Love at first sight.

We named her Molly. The name is almost bigger than she is. She weighs less than ten pounds.

It was love at first sight when Dee spotted Molly hiding under an exam room table. Shaking from head to toe.

She'd come to the Animal Defense League from the city pound where she was tagged to die. Not very adoptable was the decision. Too scrawny. Too timid. Who'd want her?

But Dagi, who works for the pound and tries to save as many dogs and cats as possible saw something in Molly. So she included her in with a bunch of dogs she was bringing out to ADL.

Molly had been picked up as a stray. Which doesn't really tell her story. A Good Samaritan witnessed a man pushing her out of his truck and then driving off, leaving Molly in the street in a not so nice neighborhood. It makes me crazy when I hear stories about what people do to their dogs and cats. As if they were inanimate objects, of no value. Throw-away lids.

If only dogs could talk. Molly was covered with fleas and ticks. Her skin raw in some places. She tested positive for heartworms. She was lethargic.

Dee is my wife. She had stopped by ADL that afternoon just to say hi and to visit with some of our shelter dogs. No interest in adopting a dog. We already have a houseful. But sometimes things just happen.

And for Dee and Molly that something was an immediate connection. We took Molly home that night. And I don't think she and Dee have been more than three feet away from each other.

No complaints about Molly joining our family from our babies at home. It is as if they knew Molly needed a home. And some love. Lots of love.

There's not doubt in my mind she will return that love. Over and over again.

(c) Ron Aaron. 2008

Cassidy Dumped

She's a nine year old Persian who'd been adopted from the Animal Defense League years ago. So why is she back at ADL? Because her humans dumped her at the Schertz City Animal Control.

"We don't want her anymore. She's old."

When I hear stories like this -- and I hear way too many -- I want to ask the people how they'd feel if their kids or relatives dumped them one day. "Mom and Dad are way too old. Who needs them any more. We don't want to care for them. So here they are. You take care of them. We're done. And don't bothering calling to tell us how they are doing."

Cats as a rule don't do well with change. And there's no greater "change" than ripping Cassidy from her home and dumping her at a shelter. Fortunately for Cassidy, a wonderful animal care worker at the Schertz facility brought her to ADL. Otherwise she'd by a dead cat.

But moving into a communal cattery is a difficult adjustment for an older cat.

Folks dumping older companion animals is a recurring theme. Shelters across the country hear it. "We don't want (insert name) any more."

Adopting should be a forever commitment. Cassidy found out the hard way how uncaring some humans can be.

(c) Ron Aaron. 2008

Saved by a caring veterinarian.

Meet Heidi a beautiful white German Shepherd. She is a lover.

And yet not long ago she was covered with mange from head to toe and her humans did nothing about it. They refused to treat her, refused to use heartworm preventative. And never applied Frontline or Advantix to keep her flea and tick free.

"We don't want to spend any money on a dog we don't like and don't want."

My friend, a local veterinarian, was telling me the story of how he ended up with Heidi.

He said he cut a deal with Heidi's humans. If they paid their bill he'd take Heidi off their hands. They agreed. And then they had the nerve to tell him, "When we get our next dog -- one we really will love -- we'll be sure to come back to your clinic."

"I wanted to tell them like hell you will." But ever the gentleman he told them it would be better if they found another vet.

He asked me if we'd be willing to accept Heidi and try to find her a forever home. We said yes. He spayed and vaccinated her at no cost to the Animal Defense League and, as of today, she is waiting to be adopted.

It makes me angry as I think about her previous humans. How could anyone treat a dog or a cat they way they treated Heidi? All she did was offer unconditional love.

It amazes me that dogs who have been so mistreated very often continue to put their trust in humans. That's Heidi. A loving, wonderful dog who offers her next family forever love. What more could any human ask?

And this just in: Heidi was adopted today, Thursday, May 22, 2008, by a wonderful, caring family.

(c) Ron Aaron. 2008

If you don’t believe in Miracles, consider this. On Wednesday, May 7, the Animal Defense League rescued 21 dogs from the San Antonio city pound, something ADL has been doing weekly since October 2007.

When the ACS truck arrived, Kris, a new ADL vet tech, went out to meet it to help bring dogs into the clinic for processing. As she walked up to the truck she burst into tears. Her colleagues wondered what was happening. And then she shouted, “Tipper. Tipper. I can’t believe it’s you.”
Turns out Tipper is her best friend, Jennifer’s dog. She’d gotten loose five days ago and had been picked up by ACS.

“She was scheduled to be killed on Tuesday, May 6,” an ACS workers told Chris. “But she was so cute we just had to save her.” The ACS worker tagged Tipper as one of the dogs to be delivered to ADL. And the rest is history.

Within minutes of Tipper arriving at ADL, Kris called her friend. And she and Tipper were reunited.

Kris had just started working at ADL on Monday, May 5. Had she not been there to recognize Tipper, the dog would have been put up for adoption. Saved for sure. But not reunited with her human.

True story. Miracle story.

(c) Ron Aaron. 2008

Why Mongo's angry.

He deserves to be angry. Humans have not been kind to Mongo. He was adopted out by the Animal Defense League several months ago. Into what we had every reason to believe was a good family.

But you never know.

Several weeks ago Mongo's humans approached ADL about returning him. When we said yes, they asked if they could then pick him up after their vacation. "We just don't want to spend money to board him," they said. We explained we are not a boarding facility. They said they understood and would bring Mongo to ADL the next morning. They never showed.

On Friday, May 2, we got a call from the San Antonio city pound. Mongo had been on death row there. In act, he'd been anesthetized, just to euthanizing him when they scanned him one more time to see if he was micro-chipped. He was. They called the owners who said they didn't want him. Then they called ADL -- because our name always comes up along with the adopting families when we've micro-chipped the dog or cat.

Mongo was back at ADL that afternoon. He was covered with bite marks including two on his shoulders which were still oozing blood. Our veterinary clinic patched him up and once again Mongo is waiting for his forever home.

This time, when he is adopted, let's hope his new humans are indeed committed to giving him a home for life.

(c) Ron Aaron. 2008