ALL have issues, myself included. If I can't love a damaged little soul like her, why should I be deserving of love?

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If you adopted a pet from a shelter or rescue group and you'd like to share his or her story, please email me. I'd love to hear from you! (And by the way, From Alone to Home is now on Twitter and Facebook!)

Phineas' Adoption Story

Pet's name: Phineas
Adopted by: Christa Avampato
From: New York Dachshund Rescue and the Westchester Shore Humane Society in Harrison, N.Y.

Christa (who blogs at Christa in New York) adopted Phineas just about a year ago. Here is his story:

Puppy Love

After months of deliberation, I rescued a dog from the Humane Society. Meet Phineas (Phin for short), a black-and-tan, 14-pound dachshund, part wirehair, part smooth-coat, part mini, part standard-size. About two years ago, we lost our dachshund, Sebastian, and it was a heartbreaking event for my entire family. We really loved that little guy, and for the first time I spent a year without a dog in my life. It took me about a year before I could mention Sebastian’s name without crying and begin a new chapter in my life with canines. And just as I decided I was ready, Phineas appeared through the help of New York Dachshund Rescue and the Westchester Shore Humane Society in Harrison, N.Y.

I woke that morning as if it were Christmas, eager to meet Phineas and see if we were a match. I knew in just a few minutes that this guy was the one for me—now if only dating were so easy (and I suppose it is with the right guy!). My newly retired mom, a great dog lover, met me at the Humane Society and agreed to watch him that weekend while I was out-of-town at a wedding. I had spent months reading Cesar Milan’s books and plowed through many of Temple Grandin’s, too, in an effort to understand how dogs think and how to give them the very best lives possible by giving them what they need, not what we need.

Phineas and I just celebrated his second birthday (given that he was about a year old when I adopted him, we just made his adoption day his birthday) and our first anniversary. In that time he has shown me that waking up ecstatic about life is the only way to live, carving your own path in life is fun, and realizing the gift of this moment requires letting go of the sadness we’ve felt in past moments. He appreciates the sunshine where and when we can get it (he is not a fan of the rain), and he lets the rhythms of nature determine when to eat, play, and sleep. 

The greatest lesson he’s taught me has very much to do with his past. About a year ago, a policeman found Phineas in an abandoned building, lonely, cold, and hungry. He had a tag on, and the policeman picked him up and went to the address on Phin’s tag. He must have anticipated that the little guy lost his way and would be so glad to find his way back home. Instead, the policeman found a boarded-up home in very bad condition, and it looked as if no one had lived there in a very long time. He brought Phin to the Humane Society, and they contacted New York Dachshund Rescue. The rest, as they say, is history.

Christa and Phineas just after they met for the first time

It must have been a terrible feeling to be dropped off on the side of the road, left behind to fend for himself. Or worse, I guess it’s possible that he ran away from a terrible home. I can’t let myself think about this idea too often because I will be a puddle of tears in a matter of seconds with that thought rattling around in my head. Phineas, however, has found, learned, and shared a powerful lesson from his past: love heals.

I’ve often heard it said that time heals all wounds, but I actually think love is a more complete and efficient healer than time. Time is a finite gift; the amount of love we can take in and give away is infinite. The only limit love knows is our desire to give and receive. Phineas can never get enough and can never give enough. He’s a wonderful role model of courage and bravery, for believing that life can always get better no matter how far down in the doldrums we are. Love is what helps us make that journey.

A year ago, he was starving and lonely, abandoned in the woods. Today, he sleeps in a warm, down-filled bed in a (cozy) penthouse apartment on the upper west side of Manhattan, has a bottomless bowl of organic food, and laps up buckets of overflowing love that are showered on him every day by me, his friends (human and canine), and even random strangers on the street who fall in love with him on sight just like I did. He let go of his past and moved on so that he could appreciate all the love available to him in his new life.

We should all be as appreciative as he is of the gift of another day. And we can be. All we have to do is give love, receive love, and revel in the exchange. This is the kind of profound lesson that a shelter dog can teach if only we give him the chance.

BeeGee's Adoption Story

BeeGee is as colorful as her toys.

Pet's name: BeeGee
Adopted by: Wendy Morse
From: The Bailey Foundation

The adoption story of BeeGee the macaw originally appeared on Wendy's website, Bags of a Feather. 

BeeGee came to live with us in August of 2007 after a long trip to Philadelphia to bring her home to start her new life with us. We adopted her from a wonderful rescue outside the city called the Bailey Foundation. Jeff Levine and his wife Pat [who have since retired] have run the rescue as a labor of love since 2004 and have given over their home and their lives to taking in parrots of all kinds and finding them new homes.

We had never taken care of a big parrot before and were both a bit intimidated by that big, black beak! We knew very little of her past life, other than she was thought to be around 30 years old, and had been confiscated in a police raid on a crack house in Philadelphia, and was taken in by a police officer involved in the raid. After a year or so went by, he realized that he could not devote the necessary time to BeeGee, and relinquished her to the Bailey Foundation. She was thought to be a male because of her impressive size. She was a wild-caught bird and had an import band on one foot. She also had a reddish-purple bruised spot on that same foot, which might have been from her capture in the jungle all those years ago.

When she arrived at our home, she went to the vet for a complete work-up and was found to be very healthy—and a female. So BeeGee was nicknamed the "Beautiful Girl." She spent a good part of the first few weeks staring out the window at the woods and trees and stream in front of our house. Her expression was one of astonishment. I wondered if she was thinking of the jungle. After a few days with us, I bent over to pick up something off the floor in front of her cage, and I swear I heard her say “pretty bird” when I bent over and pointed my behind in her direction! I have never heard it again in the three and a half years since.

She has become a very friendly parrot and will come down from the top of her cage every day for "cuddlies." She will step on my arm with one claw and hang onto the cage with the other, and gets lots of scritches and loving. Once every few days, she will be brave enough to let go and step on me with both feet. I do not force her to do anything unless she is in imminent danger or we have to go for a vet visit. She is very happy to hang out all day, chew anything wooden into little toothpicks, and interacts with both Pete and me.

BeeGee started plucking her breast feathers last summer, and she was given a complete check-up and clean bill of health that it was not related to any physical cause. We tried a vest "protector" a few days ago, and it was reduced to a very expensive "rag" within minutes. She did NOT want that thing on her, and chewed off the fringe immediately:

BeeGee is very vocal, but not much of a screamer, unless there is something like a black bear outside. At that point, the windows are in danger of shattering as the decibel level is cranked up to maximum volumes. She mostly says "Hello" in hundreds of different tones of voice, and also "What?" If the "flock" is not within her sight, she will call out "Hello, hello, hello?" until somebody responds.

She loves to eat, and especially loves walnuts and pistachios. She digs into her bean-and-veggie mix with great appetite every evening. She also gets treats left from our dinner, and pasta is her favorite thing of all. She also has developed a taste for steak and filet mignon—spoiled girl!

We have no idea how old BeeGee really is, but I think of every day as a precious  gift. We are extremely lucky to have found her, and she has found her forever home here.

Hailey's Adoption Story

Hailey: blue is her color

Pet's name: Hailey
Adopted by: Kristen and Drew
From: Catahoula Rescue Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (found through Petfinder.com)

Kristen writes about life with Hailey at The Hailey Chronicles; you can also find her on Twitter. This is Hailey's story:

In spring of 2010 we said goodbye to our beloved Shih Tzu, Loki, after a yearlong battle with immune-mediated hepatitis causing cirrhosis of the liver. (Say that five times fast!) It had been an emotionally draining year, and at the time we thought we would now be a one-dog family. (At the time we had a Lhasa Apso mix, Gemini—she unfortunately died this summer.) However, as the summer wore on and our grief lifted, we decided to start looking for another dog.

We began the long process of reading about different breeds and looking for breeds that were less likely to have serious health issues. We talked to our vet, and one of the breeds he had recommended was the Schipperke. After reading about the breed, we put it on our "maybe" list. As we were searching through purebreds, I also started toying with the idea of a rescue. My husband had a lot of fair concerns about bringing an older dog with a unknown history into our home; however, he remained open to it.

Then one day when looking at Petfinder, I found a dog listed as a Schipperke mix at Catahoula Rescue Ontario. This dog was living just outside our city! Hailey was an eight-month-old "mystery mix"—best guess part Schipperke—who had been rescued with five other pups from a shelter in Ohio. The other pups had found homes, and Hailey was the last one. She was clearly a very energetic dog who didn't know a lot of commands, but we feel in love, and as they say, the rest is history.

Hailey is very different than our other dogs. She is larger and requires more exercise, but that was one of the reasons I had wanted a dog her size. I hate going to the gym and love to walk, but knew without a walking companion this wasn't going to happen. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I look forward to our long morning walks, as does she. I must say I have lost some weight, have more energy, and am coping with stress better since I got her.

Our Gemini suffered from some anxiety, so we had some experience with this, but Hailey's size and strength has put a twist on it. Hailey had been crate-trained but had also been with several other dogs at her foster home. With us, crate-training failed after she somehow managed to destroy two crates. She has also destroyed numerous other things in our house (the list is long), and every time we think we have cleansed the environment so she can't get anything else, she surprises us with her brilliance.

Regular grooming is a challenge. Even though we work on it at home, getting her nails cut remains an embarrassing adventure, with her screaming and trying to escape. Her fear over this sort of thing made it impossible for the vet to get a blood sample from her. We will continue to work on it and hope she gets used to it or at least hope we get less embarrassed by it! We have made progress—we can brush her with a rubber brush and brush her teeth without her screaming—so maybe there is hope for other things.

We use to have an okay backyard, but Hailey has landscaped it for us. She has destroyed our flower beds and has dug several Hailey-sized holes in them. When given the chance, she takes her toys out and buries them in the holes. One of my new chores on the weekend is washing a load of dirty toys she got outside and repairing holes in them.

For all her challenges, we do love Hailey very much. She is brilliant and full of surprises. There really isn't a dull moment with Hailey around. Nothing in the world makes me happier than watching her run at the park (well, when she is running to me and not away), and she is so loving and snuggly and cute. (These are the factors that save her some days!)

While at times I think I was crazy to get her, I can't imagine my life without her. I know in the future when I want another dog, it will also be a rescue. Maybe she has been more work because we didn't get her at six or eight weeks. Maybe another dog will have other issues due to a not so pleasant past. Those are all challenges I am willing to take on, because I know there are thousands and thousands of dogs looking for someone to love them, and the reward for doing the work (the love), is more valuable than anything she could destroy.