Success 2

Success Stories
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We brought Bennie home from the Shelter on Sept 22nd. Since then he has been out with Mary Ann, Freckles (a mixed herding dog of some kind, also a rescue from another state) and I twice in our camper. First time out was a week later to Frederick County, but the week after that we headed to the mountains of North Carolina and he loved it. In fact, the camp ground we stayed at caters to dog owners and is the only RV Park in the country to do so.

We told Bennie’s story to everyone we met; how he was found on the road in July and was not claimed or adopted until we found him in September. For the life of us we cannot figure out why anyone would have let him go. He is extremely gentle, loves playing with Freckles outside (and sometimes inside), is very quiet, great with the grand kids. OK we found one little fault. He does drool. So do people when they get older. We clean his face and move on. He only drools when he drinks and sees us eating something he wants. The shelter was right. He is food motivated but that came after he got to know us.

We were concerned after we got him that some long lost owners would come and claim him, but after almost two months in the shelter we figure he will stay with us for the rest of his life which will hopefully be for many years. He has already checked in with our vet and will have his scheduled visits with Freckles.

We lost an alumnus of the HC Shelter this past June. Her name was Brandy. It was sudden and we deeply miss her. Bennie cannot replace her, but because of our lose we had room to give another abandoned dog a good home. Unfortunately, camping season is coming to an end in the next few weeks, but we are already looking forward to next spring and I am sure Bennie and Freckles are too.

We sincerely hope others out there can experience the joy of given a needy pet a good home. They did not ask to be in the situation they are. I wish we had room for more. They all deserve a good home. Thanks again.

Steve and Mary Ann

P.S. Thanks to Lisa W. from the HC Shelter. She worked with Mary Ann during the adoption and made it painless.

I wanted to let you know what a wonderfully sweet and loveable little guy #2422, Marco, is and what a delightful addition to our family. He was obviously well cared for at the shelter and must have received a lot of loving attention while in your care. You all deserve a huge "thank you" for what you do to help the animals in need. Your thoroughness in the adoption screening process is admirable so that the little guys have the best chance for a decent and loving home. Again, thank you for helping me find a much needed companion.

~Suzanne M

I am writing to thank you all for the wonderful experience my family and I had in adopting Angie. We adopted Angie on July 13, 2006 and have really enjoyed getting to know her.
Angie is a sweet puppy who at first was afraid to enter our house because she could see her reflection in our storm door. Walks on garbage day were anxiety inducing adventures. For the first couple of days, Angie would only relieve herself in the middle of the cul du sac because she was used to the cement floor of the shelter. Cars made her nervous and she certainly didn't want to ride inside of one! The beginning was filled with firsts...television, clock chimes, door bells, her crate.

Well, that was then and this is now! Even though she was timid, you could see her desire to please and her enthusiasm for life. Our family worked with Angie every day to give her positive experiences and build her confidence. We go for long walks and work training into her everyday life. She is an amazing puppy with boundless love. She is a perfect fit to our family! She loved obedience training. That was a wonderful experience for all of us. Angie now knows many commands and several tricks. This goes over big with the children in the child care program that I run in my home. When I say it's time for a dog show, Angie and the kids get very excited! Life with Angie is wonderful.

In general, we are deeply bonded to our newest family member! Thanks so much to you. I especially thank Melissa, who interviewed me, and Joan, the volunteer, who sat with us when we first met Angie. You were so positive and caring. I know that you do your best to do what's right for the animals.

We are looking forward to many years of fun and adventure with Angie!

Sincerely, Kerstin M.

P.S. We saw Joan at Walk For Paws! My daughter, Alina, was able to raise $300 this year. And best of all, she walked with her dog!

ANIMAL ADVOCATES MICROCHIP IS A
CLINIC HUGE SUCCESS!
We provided permanent identification for 173 pets, including 2 rabbits and 1 ferret at our reduced-cost microchip clinic. A microchip is a small inert ID that is inserted between the
shoulder blades of pets. If a lost pet comes into a vet office or Shelter, a scanner provides immediate identification. The practice of microchipping is a fairly new technology, but has reunited thousands of lost pets with their owners.... [read more and see photos]

Why We Chose To Adopt a Pitbull
We adopted an 11- month old male Pit whom we've named Barney. He was a stray at Animal Control, and he is wonderful. We did not let the fact that he was a stray with no known history dissuade us; his good nature was obvious at the kennel, where he befriended everyone. He's very laid back, friendly to all, very eager to please, and quite a cuddler.

Katie (our daughter's female Pit) is enamored with him and even her other dog Chief, a Shepherd/Chihuahua mix, is tolerating him. He sleeps in his bed next to Rob's and mine and rarely pushes the limits. While he still has some puppy characteristics and loves to play hard, he is gentle with small critters including the many toads we have in our yard. He's seems to be particularly curious about and fond of toads, but only nudges them gently with his nose.

Contrary to the public perception, Pitbulls (aka American Pit Bull Terriers or American Staffordshire Terriers) can be wonderful dogs and are less likely to bite or be human aggressive than many dogs of very popular breeds, per the "canine temperament testing" groups. (Please go to http://www.atts.org for more info.) They tend to have very stable temperaments, when treated with kindness. Many vets and vet techs I've known have had "pits" or pit mixes and think they're great dogs.

READ THE ENTIRE STORY BY CLICKING HERE

In February, 2003, my then-17-year-old daughter, Ashly, and I were looking to add another family pet to our home. We came to your shelter and adopted a schnauzer-terrier mix Ashly named "Kenny". Kenny hadn't been with Animal Advocates very long at the time, as I recall. I believe your shelter had taken him from Baltimore City's shelter to avoid euthanising the dog when his time ran out.

We're an active family and do a lot of fun activities with our dogs, including flyball. Although it took a while for Ashly to train him, Kenny made his debut in the flyball rings in June of this year. He's already earned 3 of his first flyball titles.

Hope your teams will enjoy seeing some of the joy and happiness your great work can have on the community at large. Thanks for giving Kenny the chance he needed to find a forever home where he's loved and appreciated every day.

Again, thanks for all that you do everyday to help the animals in need. ~Patti

I just wanted give a big hug and thanks for finding the perfect partner in life. I adopted Callie, a BEAUTIFUL long haired calico from the shelter in September of last year. Let me tell you, she has worked her charm on every person she has met, they all instantly fall in love with her, she's the sweetest cat. I love her so incredibly much. Thankyou so much for the rare gem that I have! ~Lauren

About a year and a half ago, I came in to adopt a small dog, but at the time, there were none at the shelter. So I walked on over to the cat section and there was Peeshie (formerly Tyler). His family had given him up because he was a black kitten, and he was the runt of the litter. He had taken out all of his food from his bowl and was sleeping inside it! As soon as I stuck my hand in, he showed me his belly and I fell in love.

After about a year, I came back in because Peeshie needed a friend. That's when I met Lulu (formerly Tigress). She had been given up twice because she "knocked things off of counters". I have to say, to this day, I have knocked more things off counters than she has. Everyone who meets Lulu instantly falls in love. Even people who "aren't cat people" can't help themselves around her. Not only is she beautiful, but she purrs incredilby loud, like a vacuum cleaner:) And she gives the best nosies ever!

And who says dogs are smarter? Peeshie and Lulu both fetch their mousie toy, talk, go for walks, run to the door, roll over, give kisses, and never EVER scratch furniture! Oh, and Lulu even gives me back rubs in the morning! You can't top that!

Peeshie and Lulu get along very well and often groom each other and cuddle. I think that when we get a bigger house, we might be back to adopt again! Thanks again for all of your hard work at the shelter!

Please enjoy the new picture of Will on his new Mom’s lap, taking a break from “helping” her type on the computer. Sue, Paul, and the rest of us with Animal Advocates are sending out a big “Thank You” to those of you who assisted with Will’s extensive vet bills and sent positive thoughts his way. You can rest assured that, because you helped, Will got the best medical care possible. He is now living well, for however long he has. [click here ] Although we can’t help them all, we believe that each one matters. We are inspired and strengthened by the knowledge that you believe this too. To read Will's story click here.

I recently adopted Panther, a 5-year old male black cat and I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Panther is a great companion and really makes my house a home. I appreciate the time your volunteers took to match Panther and I up and will be back to add another addition (cat or dog) when my living situation permits.

I adopted a cat from the shelter a few months ago, and a I actually just mailed out a letter thanking you all. I decided to email some photos of him though, to show you how well he is doing. He is thriving. He is the sweetest thing and I'm so grateful for everyone who works at the shelter.
Thanks again. Jenn

Hello to everyone in HC animal shelter. I sent pictures to Margaret and Libby so I thought I’d send some here. Jake is doing great which I am sure you may have heard. Thanks for pointing us in his direction!!!
Sincerely,
Patti M.