Adoption
Happy Tails

We’d love to  add  your story to our website.    Many heart-warming adoption stories happen every day at our shelter.   PLEASE contact  kim@harfordshelter.org to share your story with us.   Remember  to include a recent photo!

WILFORD
Mr. Bear, now Wilford, is our best friend. He’s such a good boy! We love that he’s so affectionate. It’s so nice to come home to the love of a good dog again. He stole our hearts and we adopted him in March 2013. Since then he has been the smile in our days with his mooshy wrinkled face and silly antics. He basks in the attention we give him when we play with his famous Shar-Pei wrinkles. Although Wilford is deaf, he listens to us very well. We have learned to tap our feet on the floor to get his attention, and he quickly learned hand commands. Of course, sometimes it takes a few tries to rouse him from one of his oh-so cozy Wilford naps–he just loves stretching out on his big, soft bed snoring like a chainsaw and snorting like a little pig (this never ceases to crack us up). He’s always up for an ear rub or a belly scratch.

We’re delighted that he’s a very mannerly dog who is always the perfect gentleman. He behaves wonderfully, even with our pet rabbits (one of them is paralyzed bunny Miley, who also came from the Humane Society). Shortly after adoption we discovered that he already knew basic commands, and he does them perfectly every time–especially if there is a treat involved (he LOVES bread). He spends his days at my and my husband’s side, and we take him everywhere we can with us, and he’s a wonderful travel companion with his good manners. Wilford also enjoys being the king of his yard, bird watching, and being lazy on the front porch. His favorite thing to do, however, is to sit in the kitchen and watch us make dinner. He’s a big help if we should drop even the slightest morsel on the floor.
-Cindy

MILEY
We adopted Miles (now Miley) from a rescue who took her in from the Humane Society in January since she is a special needs bunny. Miley is paralyzed and doesn’t have use of her rear legs, but that doesn’t stop her! She’s a feisty bunny who has such a zest for life that she doesn’t even seem to realize that she’s disabled. She’s very affectionate and patient with us during all the care we give to her. We believe that she understands that we’re helping her during bath time and bladder expressing. She shows her deep gratitude by giving us grooming bunny kisses on our hands and arms. Now, she even now has her own set of custom-made wheels to help her get around. Just imagine a curious tiny gray ball of energy zipping across the floor–that’s Miley!

When she isn’t zooming around the house in her cart exploring, she scoots around so quick that sometimes we can’t even catch up to her. She seeks us out, though, and comes to us for a nuzzle, or her very favorite thing in life–ear rubs. She is always so happy to see us and runs over to us. She makes the cutest happy vocalizations when she gets them, or when she gets a special treat like a bit of strawberry or banana. She enjoys laying next to us on the sofa while we watch TV and pet her for hours. She spends her days doing bunny things like rearranging toys in her pen, burrowing in blankets, cuddling with her stuffed toy hedgehog, and even binkying as best as she can with her front end (a binky is a happy rabbit dance). Seeing a disabled bunny jump for joy like that is the most heart-warming thing I’ve seen. Miley has been such a joy for us, and we’re thankful to have her with us.
-Cindy

MR. MOOSE
I just wanted to write and thank you for letting me & my husband adopt Spike. I was in the Dundalk Petsmart to buy food and never thought I would be adopting another family member. When I saw Spike, I had to have him. Your volunteer, M.T. was there feeding and cleaning the cages, so she let me in to visit with Spike. He was sooooooooooo sweet and affectionate. I brought my husband back the next day and he couldn’t believe his eyes. We had a cat years ago who looked identical to Spike, so when we saw him, I got goose bumps. Your volunteer told me he was given up because he was going to the bathroom outside the litter box. When she told me that, I hesitated to adopt him, but things are working out beautifully. He ALWAYS uses the litter box and is just a gentle giant at 17.9 lbs of fur! I can’t imagine why anyone would give up such a loving and sweet cat, but I’m glad they did because now I get to love him. He is really laid back and loves sitting in our bay window watching the birds and bumble bees. You can be assured that Spike, or Mr. Moose as we like to call him, has found his Furever home.

Again, thank you for all you do for those animals in need.  Furever grateful,
-Donna

JOHNNY
We lost our first dog 2 years ago, on April 6th. He had been with us for almost 14 years. My husband saw Johnny’s (aka Jonathan) photo on your website and said he just had to go see him. We made a visit to the shelter and got to visit with him. Another family had him on hold, but they decided they didn’t want him. We came back the next day and took him home.

He ran around our house and yard for hours, and finally passed out for a nap. He was introduced to my brother-in-law’s dogs after his kennel cough quarantine was up. They got along pretty well. My daughter makes sure she is first in the door when we get home from work & school so she can give him love. Johnny loves to lay on her and snuggle.

He loves to play with other dogs and kids. He makes us laugh when he plays keep away…bowls, blankets, kitchen mats, etc. He has chewed up a lot of things in the house too, but we love him anyway. Johnny is such a great addition to our family. He is always friendly and barely barks. We are boaters and he loves the water – what a perfect match.
-The Mitchell Family

ANYA
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to get my baby girl, Anya. She was known as Sutton at the Humane Society, and it was love at first sight for the both of us. She is confident, very loving, and rules the roost now! She seemed nervous at the shelter, but once she got home, she’s become the most loving and loyal companion I could ever ask for.

She wakes me up almost every morning by lying on my stomach and purring, and she reminds me every night to get to bed on time. She patiently watches me play video games and “tries to help” by amusing herself with batting the cord. She finds great enjoyment from play fighting with our other cat Peewee but they both love each other at the end of the day. She’s very talkative and loves nothing more than to sit with me as I study or read and purr her little head off. She is healthy and happy and I’m so thankful that she wanted me as part of her life.

When I lost my first cat I grew up with (Jasper) from tumors, I knew one day I would get another cat, but it was an unbearable thought. It took years of healing but when I came to the Humane Society, I was set on kittens – kittens and only kittens. Now I realize all I wanted was a cat like my Anya. Thank you for holding her for her second chance and for giving me the chance to give her her forever home.
-Kat

NIKO
About 5 weeks ago my husband and I decided to adopt Niko. He was called Arthur at the shelter. We already had a 1-year-old Siberian Husky (Jake) and 6-year-old Husky mix (Abby). Jake needed a playmate since Abby has bad hips and just can’t keep up with him. It did take about 2 weeks for everyone to get adjusted but since that has happened, it has been wonderful. Niko is such a wonderful, gentle dog. He is just so affectionate and loves to cuddle with everyone. We can’t imagine not having him in our lives. Niko and Jake are like old buddies now. Thank you for bringing such a wonderful dog into our lives.
-The Ervin Family

TOPAZ
I am writing you regarding my adoption experience of a beautiful male cat named Topaz. His original name was Rain, and I first saw him at PetSmart in Dundalk. I had just moved into a house and had every intention of visiting shelters to adopt a dog. When I saw Topaz and he came to the glass and just stared at me then pressed his head against where I placed my hand, I knew I didn’t have to look anywhere else. I think it’s wonderful that cats from your shelter are also placed in these areas where people can see them and read their stories. I have had Topaz for almost 5 months now and he is the most loving, funny, crazy, and caring cat I have ever met. Thank you for taking care of him while he was waiting for a home, and thank you for allowing him into mine. Thank you again for all you do.
-Paula

TINY TIM
This is my man Timmy. He was my foster (and I stress the word ‘was’)! I had just had one of my other cats, Max, put to sleep, and since Max and Timmy liked each other a lot, I decided that Max would have wanted me to make it official. So the very same day I lost Max, I adopted Tim.

He’s a special boy because he’s missing his left front leg. He’s officially been mine for a couple of weeks now and one of my other cats, Levar, also 3-legged and a former foster, couldn’t be happier. You’d never know they didn’t have all four legs! Tim loves to be held and cuddled, nor does he mind nail trims or taking his allergy medicine. Thanks so much for giving him a chance…he is so very loved.
-Teresa

ODIN
Pisano (as he was known at the shelter) was transferred to an area rescue group where he was placed in foster care. Here’s what happened next:
We originally took Pisano in as a foster but it quickly became apparent that he belonged with us. We have since adopted him and renamed him Odin and he is a perfect addition to our family. He is a wonderful companion to our other male shepherd and even gets along with the resident cat and bird. He is doing very well with his obedience and leash training and we hope to get him involved in some nose work in the future. Thank you to Blaine Lang and the staff of the Humane Society for taking him in and caring for our boy.
-The McNelis Family

ABBY & ANDY
I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone at the Humane Society of Harford County for our wonderful new baby kittens, Abby (AKA: Tabitha) and Andy. We are so happy to have them and they are such a joy to be around. I was up until midnight last night playing with them, even though I had to get up at 5:00 a.m. for work! All of you are so friendly and helpful and I really appreciate everything you do for the animals who need you. I attached a few pictures of the babies’ first day here so you can see they are happy and right at home. They have their own “kitty proof” guest bedroom with lots of room to jump and play. Abby is very curious and full of energy and Andy just wants to lie around and lick everyone. I’ll send you updates on them every so often so you can see them grow up. Thanks again for everything!
-Wendy

LADYBUG
We adopted a little kitty you called “Dancer 4″ about a month ago.  She was very shy during her stay at the shelter, and we were told that she never ventured outside one of the cozy beds (pictured at left).  It made it quite difficult for folks to get to know her, but we petted her and she very much seemed to enjoy it.  We took a chance and adopted her, hoping that she would come out of her shell in a less chaotic environment.

We are pleased to say that our instincts were right, and as I write this, little “Ladybug” (her new name!) is sitting peacefully on my lap and purring contentedly.  She also gets along with our other cat, Flower.  It just goes to show that the shelter is a bit tough for some kitties, and they may make wonderful pets if given the chance.  We’re so happy that Ladybug has adopted us as much as we adopted her!
-Your friends Nicole, Adam, Ladybug and Flower

COCO
We adopted Coco on Feb 22, 2013. She has moved in and taken over. She has quite the personality and we all enjoy her humor. You would never guess she is 8 years old the way she sprints around! She was the perfect addition to the family and has adjusted well! Thank you!
-Amy

REESIE
This is our dog Reesie. We adopted her from The Humane Society of Harford County on March 1, 2003. Reesie is the best dog ever and is living a wonderful life. She was only 1 1/2 when we got her. She is now out little senior citizen. Reesie will be 12 years old this November. Reesie fit in with us right from the start. We couldn’t have asked for a more special dog then Reesie. We could not imagine our house without her.
-The Ebert Family

 

FRANKLIN
This is Franklin! She is 8 months old and was adopted on 9/14/2013 from your shelter. Her mother “Lizzie” and all six of the puppies were lovingly fostered by The Vocovsky family. Through Facebook we are able to keep in contact with Lizzie’s entire family. We are planning a puppy reunion. Franklin is the very best puppy in the world. We routinely call her “The Amazing Franklin”. She has 2 rescued cats as her siblings!
-Tim

SUMEGO
My wife and I adopted Sumego on March 13, 2013 and she has been such a wonderful cat for us. Your organization was very helpful to us in adopting her. I don’t know what her health was when she was bought in to you, but when we took her for her checkup at the vet it was great. She is a very healthy kitty. That is a direct reflection on the care your staff gives to these homeless animals.

It has taken her a bit to get adjusted to her new surroundings. I don’t think she has ever seen stairs before! I also think she is overwhelmed with all this space in the house for herself! She does like sleeping on the Master Bed with me and my wife and coming downstairs to curl up next to me as I watch soccer matches on TV. She also likes having her belly rubbed!!

Again, thank you very much and I will encourage anyone who wants a pet to stop by and see The Humane Society of Harford County first. Everyone there does great work.
-The Grant Family

BUCK
Buck has been with us going on three months now. Our lives have been changed – all of our lives – for the better. As I type this we are en route to the Dogtel Hotel outside OC where Buck has a reservation. Buck has a lot of anxiety issues. His soft demeanor makes it impossible not to love him and want the best for him. Therefore he will have a great time with and without us on the trip. He was bullied in daycare and now spends most days with his human partner where he is studying heating and air conditioning. He also doubles as quite a deterrent to anyone getting into the work truck.

He has been healthy and being the responsible dude that he is, did the “right thing” and was neutered. So this weekend is his big celebration from his life experiences to date. We can’t wait to run on the beach this weekend with him and will send more pictures soon. Here is his Valentine’s Day greeting to me along with his new BFF. Thanks for all your guidance in helping us to find a good fit.
-Kim

SCOUT
As I sat and held the ashes of my favorite Chihuahua, Sadie, I said we would never get another dog. It was just too painful to let her go. That is until I was perusing the Humane Society of Harford County ‘s webpage.

Initially my heart was set on Daisy; a mixed pug who I fell in love with the minute I saw her picture. However, when I went to adopt her I was told that she was not compatible with other animals. My wife and I decided to explore the other dogs that were barking throughout the building.  As we walked back through we noticed a paper describing a male Pomeranian by the name of Rocky/Gomez. I called to Rocky who came trotting to the cage with his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. He immediately adopted us.

As we read the intake paper we were discouraged to find that Rocky/Gomez had been taken into the facility on two occasions citing such causes as high anxiety, separation anxiety, and indoor accidents. As we played with Rocky we saw something that set this dog apart from the intake notes and decided to adopt him immediately.

The first night Rocky did pace, as if trying to settle in. This could become nerve-racking if one did not have the patience to allow him to adjust. By the third night he had found his niche and was comfortable, sleeping contently in his dog bed.  His separation anxiety is minimal since he is attached to my wife and gets a little anxious when she leaves, but my being home with him all day has helped him to adjust to this routine. The ‘accidents’ are because Scout, a more suitable name for this totally curious dog, marks his territories when invaded by another animal. He has marked his food bowl twice when the cat began to eat his food.

Scout loves to walk and is very quiet. He only barks to let us know that someone other than my daughter or granddaughter is at the door. He is very patient when being groomed and will often doze. He delights when my wife comes home and will be at her heals the entire time.

As we reread the intake notes it difficult to say why this wonderful dog was taken to the Humane Society once, let alone twice. His first vet visit was positive. He is in excellent health and adored by the veterinarian.  The first week has passed and Scout has settled into our routine, or shall I say we have settled into his routine. He loves to ride and waits patiently while we run our errands. As we become closer to Scout we see that he is not like Sadie but a compilation of the last three dogs that have meant so much to me.
-The McLaughlin Family (Pictured above left is Scout with The McLaughlin’s granddaughter, Samirah, who is his daily walk coach!)

KHLOE
I adopted “Pitta” on Monday March 4th and I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped me. About a year ago I adopted another cat named “Moxie”; however, once I got her home, we found out my mom had a severe allergy to cats and the next day I had to return her to you. I was heartbroken. I made a promise that as soon as I was out on my own I would come back and adopt another cat and give them a forever home. Now that I am living alone, I was able to adopt again and I thank you for giving me the chance to do so. You could have very easily said, “Sorry, but you had your chance”.

Pitta is now known as “Khloe” and she is an amazing cat! Her first vet appointment was yesterday and the vet determined that she is approximately 7 months old. She is in fair health, but the vet said if she hadn’t been found by Animal Control, she probably wouldn’t have survived. She is very underweight and has a heart murmur, which may be due to her being so young and thin. She also is looking a little “rough” on the outside because of the flea problem she had when she first came to the shelter, but the vet said her fur should grow back just fine. Also, there is no sign of the respiratory infection she had while at the shelter, so she is looking good!! With a little bit of help she will be in tip top shape in no time!

Khloe is such a sweetheart and is enjoying checking out her new home. She is very curious and last night when the dishwasher was turned on, she sat and watched it the whole time. She even got enough nerve to walk up to it and listen as it went through the different wash cycles. It is so cute to watch as she discovers everything in her new home. She loves to look out the window and even jumps up to paw at the glass when the birds fly by. She has a ton of new toys. Her favorite is the mouse which hangs from the door and has a tail which swings around once turned on.

I just wanted to say thank you again for allowing me to adopt such a wonderful cat. I will make sure she lives a long, healthy and happy life.
-Kristen

ALICE
Our family adopted Ross 3 (a female calico kitten now known as Alice) the week before Christmas and she has been a wonderful addition to our family. She is so sweet and loving and is such a lap cat. She loves to snuggle with anyone in the family who is willing to sit with her and every night she snuggles with me in bed. When I’m home from work for a full day, she follows me around and doesn’t leave my side. She is also a very vocal little kitty with a lot to say, especially in the mornings. As soon as my alarm goes off, she sits right in front of my face meowing at me.

She and our older cat Jenna have been adjusting to each other well. Alice always wants to play with Jenna so Alice is keeping Jenna in tip top shape. Our two daughters, who are 4 years old and 1 year old, love her to pieces and love to play with her. The girls love to drag shoe strings around the house and have Alice chase after them. They also like to throw toy mice for her since Alice likes to play fetch.

I just wanted to thank everyone at the shelter who helped make our adoption of Alice possible. Everyone in our family loves her to pieces and she makes us feel complete as a family.
-Kristin

RAMONA
Our newest family member, Ramona, has had a lot of homes and lived many stories we may never know. What we do know, is that this home, our home, is the last, and together we will write a happy ending to this tail. We ask ourselves every day, how could we be so lucky to have found Ramona? Who knows why her first families could not hold on to her, but we feel privileged that it means she found her way to us. She is such a laid back love bug.

We are also happy to report that her medical problems are not as extensive as originally thought. She does have to take medicine for her thyroid, but she does not appear to have the food allergies that were suspected. She is free of mites, her thyroid levels are controlled, her coat is looking good, and her spirits are high. She is also a great big sister, teaching her younger brother Yogi (9 months) how to be a proper dog. He is in love with her and thinks that she is the coolest lady he has ever met. Thanks for all you do to bring happiness to the pooches and their human parents.
-Sarah

XANDER
Hi, my name is Xander. It is used to be Brooks before I rescued the Gibson family on April 24th. You see, Mom wanted a snuggle kitty. The two kitties in the household, Nicky and Holly, were not really into snuggling and that made Mom sad. So when she saw my picture in The Aegis as Pet-Of-The-Week and the description said I was a snuggler and liked to be held, Mom took notice. But as the household already had two kitties and a dog, she hesitated. She was sure someone would adopt a cutie like me, but a few weeks went by and nobody did (she kept checking the website). So she asked Dad to go with her “just to see” and Dad, being the farsighted planner that he was, brought the carrier, “just in case.” Ha! He knew what would happen when Mom saw me and sure enough, we went home together the same day.

I had my work cut out for me though. I whipped those two other kitties into shape. They were 6 years old and used to sleeping. I put an end to that right quick and put those two on an exercise regime. I had them running laps around the house and chasing toys. Then I went to work on Jackson (the dog). I taught him the importance of sharing his food and his bed. I don’t think he was too pleased about it at first, but who can resist someone as cute as me? (In the picture below, me and my siblings are having a catnip party with the new scratch pads Mom got us. Nicky is on the left, Holly’s at the top, and I’m on the right.)

I help Mom out too. She can’t do the laundry without me and she says I am a big help, although I am not sure why she laughs when she says that. I guess I just make her happy! I help her make the bed; the best part is when she changes the linens. At night when it is bedtime, I race up the steps ahead of Mom and jump up on the bed. Then I lay down at the foot of the bed so that when she gets into bed her feet have a nice warm spot. Then we play “find the toes” for a few minutes before Dad comes to bed and we all settle down for the night.

The best part though is the snuggling. I get up in Mom’s lap in the morning when she is having her morning tea. I get a little catnap in before I start the morning exercise program. I give Dad equal time in the evening when he is playing on his laptop. I help him make the right moves so he wins! When I am lonely, I go to Mom and stand on my hind feet and reach up and she always picks me up and holds me, until I want down again. The only downside is that I can’t convince Mom to let me go outside. She says that was part of the deal when I came to live here, no more outside adventures. I guess that is a small price to pay for the good life inside that I have now.

Yes, the Gibson household definitely has not been the same since I rescued them, but I don’t think they mind and I know I don’t.
-The Gibsons

WEENIE
On October 27, 2012, my wife and I decided to take Oscar, our 4-yr-old miniature longhair Daschund, to Rebels Dog Park – we had never been before. Oscar enjoyed the park and the couple of dogs that were in the small dog area while we were there.

When we got ready to leave, as we walked back to the parking lot, in the kennel closest to the lot, my wife spied a Yorkie – which wasn’t barking. Since her former in-laws had Yorkies, she went over to get a closer look. When she got there, out from deeper in the kennel came a standard longhair Daschund. We spent a few minutes, then looked at other kennels, and then were walking back to our car – when we met the standard longhair Daschund in person during his walk. He and Oscar met and got along fine. Not looking to adopt, we loaded Oscar in the car and went on our way. As we left, my wife said, “Daschunds shouldn’t be in shelters.”

The next morning, I awoke to my wife having been up very early, reading all about the standard longhair Daschund on the shelter’s website, and she proceeded to fill me in. I said, “You want to adopt him.” She said, “I have questions.” So, after church, we picked up Oscar and went back to the shelter. She decided to adopt him and started the paperwork. We found out his name was Weenie. However, there wasn’t enough time that Sunday to finish the paperwork – we would have to come back.

Then, Hurricane Sandy hit. Each day, I tried to reach the shelter to check on Weenie and see if we could complete the paperwork, but the shelter was closed. Finally, on Thursday, November 1st, we finished the paperwork, which included our being told Weenie didn’t like men, wasn’t really housebroken, and had a shaved spot on his back near his tail because he seemed to have very dry skin. We adopted Weenie anyway – on the 4 year anniversary to the day that Oscar came to live with us.

The first thing we did was take him to the groomers – and I have never seen such a happy dog after they were done! His smile almost seemed to say, “Oh, thank you so much! I feel so much better now.” The next day, we took him to our vet and had him checked out – no health issues, but he did need his teeth cleaned. He did seem to have a confidence issue though, so we set to work on those things.

Don’t know where the not liking men came from — Weenie has clung and cuddled with me (the Alpha dog) since day 1 – and got along fine with my brother-in-law when he came to visit (of course, feeding him treats helped a lot). Once we got him on a schedule, and learned his tells, we haven’t had any issues with him being housebroken. Weenie did piddle a lot when he was excited or scared, especially at first, but as his confidence has grown, it happens less and less.

In the weeks and months since, Weenie’s shaved spot has grown hair back and you can’t even tell. His teeth were cleaned and he has put on some weight – because he loves to eat. Oscar (who is a finicky eater) is now eating more regularly. He has also found his voice – and he and Oscar play together every day. He recently had his first play date at Best Friends Furever, where we have been kenneling Oscar when we go out of town on trips. He did just fine!

Now, my wife and I can’t imagine what our lives would be without him. While we know it, we hope he believes that he has found his forever home. Here is a recent picture with him playing with one of his squeaky toys.
-The Fulkrod Family

STUART
We adopted our kitty Stuart on August 30, 2012. At the time his name was Levi, but we think he looks just like Stuart Little so that’s what we named him. He was being cared for by one of your foster volunteers. She asked us to please send updates on him so she could see how he’s doing. Well he’s doing great!! We love him so much, and he quickly became an important part of our family. He is a beautiful flame point Siamese. When we first got him he was very shy and hated to be held. Well he’s so different from that scared little baby he was. He is a major love bug. He loves attention and he will demand it from you! In the picture he is on the table waiting for my son to finish his homework so he can curl up with him. We love him so much and wanted you to know he is happy, healthy and loving life.
-Cheryl

BRUNO
I wanted to tell you guys how much we love our dog, Bruno, who we adopted from The Humane Society of Harford County as a puppy. Bruno will be 5 yrs. old this month and he is such an incredible dog who brings joy to my husband and I every day. Bruno is very smart and also gets along really well with our two cats and kitten.

I fell in love with Bruno when I saw him in the corner of your office in May of 2008. I just happened to stop by to visit the animals and drop off a small donation and there sat Bruno. He was just a skinny little guy with a runny nose, looking at me with those big brown eyes, and I fell instantly in love. I told my husband, Dave, about Bruno and he too fell in love. We then adopted him and were soon talking walks and playing ball with him. We were so happy to find such a wonderful dog.

My husband and I couldn’t imagine life without our best buddy, Bruno, and would like to thank you for everything you do. Rescue animals are the best! Here’s Bruno wearing Ravens gear and supporting our team! Happy Purple Friday!  Thank you so much for Bruno.
-Katie

FERB
Hello! I just wanted to let you know Ferb is wonderful! We are so in love with this sweet kitty! Unfortunately we were unable to adopt his brother Phineas as well. Ferb has the sweetest personality and loves to be held. So lovable! If someone is looking to adopt, they should visit his brother Phineas. If he has the same loving personality, you will have one perfect kitty! We are so blessed with our newest family member! Thank you!
-Sandra

GREG
We stopped by the Humane Society after visiting another dog from a foster family. My dog, Casey, a Lab mix didn’t care for that dog and we thought “Well, let’s see if she can find a friend at the Humane Society!” When we visited, the ladies that worked there that day suggested, after hearing our request for a gentle, no fuss, loving and social dog, that we might see how we bond with “Drager”. He was not what we thought we would have brought home, because he is a Pit Bull/Pointer mix and we like Labs and Shepherds.

Well, to make a long story short, we took him home, named him “Greg” because “Drager” sounded too formidable for such a sweet dog, and Casey and he have become best friends. They play and romp and run about the back yard and genuinely love each other. Greg has made himself at home and sleeps by the fire with Casey on their dog beds. He has become such a loved family member and we are so grateful to the staff for hearing our needs, thinking that Greg would be a good fit (he was a member of the “Lonely Hearts Club” – there for several months), and suggesting we bring him home. We love him. Thank you so much for this great 6 1/2-year-old pup!
-The Chan Family

PATTERSON
So this is my story on my sweet baby kitten! My boyfriend and I were moving into a new home and we wanted to get a new addition to the family. I told him I really wanted an orange kitten so I looked on your adoption website and came across a couple of orange kittens – Patterson really caught my eye! My boyfriend told me it’d be better to go look in the shelter to really get to see which kitten is best. So we went and started looking at all the cats and then went to the kittens in the cages. I looked and looked and wasn’t sure, but then out of the corner of my eye I saw a little orange kitten. He was sticking his paw out of the cage and when I put my hand down to pet him, he grabbed my hand and pulled it in the cage and started rubbing up against my hand. I was in total awe!! I told my boyfriend that’s the kitten I want! He told me to look at the other ones just to be sure, so I did. But then I heard this little meow, and when I looked back down at the orange kitten, he was staring at me with those helpless eyes and I couldn’t say no. I looked at his little paper and it was Patterson! The kitten I had seen online. I knew he was the one for me so my boyfriend and I adopted him.

It was the best decision! He is the most loving, cuddly cat and he even lets me trim his nails with no problems! His nickname is Mittens because his little paws look like he’s wearing mittens. He’s the best thing that ever happened to my boyfriend and I. We are truly blessed to have little Patterson in our lives. Thanks so much!!!
-Amanda

TWEET, KETCHUP, PENNY & BITSEY
In March 2011, my husband and I came to your shelter to adopt a cat. We left with two – Tweet and Ketchup. Tweet is now 6 and Ketchup is going on 3. A couple of weeks ago we came to adopt another cat because Ketchup needed a playmate and again, we left with two. Penny and Bitsey (formerly Tammy & Dawn 1 and pictured at right) have made a wonderful transition into our house. All four cats are doing great, are loved a lot, and give a lot of love. Thank you for all the hard work you guys do!
-The Spindlers

KIT
I adopted Neveah (now called Kit) in December and he is doing very well. He is gaining weight and learning to feel at home. Thanks!
-Sue

 

 

JESSA
Thanks so much for taking such good care of me and helping me find my forever family. They are lots of fun and we are having a great time.
-XOXOXO Jessa

GLENDA & WEEZY
I adopted Glenda in September and she’s been my best friend ever since. She has even managed to win over my boyfriend who was not too thrilled to even think about having a cat. Now we have two! The other one, Weezy (formerly Plumley 4) made it home just barely. We met by accident and I couldn’t help but fall in love, but we had a rough road to get where we are. First, she couldn’t come home because she had ear mites, so we waited 14 days for treatment to finish. Then she came down with upper respiratory infection, so we waited another 14 days for that treatment. On the 14th day she was diagnosed with Feline Calicivirus. She was not expected to make it. Between the help I got from my vet and his staff, my neighbor upstairs helping me quarantine her, and a whole lot of showering to wash off any germs, within 2.5 months Weezy finally started to get better. She probably never would have made it. She got so bad that I didn’t think she would. Fortunately, she got the OK last week to come down to my apartment for the first time and meet Glenda. It took about two days but Glenda, who is reluctant to admit it, loves her now!
-Ashley

MERLIN
Greetings from Merlin and his new family. He is really loving life right now. Merlin walked up to me at the Humane Society and he worked his magic on me! He has adopted this green throw pillow as his bed and finds it really comfy. He purrs and head butts us constantly. Merlin jumped up and put his two paws on my shoulder to give me a hug and it made me burst out laughing! Then one morning from the corner of my eyes I saw him standing on his hind legs just like a rabbit. It was so cute! He is eating well and using the litter box. He plays with cat toys and especially likes the catnip and feathered toys. He loves belly rubs. One thing we have noticed about him is he does not scratch at all, not that it would matter that much. He is learning to get along with his pet roomies our pug and other cat. Our dog, Sleighbell, chased him the first night we brought Merlin home. He hid the whole night, but after that he was fine. The other cat was a little jealous at first but he is getting better. Merlin is a very nice cat and we feel very lucky to have him. He is beautiful and has the most wonderful disposition; he has been no trouble at all.

Last Christmas Eve I had to put my beloved Mr. Peach to sleep for a seizure that would not stop. He went peacefully but I was heartbroken for losing him on Christmas Eve. I stayed the whole time because I did not want to leave him alone. It’s wonderful that Merlin has walked into our lives giving us so much love and we in turn could give him a good home. Thank you for helping us find Merlin!
-Bev

SCHNOOKY & SCHNITZEL
I had adopted two Dobermans in October 2011 named Schnooky and Schnitzel. They are both fine, and all is well. Thanks!
-Ed

MAX
I adopted Max about a year ago. He had a very rough 9 years and I wanted him to have the life he deserved. We’ve had a few issues along the way and there are still some things that totally freak him out, like belts. He is doing wonderful and the interaction between my kitties is friendly (most of the time) except for the occasional meowing match.

About 3 months ago he started rapidly losing weight and was having stomach issues. After his vet visit we found that he has lymphoma and the 1st stages of stomach cancer. Talking with my vet, who knows I will not give a treatment that destroys the quality of their life, he assured me that the side-effects were minimal. He has been taking chemo meds for 3 months now and has had NO side-effects. He has put a little over a pound back on and doesn’t seem to be affected by the situation at all, except getting a bit more tired at times, but he is also going on 10.  He has 3 more months of his chemo treatments and will remain on steroids for a while. The success rate is very high for a 3-5 year remission. One can only hope, he so deserves the good life he now has…fear free. We love you sweet boy!
-Teresa
Sadly, Max passed on February 5, 2013.  His memorial can be found here.

ABBEY
I adopted Abbey from you on July 23, 2011. I just want to let you know she is doing well. I have brought her up there a few times for you all to see. She has brought so much joy to my life, and I to hers. I am glad that I came there and found so much love. Keep up the great work.
-Ellen

 

MUMORD & SASSY
Happy Holidays from the Rogers’ and the 3 kittens we gave Forever Homes to in 2012. Two are from the Humane Society of Harford County and one (Maddie) is from the Defenders of Animal Rights. From the left: Maddie, Mumord (formerly Ford and adopted in March), and Sassie (formally Chesney 4 and adopted in July). All the kitties are doing great and have added so much personality and love to our home.
-Don

MAGGIE MAY
On September 15, 2012, Maggie May (formerly known as Wally) met her forever home with us! As we were walking down the stairs, all we could hear was barking. We walked through and looked at all the dogs. Then we saw this little chocolate covered dog just sitting there and staring at us. Instantly, we knew she was the one for us! We took her outside to play and she responded so well that we were beyond excited to get her home. We fall in love with her more and more each day. She enjoys long nature walks, playing with other dogs, dressing up in human clothes, taking baths, and taking up all the space in the bed.
-Megan

ROCCO
My boyfriend and I adopted Rocco (formerly O’Neil) on October 25, 2012, and since day 1, Rocco has been a blessing to our home. I was nervous at first adopting a pit bull, but as soon as I met Rocco, all those fears went away. To be honest, Rocco adopted us. He is great around people and pets, and he is always the main attraction where ever we go. Rocco is so playful and loves to run and jump but also loves to sleep and snore – we got the best of both worlds with him!! When we adopted him we were told he didn’t play with many toys, but we bought him lots of toys anyways.  Well, we learned he doesn’t really play with them – he DESTROYS them.  No matter what type of toy it is and how tough it says it is, he can rip it apart in less than two minutes – even bones are devoured in less than an hour. Thank you so much for introducing Rocco to us, he has made our house a home and filled our hearts with love and joy!
-Meghan

GEORGE
Earlier in the year, I brought an English Budgie home named Ringo. Ringo is a great bird, but he just seemed like he was depressed, and I came to the conclusion that I needed to get a friend for him. That’s when George (known as Anthony at the shelter, left in photo) came into the picture. I was nervous about purchasing a parakeet at a store because I wanted to make sure that the new bird would be able to share a cage with Ringo. While going back and forth about what I should do, I came across a little blue parakeet on the Humane Society website that I had to check out. The staff at the Humane Society were more than happy to let me do a small trial run to see if Ringo and George would get along in the same cage, and well, they’ve been best buds ever since! George loves to chirp and chatter, and his favorite treat is a seed stick (they don’t last more than a day). Most of the time, you will see George perched next to Ringo, who has become much more active since acquiring a buddy. George has been such a pleasant addition to our feathered and furry family, and I’m thankful that I am able to give him a forever home.
-Kim

TRIXIE
About 5 weeks ago I adopted a chinchilla named Trixie. She had been surrendered because her owner needed to move. I fell in love with her right away. The staff informed me that Trixie was cage aggressive, which I was willing to work with. I was just happy I was taking her home. Once she found her forever home, in a new cage with all the trimmings, she turned into a different girl. No aggression issues or anything. We think the little girl was just scared at the shelter. We pet her all the time, and now after daily cuddling and talks, she comes right out of her cage to us and totally loves her daily raisin treats. We make her timothy hay bales for her to tear apart and houses with fluffy beds. She is a happy new addition to our family. Our children love to rub her on her favorite spots and she makes an “oooooo” face. Thank you for allowing us to adopt this happy little puffball that has brought more joy to our family!
-The Reichl Family

BO & JO
It’s been 7 years now since I adopted my cat family, Jonah (G/W) and Joy (all grey), now called Bo, the thinker/schemer, and Jo, a gentle soul. They’re the light of our lives and we enjoy them every single day. I thought you might enjoy seeing a box full of cats, and a chair full of cats. Neither one of them can resist an empty box. Thank you for allowing me to share the lives of these wonderful beings.
-Doris

 

QUACKERS 3, 4 & 5
They have settled in nicely at our home and love the pond. They have become “friends” with the resident goose that we have here!
-Cindy

MAGGIE
Here is “Shed” (now her name is Maggie). Do you think she’s getting spoiled at all?
-Phyllis
(Editor’s Note: Shed was discovered on the Humane Society property, living under one of our outbuildings.)

 

IVORY
I would like to give you an update on Ivory: It has almost been 1.5 years since Ivory became part of my family. When my husband was deployed to Afghanistan, she lifted my spirits up and showered me with love and kisses which she still continues to do. I don’t know what I would have done without her. She is such a joy and despite the misery her previous owner put her through, she is as loyal and loving as can be. We are about to start a new journey. My husband received military orders and we will be moving to Texas. I just wanted to thank the Harford County Humane Society for uniting me with my lovely little angel. You guys are awesome and keep doing what you are doing. You ROCK!!!
-Sabrina
SKITTLES
We adopted “Capote”, now “Skittles”, this morning and this is her relaxing on her new blanket. She’s adjusting well and we will be donating some supplies to you soon. Thanks to everyone for being so patient with us throughout the process and for taking such good care of all of the kitties.
-Karen & Family

 

LEGO
I thought I would send over a Halloween update of Lego (Grinder when he was there). Here he is (on the left), not very happy to be in costume at the moment. He is doing great and loves to wrestle with his buddy, Nino (right in picture) and his favorite person (my 7-year-old son). Thanks for everything you guys do.
-Jessica
HARLEY QUINN
My family and I want to say a great big THANKS for helping us to adopt Harley Quinn, our wonderful beagle, about 3 weeks ago.  There were some concerns about whether she was pregnant or not, but ALL of you were so helpful and supportive as the issue was resolved, and she was spayed before heading to our home.  We were very impressed by the care and concern you showed, not only to Harley, but to the other animals that were housed at your facility.  It was obvious that the staff cares about the animals and works hard to see that they find their “forever home”.

Harley is doing wonderfully and is the sweetest, most loving dog we’ve ever owned.  We’re so glad that we went to your website and were able to take her home.  We’ll be looking into ways that we can help support your efforts to help these wonderful animals have a compassionate place to stay while they find a permanent home.  Keep up your great work!
-The Forster Family

BARLOW
I adopted Barlow from the PetSmart store in Dundalk. We fell instantly in love with each other!
-Patricia

BANE
Back on August 8th my husband and I adopted Bane, formerly Dakota/Humphries. He was very scared and they were worried if he would get along well with our other dog, Bailey. Well I just wanted to update you guys and say that he is doing great! He is so much more confident than the 1st day we got him and he and his sister are best friends!! If you take one outside and not the other, they both just sit there and cry! They spend their entire days alternating between playing and sleeping! We are so, so grateful for him! THANK YOU!
-Melissa

CHRISSIE
Chrissie, our Australian shepherd was adopted from the Humane Society of Harford County in December, 2009.  She was my Christmas gift and the best gift I’ve ever received, I might add.  Although Chrissie was ill, neglected, and very leary of most people, she made a quick transformation with all the TLC she received from us.  Now she gives us TLC every day.  She’s very loyal, affectionate, smart, speedy, and agile.  She loves to cuddle in bed with us at night when we are reading and springs high in the air to catch balls when we’re playing outside.
-Darlene & Scott
MAGGIE
On the 29th of May of this year I had to make the difficult decision to put my Katie to rest. She was a 10 year old female Beagle we had adopted 4 years earlier from a very neglectful situation. Two months later, purely by chance, I was led to the Humane Society ‘s website. We still had 2 adopted (canine) family members, one for each hand, so I was not looking for another. I saw Maggie, a 10 year old female Beagle, who was by chance turned in on the very day I lost my Katie. (I think Katie had her paws in this.)

Maggie is such a joy. She is timid and ducks when you reach for her. Still very skittish with sounds and sudden movements, but she is coming along. She quickly learned our names for mealtimes and treats. She found all of the soft comfortable spots to lay in the house in 2 days flat. She saw her first rabbit and her instincts kicked in. She had a ball chasing that poor scared bunny and dragging around the 4 of us, each in turn. She went to the mountains with us and followed her brother and sister around, but never straying far from mommy. Her skin is improving day by day and she is going in to be fixed next week. She is still being crated for potty training. I hate to put her in there after her history, but this crate has a soft, clean bed, toys, and she knows that I can’t walk past her without taking her out to “pee pee outside.” Ironically enough, she loves to watch Animal Planet, especially Animal Cops. She wakes up to watch as soon as she hears the dogs barking on TV.

We are trying hard to replace her bad memories with good ones and give her the life she has always deserved. The funny thing about dogs is that they will love you without caring who you are or what you have done in life. They even love you if you hurt or mistreat them. Maggie spent ten years cooped up in a small crate breeding. No sanitation, no bed, no toys and no love. She was bred for as many litters a year that they could get from her. Then they rip the puppies away without warning at 5-6 weeks while she is still mothering them.

I can only ask anyone who reads this to consider the wonderful pets up for adoption at the Humane Society. You can meet them and see their personality. I believe that an interesting story of adoption beats a pedigree every day of the week. So now you have read Maggie’s story, (or I can just tell you that she is has a pedigree.)
-Sue-Ellen

LOLA
We adopted Lola (Diva at the shelter) this past summer and we can’t tell you what a wonderful dog she has become! We love her so much! She absolutely loves to play ball and she sleeps with her ball every night. It’s the cutest thing ever! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
-Angela

NATTY GIRL
Natty has been a part of our lives for a year and 3 months now.  She is everything and more.  Natty Girl has brought such joy and love to us and my grandson.  Thank you for taking care of her and loving her.
-Jo & Family

 

 

BANE
My sister and brother-in-law adopted Dakota (now Bane) a few weeks ago. He is doing great and loving life with his little sister Bailey.
-Heather

JUSTIN
We adopted our new kitten “Banjo” two weeks ago. My daughter has renamed him Justin and he’s doing great! He’s a little purr machine and very friendly. After a few bouts of hissing, he’s made peace with our other kitties and now he’s driving them all crazy playing with their tails when they are trying to sleep.  Here’s a picture of him fast asleep (after an evening of helping us unload the dishwasher).
-The Snyder Family

 

 

BABIE
This is Babie (formerly “Spring”) in her new furever home. She loves the tub!
-John & Fern

 

HULA
We adopted the female chinchilla “Charlie” now known as “Hula”, from you back in December. She is doing fabulous – loves her home and all its ramps. She runs up and down them to each level and gets lots of exercise. She also is a crazy girl running in her wheel. We wonder if she thinks she’s racing in NASCAR she goes so fast. She’s had a number of houses since she joined our family – needless to say her teeth are in great shape due to the number of houses/boxes, etc. that she has chewed into pieces. She also loves her hanging wood chew toy and ringing the little bell on it. Hula loves her raisins every evening and is right there waiting for them when I tuck her in for the evening. Thank you for letting me adopt her. She is a feisty little girl that we love.
-Lois

NICCO & RILEY
We adopted both Nicco and Riley at the Saint Patty’s Day celebration in March 2012. We were just stopping by to see what was going on and had no expectations of adopting one dog let alone two. When we asked to see one of them we were told they were a packaged deal. After spending some time in the dog run area we knew they had to be part of our family and that we were up to the challenge of having two dogs. We are extremely lucky that for their age (9 years old) they are so well behaved and their previous owner had taken such good care of them. Both boys have adjusted amazingly well and we could not imagine our family without them. Nicco loves to play ball in our large dog run and Riley loves to be his annoying brother and interfere. Riley will chase his raw hide and when we tell him to give us puppy face he gets a big smile. The boys are such snugglers and have gotten into the routine of having their teeth brushed and sleeping in their dog beds with their bones every night. Occasionally they sneak into our bed, especially Nicco. They love to go for car rides to their grandparents to play with their two “cousins”. Poor Nicco is followed around by the chocolate lab puppy so it looks like me and my shadow. We are blessed to have found such wonderful dogs. They have become our children and are sooo spoiled in the couple of months we have had them. We can’t imagine life without them and hope their old owner knows how much joy and happiness they have brought us and we look forward to being able to be with them in their golden years!
-Adam & Ashley

LEVAR
This story begins several months ago when Levar became my foster kitten. He was brought to the Humane Society after being found as a stray in Aberdeen with a badly broken leg that had already begun to heal. It had to be re-set and Levar was given a purple cast. I kept him crated most of the time because he’s a kitten who loves to jump and play. He was very good about it, and I would go in our bedroom and play with him for a while before he had to be crated again. He was always so happy; he even looked like he was smiling. He never whined or complained. When I would let him out of his crate, the first thing he would do is rub on my leg and flop over for belly rubs.

I had him to the veterinarian several times, and despite attempts at saving the limb, Levar’s leg wasn’t healing right, so it was decided that his leg would have to be amputated. After going through all that he did, he seems like he feels free, and having that cumbersome cast on for so long…he probably does. He had a hard time the first time going up the steps, but never gave up. Once he did that he seemed to master everything he tried. He has learned how to jump in the windows (he and one of my other cats, Max, spend a lot of time there). He likes to play fetch…I throw a toy, he chases it and brings it back to me and drops it at my feet. He is such a sweet and loving little boy. He loves his toys and his big brother Max. They are inseparable. He is great with my other cats, 3 of which are seniors.

He hasn’t missed a beat since losing his leg. He has learned that 3:00 pm is the Fancy Feast canned food treat time, and now campaigns just like all the others. It’s funny, someone else was supposed to foster him but it fell through. That’s how he came to stay with me. They say everything happens for a reason, and I do believe that.

I adopted Levar on July 18, 2012. He was meant to be my boy. From the moment I saw him and spent a little time with him, I knew he was meant to be with me. I am so happy to have him as a part of my family. He gets better at everything every day. You can tell he’s proud of himself when he achieves a new task. He runs like he has 6 legs and gives my 2-year-old Snowshoes a run for her money. He doesn’t have a problem keeping up with her. It’s like we have been together all of his life. He has taught me a lot like patience and perseverance, and if you never give up, you can achieve your goals. I love him so much.
-Teresa

JAKE
We adopted Jake the Keeshond in November of 2011, after seeing a photoless listing for a male Keeshond at Harford Shelter. Five years ago, I lost my 15-year-old “sister” (cousin) to sudden illness. The pain of losing someone so close to me was so intense that I sought out a rescue at your shelter and found my best friend in a Keeshond mix you called “Firework,” who had been surrendered to the shelter after the death of his owner. I had moved out of my home and felt lost in the world, and saw the same in Firework. We were incredibly close.

Firework escaped, in a moment of fear and confusion, when a relative walked out of our home and let my new doggy son dart out of the door. I spent months posting fliers, advertisements, rewards, and went so far as to hire a pair of scent-tracking dogs in hopes of finding him. I had a report come in from a newspaper ad from a woman who believed that they had seen him on a rural road, near his previous home, and that someone had taken him in (recognizing him, and maybe not knowing he had a new family). For 4 years, every week, I would check the Harford Shelter listing in part of my quest to find him. When I saw Jake’s (unusual breed) listed, I immediately went to the shelter to see if it was my long-lost dog.

By this time, my grandfather was very close to death, and I was experiencing all of the difficulties that came with facing a second person I had lived with my entire life passing away…all in 4 years.

As it turns out, Jake was not Firework. But I immediately fell in love with him. On our first walk, he hugged close to me like a Velcro dog. We spent 4 hours together playing, walking, enjoying the sun. I was sure he was for me. In fact, one of the other people at the shelter asked, “You and your dog seem to love each other so much…why are you surrendering him?” The next day, I returned to the shelter, walked to the back area where the kennel runs were, and saw Jake inside through the little dog door. I quietly called his name, with dogs excitedly barking all around us. Jake spotted me and came running out, put his paws up on the fence, and licked my hands as if we were best friends. It was like a movie. I knew then: he was going to be our new son. And I immediately filed a request for adopting him.

The photo I have attached is of our first night together. He piled into bed and snuggled up and fell asleep with his head on my neck. By this time, my grandfather had passed away, and that night was the first restful sleep I had gotten in months.

Since then, Jake has shown himself to be a perfect companion. I would go so far as to say that he was a gift from God. He is gentle, incredibly affectionate, resolutely potty trained, and shows an uncanny “sixth sense” when it comes to picking up on human emotions. Unfailingly, he is at your side whenever you are sad or sick. Within 2 weeks of his stay with my husband and I, we had successfully taught him non-verbal hand signal commands. Several months later, I brought him to a family party where he met 15 relatives, including a 2-year-old girl who he was absolutely the picture of gentility with, and 2 dogs. He took this all with incredible ease. We are slowly training him greeting and obedience in hopes that he will share the joy he has given me, as a registered therapy dog.

Jake came to us fully vaccinated, well cared for, perfectly potty trained, and pure bred. Over the years since losing Firework, we had considered purchasing a pure-bred puppy on many occasions. Often, now, I wake up and realize that any amount of money you had asked as a shelter donation would be nothing compared to what he was worth. And far more than I could have ever wanted, or hoped for, in going to a breeder. I intend to send the shelter a donation in the amount of Jake’s adoption fee on the anniversary of his adoption, every year. He is worth every penny.

We have been inseparable since. He was there for me when I most needed it, and I know that I will never, ever part with him. Thank you, Harford Shelter, for providing such life changing opportunities and lifting the hearts and saving the lives of not just your shelter pets…but the people who are privileged enough to become their forever homes and share their lives with them. I will never find another dog as perfectly suited to our family than Jake, and I will be forever amazed and eternally grateful for the gift you gave us in letting him come into our lives. For those of you who are worried about adopting a “troubled” shelter dog, I urge you to keep your heart and mind open to the possibility. And for those who have been forced to surrender your pets to Harford Shelter, take heart in the fact that as hard as it may be for you to do…you may unintentionally become the reason for the largest blessing a family has ever had.

Thank you, thank you so deeply, for bringing our family together.
-Stephanie & Mark

BELLA
Hi my new name is Bella, it means beautiful. I have a great new daddy who made me a cubby hole and my own deck and a climbing pole too. This is GREAT! My favorite time is play time and DINNER time, don’t forget treat time too. Soon I will have my very own Facebook page. They say I have to be 18 to get one, but I think that we will just pretend that we didn’t see that part.;) I will keep you all in touch and let you know what else we do!
-Tim

POPPER
I wanted to write to let you know that the kitten we adopted on Mother’s Day 2012, “Popper 1″ has been just the perfect addition to our family! Our beloved cat Bailey passed away a few years ago, so our orange tabby Rudy was suddenly the “only cat”. He’s a sweet cat, very loving and social, and we noticed he was playing less and sleeping more. We took our 7 year old daughter to the Humane Society just to look, and we spent time with several sweet cats. But when we met Popper 1, we just knew he was the one for us. He let me hold him like a baby and rub his belly, and his little motor never stopped running. We brought both kids back the next day, and we were all excited to bring Popper 1 home with us.

We were unsure how Rudy would feel about him so we gave them each their space, but Rudy loved him right away just as much as we did! He would pin him down and bathe him, then they would go off and play. We haven’t seen Rudy play so much in years, and he seems to really enjoy his new little brother. We were not sure what to call the new kitten, so we went through a list of names, but nothing seemed to suit him quite as well as “Popper” so that’s what we stuck with! It fits him perfectly. He is a sunny little guy, very sweet and playful with our kids, and he and Rudy are both happy and content.

Thank you so much for the work that you all do. You have a special place in our hearts, and we will continue to recommend your shelter to everyone we know!
-The Schofield Family

REILLY
My husband and I adopted “Bob Barker,” whom we renamed to “Reilly,” in October 2011. Reilly was found by the Humane Society as a stray so they did not know much about him. He is estimated to be about 6.5 years now. We had no idea as to his temperament or if he was trained but all the other dogs in the shelter were barking and Reilly was so calm which impressed us. He wound up being house trained and was extremely well behaved. He was listed as a Shepherd mix, but his personality was nothing like a Shepherd and it was difficult at first to understand him and how to discipline him when necessary. It was a little rough in the beginning for all of us. After getting to know him, his personality is all Beagle and we think he is a Beagle/Lab mix. Reilly loves to explore and follow his nose and loves food more than anything! He has clearly seen some hard times (had a broken rib at one point, has a cropped tail, and a mark from a rope on his leg) but he is very healthy, active, and super sweet. He is so good with other people, children, and other dogs and is so friendly. Reilly has adjusted well and fits right into our family now – we are so happy and lucky to have him!
-Kristen

APOLLO
We adopted Apollo on May 31, 2012. He bonded with us very quickly and is a great dog. His Lab lineage became apparent when we discovered that he loves the water. We were lucky that he was already house-broken & knows some basic commands. I spoke with his original owner last week after she came to the shelter looking for him. She learned that the family she re-homed him with turned him into the shelter as a stray. I assured her he was in good hands and that we plan on keeping him for a long time. The first vet visit found he needs to lose a few pounds, and we’re working on that with daily walks. Apollo is the second dog we’ve adopted from the shelter. We adopted our previous dog Oliver in 1995, and he spent nearly 16 happy years with us before he passed away in February of last year. When we decided it was time for another dog, the Humane Society was the first place we thought of. Thanks to the staff at the shelter for all they do.
-The Arruda Family

ICING
My husband and I adopted Icing in October 2011. Icing has been a wonderful addition to our family and is VERY sociable! Icing is very personable and LOVES attention. We could not have asked for a better girl! And not to mention she loves to eat! As you can see she has grown quite a bit in the past 8 months! Thank you all!
-The Rottman Family

SKYNYRD
We came to the shelter on May 13th (Mother’s Day) this year to find a cat for my son, Nicholas. Nicholas is 18, and has wanted a cat his whole life. We finally gave in. Nick played with some of the kittens in the shelter, then decided to get a cat instead. He played with several great cats, but finally settled on Tink, a 2 year-old stray. Nick decided to change Tink’s name to Skynyrd (after his favorite band). I can tell you that Skynyrd has fit into our family as if he has always been here. He has a comfortable routine of playing and sleeping, and has a healthy appetite, too! He is a wonderful balance of playfulness and sweetness. He sleeps with my son at night, then plays in between naps during the day. His favorite place to nap during the day is on my computer desk while I am working, which is where is he right now while I type this! He loves to be held and cuddled a few times a day, too. We’ve spoiled him with toys and treats, and in return, he gives us much happiness. A big thank you for all you do at the shelter and for helping us find such a great addition to our family!
-The Burke Family

LILLY
A couple of years ago I was set with my match for life. Lilly (who was Kelsey at the shelter) was scalded by boiling water before she came into the shelter. After we adopted her, her hair grew back and that sweet bundle follows me around EVERYWHERE and I love her dearly. She reminds me of our old Bassett, Rosie, who passed away 5 years ago that I still cry about. THANK YOU for helping me find my new angel.
-Tamsyn (age 13)


CECELIA
I adopted Miss Cecelia from you via the Dundalk PetSmart store on April 23, 2012. It was “love at first sight.” Cecelia is always playing. She is always happy, loving, and hungry. She adores her sisters, Ebony and Josie. Thank you Humane Society of Harford County.
-Janice

RILEY
Riley is the youngest of a litter of six and suffers from Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH) – also known as “Wobbly Kitten Syndrome”. This means his motor skills are under-developed. He shakes constantly and is unable to stand steadily or walk straight. Despite this, he is highly energetic and manages to roll across floors or pull himself along walls. He can also pull himself up using his claws and forelegs. But, he’s not able to climb very high.

At first, my wife and I thought we wouldn’t be able to handle him. So we adopted his mother and two sisters. A few days later, we heard all of his remaining siblings had been adopted and he was very lonely and crying constantly. So, I went to the shelter and adopted him the next day. The Harford County Shelter doesn’t charge when you adopt a special needs kitty like Riley. But, I would have paid whatever it took to get Riley – he is a wonderful, loving cat!

Because he’s so unsteady, he is always seeking tight places – like sitting between your knees or wrapped in your arms. He’s very playful and loves baby toys with rattles and fuzzy balls. But, he does require extra attention. He can’t stand up in kitty litter and he’s unable to drink or eat from bowls – he just falls in and rolls around. So, I’ve been building him little gadgets. He has a special litter box with high walls to lean against with training pads instead of litter. I hung little bird feeders outside a cage so he can lean on the wall to eat and drink. He’s doing great! His mother is always grooming with him and his sisters like to wrestle. I’m very happy we decided to save Riley!
-The Noble Family

JAMIE, MOLLY, BAILEY & RILEY
My wife and I recently adopted Jamie and the three kittens she had on St. Patrick’s Day, 2012. Naturally, we gave the kittens Irish names – Molly, Bailey, and Riley. Everybody loves kittens, of course, so sometimes it’s hard to find a home for the momma. So, we decided right away to get momma cat and “one of the kittens.” Well, after my wife picked one kitten (Bailey), she told me, “Now, pick yours.” That’s when Molly walked up and hopped on my leg. We adopted mom and the two girls together and ended up getting Riley too, a special needs kitten, a few days later. Together, the four have successfully turned my “man-cave” into their domain. We have three kitty condos, three litter boxes and toys galore! They are all very playful and loving. The best part is they came to us as a family and are already close pals.
-The Noble Family

SNOOPY
We adopted Snoopy in May 2012 after my 4-year-old daughter and I had stopped by the HSHC just to have a “look”. Well, they both fell instantly in love so the next day the whole family returned to officially adopt Snoopy.

We already had a rescued cat at home who had a history of not getting along with a cat in his previous home so we had no idea how he would take to a new cat. We read up on how to introduce a new cat to the home and set up a separate room with everything Snoopy would need. The first few days our resident cat was hissing something evil under the door at Snoopy. We were starting to lose hope that it would ever work out, but we remembered we had to give it time. Following all the tips the HSHC gave us, we finally had the big day when the two cats met. Would you believe they instantly got along just fine?

We could not believe it ourselves and we feel so blessed to have both cats loving each other and getting along so well. Since they’ve been together, our resident cat no long does flying leaps at us as we come down the stairs or turn a corner. He no longer stalks or playfully scratches us. He even lets us pet his belly for the very first time. He is so relaxed since Snoopy joined our household; it’s really a miracle. Snoopy is wonderful with our children and so sweet with our 4-month-old baby.

We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect addition to our household. Snoopy is loved so much by our family and especially by our resident cat Moose. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to adopt Snoopy and thanks to everyone who helps the animals at the HSHC.
-The Clapham Family

HUCK
We adopted Huck (aka Baby Mr. Huckles) on June 23, 2011. He is the best thing that has happened. He has such a personality! Huck snores, sleeps all day, and when he drinks water, it gets stuck in his lips and he blows it out all over the floor! We put him in the stroller and he doesn’t mind it. Huck can sleep all day or play all day, it doesn’t matter to him! Everybody who meets him loves him. We try to give him the best life we can – he deserves it.
-Ashlyn

LOLA
We adopted Lola (formerly Veronica) on April 3rd, 2012. She is an energetic, playful, healthy, loving 3 month old puppy and we couldn’t be happier! During her first few days with us, her ears were down, and as you can see they’re sticking straight up now. She is a Jack Russell/Poodle mix but could definitely pass for a Chihuahua!

Lola is a social butterfly. She loves to be around people and other dogs. She has also learned a few commands: “sit,” “stay,” and “down,” and we look forward to teaching her more tricks.

Thank you so much for this opportunity, we are so grateful!
-Lindsay & Matt

RASCAL
This is the Yorkie mix we adopted from you 15 years ago today when he was 2 years old. Today we are celebrating his 17th birthday (May 7, 2012)! He has cataracts and doesn’t hear well and has had two bouts of pancreatitis but thanks to the wonderful care he gets from the Bel Air Animal Hospital he is doing remarkably well. He is on a prescription diet and takes Pepcid, Marin and Denamarin daily. It seems to be working. He has spurts of energy where he runs up and down in the house. He no longer walks very far, preferring to sniff everything instead, but when he’s ready to go home he will run and pull me along! Two years ago he had a CT scan of his heart and I was told it was very strong. Thank you for blessing us with our little Rascal!
-Jan

DUKE
We adopted Duke on March 27, 2012. He is 10 years old. Duke has been a wonderful addition to our family. When he came to us he had horrible teeth, some already missing and more ready to fall out. A week after bringing him home he had a 2-hour dental operation that was a success. Our vet removed 28 teeth! Duke has 14 teeth remaining, and he is much happier. He has been playing with our Standard Schnauzer, Pepper.
-Linda

NOAH
When we lost our beloved Himalayan after 16 years, we decided not to have any more pets; then we saw Tao on your website. I fell in love with him and I had to adopt him. He had some issues with an upper respiratory infection, but with a few weeks of antibiotics and TLC he is doing great. He is sweet and loving and very mischievous. He loves to play with his toys and his favorite stuffed fish that he brings to bed every night. His favorite game is ping pong fetch. He is a precious big baby. We have changed his name from Tao to Noah and he likes that just fine. He responds and he knows who he is. I cannot thank the Harford County Humane Society for all they do for their animals, and I am so glad that Noah was treated for his problems and I was lucky to get him.  Thanks again!
-Mary

OLLIE
Meet Ollie, who was adopted from your shelter in April 2011. Ollie was a lost animal who was wandering around with a name tag on his collar. I dropped him off at the shelter hoping his owners would claim him. When they did not, I went back to the shelter and adopted “Ollie.” That’s still his name, and it fits him very well. Ollie is our vertical dweller. He likes high places and will never miss the opportunity to view the outside world from an upstairs window. He’s also a big boy! He weighs 16 pounds now– a full 6 pounds heavier from last year! He is such a sweetheart and has adopted my husband as his full time buddy. His previous owner must have been a male because Ollie is partial to male company. He loves to be petted, and he has acclimated himself nicely to our household. He doesn’t like to be left alone, and is very warm and affectionate. Ollie has certainly added joy and love to our family.
-Linda

CHEYENNE
I adopted Cheyenne about a year ago and wanted to give you an update. She is so loving, and a very quiet cat except when she’s playing with my 1 ½-year-old. They are so funny together. I took her and my baby home the same time and Cheyenne thinks she’s my baby’s mother. They love each other so much. She loves all my other cats but loves the baby the most. Thanks so much.
-Teresa

MAX
I just adopted Max a little over a week ago, and he such a sweet boy! He’s about 8-9 years old. He doesn’t seem to mind the other cat, and is transitioning well. I love adopting the senior kitties. They seem to be hard to place, but if folks only knew what special babies they are. I can’t say enough about his wonderful personality. I’m so glad I made my home his also. What a wonderful addition to my family. Thanks guys!
-Teresa
 

UNO
Hi, I’m Uno! I found my new home with my people, Sarah and Mike, about 3 and a half years ago. I thought I would check in and say hello. I love my home and my people. It was tough for me for a while, and I was scared when I first went home. It took me some time to warm up to my new family, and I was even too nervous to get in their car to leave the shelter for the first time. Boy, was that a mistake! Car rides are one of my favorite things now!! We go everywhere in the car. My favorite place is to go is to the trails at Gunpowder where we can run and splash in the water and chase deer and squirrels. We went on vacation last year to the mountains where I got to go on long walks in the woods, and the year before, I got to go to the beach and play in the sand. I know my people love me a lot. They give me a lot of cuddling time. They want everyone to know that bringing me home has been so wonderful, and we are such a happy family and do a lot of fun stuff together. They were patient with me while I got used to them and my new house, and did some training to help me get into a routine and feel comfortable. That helped us all settle in and get used to each other.

This picture is me at Jerusalem Mill on the Gunpowder going for a hike last fall. Thanks to everyone at the Shelter for taking care of me while I waited for my forever home.

JEAN JACQUES
I just wanted to thank you for the sweet cat my husband and I adopted in mid-December. We brought Junior home now named Jean Jacques (my husband is French) and he transitioned into his new home like he had been here all along. He is the most easygoing cat I have ever been around. We set up a room for him to go to if he was nervous or scared; he has yet to use it.

Please find attached the picture of Jean Jacques less than 24 hours after coming home with us. As you can tell by the picture he has made himself right at home. He is a much loved addition to our home. Thank you again for the hard work that everyone does there.
-Marion

 

BEN & CASEY
I had lost my last 3 cats due to illness in an 8 month period when I started visiting the shelter in the spring of 2011. In July I saw Ben on the website and went to visit him in the administration building where he was staying. I had never adopted an adult cat before and was a bit apprehensive not knowing his history.

Ben fit in perfectly. He is a very quiet cat – I call him Buddha Ben because he’s so calm and serene. He is not a lap cat but is on the sofa every night with me and sleeps at the bottom of my bed each night after he’s given me a couple good night licks on my nose. I work from home and Ben jumps up on my desk every day for some good scratching and then proceeds to take a long nap right next to my laptop.

Thinking Ben might need a feline friend I again went back to the shelter and in October brought 4-month-old Casey home. After some time in a separate bedroom with supervised visits I soon saw that they got along great and Casey was “set free”. I’d forgotten what it was like to have a kitten in the house! Casey is a ball of fire but also a lap cat. He curls up with me every chance he gets and falls fast asleep. Casey also jumps up on my desk most days but with a foam ball or tin foil ball in his mouth that he drops in front of me – play time! He loves to chase the balls and is quite the retriever. He brings them back and drops them in my hands (or fairly close to my hands) and waits for another round to begin.

I’m so happy with both of my guys and they seem very happy together. Thanks for all that you do!
-Patty

GIDEON
In November 2011 we adopted Gideon (formerly Wolfgang), a two year old German Shepherd. I think Gideon was initially overwhelmed by our 3 children, 2 cats and German Shepherd mix. Not long after bringing him home he became sick with an upper respiratory infection that left him sneezing and rubbing his green snotty nose all over everyone and everything!

From the start he has been a very well behaved dog and it is apparent that he had been well trained by his previous owners. He has a wonderful disposition and enjoys all the attention he gets from everyone in the neighborhood on his daily walks. We recently bought him a crate and were surprised at how much he loves it!! He also has plenty of toys, although his favorite is a stuffed dog that used to belong to my son. I had placed it in a bag for donations until Gideon discovered it one day and claimed it as his own.

We are so grateful that we were able to adopt Gideon. In just the few months since we’ve adopted him we’ve become so attached that we can’t even imagine our lives without him. Thanks for all of the help and support during the adoption process.
-The Jones Family

CINNAMON BUN
My mom adopted a kitten from the shelter this week and she said that some of the staff still remembered Cinnamon Bun from when she was adopted from the shelter in 2008. I couldn’t change her name because it is just perfect for her, though we usually just call her “Bun.” She is doing just great and is the best buddy my fiancée and I could ask for. She makes us laugh every single day and is the world’s best snuggler. Thank you for taking such good care of her while she stayed at the shelter. Here she is lounging on the couch in one of her sweaters that she wears in the winter to stay warm. Thank you again!
-Kelly

JEMMA & JELLY BEAN
As the new year begins, we have been looking back on all the blessings we were given in 2011. At the top of our list is our two HSHC rescue dogs, Jemma and Jelly Bean! We adopted Jemma (Gemma) in April and although she was shy at first, it has been great watching her come out of her shell! In November, we met Jelly Bean and fell immediately in love. We were hoping a second dog would help Jemma with her socialization skills, and the transformation has been amazing.

The three weeks we waited to bring her home were agonizing but we are so grateful for the care she received from the vet techs and adoptions staff. Five weeks after bringing her home, it feels like Jelly Bean has been part of our family forever! The puppies are inseparable as you can see in this picture! Jelly Bean is the best behaved dog we have ever met. She is a true lovebug. You can tell she is truly grateful to have found her forever family!

We cannot thank you enough!
-Lauren

LEO
We adopted Leo (Leonardo) in May 2011 and our lives have not been the same since the day we brought him home and woke the next morning to a tail wagging and lots of kisses. Needless to say we adore our sweet pup. We all have been adjusting nicely. Leo has had some health issues but we have a great vet and he is doing very well now. We took an obedience class and private lessons with Aja of Mutt Magic. She is amazing (we know you guys already know that too) and has helped us all learn to work together. Leo is so smart and is coming along great with training (as are we). Leo loves long walks, chasing his ball, playing tug with his rope, napping on one of his many blankets around the house, and belly rubs which he receives numerous times a day. We know he spent a very long time at the shelter and it speaks volumes about the love and care you gave to him that he is so sweet and loving. Whether we are out running errands or on vacation and Leo is staying at the vet, our conversation always goes back to wondering what Leo is doing at that moment. We look forward to our first Christmas together as a family and many years of happiness, belly rubs, and long walks.

In the words of Rerun on Charlie Brown: Happiness is a warm puppy! With thanks and blessings,
-Lindsay, Matt & Leo
Sadly, Leonardo passed on September 20, 2012 of a brain tumor.  His memorial can be found here.

BUDDY
I adopted this little guy from your shelter in August of 2010. His name is Buddy. When I first got him, I thought “Oh my, what have I done?” He suffered from major separation anxiety. Every time I left my condo, he would bark and cry incessantly. My neighbors started to complain. I tried every method imaginable to get him to quiet down to no avail. I finally decided to leave him out of his crate and give him free roam of my condo. I’ll admit, for the first week, I held my breath every time I unlocked my door when I came home for fear of what I would find. But Buddy was not destructive. He remained quiet and seemed very content that I allowed him some freedom when I was not there. Now that Buddy has settled into his new home, he is such a little love bug and has so much personality. He can be a little devil at times, but he has brought so much joy into my life. I just wish everyone would take the opportunity to allow a pet into their lives. Thank you all for taking Buddy into the shelter and giving him a temporary home until he found his way into mine.
-Denise

BRADY
We adopted our dog from the shelter about a month ago and already, he is such a joy in our lives! When he was at the shelter, he was known as “Han Solo.” Now that he is a member of our family, we re-named him “Brady” after Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.

Brady makes us happy every single day and we spend a great deal of time laughing at his antics. He loves to run and play, plus he leaps into the air like a deer. His happiness is contagious! We are still working on training him to not chew on things and to behave around other dogs, but feel that he is on the right path to good behavior.  Brady loves everyone he meets and everyone in our family, but he especially loves my husband. Every night when my husband comes home from work, he relaxes in the recliner to watch t.v. Brady knows that’s “daddy time” so he (all 65 lbs. of him!) crawls up onto my husband’s lap, and stretches out for an hour or two’s worth of snuggling. It is THE cutest thing I have ever seen.

Long story short, we’ve only owned two dogs during our twenty-year marriage; both dogs (Gus, whom we had to have put down in October due to age/illness–he was 14 yrs. old) and Brady were shelter dogs. Even though we’ve only owned the two dogs, I feel that shelter dogs are so loving and grateful to find their “forever home.” I’ve told everyone I know about the success we’ve had with shelter dogs, so hopefully, that will sink in with people.
-Rebecca, Todd & Jeremy

TAYLOR
There are so many things I could write to tell you how my shelter dog has changed my life, but it’s not an uncommon story… so just know that my rescue turned out to be the rescuer, as the saying goes. I just wanted to pass along a note of thanks for being at the right place at the right time for me to connect with my pup in 2007 when he was 1 or 2 years old. I lived in Reston, VA and attended the holiday adoption event at Reston Town Center and took Taylor home that afternoon, right after a pic with Santa. We moved to Texas this year but he’s adjusting well. I’ve attached an updated picture of him and I hope it makes you smile!

Moreover, I wanted to send an overall thanks for the tireless work that you all do for shelter animals!! I can’t imagine how many animals have passed through your doors since I adopted Taylor and it is both terribly heartbreaking and absolutely heartwarming.
-Gretchen

ROSIE & PETEY
I saw the picture of Bosworth 4 (now named Petey) on the HSHC website. He was scrawny, wet, and kind of funny looking – I had to come see what he really looked like. When I got there, he was really in need of a bath, so I cleaned him up, and even though he was still funny looking, I had to take pictures of him to show my husband. Even though we said no more cats (we already had 2), we just couldn’t stop looking at his picture. Needless to say, he came home with me the next day!

Our other HSHC adoptee, Rosie, tends to be a bit on the active side, and we were concerned about how she would handle a new addition, especially one so little (he was only 3 lbs); but it has been absolutely amazing! They have become like mother and son! They eat together, play together, sleep together, groom each other, and Rosie has taught him how to drink out of the sink! They are practically inseparable! As he’s grown, we’ve discovered that he is part Maine Coon! He is soft, furry, has a beautiful fluffy tail, and the loudest purr that starts the minute you touch him! He is absolutely adorable!! He has been a wonderful addition to our home and has made everyone happy!
-Arlene

JORDAN (Princess Piggy)
On September 3rd we adopted Jordan, an adorable, pocket sized (as we like to say) beagle. We kept her name, but we quickly nicknamed her Piggy, or Princess Piggy because of her snorting and snoring which makes her that much cuter. During the past couple months, Jordan has learned to tolerate her beagle brother, and she’s starting to realize that the parrot is her brother and not her next play toy. Jordan is a huge cuddle bug, and she loves to snuggle up under any blanket. Every new person that she meets is just another opportunity for her to give out her wet kisses, and she likes to howl with excitement when she’s getting the extra attention. Jordan has been such a wonderful addition to our feathered and furry family, and we’re so honored to be able to give her the happy life that she deserves.
-Chris & Kim

NELLIE
We adopted Jillian on September 25th! Jillian’s name is now Nellie, not that she responds too well since she is pretty deaf! But she’s been to the vet and had 5 teeth pulled and is now eating well and thriving. Her ear infection has totally cleared up, and she went with our other westie, Sophie, to Hilton Head last week on our vacation. She is full of energy (or at least as much as a 10-year plus dog can be), and demands equal attention as Sophie gets. Mostly she likes to sit on people’s laps and sleep. She also has now discovered the basket of dog toys and will help herself to one to toss around. It is wonderful to adopt older dogs and see them adapt readily!
-Hilary

ROXY
Hello, my name is Roxy. I’m a lab/border collie mix.  I was only 1 year and 3 months old when my furever family adopted me. I was known as Shannon aka Raven while at HSHC and I went through 3 families before my furever family found me.  I love to play fetch and tug-of-war. I also love cuddling with them. They bought me my own bed but I prefer theirs, I sleep with them every night.  I like to shove my way onto their laps when I want to be petted.  I’ve learned a lot of tricks like sit, stay, lay down, sit pretty, shake, high five, play dead, roll over, and spin.  We started on agility jumping and I like it a lot. I am a pampered pooch and I am a very good girl. I have a buddy named Gizmo, who is a cat my mom has had for 7 years. Gizmo was never around a dog until they got me, so we’re both still learning about each other.  I love my new home and I try to return the same amount of love they give me. I will turn 2 in January and I look forward to my first snow with my new family.
-Kira & Trevor

WILLOW
Hi, my name is Willow Marie Rose. Me and my sister Autumn were left abandoned at HSHC. I came in with quite a challenge. I had a 2.9 lb tumor attached to my right baby toe. I didn’t walk much, I never ran, I never fetched or played ball like the other dogs. I had a bad complex about myself. Whenever someone would talk to me, I would just look the other way because I was embarrassed by the way I looked. Immediately, the kind people at the shelter took me to the veterinarian where they operated and removed my tumor. It was a successful operation and my foot looks great even though I lost my baby toe. You can’t even tell it is gone. They did an amazing job making me look like all the other dogs.

I was sent to foster the day I came home from surgery. From the moment my foster mom saw me, she said it was love at first sight. She took me home every day and to work with her. She said I am the sweetest, most well behaved dog ever. I am so thankful for my new life. I now walk normally, I can run, I play ball, I chase my brother (Gunner, a 9 yr. old Golden Retriever) and most importantly I am proud of the way I look. I look at people now with pride when they talk to me. On 9/14/2011, the day I was released medically, my foster mom adopted me and is now my fur ever MOMMY! She says I am a perfect little lady and couldn’t imagine one day without me. My new family spoils me a lot because they said I deserve it! I am happy to report that my sister was adopted also. Please go to the shelter and give one of my friends there a new chance at life, just like I have
-Written by Vicki through the eyes and thoughts of Willow

MARISOL & CHESTNUT
I wanted to take a minute to let you know how happy Marisol is now. She was welcomed to our family just a few weeks ago and at first she had no idea what to do with the space and freedom, and now she is right at home! I took a chance 3 years ago adopting a stray dog named Chestnut. But I can’t believe anyone gave him up! He has been the best dog anyone has ever seen and just loves everyone. He is starting to get older and we wanted to get him a friend that he can play with so we decided to adopt again. Best idea ever! Marisol and Chestnut absolutely love each other and just have the greatest time all day running around the house with complete freedom. Nothing has made us happier than adopting another great dog from the Humane Society and giving them a chance at a great life. Thank you again for showing us Marisol. She has been a great addition to our family, and I hope more people realize the joys of owning a pet.  Thanks,
-Emily & Paul

LUIGI
Hi! My name is Luigi and I was adopted from the Humane Society of Harford County in March of 2009. When I moved into my new home not only did I get a whole new world to sniff and explore, but I also gained a big brother, Avalanche. He is a four year old Siberian Husky and I just love to chase him around our big backyard. I am very active outdoors and excel at fetching and swimming. I could doggie paddle all day long if they let me. But probably my most favorite activity of all is curling up with my owners. I am a true couch potato indoors and enjoy cuddling up after a tiring day of playing and getting a nice scratch on the head. I hope you will consider adopting one of my friends from the Humane Society. They deserve a life as sweet as mine.
-Shannon

CHER
We recently adopted a cat from the shelter and wanted to let you know how much joy she has brought to us in just a short period of time. The cat was named “Sharpie” and was a white, short hair female who had been at the shelter since June. My mother-in-law fell in love with her instantly and re-named her “Cher” as the shelter employees stated she was a stray brought in by animal control and was not attached to the name given to her by your staff. She has taken to her surroundings and her playfulness was evident immediately. She seems to really enjoy stretching her legs around the house and chasing after the cat nip mice in her toy basket.  Cher has decided sleeping on my mother-in-law’s bed is her place at night and they have an instant bond! Thank you for bringing them together!
-Bethney

CHARLIE
In 2003 I adopted a terrier mix shelter dog and named her Lucy. She was so loving and lovable, that my husband, Tim, decided to add another dog to our “pack” in 2005. He found a male blonde Corgi mix named Dixie on the HSHC website and it was truly love at first sight. We took our dog Lucy to the shelter to meet Dixie and we spent several hours there walking with Dixie and Lucy and finally letting them play together to make sure they could be friends. They were great together so we decided to adopt Dixie. The shelter staff told us he had been found in the woods and had been brought back twice by families because of aggression, but we saw no sign of that and were not deterred.

We renamed him Charlie and he soon showed himself to be intelligent and house trained. He walked beautifully on a leash and was not destructive. However we also soon saw the aggression and recognized it as fearful dominant behavior. We had made a commitment to this dog who had been through so much already so there was no talk of returning him. Instead, we researched the causes of aggression, how to stop it and ultimately came to the conclusion that Charlie needed rehabilitation, not training, as he was already well trained. We set about establishing ourselves as strong pack leaders and gave Charlie clear rules, boundaries and limitations. We corrected unwanted behavior but did not punish him. We exercised him regularly and only showed affection when he was in a balanced state of mind. We told friends and family about our strategy and asked for their help in slowly exposing Charlie to challenges that would show us as strong leaders, thereby giving Charlie opportunities to learn that he could be a secure follower.

It took some time and effort, there were ups and downs, but the rewards have been far greater than I ever expected. Charlie is now a secure, happy and friendly dog who loves to travel in our conversion van and is a faithful and devoted friend, especially to my husband who had neck surgery in 2009 and could not have had a better companion than Charlie during his 8 week recovery at home. But we got more than a wonderful dog – we had a chance to see what we could accomplish as a team with hard work, patience and perseverance. Through helping Charlie I found confidence and inner strength I did not know I had, and I am grateful that Charlie came into my life and helped me become a better person. Charlie brings joy to our lives every day and we and are so very glad we followed through on our commitment to this little guy who only needed proper leadership and guidance in order to become a faithful friend and treasured family member. Thank you HSHC for all you do for dogs like Charlie!
-Margaret Frazier

PATRICK
As a former long-time resident, Patrick first arrived at the Humane Society on February 16, 2010 as a stray estimated at about 8 1/2 years old. He was a sad sight – very skinny and depressed. During his more than 12 months at the shelter, he fattened up, met many new faces while going for daily walks, and was introduced to quite a few kennel mates. He watched day after day, month after month as younger dogs would come into the shelter and get adopted. But Patrick never gave up hope. Finally, a family recognized the kind, gentle, loving dog that HSHC staff had been privileged to get to know for so long. On February 25, 2011 Patrick finally found his forever home!
-Nicole

ZEUS
Hi, my name is Zeus (formerly “Strawberry”) and I was adopted from the Humane Society in July. I have been keeping very busy since my adoption between obedience school, trips to the dog park and playing with all my toys. I love to eat and I make a big mess all over the house when I drink my water. I can’t help it though…I’m just a puppy! I get to go to PetSmart a lot to pick out treats and toys and have even met some new friends there too! Mom says I remind her a lot of her previous German Shepherd, Jasmine, who passed away several months ago. My mom really misses Jasmine and tells me that she is my guardian angel. After I was adopted from the Humane Society, my family discovered I was very sick with pneumonia. I had to take lots of medicine but I am much better now!!! Please consider adopting one of my friends from the Humane Society…they deserve a great home too!
-Dana

ROXY
This is Roxy. My mom gave me a new name and I have no problem answering to it. It has been about 2 months since I’ve been in my new home, and I’m loving it!! My mom can’t tell me enough that she loves me and I love her! I am helping her take care of granddad, and he sneaks me some of his food. My new home could not be a better fit. I am sooo happy. I hope my friends at The Humane Society got a good home too. Got to go, have to get to granddad’s. Thanks for taking good care of me while I was at the shelter.
Love, Roxy

DAISY
We recently adopted CupCake, we changed her name to Daisy. She is learning to obey her big brothers, our other 2 dogs and she is learning to get along with our 3 cats. She loves laying on someone to take a nap – not sure how that is going to work out as she gets older, as she will end up being a pretty big dog. But she is enjoying it for now. Our two boys, age 7 and 9 love playing with her, taking her for walks and letting her sleep on them! She is great riding in the car too! We have worked with her on the food aggression issue and she is doing much better with that. She still has a lot of “puppy bites” which is to be expected, as she is still very young. But we are working with her and she is doing a great job learning! Thanks so much for saving so many animals!
-Christa

LEONIDAS
My family and I adopted Leonidas (formerly known as Spanky at the shelter) mid-June of this year. It’s been around two months and already Leo had made himself part of our family. Our home had felt very quiet after we had to put our 16-year-old sheltie Wishbone down, and the house was lonely and sad with the passing of my mother. I felt maybe another furry companion could raise the spirits of both myself and my brother and father. After a few weeks of looking, we finally chose the little black dog I had seen playing with another woman earlier in the week. Unfortunately, he was very sick when we brought him home, diagnosed with pnuemonia a day after we brought him from the shelter. Yet, I don’t ever regret for a moment choosing Leo, regardless of the costs and the worry. He has proven to be a very happy, friendly and affectionate dog. He was so very thin, but thankfully he’s gained weight, and he’s learning commands like ‘Sit’ and ‘Stay’! He’s doing much better on the leash, not tugging so much anymore, and he’s learning to like his crate for when no one is home. He loves to be pet and to just be around you, laying at your feet and going on walks. He likes to chew a lot, but we’re working on that. He likes to go explore, which can be a little bit of a problem when he’s not on his leash! But overall, he’s a good dog, and we’re looking forward to sharing our home with him.
-Courtney

ZEUS
We adopted Lightening on July 14, 2011 and have given him a new name of Zeus. He is a Boxer/American Bulldog that was brought into your shelter as a stray on June 30. I was a little leery about bringing him into our home since you did say he had a food aggression, he was not neutered and he was just so BIG, but my husband insisted! But he has turned out to be a wonderful addition to our family. The night my husband brought him home he jumped right into his truck and was very well behaved for the 45 minute ride home. He licked him and nibbled on his ear a few times during the ride but other than that was very good. He is now fine with food; however he eats like a horse! He’s already gained 5lbs since leaving the shelter. Zeus has very much made himself at home. If I am lying on the sofa watching TV he will jump on top of me and lick me and nibble at my nose (all 77lbs of him). Since having a good bath and putting on a few pounds, he looks much healthier. He listens to simple commands such as come, sit, look and lay. It’s a shame such a good dog was running stray. We will keep you up to date on Zeus. Thank you for all you do.
-The Kirkwood Family

FELICITY
I wanted to take some time out to tell you about Felicity’s happy tail. As you already may know, Felicity had been at the shelter for about a year and was definitely close with the staff, yet constantly being overlooked by families or those interested in adopting a dog. Even after being in foster home after foster home, Felicity still could not find a stable home. It was not until we lost our dog Bella aka Lucy Love that we had adopted from the shelter to Lymes disease that had us wanting to help another dog in need. We do not have children of our own and we are dog lovers by nature so we treat our dogs like they are our own children.

So after a long month of sadness from the loss of Bella, we were determined to find another addition to our happy home as well as another furry friend for our yellow lab, Chloe. We began searching the Web site religiously, searching for certain dogs that resembled Bella and that is when we came across Felicity’s picture and story. It brought tears to our eyes and immediately touched our hearts how she kept being overlooked due to her being deaf. We took this as a sign from Bella that she would want us to give Felicity a good home just like we had given her in the past. So we went up to meet Felicity the next business day and immediately fell in love.

Now, four months later, Felicity and Chloe play together, sleep together and are the best of friends. She has a warm bed to sleep in at night and gets treats, chewies and toys and is in her glory! She has made a wonderful addition to our family and we would not trade her in for anything in the world. We do not even see Felicity as having disadvantages or set backs from being deaf, and love her for who she is: a lovable, caring companion! Our lives would not be complete without the help of the Harford Shelter and their enthusiasm and support of Felicity having the chance of finding a good home. We are certain that Bella is looking down from doggie heaven and happy that another one of her friends at the shelter has been saved. XOXOXO

PS—Here is a picture of Felicity about to go down the slide at a park!
-The James Family

TIGER
In December 2010, after 3 months of visiting “Whistler,” a 2-year-old male orange tabby cat, my daughter Kelsey and I, who are volunteers, were totally in love. He was so calm and relaxed with us. He would stretch out in our arms like a baby and gently put his paws on our face. We adopted him and he immediately made himself at home and became best friends with our Golden retriever, Duke. He is now known as “Tiger” and has brought us a lot of love and happiness.
-Kristen

SAGE
I just wanted to let you know that I adopted this handsome boy from the Humane Society last week. He’s a 7-year-old black lab mix I’ve named Sage (formerly Bumblebee)—very sweet and affectionate but also a bit feisty. All is going well so far. I’m thrilled to have him and he and my older dog Jasmine are getting along well. The shelter staff were really great, in particular Ashley, who saw us through the whole adoption and got a vet’s approval for me to take him home while he finished his last little bit of kennel cough medicine (he was almost done and wasn’t coughing). A nice guy with long hair sat on the floor with Jasmine and he and Ashley both saw us off when everything was done. A couple other staff members came out and said nice things about Sage. It was a very pleasant experience. And the place looks really good – I was glad to see it.
-Nancy

LADY & BRUNO
I can’t believe it’s been two years already since we got Lady and Bruno!  Bruno (the doxie) hasn’t had a seizure since shortly after he was adopted. Although underweight when he was found, we have more than made up for it – he’s now a whopping 14lbs. He’s a little diva, enjoying belly rubs all day and my neighbor is absolutely in LOVE with him – she makes nightly visits with a little treat and some belly rubbing time.

Lady, our senior puppy, just had surgery this week. When we adopted her, she had a growth on her paw that the vet said was skin cancer. We left it alone, but recently it started growing and bleeding. Surgery was a huge risk, due to a significant heart murmur, but we felt we had no choice. Not only did she come through with flying colors, but we got her nasty teeth cleaned in the process!! She is recovering well; her bandage was changed today, and the vet tech reported that the wound is healing nicely. She is our protector, watching out the windows for intruders (when she’s not sleeping!) She is nothing but love, and I think is finally over her feeling of being abandoned again and trusting that this is her forever home!
-Mary

HEMI
We adopted Hemi (formerly Ike) on May 31, 2011. He is a wonderful dog. He loves to go on truck rides to Gunpowder Park and to Rita’s for some ice. He has adjusted very well in our household and is a wonderful addition. I would encourage anyone who is thinking about getting a dog to adopt one from the shelter, they really do make great pets. Hemi is going to be certified as a Pets on Wheels participant after we have him for six months (the required time you have to wait when getting a new pet). Everyone he has come into contact with loves him. He has an adorable under bite and you laugh every time he smiles at you. Thank you for such a wonderful addition to our family, we absolutely love Hemi!
-Patty

CHANCE
The Grove family drove here from Martinsburg, WV to adopt Chance, but arrived too late that day. The family had their hearts set on adopting him so they spent the night at a local Days Inn and returned the next morning at 11am sharp to claim Chance as their own. They ran to a local store and bought some necessary supplies for the night. It may not sound too hectic, but having three small children anywhere but home is very hectic, as any experienced parent would know. They had contacted several shelters about other dogs but had a difficult time getting a prompt response. HSHC was the first shelter to return their call and answer all of their questions. It was a rainy, muddy day when the family came to the shelter, but all the kids were troopers and everything went smooth and Chance found a fur-ever, loving home.

”We are doing well with Chance and making lots of progress with his manners and behavior. He is very goofy and fits right in with our children. We still have a few issues we are working on, but all in all he has come so far. His only real issue is he seems afraid that he is going to be left or when let outside for even a minute he comes rushing back in like he hasn’t seen you all day. He no longer runs off, he walks great on and off a lead, he can sit, lay, shake, heel, catch a Frisbee or any other item in the air. He loves long walks everyday in the woods and I have never seen a dog that can run so fast.

His best attribute, he is nine months old and he is so wonderful with the kids. After having the two labs that we did I never thought that we would find a dog as wonderful with children as they were, and he has managed to capture that same love and gentleness in his very short life so far. He gets so much love and affection and has become a part of the family very quickly.

A quick story about him: not too long ago our 3 year old was playing with the water hose and made mud, he loves water and mud. She and he got all muddy and then she opened the door and let him in. Our home looked like something out of a Beethoven movie… mud everywhere! lol”
-The Grove Family

GUNTHER
I can’t believe how fast 2 ½ years have gone by, and I also can’t remember what life was like before Gunther! At 7 years old, Gunther was already considered to be a senior dog when I met him. Actually, I was a little intimidated by him. He is a larger dog and I soon discovered that he would bark at me whenever he suspected I had a treat in my hand. I also soon discovered that he was very smart: he knew sit, lay down, give paw, and speak (my favorite)! I wasn’t looking for another dog, but there was just something about Gunth. So he met our other dog, Ginger, and things went pretty well. Before I knew it, Gunther was going home with my husband and I.

Things were not rosy in the beginning, and I feared that things might not work out. Gunther had a lot of issues to work through: a fear of being confined to his kennel and a BIG fear of being left alone. I talked to our vet and got moral support from friends and co-workers and together, Gunther and I found a treatment plan and his issues have all but disappeared. I guess if I had been abandoned at a trailer park and taken to the shelter where I lived for 2 months in confusion, I would have had separation anxiety too!

Over the 30 months or so that Gunther has been in my life, I have developed a deep bond with him. He has “senior” moments sometimes where his legs can’t do what his puppy mentality wants him to do. But he is a wonderful friend and companion who isn’t stingy with the sloppy doggy kisses and who never met a kid he didn’t like. He loves his squeaky toys, his soccer balls and the occasional giant rawhide bone.

Please consider adopting a senior dog. I have never for one moment regretted it. They may not have a dozen or more years with you, but it’s quality time over quantity of time. I take each and every day I have with Gunther as a gift. Thank you, HSHC, for taking such good care of my boy!
-Erin

GUS
My husband and I adopted Gus, previously named Harley, in March. A friend suggested we go check him out at the HSHC. His previous family had to surrender him because they couldn’t have pets where they were going to live. We had 2 Jack Russell Terriers that passed on in the last 2 years, and we were ready for a new canine family member. We went to visit with him, fell in love, and decided to adopt him. Gus is the sweetest boy! He’s been a great addition to our family. He loves to go on daily walks on the Ma and Pa trail, loves playing with his toys, enjoys a good snuggle, and has fun going on car trips to visit family. He is a friendly, happy boy, and has made a few doggie friends on our walks. We are so happy to have found Gus and to have him as part of our family.-Lauren

NICKY
My name is Nicky Truitt and I am a member of the HSHC “Alumni Association” – I lived at the shelter from December 7, 2003 until the date of my adoption, January 4th 2004. I was an “owner surrender.” My mom didn’t want me anymore. She said that I was jealous of the new human baby in the home so I wouldn’t use my litterbox. Well, that wasn’t really true. I was sick. I had Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. Anyway, at first the shelter was a scary place–loud, strange smells, so many other animals in the same situation as mine. Hours turned to days, which turned to weeks. I kept hoping that my human would change her mind and come back for me, realizing that my missing the litter box wasn’t intentional and that I just needed some medicine to get better. But she never came. I got depressed but the shelter staff never gave up on me–they dutifully took me to off site adoption events to try to get me noticed. I didn’t show well at off sites because I have severe motion sickness which caused me to vomit in my carrier whenever I ride in an automobile.

One day one of the shelter workers took a liking to me. He was looking for a male cat who wanted to be a lap cat. That’s me! I got adopted from HSHC on Sunday, January 4th. I left the shelter in style too….I broke out of my carrier on the ride home and sat in the huge rear window compartment of my dad’s Lincoln Town Car!

Life presents challenges for me for I am “Special Needs,” I have a myriad of health problems: feline megacolon, feline urinary tract disorder, corneal ulcers on my eyes…good thing my dad got me insurance and my own savings account! I am now 10 years old. The other day, my dad said to me: “Nicky, you and I have grown old together…where has the time gone?” Well, dad here’s your answer: in the last 7 and a half years, we have spent countless hours playing with my toys, snuggling under the covers, giving me my daily medication and prescription food, going to the vet (including MANY trips to the ER in the wee hours of the morning,) sweating out test results, going through two major surgeries that I’ve had. We have made a life together, you and I, one filled with love and laughter and joy. I found my place in this world. That, my dear friend, is where the time has gone.

Thanks to the Humane Society of Harford County. You guys are life savers! Love always,
-Nicky & David

JEMMA
We adopted “Gemma” in April of 2011. The name stuck, although we changed the spelling to “Jemma” to go with our cats, Jackson and Joppa who were adopted from Small Miracle Cat Rescue in 2007. My husband and I were looking for a medium to large sized older dog but our son quickly fell in love with one of the little chihuahua mix pups…we couldn’t resist the look on our little guy’s face and Miss Jemma’s puppy eyes and floppy ears. She has quickly proved that good things come in small packages. She is still a little shy but has very much come out of her shell. She is a spunky little thing who loves to carry her stuffed animal squeekys everywhere she goes. Her other favorite activity is playing with “her” cats. They spend hours every day chasing each other around the house in circles. They have formed their own little pack and it is so funny to watch a little dog be chased by two big cats. We are truly one happy family. Thank you HSHC!  This is a picture of Jemma at 8 months with her squeekys and her big brother Joppa nearby!
-Lauren

TERRA
I was in the market for a dog (for my birthday gift last year) and wanted to adopt (no breeders for me)! Once I started looking and saw how many pit bulls there are in the shelters in my area, it broke my heart and I was determined that I would only adopt a pitty. If I can save even one’s life, it’s a start! I ended up meeting Terra (formally Trista) purely by accident, and it was love at first sight! We had gone to HSHC to look at another dog that we saw on their website, but when we arrived she was already in the process of being adopted by a loving family. Another woman had Terra out looking at her, and as soon as I laid eyes on her, I knew she was my dog…

Luckily for me, the woman was not as convinced. We played with Terra for a while, but my boyfriend wanted to check other shelters first because Terra was only 9-months-old at the time, and we had discussed getting an older dog. I knew I wasn’t gonna budge on Terra though, so we put a hold on her and looked at a few other shelters the following day. About 5 hours later, we were back at HSHC, loading Terra up in the truck, and it was the best decision we’ve ever made. She is so loving and every time we walk in the door, she seems happier to see us than the time before. She is a perfect fit in our house, and my best friend.
-Erin

JAKE
Approximately one year ago we saw Jake on the website. He was named Carlton. We fell in love and waited until the day he was available to try and adopt him. My boys had visited him as well as my husband and he was just the cutest thing ever. When we arrived, he had a few other interested families and just our luck, we were granted the chance to adopt Jake! When we got him home, he just fit right in. Being a puppy, we were blessed that he was crate trained/potty trained and knew how to sit! He has been the best gift for our boys, 6 and 10, and such a loving, relaxed dog that we couldn’t ask for anything more. He loves to be with us from the morning to the evening and now sleeps on the floor in our bedrooms and doesn’t get up until we do! Our boys love to play with him, he loves to run and has finally started understanding “give” when returning a toy we throw to him! Jake rides in the car with us, loves to bark at anyone that walks by but then wags his tail and becomes their friend. Jake is a wonderful addition to our family! We love him to pieces!
-Cheryl

KALI
My name is Kali. I am part Pit Bull, part Weimaraner and purebred Princess! I was adopted in September 2009 from the Harford County Humane Society. For my brief time at the shelter, I was called Precious Puppy, but my new parents decided to name me Kali. I personally thought the other name fit me better, but I just went along with Kali to make my new parents happy. I sure am glad I did, too! They have taught me so many cool tricks! You can see for yourself if you check out my video page on my very own website: http://prettypittieprincess.weebly.com/! Anyway, I soon passed my Canine Good Citizen test (on my first try!) and will begin life as a therapy dog, visiting nursing homes very soon. I can’t wait to meet all the new people! I heart people! Oh, I heart doggies too! I heart everyone! Thanks for stopping by and come back soon to check out updates!
-Kali

SASHA
Last Saturday, 5/22/11, I adopted Sasha the Husky. Sasha is adjusting very well. She loves playing with Ackilles the German Shepherd (our other dog). Sasha is going through some training right now to learn to sit and basic commands. She is very well behaved and just has an all around great personality. My wish is that all the animals could find such a loving home. Some people believe that shelter dogs do not make good pets and they need to know that is NOT true. Thanks for a great pet. This is a picture of Sasha and her new doggie companion. She wears him out by playing so that at night he is not whining for us to play with him, which is great for us. They have plenty of running time and walking every day. We were hesitant about taking another dog but we knew Ackilles needed a companion to play with and it has worked out great.
-Glenda

This is Babie (formerly “Spring”) in her new furever home.  She loves the tub!