http://indyhumane.org/index.php/tails/ Stories of dogs and cats adopted from the Humane Society of Indianapolis non-profit animal shelter in Indiana en ahowell@indyhumane.org Copyright 2010 2010-02-11T19:13:27+00:00 http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/boss_finds_a_loving_home/ http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/boss_finds_a_loving_home/#When:18:13:27Z 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 Adopted Dogs, Rottweilers 2010-02-11T18:13:27+00:00 http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/charlie_small_terrier_mix_indianapolis_colts_fan/ http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/charlie_small_terrier_mix_indianapolis_colts_fan/#When:17:19:34Z 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. Adopted Dogs, Puppies, Terriers 2010-01-15T17:19:34+00:00 http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/special_adopted_pit_bulls_live_together/ http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/special_adopted_pit_bulls_live_together/#When:16:19:43Z 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. Adopted Dogs, Pit Bulls 2010-01-08T16:19:43+00:00 http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/charmin_the_cat/ http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/charmin_the_cat/#When:16:11:46Z 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. Adopted Cats, Medical Care 2009-10-20T16:11:46+00:00 http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/wyatt_the_fiv_cat/ http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/wyatt_the_fiv_cat/#When:19:29:05Z 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) Adopted Cats, FIV+, Medical Care 2009-10-16T19:29:05+00:00 http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/dolly_the_lab_mix/ http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/dolly_the_lab_mix/#When:13:53:50Z “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. Adopted Dogs, Labrador Retrievers 2009-09-23T13:53:50+00:00 http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/clio_staffordshire_terrier/ http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/clio_staffordshire_terrier/#When:17:57:47Z “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. Adopted Dogs, Pit Bulls 2009-08-10T17:57:47+00:00 http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/archie_formerly_champ_the_golden_retriver/ http://indyhumane.org/index.php/hsi/article/archie_formerly_champ_the_golden_retriver/#When:20:11:16Z “Champ,” as you knew him, is doing great. He has a new name, “Archie,” and most of the information you were given when he was surrendered thankfully was incorrect: Archie is a wonderful house dog, fully potty trained, has not destroyed anything not given him as a toy, and is getting along wonderfully. He thoroughly enjoys playing alone or with me in the back yard, running, sniffing, chasing and playing with two large soccer balls. He loves playing fetch with various-sized balls inside the house, then curling up with someone on the couch and getting his chest and belly rubbed until he falls asleep, upside down with his tongue hanging out and oblivious to the world. Thank you very much for providing him with a temporary home until he and I found each other. - Kevin M. and Archie Adopted Dogs, Golden Retrievers 2009-06-04T20:11:16+00:00