Letters + Pictures from Adoptive Families

Smokey
8/1/10

Dear Animal House,

Last year, we adopted a Catahoula Leopard Dog named Odelia, now Lizzie, from you. We just wanted to let you know what a wonderful dog she has turned out to be. She has a great temperament and is very affectionate and loving with everyone she meets. Everywhere we go, people ask about her breed...she definitely grew into a beautiful, unique dog.

We are so happy to have her and are thankful for the work you do to save lives like hers. Thank you!

The Strufing Family

 

Smokey
7/27/10

Greetings!

Thank you for your email! Smokey is doing absolutely amazing. He and his older brother (Willie the Chocolate Lab) get along wonderfully and Smokey is a very active and happy dog! He is super cuddly and loves to play fetch, play with other dogs and terrorize the mailman.

Some of his special talents include being the fastest dog on the face of the earth, being an amazing watch-dog and he can do a back-flip with a soccer ball. Everyone who meets him loves him and we are very happy he is apart of our family!

 

If there is anything we can do to help contribute to the Animal House we would love to help! Thank you for your correspondence.

Regards,
The Sambur Family

 

Dax (formerly Domino)
7/7/10

Hello Sandra,

I'm just writting to give you guys an update on how Domino, now known as Dax that i adopted on january 30, 2010 is doing. He is great!!! he loves my other dog Izzy and gets along with all of my cats, as you can see in the last picture i sent that is my cat Ellie sleeping on Dax's face, they sleep together constantly.

He fits right in with my group and is super smart. It only took him a few days to learn the basics of where he was to go to the bathroom, and the commands "wait" and "leave it" were learned the day after i took him home! I couldn't ask for a better dog he is great!

Also he now weighs about 75 pounds and he is still growing, he is going to be quite a big man :)

Thank you all so much!
Kelly

 

Slinky
7/3/10

We signed up for the next obedience class at the place you recommended. Today, Slinky had her first Dog Park experience at the one down Horsetooth and had a great time and has shown herself to be an enthusiastic swimmer and is good around other dogs.

My 5 year old is especially, passionately in love with her and the two spend hours playing fetch in the yard, hiking with Daddy, and just romping around together, looking for mud, bugs, and adventure. Attached is a picture of the two of them. Clearly... Slinky is home :-)

Alexis

 

Tabitha
6/18/10

Hi Shanel,

Tabitha is doing great as a foster dog, and we'd like to adopt her!

Thanks,
Jennifer

 

 

Lola Uley (formerly Emerald)
6/15/10

Dear Animal House,

My husband, Dan and I adopted Emerald now lovingly named Lola Uley (<-- named after our favorite ice bar nestled in the heart of Crested Butte) back in March 2010. Lola quickly became an absolute wonderful addition to our family!! She quickly became best friends with her big brother, Tobias. Lola and Tobi play for hours on end and even at times share the same bed at night.

Lola is such a loving, sweet dog - our Vet even joked that she was quite possibly the happiest dog she had ever met and we couldn't agree more! Lola is such a joy to have as a part of our family, we couldn't imagine life without her!

Some of Lola's favorite things are playing in her backyard and watching the horses, going for walks (no matter the time of day), chewing on her endless amount of toys, rough-housing with her big brother and swimming in the lake!

We are so grateful for what you do and for saving Lola's life so that she could bless and be a part of ours!! I have attached a picture of Lola and her brother Tobi relaxing in the summer sun!

Sincerely,
Jami & Dan Wiens

 

Benny (formerly Bernie)
6/12/10

Hi Sandra-

Attached is a picture of Bernie (formerly known as Benny - adopted Nov. 2009) and his new family. He has been a handful and I think he is mixed with the world's most stubborn breed...whatever that may be! We love him and have been working on his training everyday. He likes to bolt so it is no wonder that he was found as a stray with his brother. The chihuahuas he lives with have taught him how to be a lap dog and he loves to cuddle, too.

Also, is it possible to give my information to whomever adopted his brother Danny? I'd love to meet them at the dog park sometime if they are willing. I live in Fort Collins.

Thanks,
Lauren Kalash

 

Petey
6/7/10

Petey is doing just great. He has adjusted very well to living with me. When he's not sleeping the day away, he's sitting in my lap while I play guitar or running in circles excited for a car ride. I can't believe he waited so long for a forever home. He's the greatest.

Corey

 

Mistletoe

Hi Joana,

Wanted to update you! We are so in love with Mistletoe, she's such a cutie :) Things are going really well. The first day was the toughest, but we figured out a game plan. She was peeing non stop, I think because of the pressure on her bladder. So I started taking her outside every 30 min, and now she doesn't pee inside at all. She's so good, every time we go outside the first thing she does is pee, -and poop if she needs to. Mistletoe and Shadow, our other dog, have gotten used to each other now, and are playing up a storm. When she's not playing she's snuggling up in our laps and sleeping. So all is well, and she's not needing to pee so often now, the swelling from the surgery has come down.

We go to bed at 11pm, so she lets us know she needs to get out of her crate and pee at 4am. The I put her back into the crate again to continue sleeping, and it works really well. Thought you'd enjoy these pics underneath:)

Thanks again for taking care of her, we're so glad it worked out that we got her, she's a sweetheart -and so small! :)

Inger

Zander (formerly Bumble)
3/4/10

Hi all -

I've taken a bunch of pictures of Zander (Bumble to you), but am finally getting them organized. I thought I'd send you a few to show you much he's grown up and a little taste of how he's settled in here. There's a variety of pictures. One of him is with his older sister Macey. As the picture shows, they are inseparable. There's one I call "Zander looking pathetic" because he was trying to make sure I knew he was there while I was eating dinner. When you get to the one of my glasses, please refer to the question on your application about what you would do if they chewed up something of value. The rest are just a few of my favorites. I'm having a painting done of him and I'll send you an e-mail when the painting is done.

I can't tell you how much of a cherished member of our family he is. His is still quite mischievious, but he's growing up and getting better all the time. He just had his 1 year check up and vaccinations - he now weighs 66 pounds and was declared perfectly healthy and happy. He loves playing with his big brother and sister, but he is most definitely a Mama's boy. He's very sweet and loving and I just couldn't ask for better. I do know he could not possibly be more loved!

Karen Echols

 

 

 

Oy (formerly Atticus)
3/23/09

The picture on the right is at a local park, when he decided that my glove was better than the tennis ball. Oy is about 14 weeks old in this picture, and in the month I have had him we have both taught each other a lot.

The picture on the left is Oy after he had burried a small teddy bear. Once I quit laughing at him I got the camera and snapped this picture after asking him where the bear was. I was not suppose to know even though he was digging the hole RIGHT under me.

And just on Sunday, Oy got to snuggle with my Grandfather, who does not let dogs on his lap. Oy was 1 day shy of turning 4 months, and my grandfather is 9 days shy of turning 85.

Thank you again for helping me find this great puppy!

Jamie O'Dell
Cheyenne Wyoming,
(Oy's Human)
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Snickers (formerly Bobby)
3/23/09

On February 4, 2009, we adopted "Bobby" from Animal House and he became "SNICKERS" and a wonderful addition to our family. He is obedient, loving and quite a "shadow" to each of us. If one of us is gone for a few hours, he delights that person with an excited welcome when we return.....he misses us! He quickly learned which rooms he was not welcome in......and he became attached to all three cushy beds that we bought him! He loves long walks and does great on a leash. What can I say? HE'S PERFECT!
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Lucy (formerly Sadie)
3/17/09

When Lucy was found, she was severely underweight. The nice family who found her did not have the heart to take her to the pound where she did not have much hope to be adopted. Animal House came to the rescue and took her in.

Having just lost our beloved Boxer, Kylie, who was a member of our family for over 8 years, we were not expecting to fall so in love with this spunky rat terrier when we agreed to foster her. Her big expressive eyes and perky ears were quite comical when coupled with her little underbite, but her loving nature and fun personality quickly stole our hearts!

Named after Lucille Ball due to her crazy antics and loveable disposition, little Lucy became a wonderful addition to our home. She even goes to the office with us every day and has become the office mascot! She has been learning to walk well on the leash, sits pretty, speaks and gives kisses. She loves to play, play, play. From chasing squirrels to playing with all dogs..big and small, she then curls up on our laps for some snuggle time.

She is so full of life and we are so thankful to Animal House for giving her a second chance to be loved. We Love Lucy!! Now...we need to get a Ricky for her to play with!

Kris Wells
Rite Clicks, LLC
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Bella
2/16/09

Hello,

Last week we adopted the English Bulldog puppy Bella. We just wanted to thank you guys for picking our family. We are so very happy with our new little family member! EVERYONE loves her especially her new friend Indy. They get along so well and make the perfect playmates (I attached a cute picture of them!) Bella seems very happy and is soaking in all the attention and affection.

We also wanted to thank you guys for what you do for the animals! We are so glad we got to donate our money to such an awesome organization!

Sincerely,

The Domagata's
Bob, Jamie, Indy and Bella
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Sprocket (formerly Chuck)
2/5/09

We adopted a little mixed terrier, tan dog from Animal House last June out at the dog show at Centerra. He's a wonderful dog and I thank you for saving him and keeping him safe till we found him and adopted him. He is a loving little guy, and just wonderful with the grandchildren when they come to visit. He loves everybody!

About a week ago when I was taking him for a walk on a retractable leash, I accidentally dropped the leash. Sprocket spooked when the hard case of the leash hit the ground and he started running. He is a very fast runner and I couldn't catch him. I headed for home as fast as I could to get the car and go out looking for him. We were about a 15-minute walk away from home. When I got home, there he was, laying on the front porch. I didn't know he knew the way, especially with the plastic case of the leash making a racket on the pavement behind him. Even terrified, he knew his way home.

We'd like to help with your the shelter's needs. I will put a check in the mail tomorrow and try to give again whenever we can. You do good work - it should continue.

Thanks for Sprocket!

Sue and Hal Squier
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Wishbone
2/3/09

Hi Animal House,
I just wanted to give you an update on Wishbone: we graduated an eight week training class. Also, my dad taught her commands in Spanish which now she only responds to. I am not sure how that is going to workout. :))

Sincerely,
Regina Apodaca



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Juma (formerly Scarlett)
1/21/09

Hello Animal House,

We adopted "Scarlett" (now named "Juma") from you guys in July. She had come from Eureka, KS with 2 other skinny pups. We just thought you might like an update on her.

She is fully integrated with our family (even the cat). She is an AWESOME dog! Very athletic, sociable, obedient, and smart! And a magnificent jumper! She is a total joy.

She accompanies me to work and we take several walks a day. She also enjoys the dog park and fetch, tug-o-war, and will chase rabbits and birds when she gets the chance (but never catches anything).

What a great dog! Thanks!

-Christy, Jaedyn, Barry, and Juma
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Penny (formerly Sugar)
1/31/09

Penny's new mom stopped by today for a grooming appointment. Heather reported that Sugar is doing wonderfully and they couldn't be happier!!

 

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Farley
1/6/09

Hi,

I just wanted to let you know that Farley is doing well and I am really enjoying him.

I am using TLC dog walkers for days that I work and he likes Claudia. He gets along with the cat, although I am afraid Wally likes him more than he likes Wally. I have also discovered that pig ears are really bad for his digestion. He seemed to really like the pig ear, but never again. I have contacted Elizabeth Wilkins to discuss attending her play groups so he stays socialized.

Mostly however, I am just enjoying taking him for walks and having him hang out with me. He is a really good companion and I am still amazed that no one adopted him.

Thank you again

Lisa Claypool
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Ginger & Buffy (formerly Ndora)
11/8/08

You said my dogs would love this recipe ... they did! While the dog biscuits were cooling in the oven, I cracked the door to let some extra heat into the kitchen. When I went downstairs, our 2 1/2 year old rescue lab stuck her head inside the oven (cool enough by then, fortunately), and devoured 1/3 of the biscuits before we heard her and stopped the gorging!

The next day I made another recipe and made sure to get everything into an air-tight plastic jar. Both dogs do love them!

Our other dog we got from you as a puppy last June -- formerly "Ndora," Buffy is now over 9 months old. My two girls are very compatible -- Buffy is doing so well and we are so happy with her! She is beautiful -- feathery tail -- more a very light golden retriever than a lab.

Marilyn McCord
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Teddy
1/6/09

Dear Friends,

Teddy here, checking in. Things are good and my coat is super soft. I did not finish my kennel club classes, yet. However, I know how to sit, stay, heel, shake hands and give kisses. I am very gentle.

Thanks for saving my hide in Kansas. I love Fort Collins and the family you hooked me up with, too.

ANIMAL HOUSE IS THE BEST!

Love,
Teddy Kloberdanz aka Ted E. Bear, Ted, T-Bone, or just "T"
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Pearl (formerly Maizey)
12/29/08

Hi Sandra and Ali,

Just a short note and pictures to let you know that Pearl is a great dog and we are thrilled that she found her way to us.

Thanks for all you do to help rescue and find homes for all the strays that come your way.

Sincerely,
Beth and Clarke Wright
And Pearl

 

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Kenya
12/10/08
Hi Shanel!
Here are some great photos (the photo with 2 dogs is Kenya reuniting with Banjo by coincidence).

We were lucky enough to get Kenya from Animal House as a puppy when the shelter first opened. We knew she was meant for us because we were engaged in Africa and her litter name was Kenya! She was the last of the litter left when we visited and we knew she would be a great dog for us. She loves to go to dog park nearly every day to play with other dogs and has learned a multitude of fun tricks including "take a bow", "sit pretty" and "speak" as the most advanced. She is extremely smart, loyal and sweet so we cannot imagine our lives without Kenya.

THANK YOU ANIMAL HOUSE for help making our house such a happy home!
Jennifer & Mike Guerriero
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Taj (formerly Kevin)
12/10/08

Hello!

Taj (formerly Kevin) is doing great!! We have had a wonderful time going through his different puppy stages. He is a clown and a great companion... always making us laugh. :) Over the summer he went hiking with us quite a lot, and lately he has been loving the snow.

Happy holidays!
Carrie and Sid Murthy

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Clara
11/8/08
Hello Animal House,

Casey and I finally got around to downloading a few pictures of Clara and thought you'd like to see what a beautiful dog she's growing up to be. Ever since we brought her home from your shelter she's been a real source of joy not only for us but for those who meet her. We've of course had some fairly frustrating puppy moments but it's been fun to see how training and maturity has caused her to leave some of those things behind. As she grows she becomes ever more athletic and has truly grown to enjoy the outdoors with us.

We can't imagine having a dog that fits into our lives better than little Miss Clara and we're truly grateful for your organization and the obvious care that you provided her before she came into our lives. Enjoy the pictures!

Katie Greller
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Murphy (formerly Synsa)
11/3/08

HI. I am just writing because my dog, Murphy, and I are celebrating our 1 year anniversary. I adopted her from your shelter a year ago today. Her name was Synsa at the time and we had quite the introduction when there was a little dog-fight on the premises before I got her home!! That was the beginning of some struggles over the past year, but after some training and moving into a house where she has a yard and a doggy door, she is one great dog!!

I am so thankful to you and your team for taking such good care of her and wanted you to know that she has turned into a great little girl...she has some doggy friends and definitely has toned down her aggression. She loves to play fetch in the yard and is just spoiled enough that she lounges with mommy on the couch and has secured a place for herself in mommy's bed.I am attaching a couple of photos for you as well.

Thanks so much and I hope you are doing well!!

Amy and Murphy Brown