WHO RESCUED WHO? JUNE 2020
A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO OF THE CHARLOTTESVILLEALBEMARLE SPCA
DEAR ADOPTERS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO TAKE A HOMELESS PET AND MAKE THEM A PART OF YOUR FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR NOT JUST SAVING A LIFE, BUT FOR GIVING THESE PETS SO MUCH LOVE. OF COURSE, IN RETURN, OUR PETS GIVE BACK LOVE MULTIPLIED. I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING THESE STORIES ABOUT SHELTER PETS WHOSE AFFECTION AND DEVOTION HAVE CHANGED THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO RESCUED THEM. SINCERELY,
ANGIE GUNTER CURRENTLY HAS SIX RESCUED PETS
WHO RESCUED WHO?
Who Rescued Who? June 2020 Table of Contents: Sophie.............................. Stewie.............................. Pudgie.............................. Marley............................. Schrรถdinger & Maxwell...... Addie................................ Pete the cat ...................... Taco................................. Izzy & Bella....................... Coco & snowbell................ Inara................................ Ferdi & J ........................... Skimble............................. Fern & Vader..................... Sage................................. Delanie............................. Aurora.............................. Cassie...............................
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THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING ADOPTION!
www.caspca.org info@caspca.org 13355 Berkmar Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22901 Phone: 434-973-5959
Want to submit a story for the December 2020 "Who Rescued Who" Magazine? Email mgood@caspca.org.
SOPHIE
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First meeting at a boutique on the Downtown Mall, December 2018
I adopted Sophie (aka Snuffy) from the SPCA in December 2018. She just turned 12 and is thriving in her new habitat. My rescued Vizsla passed last year at the age of 14, and Sophie was a sweet companion for him and has been a lifesaver for me.
During the coronavirus crisis, she has been at my side every minute, comforting me and keeping me on her strict schedule of meals, walks, and naps... She rescued me right back!
-Christine
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STEWIE Stewie crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 2 May 2020. It was two years to the day since I first met him. I only shared my home with him for a little over a year but I take solace in believing that our time together was the best of his hard life. A nearby shelter transferred Stewie to the SPCA when a vet diagnosed him with lymphoma. Dr. Scheller found he was an intact male and estimated his age to be over 11. Fortunately, a biopsy was negative for lymphoma. Stewie became a favorite of the SPCA Clinic staff that nicknamed him “The Boss.” When I met him, his many war wounds were still healing and he appeared arthritic. He moved around quite slowly, maybe painfully. He was recovering from a dental procedure. Nevertheless, he quickly won the hearts of both Animal Care staff and volunteers. This, despite the fact that he came across on first meeting as a bit of a curmudgeon. Someone had decided he didn’t like either cats or dogs so this limited his adoptability. We soon found that he did fine with cats. His arthritis restricted his mobility. And he rarely purred. But I quickly discovered that he welcomed affection if I went to him—either joining him in his window cage or sitting on a bench in the cat rows.
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p te d fro th e SP C m A 2 0 19 Over the next 10 months, my fondness for Stewie grew. I extolled him to potential adopters but his bedraggled appearance, medical history, and age worked against him. In March of last year, I decided to bring him home as a foster to meet my other cats. His stay in a Safe Room was short and his meeting with my other kitties was uneventful. I adopted him two weeks later. He quickly became my buddy, lying next to me on a couch as I read in a bright sunroom. He did not object when Inara, my 12-year-old kitty, joined us. He was a finicky eater but I finally found cat food that he accepted. Indeed, I had to constantly be wary of tripping over him whenever I prepared his food in the kitchen. He let me know I was not moving quickly enough in getting his meal. At his 6-month checkup last fall, his blood work indicated his kidneys were not working well. This is not unusual for a cat of his age
so I was not too concerned. But by Thanksgiving, Stewie could no longer jump onto the couch with me. I began carrying him around so he could be near wherever I was. Early this year, his food intake decreased and he began losing weight. Back to the vet. His blood work indicated an infection and low potassium. Supplements, appetite stimulants, two rounds of antibiotics, IV fluids, and eventually steroids failed to rally him. I knew I was losing him. He passed away peacefully, lying by my side on the couch in the sunroom. I assuage my grief by focusing on the last year of his life. For perhaps the first time, he was loved, well-fed, and cared for. My only regret is that we didn’t have enough time together. But I will always believe our shared year immeasurably benefited us both. Rest in peace, Stewie. I love you.
-Steve Stearns 3
PUDGIE
MARLEY
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So my story goes like this. I was wanting a dog for some time, and I was browsing the SPCA online website and came across a dog named Marley. I thought, “She is perfect for me.” August 15, 2015, I went to the SPCA, and I asked to see Marley. She looked at me with her sad eyes... I asked, “Can I take Marley for a walk?” They said, “Sure.” I took her around the woods at the SPCA and thought, “She is perfect, she loved her walk and I love it, too.” I told the front desk I want to adopt her. So that day in August I took Marley home. We go on trails for 3+ mile hikes, to the dog park, and for car rides. Marley enjoys being at home, too, feeling secure and loved.
Pudgie and I surely have saved each other going on 17 years now ;) We adopted her August 2003 at 10 weeks old, the runt of her litter, a massive two lbs. From the age of 5-16 years, my husband and I split up, he kept her, and I still stayed in touch to visit her. Fast forward to January 2020 and due to life changes, I got her back in my life for good. Turns out, she hadn't missed a beat in our relationship and is settled in to live out her golden years with me, as sweet as ever and going strong.
-Jen
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May 17, 2016, I took Marley in for a routine vet visit and I will never forget those words from the veterinarian, “I suspect your dog has cancer from the enlarged lymph nodes.” These words still haunt me.
om d fr e t p Ado SP C A th e 2 0 15 My world was turned upside down. He said she may have two months to live without treatment and maybe six months with treatment. I decided to put her through chemo to buy some time as I researched and researched the internet. I put her on a variety of supplements and I changed up her diet. Here she is three years later and still thriving! She is my heart! That day that I adopted her was the best day of my life. She is absolutely my best friend!
-George
SCHRÖDINGER & MAXWELL Over 13 months in 1997-98, I lost three kitties. By Thanksgiving ’98, my family was down to a single feline member. Something had to be done to fill this void so my younger daughter, Sara, and I visited the SPCA at its old location up the hill from where it is now. Most of the cats were free-roaming in a big room called Kitty City. It took a while but we eventually chose two kittens —a Tuxedo and a gray Tabby.
On the way home, the Tabby erupted through the flimsy paper and rode the rest of the way home on Sara’s lap. Being the geek that I am, the Tabby springing from the box reminded me of the physics paradox known as Schrödinger’s Cat. (Google it.) Thus, I named the Tabby Schrödinger (including the umlaut) and the Tuxie became Maxwell, after the famous English physicist, James Clerk Maxwell.
Schrödinger to live with her. He soon had a new housemate, Lexi.
Maxwell remained with me and continued to supervise my morning shaving. Some cats are persnickety eaters; not Maxwell. He would eat almost anything: tacos, chili, crackers…
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In those days, SPCA staff didn’t have the nice cardboard carriers in which to take a new cat home. Instead, they placed each kitten in a cardboard box with air holes and taped brown paper over the top.
The kittens quickly adapted to their new home.They even made friends with my remaining resident cat, Schnapps, although as you can see, he was suspicious at first. Both kittens grew into fine felines and happily coexisted with Schnapps. Maxwell and Schrödinger were the last cats that I allowed to go outdoors. I now know that indoor-only cats live, on average, three years longer than indooroutdoor cats. Most cats adapt with no problems to being indoor only.
By the time he was 13, Maxwell had three housemates—all of them kept me warm in winter. Rescues Maxwell and Schrö had long lives and were a joy to live with!
-Steve Stearns
When Sara married, she took
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ADDIE In early January of this year my mother’s beloved senior beagle, Isabel, passed away. Since my mother is a retiree, she and Isabel spent most days together. Isabel loved to steal food from counters (as any good beagle does!) but mostly, they enjoyed their walks together and their favorite TV shows. When Isabel passed, my mother was tremendously sad – there was a hole in her heart and in her home that could not be filled by her two lovely cats. It’s not uncommon for the passing of a beloved companion to bring on waves of deep depression and I worried about my mom after Isabel passed. Isabel had given my mom something to look forward to every day and added to her social life – walks in the neighborhood meant opportunities to get out of the house, meet other people and other dogs. I started trolling the internet for dogs immediately after Isabel had passed and occasionally, my mom would send me pet listings for dogs that had caught her eye. Two weeks after Isabel passed, I stumbled upon an adorable middle-aged beagle named Lady Pennyloafer at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA and had a feeling that this girl just might be the
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one. We started our trek from the DC area to go visit this lovely girl and I promised that there would be no pressure to adopt any dog – we were just going for a visit to explore the possibility… When we arrived at the shelter, we found her kennel right away and, well, we fell in love with this little girl. I don’t think we even looked at another dog after we saw her. While people say that adopting is a gift to an animal, the truth is that this girl has been a gift to my mother and our family. She is JOYFUL and happy and loves everyone! We had heard that she had had a very difficult life and was
part of a court case with her puppies for many months. That meant that she lived in a kennel during that time and was unavailable for adoption or re-homing. There were no signs of those things in this girl – she is the quintessential optimist! Instantly, my mother’s life became joyful again. Addison (her new name, Addie for short) loves to cuddle and go for walks and play with my mother’s cats. She keeps my mom occupied and amused and happy! Because Addie is an energetic little girl, my mom insists on walking her 5 times a day. I’m pretty sure Addie gets an equal number of cuddles and treats (if not
more!) on a daily basis as well! She also loves to come to visit my home where my husband and I, who are dog trainers, live on a farm with a number of dogs with whom she loves to run and play. Unfortunately, pet ownership is not for the faint of heart. A few weeks after her adoption, Addie was diagnosed with an aggressive form of oral cancer and was given 5 or 6 months to live. We are at the 3-month mark and Addie shows no signs of slowing
down – she remains the joyful and playful and affectionate girl that my mother adopted in February. She will continue to be a treasured part of all of our lives until she tells us that she is tired and that life has gotten too hard or too uncomfortable. My mom will know when the time is right. At that point, we will all gather together and send her over the rainbow bridge with love and appreciation for all of the wonderful things that she is. And I will always be thankful for this little beagle who brought happiness back into my
mom’s life. While our time may be briefer than what we would have hoped, our lives are much richer for having added her to our family and we will offer Addie the best life we can until she rests her precious soul for a very long nap. And then we’ll adopt another precious soul and fall in love all over again… Thank you to the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA for such a wonderful adoption experience.
-Stephanie McCabe 7
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PETE THE CAT When I moved to Charlottesville for my first "adult" job out of college, I knew that I wanted to adopt a cat. I visited SPCA several times to look at kitties, and during one of these visits, I met Pete. Pete was a 14-yearold kitty who had recently been surrendered to the shelter and was experiencing shelter anxiety. He refused to come out of his cage and he growled and hissed whenever a neighbor cat walked by. Despite his disdain for the shelter and other cats, Pete was very social and he began purring as soon as I reached my hand into the cage and scratched his head. It was love at first sight for both of us and I excitedly took him home that day! One year later, I celebrated Pete's adoption anniversary by reflecting on the many things that he had accomplished in just one year. In a very short time, Pete had grown from a timid and elderly shelter cat to a confident, social, young-atheart senior kitty. Since coming home with me, Pete had gained 2.5 pounds, grown back fur in the bald spots that he had from shelter anxiety, learned to walk on a harness and ride in a stroller, and made multiple road trips back
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home to NC with me. At 15 years young, Pete was proof that you can teach an old cat new tricks! Although he was living a pretty active lifestyle, Pete's favorite hobby was snuggling with me in bed where he slept next to my face every night.I was absolutely obsessed with this kitty and was heartbroken when one month after we had celebrated our one year anniversary together, Pete died peacefully in his sleep. The vet had given Pete a clean bill of health and she believes that he likely died from an asymptomatic heart condition that caused cardiac arrest. I was heartbroken but also had a sense of joy and
thankfulness regarding the time that Pete and I had been blessed to spend together. In honor of Pete, whenever I adopt a pet in the future, I will look at senior animals first. I just brought home a 10-year-old beauty named A Lilith dop who is td f settling into hertretirement he S r o m home and thriving. I P want CA to 200who encourage everyone 3 reads this story to consider adopting a senior pet. Senior animals have lived through all kinds of adversity, and they are ready to settle down and devote all of their love and attention to their new human. I know that Pete the Cat would be proud that his legacy lives on. -Jessica Williford
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TACO
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I know I'm like ten minutes from the deadline but I couldn't not mention the best dog I've ever had! He came home with me from SPCA two years ago on 5/20 and has been a constant source of joy ever since. He's taught me more than I could ever put into words, but first and foremost he's taught me not to complain about anything and to make the most out of any situation. Taco does more with three legs than any four-legged dog, and always with a smile and a quickness! Without Taco, my life would be hard, and cold, and dull. He brightens every moment, he's a constant source of joy and amusement, and I couldn't imagine sharing my life with a more perfect dog. There's no better case for adoption than this boy right here!! P.S. I have not cut my hair since the week before meeting Taco two years ago.
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IZZY & BELLA
In the summer of 2001, a UVa coworker called us. She knew I was a cat person. Her son had found a litter of kittens in the woods so she was looking for homes for them. Shortly thereafter, two of the kittens joined my family.
Could this have been what caused Bella to develop a shoe fetish? Regardless of her strange slipper proclivity, Bella was a reliable Lap Cat. I could count on her helping me read the daily paper while purring contentedly on my lap.
Six years later they still cuddled together.
My second grandchild, Isabella, had been born less than a year before this. Thus, the new kittens were dubbed Izzy and Bella. (Bella has the white mustache). Vet exams showed they were both healthy. They recovered quickly from their spay/neuter operations and immediately settled in. And were not perturbed when Maxwell gave them his Halloween Cat greeting.
But Inara’s arrival in late 2008 changed the relationship. She and Izzy established a close bond that endured until he passed away 10 years later.
While trap/spay/neuter programs are reducing the number of stray kittens, there are still a lot of them out there. Izzy and Bella affirm the joy they bring to anyone willing to rescue such kittens.
-Steve Stearns 11
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COCO & SNOWBELL Coco was five when we found her at the SPCA seven years ago. We don't know her history but we suspect she was a breeder. She was dehydrated, couldn't stand up, wasn't eating, was full of worms, and had recently given birth to a litter of pups. She had come close to death, and we were lucky to have found her. She is so smart. She got into the swing of things in the family quickly. When we brought her home, she became friends with our old, blind rescue Springer Spaniel "Spock" and our 19-year-old rescue cat "Nelson." Spock and Nelson were wonderful companions, the last of many rescue cats and dogs who had brought us so much happiness. After Spock and Nelson passed, Coco was alone with us for a couple of years. It seemed odd to have a single animal after years of having a lot of animals in the house. And Coco seemed lonely. She loves rides in the car secured with her sturdy car seat and walks more than anything. But we knew she needed company. Snowbell was about eight when we found her at the SPCA a year ago. She had patches of hair missing on her back, she had lost many teeth during the dental work she got at the SPCA, and she
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recently had a litter of pups. Snowbell had never had dental work and she had no vet records. It was clear that she had just been used for her breeding capability. Most of all, she was terribly afraid of everyone, including us. We would visit the snowcovered yard a dozen times a day, but she was too afraid to go to the bathroom or eat or drink. We were patient, and after several days she finally did her business. But, she had submissive urination! When anyone would approach her, she would roll over and urinate on herself. Her cowering and other behaviors convinced us that she had been abused. She was not house trained. We also believe that she had little or no exposure to the out of doors. While she is still timid and runs the other way on walks when she sees
children playing, she has settled into our family life well. She loves eating, especially plain pasta, and going in the car and on walks and spooning with Coco when we're just hanging around. Coco and Snowbell are affectionate, funny, and loving. They make us laugh a lot. My husband has nicknamed Coco "Mac 'n Cheese" and Snowbell "Stress Ball" because of how comforting they are to us not only during these stayat-home days of isolation but all of the time. We are so grateful to the SPCA for connecting us all, and we hope all of the lovely dogs and cats at the SPCA find their forever homes!
-Janette Martin
INARA I first spotted her slinking under parked cars in the UVa Carruthers Hall parking lot, headed for a nearby briar patch. It was the summer of 2008. I kept an eye out for this sleek, medium-hair black kitty and soon discovered she was nursing two kittens. She hissed a warning when I approached them but later welcomed food offered by other UVa staff and me. Throughout the summer and fall, we fed her and her family and eventually trapped and homed her kittens.
While she accepted my food offerings, I could never get close to her. Then, in early October, my largesse was finally rewarded when she finished eating and rubbed against my legs. She allowed me to pet her, even stretching her front paws up to me. Knowing winter was fast approaching, I put my cat carrier in my car—just in case.
Winter arrived on the second Sunday of November and the temperature dipped to the mid-20s. By then I was leaving food for her every day. The following Wednesday, on my way to a meeting, I again encountered her in the parking lot. She gobbled her food while alternately rubbing against my legs. When she finished eating, I opened the car door and she hopped in and curled up on my lap. She rode on my lap to the vet where I simply picked her up and put her in the carrier with no resistance. I never got to my meeting...
My vet pronounced her healthy and gave her a full round of vaccinations, worming meds, and flea repellant. The vet estimated she was 1 1/2 years old. I brought her home and put her in a spare bedroom Safe Room. I was gladdened that night that she was in a warm home and not out in the bitter cold--where she'd probably lived all her life. I kept her in the Safe Room,
separated from my resident kitties until all the vet tests for bad kitty diseases came back negative. I visited her frequently, reading as she sat purring on my lap. My resident kitties and she occasionally sniffed at the door without aggression or territoriality. Then I placed a screen in the doorway for visual introductions. There was little hissing. I soon removed the screen and she joined my feline family. I named her after Inara Serra, the ‘Companion’ character in the short-lived but acclaimed sci-fi series Firefly. She is the sweetest cat I’ve ever had. She’s made friends with all my other cats and sleeps with me every night. At the end of each day, I bid her goodnight as she lies on my chest, purring. I rescued her less than a year after the death of my wife so Inara is aptly named as my truly loving companion.
-Steve Stearns 13
FERDI & J After our extraordinary Pit/ Rhodesian dog died suddenly, we were so devastated. Max died on our daughter's birthday. He chose her when we looked for a dog to adopt at the Augusta Regional SPCA and had a very special bond with her. She lived far away and was unable to say good-bye. We were unable to share our pain over the phone because it hurt so bad. My husband declared that we would not have any more pets because the pain of losing him was too much to bear.
A couple of years later, our daughter moved back to the area and was working at Shenandoah Valley Animal Service Center in Lyndhurst. She asked if we could foster a female pit that had been at the shelter for a long time. She needed to learn house skills to make her more adoptable. We fostered her and then adopted this amazing dog. Her
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personality fits her name, although she goes by J. She behaves with royal decrees yet is so affectionate. She is committed to my husband. So with this adorable queen ruling our lives, we continued to foster other dogs. We mostly fostered puppies recovering from illnesses. We had a few adult males, too. The queen took each foster into her care teaching them manners, how to go up and downstairs, and a few tricks. Then she met Ferdi whom
she considered unfit to be in her presence until she eventually fell in love with him. Ferdinand the Bull was found and brought to the SVASC shelter in bad shape. He was near death but the shelter took great care of him and after 12 days he needed somewhere to continue treatments in a quiet atmosphere. We decided to foster him. We had no clue what to do but fortunately, our daughter was his lifeline.
We knew he really did not understand dog language or for that matter anything but he did like to cuddle. So we started working with K9ology and Love on a Leash since I did not know how to train a clueless adult dog. We started to seek a forever home for him and as people responded, I just found it impossible to let him go. We adopted Ferdi. This clueless pit-bull is so sweet and affectionate. Once he healed from his trauma, we started to see he is truly clever. It has been 2 1/2 years since the day I brought him to our
home. He is delightful. He loves to sing for his meals and woo-woo talk about things he sees outside. He and J ( the queen) are so close that he even lets her continue to rule the house. There are nine dog beds in the house. He knows which one he is allowed to use. Ferdi changed our lives by making us aware of dog language and the way we can communicate with our dogs to help them. He gives us so much joy as he discovers simple pleasures like he did this spring. He has watched J roll on the ground all this time and he finally tried it. He was so
joyful that we cried for joy with him. Max was our first pit-bull and opened our hearts to fostering pits. J and Ferdi have forever made us pitbull fans. They are so smart and affectionate. And Ferdi, even though he experienced severe trauma, has shown us that his heart is so big that he can love us. Also, we learned about the amazing people at shelters and the work they do to save the animals in their care. Our daughter now works at Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA. Please support these heroes and the veterinarians that support the shelters.
-Terri & Rudy 15
SKIMBLE
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He arrived at the SPCA shelter as a stray in August 2014. Upon intake, he was named Stenny. He was terrified; Dr. Scheller had a difficult time examining him. She treated him for several problems so he didn’t become available for adoption until early October. That’s when I first met him— hiding behind a litter box. He allowed me to touch him but Animal Care staff warned me he did not like to be picked up. Over the next six months, we volunteers made little progress with Stenny. We could touch him but he would usually flee or freeze in place, clearly frightened. In April of 2015, he went to a foster home for
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a break. When he returned months later in November, we saw little improvement. Over the next two months, he at least no longer ran from me when I found him under a blanket or hiding in a box. In mid-January 2016, he moved into a window cage. I sat with him there for long periods of time— sometimes an hour. Two weeks later, he purred for me! It was a Friday. I made an extra trip to the shelter to visit him over the weekend. And the next Friday I took him home. He’d been at the shelter for over 16 months. The SPCA encourages all cat adopters to place their new cat in a Safe Room where it can become accustomed to
its new surroundings. Usually, cats remain in their Safe Room for a day or two— maybe a week—before venturing out to explore their new home. Skimble stayed in his Safe Room for three months (could that be a record?). But we made gradual progress. He began to take refuge in hidey houses rather than burrowing under blankets. Then he allowed me to pet him while in a hidey house. I sat with him several times a day, often speaking softly to him while I read. One night, he began to purr as I sat six feet away. This was a cause for celebration. Finally, he ventured out of the hidey house to come to my outstretched hand.
During his sojourn in his Safe Room, Skimble was aware I had two other cats in the house. I often heard Izzy and Inara scratching at the door. This piqued Skimble’s curiosity and perhaps encouraged his first venture into the rest of the house. When the day came to meet his feline housemates, things went reasonably well. Of course, there was some posturing—a few hisses, arched backs, and puffed tails. I didn’t worry because I knew Skimble had been friendly with other cats at the shelter. He quickly made subservient gestures toward them both. Izzy made it clear that he was in charge. Today, Skimble trusts me. He greets me excitedly every morning. He crashes (not rubs) against my legs when I prepare his meals. We have playtimes and cuddle sessions twice a day. Since self-quarantining began, our evening session often extends to over half an hour —with Skimble purring constantly. While he now trusts me, he still hides whenever human visitors arrive. And he’ll probably never consent to be picked up. But patience and love have turned this scaredy-cat into a wonderful feline housemate. Not every adopter has the time and patience for cats like Skimble. But if you do, rescuing a shy cat can give you great joy and fulfillment as you win its trust.
-Steve Stearns 17
FERN & VADER I remember the first time I saw her. I had been up late, perusing the web and contemplating a move to the Shenandoah Valley, and she had been featured in a post thanking donors for their help in getting her the emergency vet care she so desperately needed in order to cure her severe mastitis. The look on her face was exactly what I was feeling at that moment; scared, alone, sick, and yet, she was in a place where everyone was telling her that it was going to be alright. In the back of my head, the same voice that was trying to tell me that everything was going to be alright told me: “That right there is your dog.” I closed my browser and went to sleep, resigning myself to being stuck in the city a while longer, no way I could afford a dog. A week later, I was in Staunton, Virginia. Let it be known that moving away never makes the anxiety or PTSD go away, but I felt I could breathe a little easier; Meanwhile, that scrawny dog I had seen online stayed in the back of my head. I called Shenandoah Animal Services a few times inquiring about her, and yes, they informed me that she was still there, still
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healing. I finally talked my little brother into taking me over to see her, expecting to roll up and see a happy pup just waiting for us to take her home. How wrong I was! We walked into the back, to the overwhelming, deafening roar of dog noises, twenty dogs screaming at the top of their lungs. The canine in question: Fern, was in the back of her kennel, snarling like a beast of Old Norse lore at anyone who looked in her direction, much less made eye contact; she especially snarled at my little brother, who is 5’9 and had a full beard. We quickly moved on and made a list of other possible candidates; Once I got back to the front desk, I met Moriah, gave our list, and told her that we thought our original choice might be a little too aggressive, but Moriah asked us to just wait for a second and she’d go get Fern and we could go on a walk in the woods to calm her down a little. Five minutes later, she trotted out of that wall of deafening sound, tail tucked, cowering, and giving us some major side-eye. I bent down and gave her a treat and maybe I wasn’t so bad, my brother still couldn’t even look at her. We
ventured outside, she clung to her caretaker’s side, looked back to make sure I was coming too, and suspiciously huffed at my brother. Once out in the leaves she visibly relaxed a little more; after many more treats and seeing how food motivated she was, I decided to put her through her paces to find out how much she knew. Brother was still not permitted to look in her direction, but I asked her to sit, gave her a treat, and what happened next sealed the deal: still daintily sitting, she made soft eye contact with me and offered me her paw. I sighed, took her paw, and our
They put me in a playroom with the wrinkly beast and we played fetch with a cat toy, and then he tried to convince me that very good babies deserve an entire bag of treats (I wasn’t fooled). “You’re going back soon,” I singsonged at him. The wrinkly baby came and sat on my lap and put his head on my shoulder. “Almost time to go back,” I told him.
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adventure began. I am a veteran with PTSD and helping Fern overcome her fear of men (and pretty much everything else) really helped me begin to heal my own issues as well; when I’m having a bad spell, she’ll lean into my legs and let me hug her around her deep barrel chest. I introduced Fern to camping and she gained a whole passel of new aunts and uncles who were more than willing to rub her soft ears or scratch her on her behind after she let them balance a beer can on it. She is also now equally obsessed with her Uncle
and Papaw (my brother and dad). The next December I was moving into a better house and had been loosely eyeing getting Fern a friend, but an older dog, not a puppy. I decided to stop in at the SPCA and definitely wasn’t looking for a puppy. I’d had a few dogs in mind but quickly learned that every single had been adopted, or was in the process of being adopted. I cruised by the puppy tank and saw this wrinkly puppy with a giant noggin looking nonplussed. “I’ll play with you, but you’re going back,” I told him.
Another volunteer came in and told me that the puppy’s foster mom wanted to speak to me; “He’s going back,” I said. 2 seconds later in walks Moriah, who is now the marketing director for SPCA, Fern’s FAVORITE person! After talking for a while, I decided that I would take the wrinkly beast home. I named the beastie Vader, and almost immediately he became friends with nearly every being in my house (3 cats and Fern) He’s grown up and is sensitive, smart as a whip and wicked fast. He even herds chickens. I’m grateful to the SPCA for everything they’ve done and for bringing me my best pals.
-Rachael Harris 19
SAGE In about 2005, my neighbors adopted a kitten (Sage) from the SPCA. They already had two very large dogs. The owner put a cat door in the door from the first floor to the basement and one from there to the yard. She could then be away from the dogs if she wanted. Instead, she became an outdoor cat and ultimately could not be caught for vet visits for vaccines, etc, for four years. As I garden and was outdoors regularly, she passed by way and I began to give her treats and pets (I had no animals). She would also come into my home periodically. One of those times was during the night of 12/19/09 when we had 1820" of snow. In the morning we went out of the door and I took two steps with my boots. She jumped into the boot hole which was 18-20" deep. Her chin and paws were on top of the snow. She yowled, turned around, went back into my house, and became my girl for the next 10 1/2 years. She was very smart, learned to speak, beg, and give paw. She slept on my bed and sat on my lap for some TV. In other words, she became a loving house cat.
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DELANIE These last days since 3/17/20 we spent more time together as I was homebound. I have been a volunteer at the SPCA, but never adopted a pet myself. I was helping other people to find the right pet. I guess I was waiting for her as she adopted me on that snowy morning in November 2009. My sweet girl passed away suddenly on 4/28/20. Possibly a heart attack as she had a murmur. I miss her very much. She was one of a kind.
-Pat Cook
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We started fostering Delaine with the intent to get her healthy and ready for adoption but quickly fell in love. She has so much personality, loves everyone she meets but loves the couch more. Delanie is a princess and we wouldn't have it any other way. She thinks the world is ending if she stubs her toe, thinks every toy is hers and gets up in the morning when she wants to. Occasionally though, she will allow morning cuddles while we are drinking our coffee. Our little princess has filled our hearts with more love than we could have ever expected.
-Aaron Yurkovic & Morganne Struble
AURORA I first met Aurora when I was working at the shelter’s front desk, and she got moved up to be one of our lobby cats. The first time I saw her, I pulled my coworker over and said, “That’s the most beautiful cat I’ve ever seen!” She had been a shelter resident for a while before we met, but had spent all of her time in the clinic.
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Aurora was transferred to us from Louisa County several months before, and her prognosis was poor. It appeared the cancer that had already claimed her ear would soon claim her life. Even in such a critical condition, this girl charmed our clinic team and they decided to give treatment a shot and remove as much cancer as they could. I’m so glad they did! I cannot imagine my life without her in it. Aurora makes it impossible to not fall in love with her, and she makes every person she meets feel like the most special person on Earth. It’s been almost two years that she’s been part of our family. In that time, she has completely stolen the heart of my partner, who was a self-proclaimed “cat hater” before meeting her. She now sleeps on his chest every night. What can I say, she’s magic!
-Tori Cunningham 21
CASSIE
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I adopted my sweet, little beagle, Cassie, almost thirteen years ago from the SPCA. I was twenty two-two at the time. I went to the shelter to look, with the hopes of adopting a large breed dog sometime in the future. Cassie had other plans. The first room I saw at the SPCA was the small dog puppy room where Cassie was living. I noticed her immediately because she had the cutest, sweetest face. I stopped for a bit, but continued, as I was set on a larger breed. I stumbled across an Australian Shepherd and was filled with excitement. I rushed back to the front desk to ask to meet the dog. We went to a play park, but we made no connection. I can still remember my disappointment. That sweet little beagle remained at the back of my mind, though,
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and I decided I wanted to meet her, even if she was not what I had originally had in mind. I impatiently waited for a man to return her to her kennel, so I could take her out. Meeting Cassie was fate. I sat down in the play park and let her off the leash. She ran to get a ball, brought it back, dropped it in my lap, and licked my face. I melted and had to have her. I called my roommate and my parents, desperate to adopt her that day so that the person who had been looking at her previously did not end up with her. I rushed back to the front desk, completed the paperwork, and was told I could pick her up in a few days. I will never forget the drive home. I had every intention of being a safe, responsible driver, and keeping her in the backseat. Again, Cassie had other ideas. She was
desperate to stay on my lap. She kept climbing back to me and kissing my face. I eventually caved – it was only a short drive to the place I was renting. Besides, I figured it would be safer to have her sitting in my lap, then constantly climbing forward while I drove. From that day on, Cassie has filled my life with a previously unknown love. She’s perfect. She’s sweet, adorable, smart, playful yet calm, well behaved (after much training), the perfect hiking partner, a provider of endless emotional support, superior snuggle buddy, curious, funny, full of love, and the best friend anyone could ask for. Cassie came with some baggage. She was skittish with lots of people, and even more so with dogs. Surprising things would frighten her. She was haunted by an unknown
past. I was also working through difficult things from my past. We made it through together. I helped Cassie become comfortable with people and dogs. We worked on this daily for a year. In turn, Cassie helped me become comfortable with myself, and with other people. Cassie went to therapy with me every week for around six years to help me work through my baggage. It was much easier to talk and to do the hard work with her by my side. I would not be where I am in life today without her. Cassie has given me a best friendship based on unconditional love. She has helped me rebuild myself. She has also managed to introduce me to amazing people who I value greatly. Everyone who meets Cassie loves Cassie. There is rarely a long walk we take, where a
stranger doesn’t comment on her smile, her prance, or how happy she is. People are drawn to her, and I get to reap the benefits of new friendships with these wonderful people. This has now spilled over into the online world, where through Instagram, Cassie has led me to discover the most beautiful, caring, worldwide group of beagle owners. It is a place of love and positivity, a rarity on the internet. Cassie is also the reason I volunteer at the SPCA, an experience that has brought joy, love, new friendships, and a new chance to learn into my life. Cassie is 16.5 years old now. Up until last week, she was still walking two to two and a half miles a day. Over the past week, she has unfortunately felt the downside of aging. She is now walking one mile on
the days she feels good, which thankfully seems to be the majority. The thought of her not getting to enjoy the outdoors broke my heart, so she is now the happiest beagle you will see in a dog stroller. She sits there, taking in the smells, looking around her kingdom, and continuing to love life. She is always teaching me about life.I do not know how much time we still have together. I hope quite a lot. I will never be able to thank her properly for what she has given me, and what she has helped me through, but I can honor her whenever I have the chance. That is why I am writing this. Cassie deserves every happy, thankful word.
-Juliet Lunka
Note: Cassie crossed the rainbow bridge soon after this was written.
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“Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life.”
-James Cromwell