Animal Protection Society of Durham » happy_endings

TOBI (formally Leo, adopted in April 2007)

aps — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:24:48 +0000

Hello! My name is Tobi. I am a 3 year old Pit/Boxer mix. I don’t really know what my life was like before I came to the Durham County Animal Shelter, but I don’t think it was great. My paperwork says that I had some skin/coat and health problems when I arrived that had to be treated. Luckily I was given some good medicine and plenty of food and water. One afternoon in April 2007 a man named Kevin came to visit me. He took me home and I was so scared that I peed all over his car. But, he didn’t get mad.
Shortly after Kevin rescued me we moved into a new house with a huge fenced in backyard. Samantha, Kevin’s girlfriend moved in with us too. Shortly after Kevin took me home I went to doggy school and tried to learn how to not chew apart pillows, sit and greet people and walk nicely on a leash (although I am still working on walking nicely).
I love playing hide and seek in the house, going for daily walks, riding in the car, chewing on my bones and taking naps in the sun. Ice cubes, carrots, biscuits and the occasional peanut butter kong are my favorite snacks. I am well traveled and have been on a lot of trips: New Jersey, Jordan Lake, Wrightsville Beach, Hilton Head and Jacksonville FL are a few. I love swimming and can stay in the water for hours (but, I hate getting baths in the bathtub!) My best friend’s name is Charlie, he’s a 2 year old miniature schnauzer. You can often find me curled up on the couch or spread out on my big bed, but normally I just follow my mom and dad around the house.
I am very thankful for the officers who brought me to the shelter so that I could eventually go home with Kevin. I know how important I am to my mom and dad. My mom says that I am a pretty boy and my dad wrestles with me. I see a lot of dogs who aren’t as lucky as I am, and I am very thankful for what I have. Thank you for getting me healthy and helping Kevin find me.

LENNY

aps — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:30:35 +0000

I adopted Lenny from APS in March this year. I knew that he was a loving cat when I saw him at APS, but never did I know that he is also very active (rugged too), vocal and communicative (meow at me when he has “issues”). He would jump in bed with me (when he see all lights are off), he would rid the house of all pests (especially roaches) and he follows me around the house all the time! He play fetch too (see video). He is not afriad of strangers, and has charmed every visitor to my apartment. The only problem I have is that he doesn’t wear his collar, which is not a big deal. Am very blessed to have him. Thanks APS!

[Gallery not found]

RILEY – Adopted December 2008

aps — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:28:18 +0000

Hello! I wanted to give you an update on my wonderful dog, Riley, who I adopted in December 2008. I tell many people the story of finding Riley because it was so special: I went to the APS “just to look,” NOT to get a dog. I purposefully went ten minutes before closing, so I couldn’t visit any dog; I walked down the dog run, kept my hands to myself, and was very businesslike, thinking, “yes, I think I’ll be able to find a dog here someday.” Ha! The very next day I went back and said I needed to visit the black and white dog “half-way down on the right.” He was on day three of a stray hold, so I couldn’t have a room visit, but Riley and I made a connection through the cage door and he was mine immediately.

Riley is the sweetest, gentlest, most loveable dog. He is shy and quiet, scared of thunderstorms, and slow to wag his tail. He makes me laugh routinely with his whispered howl (a very quiet sound like “whooooo.”) He is tolerant of the children, loves sleeping curled up in his bed, and likes to stand in my way, so that I have to step around him. He is my constant shadow, following me from room to room, and loves my other dog Daisy.

I am so glad that I went to the APS that day, “just to look.” Riley is my special friend, and I thank everyone who works or volunteers there for their role in my finding him.
thanks,
Diana

BANDIT (formerly Jonas, adopted June 2010)

aps — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:53:50 +0000

We just wanted to send you an update for Jonas, now known as Bandit. He has lots of toys and loves to play, and will start puppy classes at Sunny Acres Pet Resort on Tuesday June 22nd. I have also signed him up to go to the dog park starting on July 1st this year until July of next year. He loves his new home and is super smart! He’s now potty trained and will sit, shake, lay down, and jump when you tell him to :-)

MOJO

aps — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:52:38 +0000

Hi Everyone at APS,
My shelter name was Angus and my new forever name is Mojo. I was adopted around Valentine’s Day 2010, and came to my new home around the end of the month of February.
After an awkward start; i was afraid to get in the car and afraid of the hardwood and linoleum floors at my new home. I’ve come a long way and one of my most favorite things to do now is ride in the car!!! And the floors are NOT a problem. About a month after my adoption I was diagnosed with mange but my treatment is nearly complete and I’m looking good again and ready for the summer. Once a month my family schedules a spa treatment for me and the groomer comes to the house in a fancy van to get me all cleaned up.
My new family encourages getting an education so they have enrolled me in school and I recently graduated from my STAR Puppy class. I am continuing with classes so one day I may become a therapy dog.
I go on several long walks everyday at the nature park near my new home. This past week I also learned how to swim in the lake!! I don’t care much for those places they call “dog parks” so after a few visits to these places my new family kindly fenced the back yard and I have an awesome place to run and play and I don’t have to share it with strangers.
I spent a long time at APS waiting for this family, thank you to everyone there for seeing my potential and giving me the time to find my new forever family, we are very happy together and have many years of happiness in our future. I’ve included a few photos of me in my backyard
Happy Tails!
Mojo Lawrence

MADDIE (formerly Mati or Mamma), adopted June 30th, 2010

aps — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:37:44 +0000

Mati (or Maddie as I call her, short for Madelyn) is home and happy!
She settled right in and keeps busy with my other kitty, Bitsy. They
have stare-downs and hissy-spits one minute, and are sleeping next to
one another the next. I call them the Hissy-Spit Sisters or the Romp
-n- Stomp Brigade when they really go at it. I can hear them tearing
through the house. Playing, fighting or whatever. They definitely keep
each other busy!
She is cute as can be, talks to me (and to herself), and is a real
sweetie, also smart, playful, and a bit devious! She’s so adorable,
she’ll get away with it and she knows it. Maddie is a little
excavator! She digs tunnels in the litterbox! Messy girl!

PHARAOH

aps — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:43:03 +0000

Hey, we just wanted to let you know that Pharaoh is really enjoying life
in his new home. We picked him up on April 29th, and even though he’s
got FIV, we decided a cat like him deserved a chance. The first few
weeks were probably not as pleasant for him because we had to give him
medicine several times a day, but he’s been healthy since finishing
them. He was such a graceful and regal cat in the shelter (and still
is), but since he’s gotten home he has displayed a very curious and
goofy side. Any open box or laundry hamper is a new playground for him.
And he’s such a talker! I have never heard such a talkative cat in my
life. He’s a real joy and we are so happy we could give him a good home.

SMOKEY JOE

aps — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:07:55 +0000

Dear APS and especially Danaya,
I can’t thank you enough for Smokey Joe. I went in to see another cat on the 17th, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the big, handsome Smokey Joe. I brought him home June 22. He made himself at home immediately, inspecting all the rooms (and the bathtub!). After his first night I woke up to him lying on my chest — how a nearly 14 pound cat managed that without waking me I’ll never know, but now he’s my constant snuggle-buddy. I’ve arranged a chair for him in my home office, where he’s currently sleeping on my notebook. Smokey Joe is always making me laugh, and greets me when I come home. Thank you, Danaya, for coaxing him out of his grief when his first owner died, and to APS for keeping him. I couldn’t ask for a more charming roommate.

CHESTER

aps — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:46:35 +0000

Chester (We kept his name) has been doing great in his new home since he moved in in May. He has really opened up and has a tremendous love for people. If you sit on the ground he will put his front legs around your shoulders making it look like he is giving you a hug. He has already learned sit, down, stay, and come in the few weeks he has been living with us. He is incredibly smart. Thank you so much APS of Durham for taking care of him! — Garrett and Olivia

HENRY

aps — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:44:28 +0000

I don’t like to talk about my life before February 2009. I guess it’s better that way. For the first year of my life I was abused.

Shortly after being born, I found myself tied to a tree day and night without shelter from the sun, the rain, or the bitter cold. I would often times go without food or water for days. Eventually the people that owned me stopped feeding me altogether. I would only have water after it rained. I drank the muddy rain water to stay alive.I don’t know what I did wrong. I don’t know why they stopped feeding me, why they left me to die.

I wanted to live.

I was beyond starving. You could see every bit of my skeleton through my skin, and my eyes began to sink into their sockets. I now weighed as much as the tow chain my owners used to tie me outside. At 24 lbs I was not going to make it much longer.

Then, one day someone called Animal Control, and an officer was sent to see me. When I saw the officer I used every bit of strength that I could muster to rise to a sitting position. I even managed to wag my tail. The officer needed to know that I was still alive and that I wanted to stay that way.

I was taken away from that horrible situation and I got to stay in the shelter with lots of other doggies just like me. At first the doctors didn’t think I was going to make it. They thought it would be best if I just went to sleep.

I wanted to live.

They gave me fluids and said, “Let’s just see how he’s doing tomorrow. Then we’ll decide.” The next day I was able to rise to a sitting position and wagged my tail as much as I could. I was also able to eat a little. The doctors still wondered if I would make it. Again they said,” Let’s just see how he’s doing tomorrow.”

After a week (that was rather touch-and-go) I was strong enough to play with the nice people at the shelter and I was eating and drinking normally.

It looked like I was going to live.

I was so relieved to be in a place where the people actually cared about me. I was happy to be eating!

I stayed in the shelter for 6 months. During that time I saw doggies come and go. Some were adopted and others were taken to see the doctors and didn’t come back.

They were keeping me alive until the outcome of a cruelty case against my previous owner had been resolved.

I had made a full recovery, but had not been adopted yet. My time was running out.

Even though I had made a full recovery I still had some health related issues. My back legs are weakened by luxating patellas. I don’t know what that means, but it hurts sometimes to walk. I don’t mind the pain because I like to play.

Boy, do I like to play.

Sometimes I play a little too rough. People would come to visit me and I wouldn’t be able to contain my excitement. They would put be back in my room and take another doggie in to see the people.

My court case was over; the judgment was that my previous owner couldn’t own another dog…what a terrible joke.

I still hadn’t been adopted. I was scheduled to see the doctors one last time. I was not going to come back this time.

I wanted to live.

Then, on Valentine’s Day 2009, another family came to see me. It was a couple that had lost their Boxer one year before and wanted a new buddy for their American Bulldog.

The shelter didn’t want to adopt me out to a family with another dog. They thought that I needed too much attention, and didn’t know how my super playful nature would match with another dog.

This couple liked me; but they wanted to see how their boy would interact with me, so they arranged a meeting.

When I first met my brother Cassius, I immediately knew we would be best friends. He spent most of the time running from me at our first meeting, but as soon as my new owner shouted out a command to sit, we both immediately sat at attention.

Later that week my new family came to take me home.

It was sad to leave all of my friends at the shelter. Everyone came out to say good-bye; they even called the nice officer that saved my life. She had come to visit me constantly, but she was really happy to see me go.

When I arrived at my new home I was so thankful. Thankful to be alive and thankful to be loved.

I was going to live!!!

That night, as we all went to bed, I settled down in the comfy bed that my new family had bought me. As I fell asleep I thought about how I would never spend another night sleeping outside in the rain, or in the bitter cold. I though about how I would never again have to eat grass or bark to fill my belly. Most of all, I thought about how lucky I was to have a second chance.

Thank you offier LeRoy and thank you APS of Durham, for giving me a second chance!

- Henry Jones Jr.