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

Shame on him.

I did a double take when I first saw them. Two of the world's cutest Yorkishire terriers. Just eight months old. They'd been brought to our shelter by a man who said he'd spent $1,600 purchasing them.


He had them for just a few months. But, he explained, they were just too active. And so he tossed them aside like garbage.



He was outraged when he learned our adoption fee for the boys would be $60 each. Compare that to the $800 each he'd paid. His outrage should have been self-directed.



In the shelter world guys like these yorkies are called "10 minute" dogs. And indeed they were adopted within ten minutes or so. Word travels fast.



They both went to loving homes, adopted by folks who understand that yorkies can indeed be "active." So can Jack Russells. And Basset hounds. And Beagles. And almost any puppy. That's what puppies do.



Makes you wonder why that guy wanted a couple of yorkies in the first place. My guess is "Breed Envy." Or perhaps he wanted a status symbol.

In 2006 yorkies were the second most popular dog registered with the American Kennel Club, an organization that encourages birthing, rather than spaying or neutering dogs. Labradors are number one.



Nartionwide, according to the International Society for Animal Rights, a growing percentage of dogs who end up in animal shelters are purebred. That's true at our shelter too. We regularly see purebreds including collies, yorkies, Beagles, Great Danes, and even Bernise Mountain Dogs.



Many arrive with their owners clutching AKC registration papers, which we toss in the trash, not wanting to encourage "breed envy." They come to us because the owners know we're a no-kill shelter. Somehow that eases their guilt. At least we didn't send them to the city pound, many must be saying to themselves.



But why did they purchase the dog or dogs in the first place? What were they thinking?



Why try to convince folks to keep their dogs. But that rarely works. By the time they arrive at our shelter they have convinced themselves they are doing the right thing.



Well, shame on them. Although the dogs are most likely better off in someone else's home.

(c) Ron Aaron 2008

Blue Samaritan

Good Samaritans come in every size and shape. Age and gender. We've gotten to know one Good Samaritan who rescues dogs on San Antonio's streets. In her real life she's a police officer. But her true love is saving dogs.



She brought Molly to us the other day. She said a radio call went out for an officer to help collar a vicious dog. When she arrived at the scene she found Molly, a German short-haired pointer. She was about as vicious as Charles Schultz's "Snoopy."



The dog catcher from the city pound was on the scene. He said Molly would be killed in a couple of days if she went to the city shelter.



So our Blue Samaritan did what she has done before. She took Molly home for the night and brought her to ADL the next morning. If she had room at her house Molly would have stayed right there. But the next best choice was ADL since we are a no-kill shelter.



If only dogs could talk. Molly was obviously well cared for before she ended up on the streets. But she did not have a micro-chip or a tag of any kind. No way to find her humans. She's barely two years old and a lover if there ever was one.



Now she's just waiting for her forever home. She'll make a fabulous companion for anyone who's looking for a wonderful girl.

(c) Ron Aaron 2008