Successful Pet Adoption Stories!

[Yeoman Randi]

As some of you may know, i've recently gone through a pretty big change in my life. I don't know what the future holds as far as what will happen next, but for now i am living on my own.

I'm an animal lover and in particular a mega-dog lover. For many reasons, i found myself incredibly lonely and depressed. Coming home to an empty apartment wasn't helping my state of mind at all.

I realized one of the major things missing from my life was a dog. After going to the local pound/shelter and finding only large dogs i went to the http://www.petfinder.com/admin Petfinder website.

I searched and searched and then found this picture:

The site gave a little information on her, but not much. She was being fostered in Queens, NY (i am on the island), so i gave them a call. Her story was this: she was "about" five years old and she was seen being thrown from a moving vehicle. A couple of vertebrae in her back had been broken. She lost 3 front teeth from being thrown out of the car. She was paralyzed for about two weeks and had to have a mammary tumor removed. The rescue group that was holding her had her spayed. They didn't know her "real" name but the guy fostering her was calling her Betty.

I drove into Queens and found this dog to be the sweetest, mellowest, most adorable little thing ever. I knew there was NO WAY she was five years old, but i didn't care. I fell in love!

I adopted her. Took her to my vet that said she's more like ten years old and that despite her previous injuries was doing fine now. Everything looked good and she appeared to be quite healthy.

I renamed her Bitty (close enough to Betty which she had been answering to), which totally fits her as she is an itty bitty thing. Not quite ten pounds. Most likely part terrier (maybe Cairn which is what my two knuckleheads at home are). Adorable, sweet and so loving. She just wants to be with me, preferably on my lap at all times. Adoring! Her eyes melt me or anyone she meets into a puddle. I love this dog! She came totally housebroken. I would really like to wee-wee pad train her because i hate the thought of having walk her in the rain, cold and snow. i have fibro and arthritis, and i have to go up and down sixteenmotherfucking steps to get to my apartment. So, lets just say wee wee pads would be awesome. So far, she refuses to do anything in the house and waits to be walked.

I can say in all honestly this dog saved me, NOT the other way around. I love her so much. She has brought so much joy into my life. I cannot imagine being without her now.

Here she is in all her itty Bitty glory:

And so now i've shared my happy happy adoption success story.

I would LOVE to hear from anyone who has had a good experience and a happy ending with pet adoption. Please share!

 

[Spot's Meow]

Well, I'm not a big dog person but I very much love cats, and after college and entering grad school, with steady paychecks and a place to live with my boyfriend, we decided we would save up some money (for the pet deposit at our apartment complex) and then get a cat. But just a couple of days later, on a notice board in the break room at one of my jobs, I happened upon a flyer. It was from a couple looking to adopt out their 2 year old male Tabby cat. They had raised him since birth, but recently got a pit bull and the dog and cat did not get along at all...in fact the cat was basically terrified and stressed out all of the time. I felt terrible about this...that seemed wrong to me, they had the cat first and then bring this scary creature in, the dog should have been the choice to go, but whatever. So we called them, set up a visit, and took him home that night. I've loved him ever since! He is very vocal, and loudly meowed all the way home and continues to incessantly meow all the time now. Especially when we leave or come home from work. He is so cuddly and friendly and intelligent, I just can't believe they chose to get rid of him over the new dog. But he's happy and safe now. His name was Tony, but we changed it to Toby. He's very well behaved and immediately went to the litter box once we got it set up that first day. He's been with us for about 3 years now.

 

[Kira's Mom]

I was looking for a new cat after I lost my two pals, Kira and Eddie, within a year. On my birthday, my parents took me to PetSmart to see the cats and kittens. There was a litter of three 14-week-old kittens that looked especially lively and interested in people. The boy kitten was let out by the manager, and he jumped right on my mom's shoulder and climbed over her to me. My choice was made for me! Now I have a wonderful kitten named Rory. He's six months old and getting big and handsome. He's an absolute joy. I think he still misses his sisters, though. I would have taken all three if I had room!

 

[Shazam!]

Meet Robert, a 2 year old stray that we decided to keep after she (that's right, she) hung around our yard for about two weeks:

 

[Kira's Mom]

^That's how I got Eddie and Kira. They both just showed up after being tossed on the street. Poor abandoned kittens! Kira actually followed me home, as if she somehow knew I would feed her and love her. (Aw, now I'm missing them both all over again. )

 

[Lindley]

My family adopted a cat that was just hanging around our yard once, a long time ago. Ebony was with us for several good years.

 

[SmoothieX]

I purchased a pair of Labs at separate times over the last four years. I love them both trmenedously. Unfortunately, the poor little female black Lab needs a new knee to the tune of $1500-$1800 after another dog ran sideways into her planted knee. She's still a fun, affable, pup, but I can't wait until she's back on her feet again in earnest. She came from a reputable breeder with hip and knee certifications, just got unluckily injured. It won't be fun to deal with but I love her.

I also just put down a deposit on a Corgi (Pembroke) for my Mom. Her Golden dies last week and between that and my Dad dying a year ago, she is kinda lonely. So I figured I'd buy her a new one, and let her pick out the one she wants next time she visits.

 

[Davros]

The black cat [Moochie] adopted me a couple months ago then I adopted the little guy [Perro] about a month or two after that.

 

[Shazam!]

Unfortunately, the poor little female black Lab needs a new knee to the tune of $1500-$1800

Oh dear, do you have pet insurance?

 

[Spot's Meow]

I purchased a pair of Labs at separate times over the last four years. I love them both trmenedously. Unfortunately, the poor little female black Lab needs a new knee to the tune of $1500-$1800 after another dog ran sideways into her planted knee. She's still a fun, affable, pup, but I can't wait until she's back on her feet again in earnest. She came from a reputable breeder with hip and knee certifications, just got unluckily injured. It won't be fun to deal with but I love her.

I also just put down a deposit on a Corgi (Pembroke) for my Mom. Her Golden dies last week and between that and my Dad dying a year ago, she is kinda lonely. So I figured I'd buy her a new one, and let her pick out the one she wants next time she visits.

Not trying to judge, I'm just wondering, why do you purchase the dogs instead of adopting them free (or almost free) from a shelter? Does having a pure breed really matter that much? I know very little about dogs so I am genuinely curious as to why people (besides breeders) buy dogs instead of adopt from shelters.

 

[Davros]

Not trying to judge, I'm just wondering, why do you purchase the dogs instead of adopting them free (or almost free) from a shelter? Does having a pure breed really matter that much? I know very little about dogs so I am genuinely curious as to why people (besides breeders) buy dogs instead of adopt from shelters.

Maybe if somebody was breeding dogs or showing them competitively and need to know a dog's genetic background.

 

[SmoothieX]

Free? Not quite? I can't stand the attitude of the people runinng the shelters. I attempted to get a pet at one point, and they wanted me to go through background checks and in home interviews and probation periods and all that shit. It woulda been easier to adopt a child. The cost would have only been a few hundred less than getting a pup.

I'll take a dog from a reputable breeder any day of the week. They can tell I understand what I'm doing and what I want, without the third degree questioning. Screw that bullshit.

 

[Kestra]

We took him from the cold life of a shelter and gave him a large box to live in on the streets.

He knows how to fend for himself.

 

[TheBrew]

I adopted three brothers. Rats to be exact. Sweet guys. Get along well enough with my fiancee's cat.

 

[SeerSGB]

Congrats.

We recent got a 9 week old Beagle pup, most loving dog I've run across in a while. I'm glad I relented on my stance on waiting a year after the death (murder) of previous dog (2 weeks earlier) and got her.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Free? Not quite? I can't stand the attitude of the people runinng the shelters. I attempted to get a pet at one point, and they wanted me to go through background checks and in home interviews and probation periods and all that shit. It woulda been easier to adopt a child. The cost would have only been a few hundred less than getting a pup.

I'll take a dog from a reputable breeder any day of the week. They can tell I understand what I'm doing and what I want, without the third degree questioning. Screw that bullshit.

What shelter did you go to? Was it ASPCA or the Humane Society?

I was approved for cat adoption recently, and will be going to put my deposit on two cats this weekend. This is an independent, not-for-profit shelter, so they set their own policies rather than having them dictated to them by a national organization. The form I had to fill out was one page and did not ask what I considered to be any inappropriate questions, and I was approved on the spot.

They even allow you to pay for the cats, which means they are yours, but wait to take them home until a date when you have your house completely ready. So at the end of December, I'll be bringing two cats home!!

 

[Sakrysta]

I adopted Sonnet in August of 2008. She was rescued from a puppy mill with more than 250 other dogs. She was pregnant when she was rescued and had 6 puppies before I even found her. I had been looking for a dog for months - keeping up with local adoption sites online just looking for the right doggie for me. I wanted a small, female, mellow-energy, fuzzy dog.

The fosters estimated she was about 3 when I got her, which would make her 6-ish now. She still acts plenty young, always wanting to play with me or her toys, but still a lazy bum most of the time. She's wonderful.

 

[TerokNor]

I als could not live without animals. always had some, dog, cat, rabbit and 10 guinea-pigs. Of these 10 piggies the last 5 were adobted from shelters... Mickey, Jill, Hazel, Line and Linus.

Mickey I adobted because one of my two piggies had died of old age and the other was so sad, that she did not eat anymore. So Mickey came, he was the most cuddliest piggy ever and I cannot understand why no on wanted to have him before, he was in a shelter for 1,5 years! Mickey came to late though. Jaimy died the same day that he came.
However I do not wanted to give him away again, so I set out to find a partner for him to adobt and found Jill. In the same shelter with Jill was another piggy, the ugliest I have EVER seen. She was so ugly, that I wondered how she ever should find a home... but somehow she also was cute, because she looked so strange. So instead of only adobting Jill I also adobted Hazel and Mickey got two ladies. Years went by, one day Hazel died and about a year later I had to put Mickey to sleep because of cancer. So now Jill needed a new partner and I adobted Line. Line was not a healthy piggy, she had a heart-problem, that was not to operate. It was said she would not get old...but she got quite old really. Jill and Line did not get around very well at first though, thats why I set out once more to find a nice male and so I adobted Linus and he brough peace to the girls. Jill died first of the three, then 2 1/2 years later Line. I just was on look-out to find a new girl for grandpa Linus, but he died a very short time after Line.
If I get piggys again I certainly go for the adoption way again. There are so many pets out there who had a bad live before and need a loving home.

My other animals were/ are mostly from privat people, not professional breeders. My dog for example is a "garden-accident"... run-away male comes along, meets female in garden undetected by owners... and suddenly the owner of the female has 9 dogs. Ups! Though they found out who the farher was...cause all the puppies looked like him and there was only one dog of his kind (Border Collie) in the area.

TerokNor

 

[Spot's Meow]

Free? Not quite? I can't stand the attitude of the people runinng the shelters. I attempted to get a pet at one point, and they wanted me to go through background checks and in home interviews and probation periods and all that shit. It woulda been easier to adopt a child. The cost would have only been a few hundred less than getting a pup.

I'll take a dog from a reputable breeder any day of the week. They can tell I understand what I'm doing and what I want, without the third degree questioning. Screw that bullshit.

I have noticed that with the society shelters, like ASPCA, but I was thinking more county shelters. I remember going to pick up a new cat from the local county run shelter when I was a kid, and also browsing the shelter for dogs to adopt with my parents, and they are good memories, though I felt sad for the animals there. We didn't have to pay hardly anything at all, just had to make sure the animal was spayed/neutered, and they don't really ask questions. We've also had great success adopting for free from families who advertise animals they are giving away in the local newspaper. With so many needy animals out there for free, I guess I just don't understand why anyone would spend so much money to buy one.

 

[Paradon]

Congrats!

i had a 14 year old collie/doberman mix that had just recently passed on earlier this year. she was pretty sweet and love little children. I mean she really loved children; she's loved the attention.

Somtimes, I look through the glass sliding door, staring at the rose bush by the fence, I see her trying to play with the next door kids, which are now teenagers in high school.