Pet Stories
FOR INFORMATION ON ADOPTING ANIMALS LOCALLY VISIT:
Munchy:
This story is about our youngest child, Munchy who was brought into the vet school clinic at 4 weeks old. She had been run over by a tractor and was deemed to be euthanized by the doctor on call. Luckily a 4th year student felt she could save her by personally nursing her. Within a week Munchy was doing well enough to be adopted. My wife (Lara), a 1st year student at the time, of course couldn't resist such cuteness!
Now Munchy is going on 3yrs and is as healthy as a dog can be. She has a big sister Roma who was also adopted and two older sibling kitties from a Humane Society in Connecticut.
Munchy is currently helping out the UofI veterinary college with their outreach program. Starting in February Munchy will be touring local high schools talking about careers in veterinary medicine and promoting animal welfare.
Maneesh & Lara Shanbhag, January 21, 2005
Do you have a pet adoption story? Send it to us at
Holly:
Meet Holly... she is a purebred miniature schnauzer with a long tail. Depending on which way you look at it you could call Holly either lucky or unlucky?
Holly came in to a local high kill shelter as a stray without a collar or any other type of identification. She had a long tail, was total ungroomed she was listed as a "terrier mix". Folks passed her up for adoption because they thought she was an "older" dog (why else would she be so gray?). Poor Holly was also suppose to be featured as "Pet of the Week" in the local newspaper... but somehow the regular feature never made it into the paper that week because of an oversight.... so she missed her big debut. Ten days after her arrival no one came to adopt or reclaim her and her time was more than over due. Off to the backroom of the shelter she went where she was to be put to sleep. Just before the animal control officer was going to give her the lethal injection, she put her paws on his knees as if to beg "please not me sir". Well that along with her big brown eyes chiched it, the officier decided the give her a few more days in the "available dog run", surely someone would adopt her.
Several days later on a Saturday afternoon... at our Pet Adoptions we heard there was a schnauzer or possible schnauzer mix at the shelter. So off one of the schanuzer crazy volunteers went to the shelter to bail her and found not a mix but a purebred mini with a natural tail. She was very sweet natured, friendly and a just a youngster under 2 years old. Apparently she had been on the loose for a while, she was very matted with burrs and smelly, although she was not too thin.
Holly story started out pretty unlucky... and if she didn't have those "Betty Davis" eyes and a natural sense about begging it could have ended there. But we are very happy to report that she is now living in her new home with a nice young couple where she is an "only child" and being spoiled as such!
Checkers:
From street kitten to "cover cat"!
When he was eight weeks old, Checkers was trapped and rescued in West Hills along with his mother and two siblings. It took two months of patience and TLC at his devoted foster mom's home, but Checkers grew into a confident, affectionate boy. He was adopted and renamed Jeepers...and within three months was competing in cat shows! Everyone was surprised when they heard that this charming kitty was a feral rescue. A year after he was first trapped, Jeepers' "odd-eyed" good looks and charisma landed him the cover of the June 2001 issue of "Cat Fancy" magazine.
Jack:
Jack may be cute in this picture, but when he first came to us as a 4-5 week old kitten, it was hard to look at him. His right eye was completely protruding out of its socket, infected and swollen to three times normal size. Despite his tender age, our vets knew that the eye had to be removed...or the infection would take his life. Jack seemed to have no idea how monstrous he looked, acting like a normal kitten...craving attention and playing like crazy. His strength and spirit helped him sail through the surgery, and once his scar healed, Jack was no different, really, than any other little cat. He immediately captured the heart of a family who made him the newest addition to their loving home.
Loyal:
Loyal was found by a Noah's B'ark volunteer November 7th, 1999. She was sleeping beside her mate, he had been hit by a car at this busy intersection and had been dead for a few days.
Loyal awakened as the volunteer was sneaking up on her. She didn't show any anger, just concern about her mate, whom she was protecting by circling him. She protected him for about three hours, then she did a remarkable thing. As if resigning to the fact that he was dead, she sat down beside him, leaned over to his head and very gently seemed to whisper "good-by". Then she looked up at the volunteer as if to say, "It's ok, I can leave now."
Several cars stopped during the time the volunteer attempted to rescue her. They said she had been there for at least 4 days and that her mate was dead when she was first seen. She hadn't eaten for a long time, her pads were torn and sore, she had a litter, which Noah's B'ark volunteers spent several hours searching for, and she was too weak to walk.
She willingly allowed herself to be carried to a car and was taken directly to All Pets Animal Hospital. They said they had never seen a more depressed dog. She showed no interest in living.
She was spayed, vaccinated and fostered by a volunteer. She went to the volunteer's office every day, was loved and hugged constantly for 3 days by everyone who worked there and by all the people who came to see her, as her sad story spread. She bonded with Renee, her foster Mom. We knew she was going to get through her nightmares.
The following Saturday, a wonderful woman came to adoptions at Petco. Loyal was there and this warm, loving woman fell in love with Loyal. But she didn't adopt her. Sunday, Loyal was back and so was this woman. She and Loyal only had eyes for each other and with little ado, Dawn became Loyal's new Mom.
Loyal is now called "Amanda" meaning loving and kind. Her Mom comes to adoptions almost every week to show us how beautiful Amanda looks. No one can believe it. What was once "the most depressed dog" Dr. Moore ever saw now waged her tail, laughs and adores life. She and her Mom are inseparable.
Amanda is only about 15 months old, but has seen many lives of pain and fear. Because people cared, she has many years of happiness ahead of her, as does her Mom.
If everyone would just take the time to care for an animal in need, we'd have so many happy endings.
If you want to see Amanda, let us know and her Mom would probably stop by adoptions with her, She loves to tell everyone about her "perfect" best friend.
