While United Hope for Animals volunteers fall in love many times over with the adorable, affectionate, and comical sheltered dogs we work with on our Glamour Shot Days, each event brings one story that especially touches the hearts of volunteers.

On our May 26th event at the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center, UHA volunteers met Milo and Shep, 13-year-old Lab brothers who had been surrendered by their former owner because they were too old.

UHA volunteer Jana describes meeting Milo and Shep: “When my fellow volunteer and I entered the kennel to take them out, we were deeply saddened. When they tried to stand, they would slip [due to arthritis] and it took about four of us to get them out.”

In spite of their difficulty walking, the brothers exuded sweetness and affection and mustered the strength to walk over to be photographed. Not deterred by the sadness of the situation, Jana set to work the next day with the help of the gentle brothers’ Glamour Shots and video to find a loving place for them to land.

Milo and Shep have beaten the odds faced by most senior pets surrendered to shelters, and have found a foster home with Labradors and Friends in San Diego, where they are being showered with love and cheese burgers.

Jana spoke with Milo and Shep’s foster parents this week and reports, “Milo and Shep are both very old and not in the best shape, so we are not sure how long they are for this world. But be assured that they will be loved until it is time for them to go and in that moment there will be someone to hold and comfort them.”

Advocacy for homeless senior pets is never easy. In addition to being emotionally difficult, rescuing senior pets brings the challenges of higher medical costs and concerns that older pets may not be adoptable.

 “While these are valid concerns,” Jana says, “I have come to believe that rescuing senior and ill dogs, no matter how close to the end they are, is one of the most important things we can do. We don’t know what their lives were before the shelter. Hopefully they had love, but if not and they perish at the shelter then it is a total loss. If we are able to rescue these animals and give them love, if even for a day, it is well worth it.”

 

 

United Hope for Animals volunteer Mary met eight pound, four year old Pebbles while helping out at a Glamour Shot Day at Baldwin Park, and set the ball rolling for a new life for a deserving dog. She witnessed an unresponsive creature, seemingly petrified of any human attention. Upon grooming the seriously matted malti-poo, Mary discovered an indentation around her neck resembling a noose, which sadly has turned out to be a permanent mark of her past experience. When Mary offered to foster Pebbles until a permanent home could be found, United Hope for Animals set the ball in motion to rescue her from the shelter.

  Watch Pebbles’ adoption video.

Here is Mary’s account of her first interactions with Pebbles:

“Once I was finished and took her outside to go through the photo and video process, she started looking very scared and overwhelmed. Her eyes are different in that much of the whites of her eyes show. Reminded me of how rabbits show the whites of their eyes when they’re frightened. All of these things are what drew me to her. There was just something very ‘sad’ about her. There was no question that I had to get her out of shelter and foster her.”

 

During the first week in her foster home, Pebbles began showing signs of illness by refusing to eat and becoming very lethargic. She was immediately hospitalized after being diagnosed with pneumonia. Fortuitously, this turn of events happened to provide the opportunity for Montrose Vet Hospital client Dr. Claire and her family to meet the charming, fluffy, little dog they had been dreaming of, and for Pebbles to meet the perfect family for her!

 

Happily, Pebbles found a forever home with people who love and adore her. They are already seeing improvement in her fearful behaviours. She arrived clearly terrified of men, but patience and compassion is slowly winning her over, and allowing her to have a relationship built on trust with every member of her new family.                                               

Mary records a milestone for Pebbles:

“Whenever they would put Pebbles in the husband’s lap she would take her paw and press it against his chest and pull back to get her face as far away from him as possible, with those whites of her eyes showing. She doesn’t do that any more either.”

While she is still a shy little girl, showing evidence of ill treatment in the past, they are hopeful that she will continue to heal. Especially attached to Dr. Claire, she has the rare luck to be able to go to work with her favorite person. She also has been enjoying the freedom of racing around a spacious back yard and often bringing the enthusiastic playfulness indoors!

 

Mary recently visited her former foster pup and saw her settled and blossoming in her new home. Without the teamwork of a group of individuals who strive to save and improve the lives of unwanted and abandoned pets, Pebbles would have been another anonymous soul passing through the system. She has found hope through the heart of a foster mom, health through the care of medical professionals, and a lifetime of happiness through a family committed to nurture and protect her.

Pets arriving at the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center come in all shapes, sizes and states. 

On April 19, A4419212, an eight-year-old (possibly older) Westie-Maltese mix, was brought into the shelter having been found as a stray. Knowing that senior pets often need extra networking to find a new home, we added him to our list for Glamour Shot Day that weekend. As a result, A4419212 became “Tommy,” and our volunteers soon realized what an amazing personality he had. Sociable, sweet, gracious and calm, he quickly bonded with his handler during the shoot. We also discovered that his teeth had been very neglected (he cried when we tried to look) and he badly needed dental work – another strike against this senior’s chances of adoption.

Once the shoot wrapped up, one volunteer couldn’t stop thinking about Tommy, and very generously offered to sponsor his dental work if a good adopter could be found. Incredibly, that is exactly what happened!

Tommy was adopted just a few days later, thanks to the help of everyone who touched Tommy’s life once he was at the shelter: the photographers who captured his image, the volunteers who spent time getting to know him during the shoot, the posters who put his profile on Petfinder.com, where his new mom found him, the adoption coordinator who answered the potential adopter’s call and facilitated a meet and greet at the shelter, and, of course, the volunteer whose generous donation of dental work helped make this possible.

Here is Tommy (right) three days after his adoption, out for a walk with his new sister, Sasha. He has been groomed and had his dental work done, and while he is down to just two teeth, we think he’s looking great! Congratulations to Tommy and thanks to all those involved.

Tommy’s story is just one example of how our team of dedicated volunteers rallies round when needed. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to save nearly as many lives. We’re always on the lookout for more volunteers, in all kinds of roles, so if you’re interested in helping us continue our vital Shelter Support Program with Baldwin Park, please fill out an application on our website.

We recently received an update from Tommy’s new mom, Susie. She told us that she realized she kept referring to him as “My Little Trooper”… so “Tommy” is now “Trooper”! Susie’s vet thinks that Trooper is closer in age to 12, and that, while he’s lost most of his sight and hearing, his heart and lungs are strong. Sasha has welcomed him into the house, and he enjoys his soft treats and his walks. As Susie summarizes, “He is a happy little dog and, I think, very much enjoying his retirement home.”

Update: We are extremely sad to report that Tommy passed away last week, following several fairly serious health problems and increasing dementia. Susie reports, “He greatly enjoyed his meals and treats, his two beds, a warm house and neighborhood walks. Sasha and I were happy to spoil him, and we will miss him.”

While we are so sorry that Tommy is no longer with us, we are very glad that he enjoyed an extra year of quality life that otherwise he wouldn’t have had – thanks to Susie, Holly, Susan, Janette, Viri and all the UHA volunteers who made it happen.

Rest in peace, dear boy.