Alumni Tales 6

Sandy Was a Gift that Lasted Almost 15 Years

We adopted Sandy on Feb. 7, 1996. This past Wednesday (Nov. 3, 2010), Sandy, at the age of about 16, went on to a better place. When we adopted her, her name was Doc, but hours later it was Sandy. She has got to be one of the best dogs we have ever had. She loved unconditionally, was loyal as the day is long, and was loved by all who met her. She was the star of Annie in a Mount de Sales play around 1998. She received a standing ovation.

When I would come home from work, she waited at the door and this was our time. I would let her out, give her a treat and then feed her. Over the last two years or so, she started slowing down, could no longer jump up or catch her treats and barked very little. She was getting older… When I took her to the vet, all he could say was that she was a Great ole Lady, and that she was. We will miss Sandy immensely and the memories of her will always be there. Thank you to the Maryland SPCA for the gift that lasted almost 15 years. —Cathy

Below are some tributes to her from FB:

Great dog heading to a wonderful place... my thoughts are with you.

So sad. I'll miss her and her antics.

:-( I love sandy!

aww i'm sorry to hear about sandy :( she was a sweet dog! hope you're all doing okay.

Kitty Had a Long Happy Life

In September 1990, we adopted a one-and-a-half-year-old striped tabby cat for my daughter and after three weeks settled on the name Kitty. Kitty passed this September after 21 happy, healthy years. —Tammy

Layla Has Brought So Much Happiness

When we went to the Maryland SPCA, we told ourselves that it was only to "look" and that we were not allowed to adopt a dog yet. But, as soon as we saw Layla (formerly Frenchie), we fell in love. We brought her home two days later and within a day of bringing her home, she developed pneumonia and had to be admitted to the doggie hospital. We were so scared that we were going to lose her, but she bounced back and has brought so much happiness to our lives ever since! She loves to go for long walks or runs, go to the dog park, go hiking and chase our poor cat around the house! She is an energetic puppy with a ton of personality and a great cuddler. Adopting her was one of the best decisions we've ever made! —Molly & Terry

Mary is the Most Wonderful Dog

Mary has been a wonderful addition to our family. Upon her arrival, she was extremely timid and terrified of men. It brought me to tears to think of what someone had done to my cute, innocent baby to make her so scared. Now, almost a year and a half later, she is a social butterfly and an amazing cuddler. I am convinced she is a human trapped in a dog's body; she is the smartest most affectionate dog I have ever met in my entire life. She loves to be around people and goes everywhere with me. Thank you to the MD SPCA for the most amazing family member! Mary is the most wonderful dog. —Danielle

Sherman is the Best Dog in the World

When I rescued Sherman (formally Gareth), I noticed he had problems with his left hind leg, which I was told was due to luxating patella. It turns out that he had a dislocated hip, including a diaphragmatic hernia, likely caused by some trauma he suffered while a stray! I was devastated that my poor dog that I had just adopted needed two major surgeries! Sherman was immediately taken in for surgery for his diaphragm, from which he has recovered beautifully. He will soon be taken for his second surgery to repair his damaged hip. I have faith that he will recover as nicely as he did from his first surgery. Obviously these surgeries were/are expensive, but Sherman is my gem and worth every penny!

He is the best dog in the world. He is so loveable and loyal. His favorite pastimes are playing with his toys, hanging out at the dog park (doggie Disneyland for Sherman), taking naps with me and visiting his grandparents, where he gets spoiled rotten! Sherman has won over all his neighbors in his new Federal Hill neighborhood. He has really enhanced my life, and I am truly grateful that I was able to adopt him and give him a home. —Laura

Walter Is the Perfect Addition

My husband and I adopted Walter (a.k.a. Merlin) this past November, and we've loved having him in our home. He has been the perfect addition to our little family. He loves to go on long walks and play with his toys, but his favorite pasttime is probably curling up on our bed and snoozing! We couldn't have asked for a better friend and companion than him. Thank you to the Maryland SPCA for granting us the opportunity to provide a home for Walter. He has returned the favor ten fold.—Laura

Sadie Returns Home

I received Sadie (a four-month-old Boxer) seven years ago as a housewarming gift. After she turned one, I brought another dog home to be her playmate. I spent a lot of time out of the house and felt bad leaving her alone. After a few months, the dogs started fighting, so I took the other dog back to the shelter where I got him. After some time, I tried again. Same thing—they got along okay at first, then started fighting. Thinking the third time is the charm, I brought home a female puppy. They got along great for over two years, until the puppy got bigger than Sadie. I swear I was afraid the vet was gonna report me as a dog fighter!!

As Sadie was obviously the problem dog, I found a home for her where she was the only dog. I told the new owner to let me know if there were any problems, because Sadie was still my "baby" and I wanted to keep tabs on her. Then the owner felt he could no longer take care of her properly and took her to the MD SPCA. This happened the same week I started volunteering at the shelter. When I saw her in the kennel, I cried. I also accepted the fact that she was meant to be my furr-ever friend.

The staff at the shelter were SO compassionate about the situation and let me bring Sadie home that same day! I still have to keep the 2 dogs separate, and I am lucky to have enough space to do that. It seemed a nuisance before, but that whole "fate" thing got me!! Even months later, the staff still asks me about her and how things are going. They are great people and truly care about the animals they care for!! Thank You!!!—Ruth

Hunter Keeps Us in Stitches

I visited the MD SPCA in early December of 2007, just to look, as I missed my four legged family on the West Coast. After visiting twice and seeing that so many needed good homes, I decided to adopt another 'kid.' So, I narrowed it down to two, both boys. One was a medium size, younger guy. The other was a four-year-old big guy that had 'resided' at the MD SPCA since the previous August (4 months). I took both out, played with both, walked with both and still couldn't decide. Then I saw Hunter's reduced fee for adoption. It wasn't that he was cheaper. Instead, I realized that, as an older, bigger dog, he had less of a chance of being adopted. Done and done! Hunter came home to Canton with me! We stayed in Charm City another three months. Then I took Hunter on a roadtrip to my house on the West Coast. Wow, what a trip with a baying Treeing Walker Coon Hound! We bought a lot of toys and chewies along the way, got stuck in a huge midwest ice-snow storm and finally made it to Portland, Oregon. Hunter quickly 'kissed up' to his older sister, Ginger (who was rescued from Baltimore Animal Control). Today, they both enjoy running, chasing squirrels, patrolling the 'perimeter' and giving the 'business' to other dogs, loud trucks and postmen who dare walk by their house. Lately, he has been 'the talk' at local baseball event, "Bark in the Park." He made it on the online homepage of the daily paper (quite a star!). At night, he loves to curl up and snuggle with us and Ginger. Boy, does he snore! Hunter has been the perfect addition to the family. He does a great job of 'exercising' old Ginger and keeps us in 'stitches' with his comedy routine. (It's a Treeing Walker Coon Hound thing.) A huge thank you to the folks at the MD SPCA for all that you do for four legged friends and a big hug for uniting me with Hunter!!!—Peyton

Hailie Is a Wonderful Girl

Hi! My name is Hailie, and I was adopted on 12/31/04 when I was about 11 months old. It was the third time I had been at the MD SPCA. "The third time is a charm," as the saying goes. I think I was back so many times because I was an escape artist. After mom and dad brought me home, I escaped off and on for about six or seven months. I would climb over the four foot fence around the yard. They would get so upset with me, but I was just exploring my new digs. They finally took me to meet Mark Katz, and he helped me learn to be a good girl. Well, five and a half years later, I am what some would consider a "couch potato." I enjoy lounging in the driveway, on the sofa or on the bed. Give me a big, fluffy pillow, and I'm happy! I love chasing squirrels and deer, but my most favorite thing to do is walk on my leash in Oregon Ridge Park.

My nickname is "Orange Dog" because of my beautiful coat, and my parents tell me all the time what a wonderful girl I am. They say I'm the best and are thrilled that I am a part of their family. True love!!!—Tim and Kathy

Buttons is So Darn Cute

We had just lost our cat of 16 years when we saw Bon Bon on the Saturday morning news and immediately fell in love. Her name is now Buttons, and what can I say about her? She is constantly making us laugh with her antics. She is the most curious cat we have ever seen. Her favorite game is hiding in soda boxes and running in front of us when we walk by. She also likes to have her paws brushed. She actually holds them up to be brushed! We always say she knows we can't get mad at her because she's so darn cute! We just want to say thank you very much for allowing us to make her part of our family. It's the best decision we ever made.—Joseph