Happy Tails Success Stories

Leroy Brown’s Story of Success and Inspiration

2010-07-21T11:43:13Z

My daughter, Chelsea, adopted “Bacon” from the Humane Society of Indianapolis in July of 2007. He had a “yellow card” (meaning that he may not get along with other animals or may need some behavioral training) but she took the chance.

Leroy (as he’s now called) is a very funny dog. He is loved by Chelsea and her family. I refer to him as my Grandson. Chelsea moved to Nashville, TN more than a year ago and Leroy Brown is very happy there.

The second success about Leroy Brown is that he inspired me to paint again - I had not painted since about 1987. I painted his portrait and it inspired me to write a book (now in progress). I copyrighted Leroy Brown as I envisioned him in the public eye.

Recently, I uploaded my artwork online and Leroy Brown is included in the art.

Thanks for all you do. I have a cat from IndyHumane and I live in Florida now. My two dogs are from Princeton, IN and Frankfurt, IN from shelters. My daughters and I are all about the shelter animals and wish them a good home.

With love for the animals and much hope for them,
Melanie Wadman

Reba the dog

2010-07-19T13:06:13Z

Reba, a Basset Hound/American Pit Bull Terrier mix, was adopted after being sponsored and treated for heartworm at the Humane Society of Indianapolis.

(Click Reba’s picture for a bigger version.)

We adopted Reba just two months ago but it’s as if she’s been a member of our family for years. Even though Reba has spent a lot of her young life (she’s just two years old) in shelters, she is so good-natured, well-behaved and loyal, you’d think she’d spent most of her life with a family.

We know that one of the reasons Reba has made such a wonderful addition to our family is because of the good care she received at IndyHumane. When we met Reba she had just completed her treatments and mandatory weeks of rest for heartworms. We want to thank whomever the generous soul was who paid for her heartworm treatment. We want you to know that, by saving Reba, you’ve given our family the gift of a loving pet. We also want you to know that we are keeping her on heartworm preventative and flea and tick medication so she won’t ever have to go through that again.

We were a little concerned about how Reba would acclimate to our three cats (and vice versa!). But we took the introductions very slowly and used lots of crate time. Now everyone is pretty accepting of each other. They lay around in the family room with us without a care.

Thank you for your kind treatment of Reba.

Sincerely,
Sarah D. and John G.

Minnie the Maltese/Yorkie puppy

2010-07-16T15:05:24Z

Minnie, a Maltese/Yorkie puppy, was recently adopted from IndyHumane. She’s attended Canine Training School classes, and her new mom volunteers at the shelter, too. Minnie’s mom shares their story:

The loving employees, helpful volunteers, and precious animals at the Humane Society have made a huge impact on my new puppy Minnie and me. In October my dad started looking around at local breeders for a Maltese, Yorkie, or Poodle mix. I had never been to the Humane Society and decided this would be a perfect time to check it out. I am so glad I did because I found the most perfect, beautiful, and lovable puppy at the Humane Society of Indianapolis.

On a Wednesday night I got off work at 7:30pm and rushed over to the Humane Society, planning on just checking out the shelter. I was quickly infatuated with the puppy in cage 22 of the small dogs and puppy room: a 4-month-old, 6-pound Maltese-Yorkie mix. At the time Minnie had not been spayed and I was told the following day it was possible she would have her surgery. I knew immediately I had to arrive at the Humane Society as early as possible the day she went up for adoption to ensure Minnie became mine. My mom still tells me that Minnie picked me when she got out of her bed to greet only me and ignored everyone else.

On Friday October 23, 2009, Minnie became a new part in our family. At the end of October I began attending obedience training with Rick Doucette. I immediately saw a change in Minnie’s attitude. Rick did wonders to help get Minnie’s hyper Yorkie and puppy attitudes under control. Since I was already at the Humane Society weekly for classes, I decided I wanted to be a part of this wonderful organization and help the animals. In January I became a volunteer in the small dogs and puppy room. After being in the shelter more often I learned more and more how excellent of a shelter the Humane Society is because of all the help and dedication of the employees and volunteers.

While volunteering and attending obedience classes, a new “reality class” was announced. This class was created to help dogs deal with real life situations. I knew with how much help Rick had already been to Minnie and myself that reality class would help Minnie excel even more. Being in Reality class for the summer, obedience class since October, and volunteering since January, I have developed a strong respect for the Humane Society and all that they do.

- Leanna W.

Colby the Dog

2010-07-13T13:54:05Z

Colby, a Chinese Shar-Pei/Bull Terrier mix, is doing great, according to his adopter, Jenny:

He’s the perfect doggy. He knows several commands, doesn’t bark, is housebroken and never pulls me when we go for our daily walks. He’s so gentle with adults and children and has gotten along perfectly with his seven canine neighbors and the numerous dogs we’ve run across at PetSmart, out walking and in the park. He loves riding in the car, which is great as I take him everywhere. He is even beginning to learn the names of his five toys.

He’s my answered prayer and I’m grateful that he adopted me.

I’d say he’s HOME!

Bogey the Mantrailer

2010-07-12T16:59:42Z

Bogey, a Bloodhound/Beagle mix, was rescued from IndyHumane and went on to learn how to rescue others.

On Christmas Eve 2005, I lost my best friend. He was a 16 year old Wire Fox Terrier named Buddy. At first, the idea of getting another dog just didn’t seem right. But after a few months, I found myself going to the IndyHumane website on a regular basis to see what new dogs were up for adoption.

In July 2006, I happened to notice a litter of Bloodhound/Beagle mix puppies just listed. One in particular caught my eye, his name was Urchin (We call him Bogey). The next day my wife and I made a trip to IndyHumane. Everyone there was so helpful and friendly. They answered all our questions and we decided to adopt him on the spot. We brought him home and everything went great. He was so easy to housebreak and he got along great with his two sisters, Heidi (a miniature poodle) and Tabatha (a black cat, also from IndyHumane).

One day while watching TV, a program came on about search and rescue dogs. It showed how these dogs were used for finding missing persons, tracking down criminals and much more. It was amazing. I wondered if Bogey could do this. So, I did a little research and decided to give it a try. I bought a book on mantrailing and began working with Bogey. Bogey really seemed to enjoy it and so did I. The book was good, but I knew it would be much better to get some hands on training from real experts.

So, I went to the internet and found the American Mantrailing Academy. They are located in Greencastle, Indiana, just a short drive from Indianapolis. They provide free training twice a month to Police, Fire Departments, Search & Rescue Teams, and AMA members. I contacted them to see if it was okay to come out to one of the training sessions. They said sure. I went and found their help to be just what I needed. It was a lot of fun too. So, I joined up. At a cost of only $30 a year, it was a real bargain. I continued going to their training sessions twice a month and practicing at home as well. Finally, on October 7, 2009, Bogey and I certified as an Expert Mantrailing Team. We will be registered in a national database and will be available for search and rescue assistance whenever we are needed.

He is a great companion and a great Search & Rescue Partner. IndyHumane rescued Bogey. Now, Bogey can rescue others.

- Dan Gray

Lexi the senior Chow Chow finds a family and love

2010-05-27T16:03:14Z

I just wanted to send a quick THANK YOU for helping me find Lexi! Her transition to my apartment was very smooth. I chose not to crate her because, since she’s old, I want her to enjoy her last few years as much as possible. She’s had no potty accidents, she’s eating regularly, and she’s adapting to my schedule perfectly.

Lexi is my little fluffy lovebug, and I’m so glad I could give her a home. I take her with me whenever I get a chance - her new favorite thing to do is sit outside with me at Starbucks and people-watch while I work on my laptop (as seen in the video clip below). She basically has a fan club now

Please keep in touch and I’m sure I’ll be back soon with little miss Lexi. Thank you again for making the process an easy one.

- Molly D.

Lexi’s long-time ‘sibling’, Zak, will likely be adopted soon, and Molly is eager to bring Lexi back for a reunion! Thanks to Molly for making Lexi a part of her family.

If you’d like to help senior animals like Lexi get blood tests and other medical care before adoption, please donate today.

Oliver loves to exercise

2010-03-16T15:18:44Z

We adopted Oliver (formerly known as Kyle) the Friday before Halloween and he is 6 months old now and over 50 lbs. He goes to daycare once a week and agility and obedience class and he has the best temperament; he is our lover boy!

I have him in obedience and agility just for us to have lots and lots of fun and for him to be a very social boy and he is, LOL: he doesn’t know a stranger! As soon as it is spring I will have him out tracking. We will try a little of everything and whatever he has the most fun in is what we will do the most of. I doubt that he will be competitive at agility. His body is pretty heavy so we will just do what is fun for him and if he wins a ribbon or two, great, and if he never wins a ribbon that’s fine too! We couldn’t be more pleased about adding Oliver to our family. Thank you for him.

Chris M.

Cheeto finds home and makes the Halstead Family complete

2010-03-08T17:05:07Z

My husband & I had gone to the Humane Society of Indianapolis to find our first cat. We have posted before regarding our dog Jack that we picked up from them as well about 2 years ago. We had such luck with him, so we came by during the 4th of July special. We found Bobby, now called Cheeto. What a great cat!! He gets along with both crazy dogs and a baby! And he’s the best spider killer!

Here is a typical picture of them all. Jack is the gray Schnauzer at the end, then Cheeto, then the white fluff at the bottom is Coco. I love coming home!

You guys are wonderful! Special thanks to Rick (director of the Pet Training School at HSI) for finding us both of our HSI alumni!

- The Halstead Family

Boss, Rottweiler mix who loves the dog park

2010-02-11T18:13:27Z

Boss, a young Rottweiler mix, arrived at the Humane Society of Indianapolis after spending several months in other shelters. Stressed and full of energy, he seemed to be a bit of a “problem child” at first and likely wouldn’t have been placed for adoption elsewhere. HSI’s behavioral team had faith that he was a great dog and gave him a chance to succeed.

Boss attended several obedience classes in our Canine Training School and quickly shined: this puppy in a big dog’s body simply needed an outlet for his skills & smarts! He learned how to leave a treat on his paw until told it was okay to take it in his very first training class, and was adopted by Eric & Allison shortly thereafter. They mailed a Christmas card from Boss this holiday season:

Happy Holidays to my friends at the Humane Society of Indianapolis! It’s hard to believe I was adopted over a year ago - so I wanted to send you a card with my family on the front! I love my new home - I get lots of exercise chasing balls and going for walks. Sometimes we go to the Bark Park so I can see my friends. I have lots of good friends in my neighborhood and my mom and dad give me tons of belly rubs! I am a very good boy - surely thanks to the training you gave me while I was with you. My mom and dad are always saying how much they love me and bringing me home was the best thing ever! I am a little spoiled but after a rough start to my life I deserve a little pampering! I hope the other animals there are going to good homes. Thank you for taking such good care of me before I met my mom and dad. I am so happy in my forever home. Happy Holidays to all the people and animals there, I hope 2010 is filled with lots of happy adoptions.

Love,
Boss

Charlie, small Terrier mix & Indianapolis Colts fan

2010-01-15T17:19:34Z

I adopted Charlie after I had to have my 10+ year old Pekingese put to sleep. Charlie is a wonderful dog who loves to play and chew and is very quick to learn. As you can see in the picture, he has made himself at home.

I am a firm believer in adopting rescued dogs. Charlie is a marvel, and makes me wonder why any one would give him up. Although he loves to chew and has cost about $80 in chew toys during the month, I have finally found ones that he can’t go through in a day, and he exhibits no “fatal” flaws that would have me bring him back. He now has his own Colts jersey and watches the games with me.

- Sharon G.

Sophie & Bender: Special Pit Bulls Find Special Home Together

2010-01-08T16:19:43Z

Sophie Elise and Bender Harrison, two young Pit Bull Terrier mixes with special needs, touched many hearts before finding their new families. Both of these loving dogs were recently adopted and now share their love of life together! Bender’s adopters share their story:

I wanted to write to you about my ‘big, mean Pit Bulls.’ You see, I came from the suburbs, where we have Golden Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels, and Labs; where Pit Bulls are the dogs that you hear about on the news that are only attacking humans and fighting. If you’d ever have told me one would become one of the greatest loves of my life, I would have called you crazy. Furthermore, if you told me that I would be so in love that I would bring my roommate in and convince her to get another one, I would have said you were insane! But that’s just what happened.

We’d been talking about getting a dog for a little over a year when I happened upon your website and saw the picture of Bender. He was maybe the most goofy looking dog I’d ever laid eyes on and maybe the cutest I’d ever seen! I watched his video, and immediately Jamie and I marched right down to inspect him in person. It took about 30 seconds for us to fall in love, and a few hours later he was laying on our couch, an immediate part of our family!

It took no time at all to find out that “big” and “mean” would be the exact opposite adjectives I’d use to describe my handsome man. Sweet, sensitive, lazy, loving, innocent, and hilariously funny would be much more his speed. He spends the majority of his days napping, and when he is not doing that he is attempting to get as many treats with as minimal effort as possible! He follows me around pretty much everywhere just to make certain everything’s kosher. He loves children, peanut butter, and anyone willing to lay on the couch with him and not make him move! If I was looking for a guard dog, I got the wrong guy - he’s pretty much scared of anything bigger than a chipmunk.

Sophie (formerly Isis) came along not too long after and officially made our home complete. Our roommate, Rachel, was jealous that she didn’t have a dog of her own, and we came to to HSI and found Sophie.

She is the ball of energy, she’s the protector, she is the party planner for our daily lives! She and B. Harrison (Bender’s nickname) have become best friends and playmates, spending most of their days finding mischief and new places with great sunlight to nap in. They rule the roost, but we don’t mind: they are the best addition to our home ever!

So once again, thank you so much for our “big, mean Pit Bulls”! Without Bender Harrison and Sophie Elise, I am positive our lives would’ve never been the same!

Regards,
Nate L. and Jamie S.

Charmin the Cat

2009-10-20T16:11:46Z

My husband and I adopted Charmin (formerly known as Opal) in early April. We had just lost our sweet 15-year-old cat to cancer, and we were interested in seeing who at the Humane Society of Indianapolis might need a home.

We started in the cat room and looked at all the fuzzy kids needing homes there, and as we exited the door we came upon a cage in the lobby with a beautiful, petite black kitty who had only one eye. We were excited to meet her because we already had a one-eyed dog at home (he came to us that way at adoption) and thought that a one-eyed cat might fit in great in our house. We were even more thrilled when we opened her cage door to pet her and she was purring, rolling over on her back and making biscuits in the adoption lobby with all the people and dogs walking by.

It was love at first sight. We brought Charmin home the next day, and she has made herself quite at home here with us. She keeps her three big dog siblings in line, loves to snooze on mommy’s warm laptop, loves to be held on her back like a baby, and spends most of her days in a constant state of purring. We love her SO much. We could not have asked for a better cat.
When we talked to our adoption counselor before taking Charmin home, she told us that she was worried that Charmin would not find a home very fast because she was a black cat with just one eye. It just goes to show that when adopting, you should rely on a pet’s personality and not just looks. If we had relied on looks alone, we would have missed out on having one of the world’s best cats as part of our family!
We send our sincere thanks to the Humane Society of Indianapolis for taking Charmin in and taking care of her eye and teeth, which needed care too. I work for a vet, and it makes me so happy to see the medical care provided to the pets prior to adoption. Charmin is a happy, healthy kitty, and we love her more than words can say.
Thank you,
Jenn and Mike C.

Wyatt, the FIV+ Cat

2009-10-16T19:29:05Z

I just wanted to send you a note and let you know about my new home. My mom is at work right now, so I’m using her computer, but don’t tell.

Thank you so much for taking good care of me while I waited for my forever home. I settled in nicely and everyone has been very friendly. My mother pampers me with treats, catnip, and frequent brushings. She even made me a perch by the bedroom window so I can watch for critters and birds. I have new brothers and sisters and a feral cat, Sassy, that lives on the patio. She doesn’t come in the house, but we sniff each other through the screen.

My mother says I’m her big lover boy and she loves my green eyes. She says green is her favorite color. She changed my name from Vincent to Wyatt, because she said I looked like a profile on a wanted poster - and she definitely wanted me!!!!! She saw my picture on the website and came to the shelter looking for ME! How cool is that?!? She wanted me over all the other cats there. She said FIV makes me special, and people should not be afraid to have us FIV+ cats in their home.

Please continue doing a great job and helping my friends find homes. I miss you, but am very happy in my new home.

Thanks,
Wyatt E.
(part of a home)

Wyatt wanted us to remind you that during Octopurr, you can adopt any two cats for the price of one (including our great FIV+ kitties in the free-roaming cats room!) You can also take 50% off all cat supplies with adoption of any cat(s).

Dolly the Lab Mix

2009-09-23T13:53:50Z

“We adopted Dolly (known as Tempest at the Humane Society of Indianapolis) on June 14, 2008 shortly after the loss of our beloved Lab of 13 years. Dolly was about six months old then.

I just wanted to let you know that not a day goes by that I don’t look at her and feel my heart skip a beat. She is beautiful, sweet, smart and full of personality. I spent many months wondering what her mix was (not that it mattered) and have determined that while she looks like a Lab, there is possibly a little Boxer in there - she has the deep chest and plays with her paws.

Dolly finished novice obedience classes and spent a year learning the agility course. She is eager to please, does anything we ask, and is perfect off leash no matter where we are or what the distractions may be. She doesn’t leave our side, and when she does, she doesn’t hesitate to come when called. She has been crate trained, and the only cue she needs to go to her crate is to see me grab the peanut butter jar to fill up her Kong. Today was her first day alone in the house without the crate. She was perfect: Everything was as I left it except the ball she left in the windowsill for me.

We recently took a vacation to Lake Michigan (see the video below). We can’t walk an entire block in a populated tourist town without someone stopping to ask about her and to comment on how beautiful and well behaved she is! I’m always eager to brag that she is a shelter dog. She is truly the dog we have always dreamed of. Perhaps we are a bit biased, but we believe she is just perfect. I actually feel a bit guilty at times that we lucked into her. She has so much potential and I hope to help her use every bit of it. Thank you for this very precious gift and for all that you do for the animals.

Kind Regards,
Angie and Darin L.

Clio the Staffordshire Terrier

2009-08-10T17:57:47Z

“We adopted Clio (Wiggly Wanda to you guys) in mid July. We discussed a dog for a long time and slowly accumulated a bed, toys, etc., in addition to reading up on the latest dog training methods. We went to the Humane Society of Indianapolis several times but none really caught our eye.

To be honest, we didn’t want to get a puppy because of the amount of work involved, as well as the fact that there are plenty of great older dogs that need homes. However, we ended up with 8-month-old Clio! She was very quiet and in the very back of her cage (fear/shyness is something we really didn’t want in a dog!) so we passed her up the first time.

The second time we came in, we realized that the dog across from her was intimidating her and that was why she was quivering in the corner. I asked my fiance to block the other dog from her view and immediately she turned into a different dog! She came to the front of the cage, all happy wags, sniffs, and licks! We took her outside and were amazed that she was so well adjusted when she didn’t have another dog intimidating her! It was love right then and there, and it was nearing closing time!

The staff was extraordinarily helpful and gave us a thorough amount of information regarding her background, and we were able to leave with her shortly after closing. We’re in the process of clearing up a minor ear infection and coccidia, and fattening her back up. Other than that, she is a healthy, happy pooch! She is extremely laid back and content to simply snooze. She’s a fast learner and is housebroken, crate trained, and knows “sit” and “down” (so far!) She even has a backpack, so she has a job and carries water, treats, and sometimes even her own “doggie doo” until we get to a trashcan!

We were both initially a little worried about breed discrimination (she is a Staffordshire Terrier, according to the vet), but so far, we haven’t had any problems. We hope to be breed ambassadors and show Indy that “pit bull”-like dogs are not maneaters. She’s great with other dogs, people, and kids, and we’re so happy we “picked a good one”!”

- Daya P. & Jacob S.

We’re thrilled “Wiggly Wanda” found a great home! She spent awhile with us and was very sweet - she deserves the love she’s found! For more about pit bulls in Indianapolis, visit Indy Pit Crew’s website.