Happy Tails

Geordie: From Iowa Dumpster to Minnesota Home

By Susana G.

When Heather D. had to give up her “Newfoundland and Malamute children” last year, her heart broke. But a plea from a friend turned her into a foster mom and helped her and her young girls ease the transition. She fostered a couple of dogs and learned to love and let go. Then came an offer to foster puppies from a litter rescued from a dumpster in Iowa.

At the Bloomington Vet Hospital, Heather decided to foster the two “littlest” ones, which she and her daughters named Calcifur and Wyatt.

The name Calcifur came from a character in her daughters’ favorite movie, “Howl’s Moving Castle.” Playful and silly at times, she says Calcifur chilled out like an old dog and was very easy to train. Being a sculptor, Heather had a big sculpture in her yard. “The neck of the dragon is a huge elbow of steel pipe,” she says. “The pups played king of the hill on it and hid in the tunnel!”

While this was going on, in another part of town Merry and her family – husband Aaron, son Ian (five), Angus (a big, mostly black Lab) and three cats- wanted to get another dog. Yes, all of them. They had lost Angus’ most recent buddy, Artos, who had gone to the rainbow bridge. “We gave ourselves time to grieve and then it just felt it was time to adopt another dog,” says Merry.

At exactly that time, a friend of Merry’s, the one who had given them Artos, referred them to the rescued litter. When they found out the puppies were at least part Lab, they immediately applied for one. And when they went to Pet Haven’s blog site, http://pethavendogs.blogspot.com, they fell in love with Calcifur. Instantaneously.

On May 17, Merry went to dog adoption day and met Heather and Calcifur. When she heard from Heather that Calcifur had been found at the bottom of the puppy heap in the Iowa dumpster, Merry knew this was it: Angus had also been found at the bottom of his puppy heap!

And so, Calcifur went home with Merry but his name, despite its heroic and ancient resonance, didn’t last long. Merry was very fond of a Star Trek Next Generation character called Geordie, and the name sounded soft and sweet to her. And Calcifur “has such a sweet, cuddly nature!” says Merry.

Angus, however, ignored Geordie at the beginning, yet the little guy slowly melted Angus’ reserve and now both dogs play together and often lay side by side on the grass while licking away at home-made doggie popsicles or watching the world go by in the front porch. Geordie, happy and relaxed, often sleeps on his back, belly up, his paws “all which way”. Merry’s son Ian and Geordie have been great pals form the start. When Geordie hears Ian’s voice in the morning before they have all waken up, he immediately gets up and starts barking because he wants to see his boy.

A Happy Tail if you ever heard one!

Toby- a true beagle

By Stefanie J.

It had only been six weeks since Snoopy, Sue’s 16-year-old beagle, died. Snoopy was not only a family member who her kids had grown up with but also the neighborhood mascot. Sue wasn’t looking for a new dog yet but she saw Toby on the Pet Haven website and decided to contact the foster. There was just something intriguing about him. Then Sue and her son went to the pet adoption and they liked him immediately.

Toby is a two-year-old purebred beagle and has been with Sue and her family since September 2007. One of the first things Toby did when Sue got him was to crawl into her lap and fall asleep with his head on her shoulder. He was anxious to be loved maybe partially because he spent a year in various foster homes before finding his forever home.

“He is a very playful dog,” Sue says. “His personality is entirely different than Snoopy’s was which makes it easier to love him for who he is.” She also says he is a “good companion” and a “best friend” and has “filled the empty space in her heart” since Snoopy died and also since her kids have grown up and left home.

Playful, loveable, friendly, stubborn, naughty--all descriptors of the beagle breed. Being a true beagle, Toby has created some memorable moments. “He is very smart,” Sue says. “We’ve had three different types of gates in the house and he’s figured out how to open them all.”

Prior to the adoption, Toby’s foster mom had told Sue that Toby “danced on her dining room table the other day.” Sue found out what that felt like. Christmas Day 2008 was her mom’s 90th birthday and a party was planned. Sue had gotten “the prettiest cake you’ve ever seen in your life” for the occasion. On Christmas Eve, Sue and her family decided to go to midnight mass. The cake was in a room secured from Toby by a gate. Sue had thought about shutting the door to that room but didn’t think it was necessary. When they arrived home, they found that Toby had pushed a chair over to the gate and then jumped over it. He ate half of the cake! Luckily, Grandma loves him - she thought it was hilarious.

There’s also the time on Halloween that he ate about thirty-five candy bars and the very next morning, he ate a piece of quiche off Sue’s brunch guest’s plate. But everyone enjoys Toby so much that they can’t get mad at him. Maybe it’s the way he likes to jump up on people’s laps and then give them a kiss on the lips. He’s irresistible.

Toby also has a tender side. Sue’s son Sean was living at home for a while as he waited for his military orders. Sean had spent time with Toby, taken him to the cabin and bonded with him. The day Sean moved out to go to the military, Toby somehow understood what was going on. He kept sitting on Sean’s belongings as he got ready and once Sean left, Toby cried all day.

Life with Toby is good. Sue’s family made a few adjustments such as buying a garbage can that they call “Fort Knox.” Any changes have been worth it though because he gives back in his own way. One way is when he goes for car rides; he likes to stand on the console so he can see and also put his head on Sue’s shoulder.

Toby has a few idiosyncrasies such as a fear of ceiling fans – even when they are not on. He is also afraid of water and won’t even put a paw in the lake at the cabin. But he also loves to play fetch, likes to hide bones and has a favorite spot in the family room where he perches on a leather chair and surveys the backyard.

Like most beagles, Toby is good natured and has no mean streak, Sue says. He’s also a bit stubborn and if he wants to play, they get no rest until they give in to him. And if its dinner time, he doesn’t want to wait - he picks up his dog dish and slams it into the wall to say “feed me” while he wags his tail.

Also like most beagles he is so sweet “I can’t not love him” Sue says.

Sir Winston

By Stefanie J.

“He’s such a good dog!!” That’s what Jenni K. often says about her handsome two-year-old English Springer Spaniel Winston (fka Jackson). Winston came to Pet Haven from a shelter in Pine City, Minnesota and did not look so beautiful then. His long, silky coat was a mess and his ears were so badly matted that he went straight to the groomers before he even went to the vet. While there, his hair was shaved and it was clear Winston was on the thin side. It’s believed that Winston probably lived outdoors in a kennel.

It had been two years since their Springer died and Jenni and her family were ready to have a new dog. Jenni started looking on-line and when she saw Winston’s picture she thought he was “so pretty.” The next step was contacting Pet Haven and arranging a visit. The foster family brought Winston to Jenni’s house where he met her and the three kids.

It was a great first meeting! Winston was a loving dog immediately, says Jenni. Winston made himself at home by sitting in Jenni’s lap. He also seemed to fantasize about the fun he’d have if he lived there. The family has a large sunroom with lots of windows. Winston put his paws up to the window and surveyed the view; two acres with lots of marshy, swampy areas to roam. There is a large “L” shaped pond and Winston seemed to envision springing through the tall grass and marsh for his daily swim.

There were a couple of other families interested in Winston but, in the end, he found his home with Jenni and her family. After about two months, Winston settled into his routine. Jenni says there were no major hurdles even though he wasn’t sure what he should be doing at first. The family changed his name to “Winston” for Sir Winston since he is an English Springer Spaniel after all. He also went through eight weeks of obedience school and did well. He walks very nicely on a leash, goes running with his dad and loves to ride in the car. Sometimes Winston even goes garage-saling.

Winston’s favorite place is the pond in the backyard where there’s always something interesting happening. For a while, there was a mama goose waiting for her eggs to hatch and Winston loved to sniff her out but was careful not to get too close. One day, after they hatched, the father goose spent an afternoon luring Winston away from the babies and Winston ended up exhausted after doing eight laps in the pond.

Winston likes to spend time with his family outside and exploring through the tall grass. Jenni will say “Winston come” and he runs over to check in and then goes back to bouncing, jumping and sniffing in the grass. He also has a 110 pound golden retriever friend next door. Winston is only about 41 pounds but their difference in size has not stopped them from playing their favorite game - “steal the stick.” They also like to go into the pond together, of course.

Winston gets along very well with his three human siblings. The two boys have a lot of energy and love to play with him. Sometimes they get a bit rough and tumbly but Winston doesn’t mind – he just plays right back. His human sister prefers to nurture him. In the end, he is a mama’s dog and follows Jenni around, even sleeping on the floor by her bed.

Winston enjoys a good rawhide and has a favorite spot in the house at the top of the stairs where he can keep track of what is going on upstairs and downstairs.

It’s been a successful adoption. “We are very happy to have him” Jenni says “He’s been a nice addition to our family. I think he’s quite happy too!”

Prince Charming Peewee

By Jenna N.

Wednesday, February 20th, 2008, is the day when my own prince charming officially swept my heart away. A tan shorthaired Chihuahua named Peewee, then only four pounds.

Peewee’s happy-go-lucky personality was captivating when I first laid eyes on him at the Maple Grove Petco adoption event on Saturday, February 16th, 2008. It was comforting to witness the overwhelming response for his adoption. What a wonderful feeling since Peewee, as well as multiple other animals, deserve a warm and loving environment to live in. Throughout the event I reassured myself everything would work out how it was meant to. I wished him a loving home who would give him the attention and love so many animals deserve. I felt if I was the loving home for him then I would be chosen to adopt him. Needless to say I was chosen and of course I adopted him immediately.

As I write this Happy Tail I cannot help the smile that overpowers and controls my face. Peewee is humanlike in the sense he was born without a tail. He has a tailbone like you and I but doesn’t have a tail that follows. I have noticed when he gets excited the tailbone wiggles therefore his whole rear end does a little shake. I wonder if we humans are capable of this.

Throughout the months of April and May, Chloe (my two-year old West Highland Terrier) and I helped Peewee transition to going to the bathroom outside. He still is littered-trained and did this throughout the earlier months of the year. Because of his small size the months of February, March, and most of April (unfortunately) were often to cold for him.

At first the whole outside experience was a bit frightening for him. I would approach him to put his leash on while he would run away from me. Once I finally got him outside he would plop down wherever we stood and would not move. Shortly after plopping down, Peewee would start doing what I call his “toddler dance” because the purpose of the dance is to pick him up. This dance is when he stands on his hind legs then back to all fours then back to the hind legs and so on. If I ignore his dance he will keep repeating the cycle within the dance and start barking at me until I pick him up.

I’m happy to say now when I put Chloe on her leash and reach for Peewee’s he doesn’t run away from me. He sits patiently by the door and cries until I put on his leash. Instead of his “toddler dance” he races his “sister” Chloe outside. Our daily walks have become a new adventure for him with all of the different plants, trees and smells that surround him. He is becoming more independent and wanting to go his own direction on our walks to investigate.

I was not swept away by my prince charming on a white unicorn to a breathtaking castle. My heart was swept away by the loving now 5 pound 8 ounce Chihuahua who lies curled up on my lap looking at me adorably as I type this. Sitting here I think to myself I’m a lucky girl to call this prince charming, Peewee, mine.

Barkley

By Lisa J.

He panicked when I came into the room and started to "talk" to let his parents know that something was going on. I reached down to pet him and that let him know everything was alright. I kept thinking of how I would feel if some new person entered my house and I couldn't see them and could barely hear them. I would be so mad! Few people would handle it as well as this Happy Tail did. Meet Barkley!

Barkley is an older "YorkiePoo" that was adopted out and returned to Pet Haven. When his current parents started fostering him over two years ago, they had no idea what they were in for. They were concerned at first, but soon realized they could do whatever was needed to keep Barkley healthy. They spent some time early on trying to get someone to adopt Barkley, but because he was "high maintenance" they knew it would be tough. They tried websites for dogs with diabetes, and Pet Haven did their best. When there was no interest in Barkley they adopted him into their family. They knew his feeding schedule and how to administer the twice daily shots; it just seemed right. Mom has a "rule" that if a dog is not adopted after she fosters them for six months, she keeps them. That's the kind of mom everyone needs!

When they started fostering Barkley his diabetes was being treated, but being treated and being under control are two very different things. With weekly vet visits and a strictly regimented diet Barkley's diabetes is finally under control. He is awake before 6 a.m. and howling for his food loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood. Once he eats he gets his shots. I can hardly imagine giving shots to my dog twice a day, but his parents take it in stride. They must have learned that from Barkley because nothing phases this dog, he's the most easy going animal I have ever met.

Barkley takes everything in stride, something we could all learn from him, and he has a great attitude. He started living in his current home when he was fully sighted, and he used to go on walks throughout the neighborhood to see everything a dog could see. Now he is completely blind and his hearing is going, but if it weren't for occasionally bumping into something, you would never guess. He lets himself out to go to the bathroom and comes back when he is ready...mostly.

As it gets closer to supper time, Barkley is ready to remind everyone that 6 p.m. is fast approaching and he wants food. As his parents proudly proclaim, "He loves to eat." Snack time around this home is 7:45, and dad is the giver of the snacks. Now keep in mind that Barkley is a old blind dog but don't let that fool you, he stalked his dad until snack time arrived. Then he was happy and content.

Barkley had a message he wanted me to pass along to the readers-"Starving! Please send food!"

Bella : a dog with a spring in her step

By Stefanie J.

Bella was a serious minded dog when Ann first adopted her. Besides having recently had puppies, little was known about her background. But one thing was clear; the two-and-a-half-year old Beagle/Lab mix was unhappy and withdrawn.

Bella came to Pet Haven from another state where she was living in a high-kill shelter where she faced almost certainly euthanasia. She didn’t know how to play and people commented on her somber, but sweet, demeanor.

She also exhibited some odd behavior. Sometimes when Ann would try to walk her on a leash, Bella unexpectedly would stop and sit down, refusing to go any further. Ann describes the Bella she first met as “a serious dog with no frivolity.” That was two years ago.

Now the dog who didn’t know how to play “does zoomies around the house when she feels good.” She has even been known to fly over the couch in a particularly exhilarating feel-good moment.

Bella’s one-and-a-half year old French Bulldog sibling Sam played a role in helping her lighten up and teaching her how to play. What’s also helped is having a loving, stable home and weekends filled with obedience and agility training.

Ann has been working with Bella in obedience for two years and in agility training for one-and-a-half years. Bella loves it and has thrived because of it but she has also thrived because of her partnership with Ann. “She has gained confidence from the training” Ann says.

Bella has a Novice title in obedience training which requires fulfilling various elements such as following verbal and hand commands, performing on and off-leash, recalling, sitting and staying. Dogs and handlers must get three scores of 170 or better out of 200 from three different judges to get this title. No easy feat for a dog that is part Beagle – a breed notorious for being training challenged. “She’s an enthusiastic and willing partner” Ann says. “She knows what’s expected of her and does a really good job.” Bella currently is working towards her Open title in obedience.

Bella also participates and competes in agility training which is fun to watch but also much harder than it looks. It includes activities such as jumping and maneuvering through a course of tunnels, teeter-totters, and weave polls along with other components. Bella recently received two Novice titles in agility – in Regular agility and in Jumpers agility. She was judged on a variety of skills including speed and running/ jumping cleanly through the course. Now Bella is working towards her Open title in both categories which she will inevitably win because her heart is in agility training, says Ann.

“On Bella’s first day of agility training, there were four jumps in a row which she was led through. Afterwards, it was like a light went on in her head” says Ann. “She went back to the jumps on her own and jumped over all four again.” Ann also says “It is fun to place first, second or third but the important part is having fun together and having personal bests.”

The formerly depressed dog now has a spring in her step.

Bella has also received a Canine Good Citizen award. To get this, she had to pass a test, basically showing good manners. Having this award makes it easier for her to gain entry to various stores and restaurants that allow dogs.

Bella enjoys simple pleasures in life like playing with Sam, working on a little training each day with Ann and accompanying Ann on errands. She also has a fetish for paper and loves toilet paper rolls.

When Bella needs a break from playing with Sam and wants some “me-time”, Bella has a favorite chair in the loft to escape to.

“She’s my soul-mate,” says Ann. “It’s heartwarming to see what you can do together when you work on a few things. She has so much inside of her. I had no idea she could do so much.”

Sunny: The four-legged Florence Nightingale

In the summer of 2007, unaware of the power her wish carried, Theresa P. said, “I always wanted a yellow Lab, and all my dogs have had ‘S’ names. … I said I wanted a yellow Lab and I would name it Sunny.”

Well, somebody out there was listening because shortly thereafter, surfing the Petfinder website at 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning, she found waiting for her a 7-ish-year-old Golden Lab (a golden retriever/yellow Lab mix) — already named Sunny!

And this Golden Lab turned out to be “pure gold” shortly after joining the family.

Theresa’s 12-year-old daughter Cassie had been on a school field trip to Buck Hill last February when she was severely injured in a skiing accident. She’d broken several bones — among which were her arm, her skull, the bones around her eye and cheek, and her outer pelvis — suffered a concussion with bleeding on the brain, bruised a lung, and lacerated her liver via a broken rib. She was in intensive care for two days and on the pediatric ward for another two.

While Theresa stayed nonstop at the hospital with her youngest child, her husband John and 14-year-old daughter Leah reported that Sunny was quite obviously looking for her and Cassie back at home, repeatedly wandering into their rooms.

Upon hearing that, Theresa did what anyone might do: She took a sock off Cassie’s foot and started rubbing it on her daughter’s head.

“What are you doing?!” John and Leah cried.

Theresa said, “Leah, I want you to take this sock home and let Sunny smell it so she knows that Cassie is OK.”

Leah delivered the scent-laden greeting card to Sunny, who sniffed it, took it in her mouth and ran around the house with it, so very happy to have word of Cassie sent in her own language.

The next day, Cassie returned home to find a 70-pound lap dog wanna-be, longing to be as close to her as possible. Sunny stayed by Cassie’s side almost incessantly for weeks, sleeping with her in her room, lying alongside the tub when Cassie bathed and positioning herself between Cassie and any visitors on the couch.

“Our pastor jokingly called Sunny the security checkpoint,” Theresa said.

“[Sunny] was very gentle about it, but she just wanted everyone to know she was there to take care of this little girl,” Theresa interpreted.

Though as a norm Sunny “tends to be more Leah’s dog,” Theresa said, “I was just amazed how Sunny knew [who needed her more then]. … I’d never witnessed anything like that before. … I didn’t know the dog would be like her shadow for that amount of time. … It was just really good healing for Cassie.”

Happily, things are back to normal now. “It’s remarkable how kids bounce back,” Theresa said.

Sunny is giving Leah lots of attention again, now that the crisis with her sister is past.

Thanks to that ultra-intuitive pooch, Theresa noted, “Leah’s not feeling left out anymore.”

by Sid Korpi ©2008

photos by Jessica Hackner

Keely's story

"Talk me out of this!" I begged my husband as we looked at the Pet Haven website photo of a 6-month-old Westie puppy. "We already have six pets-you have to talk me out of this!"

His response: "Do you want help with the application?"

My War and Peace-length paperwork, illustrating that ours is a Westie- Wise Household (we're on numbers three and four), apparently won the hearts (or at least numbed the minds) of the volunteers in charge of screening adoptive parents because, though they said they'd been drowning in applications for this little girl, then named Kiwi, we and one other family were the only ones to make the cut.

Now fully committed, I admit I stacked the deck for the home visit, presenting my sister Diane-whose yard is Puppy Club Med and who baby- sits our dogs when we have to be out of town-and our friend Cathy- owner of The Urban Dog, a dog-walking/pet-sitting business, and who often tends to our four-legged kids-as members of the "village that would be raising this dog-child."

But the real ace in the hole was Blanche, our nearly 3-year-old rescued Westie. She was the actual impetus for our getting another dog because her older brother, Mortimer (our North Dakotan rescued Westie), is 9-ish and has arthritis, so his playtime is pretty limited, and Blanche has a ton of puppy still in her that was going to waste. She and Keely (the pup's new moniker, named for jazz vocalist Keely Smith) raced around the house like Keystone Cops, sliding into walls as they rounded corners because they couldn't stop on the wooden floors. They'd made their choice to be together quite clear.

From the moment we picked up Keely from her foster mom, Robin, our three dogs were mellow and perfectly adjusted to one another, as though they were being reunited rather than newly introduced. Even our 11-year-old cats, Giles and Xander, accepted Keely immediately.

It feels as though the family became truly complete once this bundle of white light and energy joined us.

Nicknamed "Billy Goat," this teething maniac eats everything-from buried treasure in the cat box to my yet-to-bloom bulbs in the garden to the trunk of our 30-foot-tall tree.

And although Keely is wily enough to know to "fake" going potty outside to get a treat, housetraining is still a challenge. When she recently made it 48 hours without an indoor accident, we thought of naming a national holiday to commemorate the milestone.

In the meantime, to keep my Zen-like cool, I just walk around singing this song I wrote when potty training Blanche a couple of years ago (to the tune of "The Water Is Wide"):

The doggies are white
And the cats are dark;
And I live in
A Noah' Ark

With two (or three) of each
Including birds,
And all I do
Is pick up turds.

(c)2008 Sid Korpi

Matty: A dog who just wants to be held

By Jone Schlangen

“What next? What do you want? Oh, ok, sure!” This is how Tyler describes Matty’s great attitude. He started out fostering Marteena, but he knew three days later that this would be a “foster failure”. She joined the family at the end of February, and was renamed Fermata, Matty for short. Fermata is a musical notation indicating “hold this note as long as you like”. And that name fits her perfectly. No matter what they are doing, Matty will stay as close and as long as possible.

Matty’s background is fairly mysterious. She was abandoned in November 2007, six puppies and all. Before she made her way down to the Twin Cities area, she was living at Red Lake Rosie’s. Thankfully, she quickly found her forever home.

Tyler says that “she was outgoing but timid at first...she was very loving but reserved. It took a while before she would lick our faces and before she started to smile a real doggie happy smile regularly. We feel like we are just starting to see her true personality now as she relaxes and starts to trust that this is really her forever home.” Even Morticia, reluctant at first, has accepted Matty as a part of the family. In a typically feline kind of way.

At two years old, Matty is full of energy, and ready to learn. She has gotten over her initial love of chewing everything in sight, from shoes and socks to the phone antenna and the remote. This has been replaced by chew toys, fun-filled training sessions, endless games of fetch, long walks, and play wrestling. She is the “consummate escape artist”, no matter what type of collar it is, Matty will find a way out of it. Not to run away, mind you, but just because it annoys her. She loves to hang out with her best friend Murphy, another success story, who was adopted by their friends Wendy and Julian. They can spend hours chasing and play-fighting.

Matty has found a great forever home. As Tyler put it, “we are so thankful for her, love her company, and as we keep saying, she is the best (living) dog ever!”

Luna: The story of one lucky homeless dog

By Jone Schlangen

Luna had a rough start. She was nearly put down at the South View Animal Hospital when no one came to claim her. Fortunately, one of the vet techs recognized her potential. First, she was taken in by her Pet Haven foster parents, Marcy and Laura. Then, she bounded into Teresa’s life in 1997. Her husband’s coworker told him about Luna, and it was only a matter of time until Luna and Teresa found each other. Teresa knew there was something special about the “sad, skinny dog with big, beautiful eyes”.

The beginning wasn’t perfect. During the first two months, Luna ran away several times. She had been through a lot, roaming the streets alone, frost-bitten and hungry. But once she realized what a great home she had with Teresa and her family, she decided to stay for good.

She loves her Frisbee; her favorite toy. She enjoys her morning walks, going swimming, and boat rides, with the wind in her face. She is great friends with Hunter, who joined the family from K9 Rescue six months after they brought Luna home. They don’t wrestle as much anymore, being 12 and 13 years old, but they love to share the couch and take naps.

Luna is a shining example of how wonderful a rescued dog can be. She has sounded the alarm when Hunter jumped the fence, insisting for Teresa to hang up the phone and come outside. She also warned Teresa when her neighbor’s garage started on fire, saving lives and preventing additional property damage.

After every meal, she gratefully kisses her family, as if to tell them, “thank you for bringing me home.”

She wrote this letter to Pet Haven:

Hi, My name is Luna. I have always wanted to write this letter and since today is my 13th birthday, I thought it was a good day to write. I was abandoned in the Inver Grove area in 1996 and was going to be put down but a Pet Haven family helped me out until I found my forever home. My family and I just want to say thank you to Pet Haven for giving me a chance to have a good, long life. I have had a wonderful 11 years with my family and hope to have many more. My parents say I am the best dog ever and can't imagine life without me. So thank you again for the great work that you do and finding me a loving home.

Thank You,

Luna

Ms. Katsy – Finding her way home

By Chelsie S.

Ms. Katsy was surrendered to the animal humane society before she found her first home. This was an interesting time for her. She was hoping to find a good home and she did, but the loving home turned to a sad one when her mother past away. Ms. Katsy was sad and a little worried about where she would go and what she would do, but her mother had already taken care of that. Ms. Katsy was taken in on a promise by her mothers grand daughter. She loved and cared for her for awhile before things got rough for her and she needed to give her up. Ms. Katsy was again worried and wondering where she would end up and if she would finally find the home she had been yearning for. Then she found Pet Haven and its wonderful foster families and great volunteers. She was placed in a great home with Sandra and her three cats. All those moves had put a lot of strain on Ms. Katsy and she had to be re-trained. She was having problems finding the cat box and needed a little understanding and some help but is now back where she needs to be. Sandra loved and cared for Ms. Katsy for about a year before she was adopted. Ms. Katsy didn’t like her new home or her new parents son. She growled and hissed her disapproval at him. Her new parents decided that she wasn’t going to work and a great thing happened to her, she was returned to Sandra. Sandra waited about a month before she decided that it was time for Ms. Katsy to get a permanent home, so Sandra adopted her. Ms. Katsy’s ordeal was over, after 8 years of life and 5 homes, she has found the best place to be, in a loving home with her 2 brothers and one sister cat to play with, and she knows that she is here till the end. Ms. Katsy has found a great life with a loving family all thanks to Pet Haven and Sandra.

The Artful Dodger

By Melissa K.

Jess, a junior in the college of pre-veterinary medicine program at the University of MN, had grown up with dogs her entire life. Her family would always adopt large breed rescue dogs, and this is how Jess learned to not only love dogs but want to make a future career out of it as a veterinarian.

After leaving her home to attend college, Jess began to miss the loving companionship of a pet. Her part-time job at Downtown Dogs allowed her to play with dogs and enjoy their company for awhile, but it didn’t provide her with the constant friendship she was used to with her family dogs.

One day while working at Downtown Dogs, Jess saw a foster dog jet into the facility and bolt right into her heart. His name was Rocky, a 75-pound 1 year old black lab. Rocky was a stray from Iowa who was found running around aimlessly in a cornfield. He was taken to the pound, and no one wanted to adopt him. In order to save his life, a woman volunteering with People for Pets took him in as a foster. Pet Haven works with People for Pets in Spencer, Iowa, and took Rocky into their foster program as a shelter transfer to increase the odds of Rocky finding his forever home, with access to more adoptive homes in the Twin Cities.

Jess and Rocky both knew that they were meant to be with each other, and the adoption process began. Eventually Jess was able to take Rocky home and prepare him for his new life in a loving family. The first thing Jess did was change his name from Rocky to Dodger. She came up with Dodger, as in the character the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist. With a brand new name and a brand new home, Dodger was ready to begin his new life.

The transition to his new home wasn’t easy, but it all worked out in the end. Dodger suffered from separation anxiety and wanted to be by Jess all the time. After working on the issue Jess was able to help Dodger overcome his anxiety, and now Dodger is a prize winning dog.

Not only is Dodger a graduate of obedience, agility and therapy dog classes, but he is also a prize winning dock jumper. At the nationals in Rogers, MN, Dodger qualified in the novice division and received 8th place. Jess and Dodger are true companions and are always on the go. Her love and appreciation for Dodger has caused Jess to become a dog foster volunteer for Pet Haven. Her hope is that she can bring the same love and friendship into someone else’s life.

Bishop

By Will P.

He loved to be touched, petted, brushed and held. “He was a sunny window boy,” said owner Mary Ann. Sadly Bishop the cat was euthanized in 2002, but his memory lives on. He came to Mary Ann in 1997. Bishop’s lazy attitude towards life earned his memories for his owners like the clouds rolling by on a bright sunny day, he never failed to bring happiness in his consistent mannerisms. Before he came to Mary Ann, a long time Pet Haven foster volunteer, he was living in the wild life in the great outdoors. Otherwise known as suburbia. He lived around an elderly lady’s back yard where an estimated “50-70 other cats lived,” said Mary Ann. The most outstanding feature that stood out to Mary Ann was Bishop’s beautiful Aqua and blue- green eyes. When Bishop was taken home he immediately conformed to his surroundings. The first thing Mary Ann noticed about him was overall friendliness towards humans and other cats. At home Bishop was welcoming to all his live in kitty brothers and sisters. He was accepting to newcomers and made friends to almost everybody. But Uncle Sam wasn’t just everybody. He was a brown and white tabby with lots of attitude. Bishop would run away and hide from Uncle Sam whenever he came around. Over all Mary Ann has fostered about 20 cats from Bishop’s first home alone. Bishop will always be remembered as the sunny window boy he was.

Tawny - one of the lucky ones

By Will P.

Wary of change was how Tawny’s adoptive mother Sue described her, and it is fitting. Her environment before she came to Sue wasn’t one most dogs, or even people, would find comfortable. Tawny is an Italian Greyhound. She came from a puppy mill, a place where dogs are continuously bred for profit. Tawny lived in a cage for the first seven human years of her life without receiving much human contact or proper medical care. She had such severe dental disease that most of her teeth were extracted. Then she was rescued and arrived at Sue’s doorstep, awaiting a new life. One she probably hoped would be drastically different from the one she left. At first Tawny was in the foster program at Pet Haven where she needed special help transitioning into a life where people would care for her and love her because of her difficult background. Sue was up to the challenge; she previously had an Italian Greyhound and was familiar with the breed. “Tawny has to have things have on her own terms.” Even after five years, “She won’t let any one come up to pick her up, including me,” said Sue. However, she has made a lot of progress. Tawny snuggles in bed with Sue every night, however cautiously. Sue has two other toy dogs presently. She has Patty, a terrier/ chihuahua mix, and a toy rat terrier named Pina. She loves the other dogs. “Now she dances around when I come home, it's always been key for every one [dogs] to blend together.” Sue said. “I love the idea of helping an animal like Tawny. It's been a very rewarding and enriching experience, and has heightened my awareness for the suffering of puppy mill animals”

Patty (Chihuahua/Terrier x), Tawny (Italian Greyhound), Pina (Toy Rat Terrier). All were born in 1996 and all adopted through Pet Haven.

Rusty’s Tale

Rusty spent the first nine years of his life as a house dog, but in many ways his life was unsatisfactory. His owners kept him in a couple of rooms of their home, while a smaller dog was allowed the freedom to roam anywhere he wanted in the house. Being banished to rooms all by himself in made a young dog nervous, needy and craving of attention. He did what was asked of him, had good potty manners and didn’t make too much of a mess, but the family continued to keep him penned up and didn’t spend much time with him. Finally, after nine long years, the family was moving out of state and didn’t want to take the old dog with them to their new life and Rusty was surrendered to Pet Haven.

His first foster home didn’t work out, as Rusty hadn’t developed polite social skills since he had spent so much of his life alone. He barked for the attention he had rarely gotten. He barked when he was stressed, which was much of the time. His foster mom was told she couldn’t keep him in her townhouse, so Rusty went to a boarding facility. There, he could bark to his hearts content. But he wasn’t getting enough attention and he wasn’t getting the chance to show what kind of dog he really is.

Ann Savage, Pet Haven Intake Coordinator, asked dog volunteer Celayne Jones if she could “just give him a try” to see if how he would do in a home environment. Celayne said she’d give him a chance and brought him home with her. And Rusty barked. He barked when Celayne left the house. He barked when she came back. He barked when his foster sisters, Daisy and LadyBug, barked. He barked when they didn’t. He barked at adoption events when Celayne stopped petting his head. Eager for attention and affection, he seemed to be trying to make up for all the pets and love he hadn’t gotten in the past.

One day, Celayne noticed that he was not barking as much. It coincided with the time she found him sleeping on her sofa. He’d probably never in his life been allowed to be on furniture! The dog snored contentedly, his head on a decorative pillow. He felt secure enough in this household to do the forbidden (to him, in his previous life) and get on the furniture, Daisy and LadyBug having been kind enough to stay off it on this particular day.

Celayne and Rusty went to several adoption days together. People often commented about what a nice dog he was, but didn’t want to adopt an old dog. “We just lost an 11 year-old lab”, they’d say, or “I’d like to know he’ll be around for a long time”. And Celayne felt sorry that such a very nice and loving dog was passed over.

And she foster-failed.

Rusty now can go wherever he chooses in his house, except the laundry room (that’s where the litter boxes are) and he can play with LadyBug and Daisy in a large fenced yard. But he prefers to spend his days on that comfy couch, head on the pillow, dreaming of an unending series of happy dog days to come.

Rummy is finally home

By Kim J.

Rummy came to Pet Haven as a kitten in rough shape. His rear leg was broken high up near the hip joint. Kittens aren't good candidates for "pinning" the bones as their young bones are still soft and growing. Not to mention that pinning would require at least 6 weeks of cage confinement and no kitten wants that! So the decision was made to amputate, and within a day of his surgery, Rummy was off and running. Not only did most people not realize that Rummy was a tripod, I don't think Rummy realized it either. He could run and jump with the best of them.

We also played regular games of "jump for the toy" with a wand type cat toy so that he built up strength in his remaining rear leg. He loved his therapy games!

After winning the hearts of the foster crew, Rummy has his happy ending. He was adopted into a home with a dog and another cat, and everyone is settling in nicely. His new family had this to report: "I just wanted to drop you a note on Rummy. He is doing very well. We have re-named him, Merlin. He is getting along well with Atreyu (our other cat) and things are getting better with Homer (our dog).He is such a cuddler! He is a great addition to the family. Thank you!"

 

Letter to Sam’s first mom

By Susan G.

Sam, the black lab was surrendered to Pet Haven by an owner who loved him dearly. Life circumstances became overwhelming and she was faced with the most difficult decision, and with a heavy heart she surrendered Sam to Pet Haven in hopes that he would be placed in a loving home. A year later her heart still aches for Sam, and asked Pet Haven if we could provide an update on Sam.

The following is a letter that Sam’s new guardian asked us to pass along to Sam’s first mom, and with her permission, we share this heartfelt letter:

To Sam's First Mommy:

Sam continues to be the light of our lives. In September we moved into a larger home, complete with a huge, fenced in back yard for Sam. Sam adapted well and spent many hours this fall barking at the squirrels running through the trees. Sammers enjoys his daily walks (or bike rides) and receives a lot of attention wherever we go.

Sam Sam likes to sneak naps on the couch (even though he knows he's not allowed on the furniture!), and can be quite naughty at times. Most recently he has taken to grabbing food off the kitchen counter. It started with a half dozen corn muffins, progressed to my homemade Christmas cookies and just this evening a pan with cooled bacon grease. Yet he still remains at a healthy 80 pounds!

Sammer Jammer has become very attached to our good friends who live just a few miles away, and their Golden Retreiver Lola. Our friend's 4 year old daughter calls Sam 'My Blackie' and always wants to know if he's sleeping over night. Sam and Lola love to chase each other around the yard.

A true testament to the impact Sam has had on our lives came over Thanksgiving when my sister-in-law remarked that we'd been talking about Sam for several hours. We can't help it - he's just so lovable!

Although it's been almost a year since we adopted Sam, my husband and I are still amazed at our luck. From day one Sam was a well trained dog. And although we've considered adopting another dog, we know we would never be so lucky as to get another Sam.

and in response to reading the letter, Sam’s first mom shared the following with Pet Haven:

“He looks absolutely wonderful and I can actually see that familiar playfulness in one of the pictures. To hear of his sneaking food makes me chuckle, reminded me of the day I questioned what happened to my ham that was in the refrigerator!! He had pulled on a hand towel (draped on the door handle of the refrigerator), opened the refrigerator only to discover at eye level a wrapped ham. What a completely fun afternoon for him, home alone with a ham all to himself!”

 

Friends at first sight

We adopted Brody (formerly Astro) in the fall of '06 while we were finishing up our senior year of college. Once we graduated and started working full time we felt that Brody would enjoy having a friend around to keep him company. Since we had such a good experience with getting Brody from Pet Haven that's where we decided to start our search for a second cat. We found Finley (formerly Snuffy) and after an initial meet and greet between the two cats decided that it seemed like they would make a good pair.

We couldn't have been more right! After the initial adjustment period you would never have guessed that these two weren't always together. Their favorite game is to take turns chasing and tacklingeach other followed by a quick break to groom each other then back to rough housing. They even pair up when being mischievous and have figured out how to open closed closet doors. Their second favorite pastime is a tie between sleeping on the cat tree andwatching the birds and squirrels outside.

They do have their own quirky differences.Brody feels the need to climb any and everything that he can even jumping from the couch onto people to perch on their shoulder and managing to figure out how to get on top of the fridge.Finley loves all things shinyand has "stolen" the nail clipper and tweezers on several occasions from the bathroom counter to bat around and play with. He's even tried to walk off with our digital camera by grabbing the cord and lifting his head as high as he could so the camera barely cleared the ground. Despite their quirks and rambunctiousness we wouldn't trade them for the world and love having them in our home.

Thanks~ Katie T. & Kyran C.

 

Being Bart, the Dog

By Sheila G.

Starving, severely infested with fleas, and freezing in the cold of winter, two pups huddled together against a metal garbage dumpster fighting for their lives. A good samaritan happened by and delivered them to Red Lake Rosie’s Rescue in Red Lake, Minn. Sadly one of the brothers died two days later, but brother Barton, later shortened to Bart, was stabilized and sent on to Pet Haven for longer term care and adoption.

When Bart first came to Pet Haven, he was suffering from many ailments. Bart had a skin infection, an ear infection, rickets, and a bad leg. He had to wear a splint for several weeks. Jeanne Tuvey, Bart’s first foster, says when he arrived, he was filthy. “It took two bath waters to even scratch the surface on getting some of his filth off. My bathtub had a ring that you wouldn't believe!” Jeanne put Bart on a special diet for his rickets and skin problems and began socializing the Bart Simpson-like pooch. “Bart didn’t even know about steps, having never been in a house before.” Bart stayed with Jeanne for two weeks and then with Kristen Denzer, another Pet Haven foster, for two more weeks.

Bart then moved in with Pet Haven volunteer Bonnie Harris—and never left. Bonnie thought she would only foster Bart, but after a couple of days, she found herself adopting the irresistible guy. How could anyone resist a face like that. Bonnie reports that at his last vet visit, Bart was declared in perfect health. The splint is off and his coat is beautiful, soft, and fluffy (see before and after pictures). At 7 months old, Bart was 43 lbs. and he is still growing. The big question is Bart’s breed; he looks like no other dog. Family and friends are guessing that he is part shepherd, husky, collie, golden retriever, maybe even some corgi. ­ Bonnie has ordered a DNA test, and everyone is awaiting the results.

What we do know about Bart is that he is a real survivor. Bonnie says he’s feisty and tough, yet affectionate. “He loves everyone,” she says. “He knows how cute he is.” And he loves to dig. “He’s all about the dirt,” quips Bonnie. Perhaps we should add terrier to the list of possible breeds? One thing’s for sure, Bart can now just do what dogs do thanks to the help of many caring people.

 

 

Angel, the toy fox terrier

by Susana G.

“What a cute little rat terrier!” gushed the old lady at the Petco store, and Leslie Bardon, her foster mom, cringed. But she smiled kindly and softly retorted: “Actually, she is a toy fox-terrier, not a rat-terrier!”

“Oh,” responded the dog browser, “but she is so cute.,..,” and walked off to the next pup like many others had done before at the sole mention of the word “terrier”.

Eleven-month old Angel had been waiting four months to be adopted. When Leslie started fostering her, she noticed right away that Angel demanded a lot of attention, constantly testing them with no-no behaviors such as chewing on a plant when a family member was on the phone or pooing in front of them to see what they would do.

An experienced terrier mom and foster mom, Leslie knew Angel required structure, to be involved and challenged, and to have “love, lots of it...” So this generous foster took Angel to Total Puppy Class at Dogworks, in Eden Prairie, footing half of the bill. “I could tell she was smart from the beginning but I was so flabbergasted with how well she did in class!”, Leslie said, adding that the attention-seeking behavior stopped.

And “she was the best snuggler! She would crawl up underneath her boyfriend Danny’s sweatshirt and fall asleep”. To this day, he misses their snuggle-time together. “There was something about that little girl that made you laugh. She is a clown and OMG … a kissing fiend!!! You would say ‘kiss’ and she was right there!”

Leslie wanted Angel to go to a home that knew the breed, Angel’s needs for training and agility, and could give her the attention she deserved.

That’s when Sherri came along, right before Halloween. “She was sooo interested and excited in Angel and she had previous experience with terriers, so she knew the temperament, and she had a back yard!”

Sherri had lost her beloved Jack Russell four years earlier. When her boyfriend Jeff moved in with his lab Roxanne, Sherri thought Roxanne would like a playmate. She talked to her boys, Andrew and James, who were absolutely for it. But the nearest Jack Russell candidate they found on the Web was in Chicago…!

Then Sherri happened to see Angel’s picture on the Web and liked her. But when she saw Angel’s YouTube video, following her foster-brother Butch and playing with him, dodging in and out of human legs and chairs, that was it!

Angel was comfortable with Sherri and her family from the beginning. “But, being a terrier, Angel is high strung, high energy,” Sherri says. “She and Roxanne carouse around all the time, Angel’s whole head can fit into Roxanne’s mouth. The boys carry her around and she sleeps with the little guy. And Jeff also likes Angel, except when she jumps on his desk, steals his glasses and takes them back to her kennel! And Roxanne is so good with her! Angel runs around in circles in the back yard, and gets underneath Roxanne’s legs! She is very loved in my house,” she adds.

This win-win situation was made possible by the generous hearts of the volunteer foster, the loving new forever family, Pet Haven and its big hearted volunteers and, last but not least, by the kisses and antics of one more little angel who now has a better life.

Leslie (holding Angel) with Angel’s new forever family. Roxanne (a black lab/chow/ pit/rott mix) is Leslie’s new sibling and they love to play!

A Dog and His Boy

By Mary M.

I got a call asking to foster a big black dog named Vadar for a few days. I immediately assumed Vadar was playful and goofy. Instead, I was informed he was nervous, probably woundn’t eat and has aggression issues towards men. Hmm, did I want to take this on?

Vader

I waited anxiously in my driveway with my calmest dog Roxy. Vadar got out of the car with his foster mom. He was a big dog, far bigger than I imagined. He was twice the size of my largest dog Roxy and ten times the size of my smallest dog. I hoped they would all get along. His foster was nervous telling me Vadar only liked women and he was an extremely shy and nervous dog. I continued with the doggie introductions until Vadar had met two-year-old Phoebe and three-year-old Gracie.

After Vadar’s foster mom left, I took Vadar out to our back yard to explore and play with the other dogs. He immediately began to romp and play with the dogs. He did not seem shy do me. My husband Tino came home from work and joined us outside. Vadar was shy, for about five minutes. Tino chased Vadar around the yard and Vadar chased Tino. They played fetch and Frisbee. When it came time for dinner, Vadar ate alongside the other dogs with gusto. Bedtime came and Vadar slept alongside the pack.

Vadar was not living up to his reputation. He ignored my cats, played with dogs, loved Tino and got along with the rest of the family. After several days with our family Tino and took him to the adoption event. We had high hopes of Vadar finding a home.

Not long after arriving, a family approached us. They had come to see a different dog but it was not working out. What kind of dog was Vadar? We told them what we had been told then explained our few days with Vadar. David and Danette asked if Vadar would get along with their three-year-old son Zachary. Let’s see, was our response. The family took Vadar for a walk, bought him doggie treats and spent quite a bit of time at the adoption event. Vadar was shy and a little overwhelmed by the crowds. I crossed my fingers hoping it wouldn’t work against him. It didn’t. David and Danette adopted Vadar three days later.

It has now been several weeks. How is Vadar doing? It’s amazing.

Vadar was nervous for a little while after arriving at his new home but quickly settled in. His new family preferred a shy dog for their young son so Vadar really fit the bill. Being house trained and knowing a few commands was a real plus.

Bedtime with Zachary used be an ordeal. Tuck in to sleep took more than an hour every night. After Vadar came to live with them, David and Danette put his bed alongside Zachary’s. Their son and Vadar go to bed at the same time. Now tuck in to sleep takes about five minutes. Zachary’s door is left open all night. In the morning, Vadar will wait by the open door until given permission to come out. Every morning Vadar goes with David to take Zachary to school. This dog with “issues” toward men has really bonded with David. Vadar also loves Zachary’s toys and will bring one out of the room “asking” if he can have it. If not, no problem.

Vader and Zachary

Zachary and Vadar spend a lot of time in the back yard playing fetch. Vadar is still working on the “drop” command but has no problem with Zachary putting his hand in his mouth to take the ball.

Vadar’s new family has learned he is afraid of newspapers and umbrellas. They work with this by allowing Vadar to leave the room while they read the paper and he gets to stay indoors on rainy days. Vadar is still shy around the neighborhood, but daily walks are getting better and better.

Zachary loves his new dog. Vadar is very patient while Zachary learns how to treat him. This big black dog has found a family that loves him unconditionally and he is returning the favor ten fold

A Happy Tail for Vader

 

Sugar is now living a sweet life

By Kim J, cat foster

Before coming to Pet Haven, Sugar was living at a town dump. She is a beautiful all white cat and came to us a bit chubby, but happy to have attention on a regular basis. She has rounded little ears as she apparently had been the victim of frostbite in the past. During her stay with us she was on a weight loss program that included limited portions and our best efforts at increasing her activity level. Sugar would patiently watch as we fluttered feather toys in front of her, and as we dragged string toys across the floor to entice her, then she would amble over to us for petting and brushing. We finally discovered that the only way to get her to move around was to carry her brush around and she would trail after us.

While in our foster care, we discovered that Sugar had her own ideas about litter boxes and despite retraining efforts, she could not be trusted around beds and linens. She preferred them to litter boxes. So we began a mission to get the word out and try and find a loving and safe outdoor home for Sugar. Another foster volunteer was having her house remodeled, which led to a contact with one of the remodelers. In the end, he and his wife have taken Sugar to live on their small acreage to enjoy deer and turkeys. Sugar has private quarters in their garage at night and is using the litter box in there.

Her new guardians recently shared with us: “Sugar has two night lights in the garage and every night we have a routine where we hold her, play with her, brush her and then tuck her into her bed - she gets covered up with her blankets. She knows it's bedtime. Today when we came home from work she was covered up and we can't figure out how she did it. She is great!!!! and we love her.”

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