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Capital District Humane
Association (CDHA) rescues many dogs and cats from animal
shelters, where they are subject to euthanasia if they're
not adopted. As a no-kill organization, CDHA spends
whatever time it takes to find the right home for each
animal. Whenever we find that "ideal" match we
celebrate the hours of phone calls, adoption clinics, home
visits and whatever else has gone into making that adoption
a successful one. The letters and photos from happy
adopters are one of our rewards.
"Howard"
 He doesn’t seem to be letting the bandage or the
injury bother him too much. I went to go take a
picture of him and he immediately forced himself to
get up so that I can take a picture of him. He loves
to be petted and just likes being close to some
human comfort. When I started to close his kennel he
went back to the back of his cage and sat back down
but I decided to stay with him a little while longer
and he turned around to stay at the edge close to me
loving the attention that he was getting.
Howard went through a lot &
now has a great life.
"Allison"
The horrible things some people do to animals are simply
unbelievable. Poor Allison (A749915), a 1 year old female,
came in as a stray on 2/22 bearing the evidence of her
terrible treatment. It appears that someone cut off her ears
with a pair of scissors! It’s just unfathomable why someone
would put a cat through such pain. Even though Allison will
always bear the scars inflicted by cruel people, her
wonderful personality has escaped unharmed. She’s just about
the nicest cat you could imagine, always wanting to meow a
friendly hello and curl up in your arms.
She now has a wonderful home
with a very special family. She only weighed 4 lbs
when I got her. She is doing fine.
She is now gaining weight and is
very happy in her new home .She is a very sweet cat with a
happy ending! |
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"Toby"
About a year ago, CDHA placed a darling Beagle named "Toby"
with a family who wanted a nice, family pet. We just
received this update from his family:
Dear Jennifer,
I wanted to send you a picture of Toby from our last
vacation last week in Vermont. Please enjoy it as well as
post it on the "Success Stories" page. Toby (we call him
Tobias) has been like a second child to us and a little
brother to our son Rohin. We simple cannot imagine life
without Tobias. Thank you for bringing Tobias to us and for
all the wonderful work you do every day...
--Briti
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"Maya"
CDHA recently found a new home for Maya, a sweet German
Shepherd. Her new owner wrote, saying that she is enjoying
her large, fenced yard and is getting along well with both
his cats. She's a very good girl and no trouble at all. Maya
sleeps in a cedar bed next to him and even goes to bed
before he does!
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"Nemo"
Nemo, which means "no one" in Latin, came to CDHA when his
family had financial problems and could no longer take care
of him. He is such a loving fellow that he would lick your
hands, give "kitty kisses," and purr nonstop. He quickly
became a favorite with our volunteers, who were thrilled
when he was adopted, yet hated to see him leave. His family
loves Nemo and wanted us to have a picture of him lounging
in the lap of luxury.
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"Bailey"
Bill and I have been meaning to give you a progress report
on Bailey, and now that we are settled into our new home we
also wanted to apprise you of our new address. As you may
recall, we adopted Bailey (a standard poodle) Labor Day
weekend in 2004 from the Capital District Humane
Association's adoption clinic at PetSmart in Latham. When we
met him that day, we knew we had to give him a permanent
home. Bailey has been a wonderful addition to our lives!
In the beginning, he was quite
shy and anxious, particularly around men. It saddened us to
think about what he must have experienced in his former
homes, but we were determined to help him adjust to his new
life. Although Bailey had obviously received some training
in one or both of his former homes, we were told that
participating in an obedience program with him would help us
bond with no problem. We then participated in a basic
agility program during the spring of 2005. Finally, he and I
spent last summer taking a course to prepare us for the
Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International
certification exams. I am pleased to report that Bailey and
I passed both exams in August, and we are now certified as a
therapy team! The joy that Bailey has brought to our lives
is now being shared with others. Bailey and I volunteer at
St. Margaret's Center (a skilled nursing facility for
children and young adults), which is a member of the Center
for the Disability Services family and where I am a board
member. Bailey is very friendly to all of the day program
participants, residents, and staff and remarkably careful
around those who are especially frail. The look on their
faces when we visit is priceless!
We want to thank you for all
that you did to facilitate Bailey's adoption and for all
that you continue to do to help dogs, cats, and other
animals in the Capital District find good homes. I have
enclosed several photos of our precious Bailey, with the
most recent ones first. He is enjoying our new home,
complete with a fenced backyard with plenty of room for his
favorite sport--playing ball--lots of big windows to look
out, and plenty of birds and squirrels to chase.
We feel so lucky to have Bailey
and encourage others who are considering a pet to adopt.
They could end up just as fortunate as we are to have gained
a best friend!
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"Rusty"
Rusty and Beverly
CDHA faces many challenges in
the placement of the homeless animals in the adoption
program. Rusty was one dog none of us will ever forget. He
originally came to us as a five-month-old-puppy. His
original owner had acquired him from a pet store and
subsequently mistreated Rusty. Ten months later we still had
Rusty, and no one expressed any interest in adopting
him--mostly because he was so energetic, that all potential
adopters saw was a whirling dervish with wiry red hair. It
took our volunteers all they could do to handle him. Then
the fortunate day came when a kindly couple decided Rusty
was the right dog for them. After our usual interviews and
screening, Rusty went to his new home, but not for very
long. The dreaded day came, several months later. Rusty,
despite their best efforts to train him, was just "too
much." All of us at CDHA were heartbroken for Rusty. We were
also frustrated because you can't take the terrier out of a
terrier, and Rusty (a terrier mix) had the typical energy
level of many animals his breed type. Once again no one gave
him a second look. It wasn't until a "Beverly" called that
Rusty's fortunes changed for good. She was interested in
this dog and wanted to meet him. However, despite our desire
to place Rusty, we were extremely cautious. We advised
Beverly that Rusty could be a terror. "Well," she said,
"dogs should be energetic."
The next clinic arrived, and it
was hectic with dogs for adoption and potential adopters
when one of our volunteers excitedly announced that someone
had come to see Rusty, and she seemed like a good home. It
was Beverly, armed with her photo album of pet pictures of
beloved pets from the past. She marveled over Rusty and
thought he was just the most wonderful dog. Could she adopt
him?
Beverly and Rusty and a
perfect match. It's the perfect ending we always dreamed of
for him. Each time we receive pictures we smile with
pleasure and thank Beverly for giving Rusty a chance.
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Three
years ago CDHA found homes for nearly one hundred
Standard Poodles. Some of the people who adopted one
Poodle returned to adopt another (it's difficult to
stop with one Standard Poodle). Bell and Toby were
two of those fortunate Poodles who went on to live
the "good life". Their owner says, "Right now Toby
is cuddled on our family room sofa alongside me and
right next to Belle. Talk about your dog's life!
We're looking to relocate to the south shore of L.I.
so pretty soon not only will they be "sea bums' but
'beach bums'!"
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 Alicia
and her standard poodle "Nikki" Adopted from CDHA in 2003
Alicia writes that Nikki and she
went through training so Nikki could get her certification
as a therapeutic dog. She now works with Alicia at her
office two times a week and is great with children and
adults.
"I (we) thank you and the
Capital District group for your dedication and wonderful
work." |
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Rusty, a three-legged
Rottweiler mix, who had been severely neglected
before CDHA rescued him, won the hearts of whoever
met him. At our adoption clinics he would
offer his paw to anyone who passed. His
endearing ways and soulful eyes made it easy to fall
in love with rusty. His new family agree.
They write, "It's been two months since we adopted
Rusty and we couldn't be happier. He is a
delight - playful, well behaved and seems to love
his family as much as we love him.
You are miracle workers
- thank you for saving him and letting him become
part of our family!" |
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Rommel (or "Rommy"), a
German Shepherd, came to CDHA about a year and a
half ago. He's thriving in his new home, and
his family sent us his photo with a note to say how
much they love him. For all our hard-working
volunteers, this is the reward: knowing we've made a
good match. |
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Last spring CDHA took in
"Minnie" , a German Shepherd and her eight, day-old
puppies. Eight weeks later, Minnie and her
sons and daughters went to their new homes.
"Josie", one of Minnie's daughters, is pictured.
Her family writes, "My son and Josie are like bother
and sister. Thank you so much for helping us
complete our family!" |
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"I just wanted to let
you know that we are thoroughly enjoying our new
puppy, Sadie Mae Jane. We adopted her through
CDHA from her mom Minnie.
She is a wonderful
dog. She not only hangs with me during the day
in my office, but goes to work with my husband
several hours a week. She also brings joy to my
elderly neighbors who lost their 13-year-old lab
this past winter. They can't handle adopting
their own puppy, but come and take Sadie almost
every day for a walk and some treats. Everyone
loves her! Best of all is the relationship she
has with our immediate family. She has formed
a significant bond with our 11 year-old son.
He loves to play with her and to just sit and let
her chew her toy on his lap. Our other 13
year-old son has a nice bond with her too. And
finally, my husband and I have a wonderful time
watching her, walking and playing with her. A
whole lot of joy. Thanks very much, Lela, Jon,
Zach and Josh"
Nearly a year ago Lela,
Jon, Zach, and Josh adopted Sadie from CDHA. They
recently sent us an adult photo of her and wrote,
"We can't thank you enough for bringing Sadie into
our lives. She's a wonderful dog and a loyal
companion." |
Sadie May Jane at
One Year old |
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Lyle -
Where we walk every day |
1st day at
the beach |
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"Lyle", another standard Poodle adopted from CDHA found a
wonderful home in Connecticut. His owners write:
"We could not be happier..." |
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"A
quick note to say Hello and thanks again for giving
us the opportunity to adopt 'Danny'. He is
such a doll! Every day brings more love and
fun for him. He is S-P-O-I-L-E-D!
He is getting quite fluffy! Take care!
We will stay in touch."
"I thought I would
update you all on our lives with Danny. As we
approach the one year anniversary of our adoption,
Danny is really coming into his own. He is the most
wonderful addition to our family. He has become very
playful. HE likes our other dogs, and he even likes
me now, and now just Anita. He has filled such a
void in our lives since we lost Frasier (one of our
Frenchies) that I don't know how we got on before
without him. Anita loves him so much! This picture
shows Danny with his hair grown out. Anita has now
just had him clipped and he looks like a puppy
again.
Peace,
Wayne |
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blast with Max. We adopted him from CDHA on
May 14th and he has settled in with absolutely no
problems. Our 14 year-old beagle mix and our
two cats treat him like 'a brother'. He is
always eager to please and makes our heart melt with
those big brown eyes. We love him!! Max
certainly lives up to his name - he does
everything "to the max". From chowing down his
food to running like the wind at the doggie park, to
climbing up on the windowsill like the cats, he
does everything in high gear. Last weekend Max
went on a new adventure - camping with his family.
He did very well and greeted all our friends with
all the enthusiasm that is uniquely his.
Thanks, CDHA for giving us Max. |
Maximum love, Maximum
devotion!
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"Babe" had been living on a
fire escape when CDHA rescued him. His new family, who
has renamed him "Torre", writes, "He's a sweet boy who loves
personal interaction and constant attention. We all
just love him!! Thank you for helping us to find him." |
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"Bud" came from a local animal
shelter. Unfortunately, no one wanted him. One
look at him told us that he deserved a good home, and that's
just what he got. Bud's family says, "He just loves it
here and we love him - he is the love of our lives!"
Bud's family writes CDHA often
and give us "love reports." Just recently they wrote: "Just
a note to let you know Bud is doing well. He is healthy and
very happy. He loves spending time 'cuddling' on the couch
with his mommie, playing in the yard and taking his squeaky
newspaper for a walk. ...He is such a joy. We really love
him. Thank you again for helping us find him."
--Madeline and Lori
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Gerard, the Mountain Climbing Poodle
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I adopted Gerard, a Standard
Poodle, through the CDHA in December 2002. I
recently found your website while looking for other
Standard Poodles. I thought you might enjoy seeing
another success story. I absolutely LOVE Gerard.
He is the perfect companion and the sunshine of my life.
Most every weekend we hike and backpack together.
He is becoming famous in Adirondack hiking circles as
the mountain climbing poodle. It is amazing what
he can do. Its almost like he was born to climb
mountains. I am certain he will become the first
poodle 46er (one who climbs all 46 Adirondack peaks over
4000 feet). |
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Oliver was adopted a year
ago. His new owner writes that Oliver likes to go
to his office with him and can be found sleeping on his
desk or playing with a fake mouse in the middle of the
floor. He also says that Oliver likes car rides
and is a very good passenger. |
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When Buddy was found by CDHA
he was thin and his coat was full of burrs. He's
now the most gorgeous chow you've ever seen. His
adoring, new family have said they wouldn't take a
million dollars for him. "He's changed our lives!" |
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Sparky Fedigan's family loves him and Sparky loves them
too. Sparky originally was a shelter rescue when
we took him in to save his life. |
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 Casper,
an old Terrier mix, lay huddled in his kennel at a local
animal shelter, where he shook with fear. His owner no
longer wanted him, and on one else seemed to either because
his time was running out. It was at that point CDHA's
vice president discovered him and called. "Can we take
him in? He's got an unsightly-looking growth on his
stomach and there's something wrong with his leg, but, don't
worry, I'll pay for all his medical bills."
That's how Casper came to us - a
ten to twelve year old, sweet dog who found a renewed joy
life once he was on a leash and going for a walk.
We placed Casper in one of
our foster homes and within two days of having him we
received a call from a man named "Robert" who had seen
him
at the shelter. He felt sorry for Casper and was told
we had rescued him. It seems that Robert's other dogs
(He has several) are all older animals he's given a home.
He thought perhaps Casper would fit in also.
Robert's veterinary
references were excellent, so we arranged a meeting with
Casper, and Casper found his new home. We think that
this lucky dog had his own personal angel watching out for
him. |
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Sam, a German Shepherd, was
found by one of our volunteers and never claimed by his
owners. He had severe dermatitis and was flea
infested. He's since been adopted and is a
healthy, happy dog. |
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Capital District
Humane Association rescues all kinds of animals. In
addition to all the dogs and cats we've saved in this year,
we also have taken and placed 6 chicken and 2 horses. |
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"Racer" "Ben" |
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"Racer" was in
the last stages of starvation when we rescued him. "Ben" was also
severely neglected. Both have found
permanent, loving new homes.
The cost of saving these
horses was in the thousands of dollars. If you
would like to help us rescue future horses please
send us a donation in Ben's or Racer's name. Also, if
you suspect a case of neglect of cruelty please contact us.
Your privacy will be honored in making such a complaint.
Call 664-1237.
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Capital
District Humane Association
P.O. Box 11330
Loudonville, NY 12211 |
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