Success Stories Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation

Mr. Tibbs – From Lost to Forever Home

Mr. Tibbs, a miniature Schnauzer/miniature poodle mix, was picked up by one of the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) field officers after a Good Samaritan reported finding him abandoned in an apartment lobby. At intake he was so matted from nose to tail that he could not stand or walk well on his own, and he was dirty and soaked in his own urine. (Note: attached is a video of how he looked when he arrived in our care.)

Video: clip of him matted & trembling on the exam table:

Once in the care of SAS, he was evaluated by a veterinarian, then clipped, bathed, and groomed. Once the mats were removed, SAS could see that he was thin and had some muscle weakness from being so matted and not being able to stand and move. He spent time in staff offices initially and quickly became a staff favorite…and he loved them as much as they loved him.

After a short time in their care and after having his medical and grooming needs met, Mr. Tibbs blossomed into the sweetest dog! He quickly gained strength and was soon running, jumping, and playing. He then went to foster care with one of their awesome volunteers.

Notes from Mr. Tibbs’ foster family:

Mr. Tibbs was easier than most of the other dogs my husband and I have fostered. It was surprising given his history that he still had so much love to give. He was really sweet and cuddly, loved his walks and his food and treats.

Mr. Tibbs enjoying his first “pup cup” treat in foster care

Mr. Tibbs had a tendency to pee out of excitement and he didn’t seem to be potty trained. It can be frustrating when that happens but it’s something we expected to get better once he was fixed. I took him out several times a day to get him started on house training. He was also an attention seeker, probably because of his fear of being left alone. I sometimes had to do my office work with him napping on my lap.

I was told he resource-guarded food so I worked on training him to sit calmly at a distance while I put his food down. He seemed to learn that pretty quickly and I never saw any resource-guarding. While he did have separation anxiety, he was comfortable if left in his crate; that was his safe space. He also slept through the night in his crate which he loved. I highly recommend crate training for dogs.

I personally felt that he was very happy in foster care. I never saw any aggression towards me or my husband. His real fun personality came out which is always wonderful to see. It was very noticeable that he’s a smart dog and will respond positively to training if given proper resources. He loved his people and said hi to all dog friends on the walk. He even started playing with toys which was a good sign to me. Given proper care and routine, I could see that Mr. Tibbs was the perfect dog for anybody who’s willing to commit.

Mr. Tibbs has since been adopted by an amazing family who loves and cherishes him. They say that he is a “happy hiker and a big snuggle bug.” His favorite place is on the couch, and they’re considering another dog as a friend for him when he is ready. Cheers to Mr. Tibbs, the SAS team of staff and volunteers who had the honor of being part of his journey, and to the family that he now calls his own.

The Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF) is proud to support animals like Mr. Tibbs so that he and every other animal in need has the opportunity to be nourished back to health and well taken care of till they find their forever family. This financial support includes veterinary care, foster care support, and behavior support. Thanks to generous donations, SASF is able to give that support to SAS, helping give animals like Mr. Tibbs a second chance at a happy ending.

Styx makes a stunning comeback!

Posted on Dec 19Dec 19 by Tom

When you hear of a dog named Styx, you might assume he’s called after the infamous river of Greek mythology. Or you may remember the rock band, with cigarette lighters waving in the dark of a packed auditorium. But Styx came by his name organically. It was born out of affection and a wry sense of humor.

Styx will soon be able to chase squirrels and balls again. He’ll be freed from the wrappings and orthotics encasing his front legs these last several months. His foster mom marvels at how resilient he’s been through it all.

We don’t know how Styx was injured. In his foster family’s Instagram feed, he jokes that he jumped from a cruise ship. Probably not. Styx was found in a ditch by the side of a road, unable to walk or pull himself out. Someone had cared for this handsome young pitbull mix, though: he wore an expensive halter designed for dogs with pelvis issues. He was otherwise in good condition and was calm and trusting when approached by the good samaritan who came to his aid.

Upon examination at Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS), there were no outward signs of injury. A visit to a vet and imaging, however, revealed that Styx’s carpal joints (wrists) were hyperextended, and the tendons torn and bruised. It’s suspected that Styx jumped or fell from a great height. He’d need surgery and months of rehab, but it was highly likely that the dog—not yet two years old—would make a full recovery. That’s when the SAS Foundation stepped in to cover the cost.

SAS placed Styx with a very dedicated, experienced foster parent who happens to manage a vet clinic. She’d like everyone to know this: not only is Styx’s recovery going “perfectly,” he’s also a very good boy.

At first, the splints were uncomfortable and rubbed sores. At that point, Styx didn’t want to walk much and wasn’t interested in interacting with the humans or dogs around him. That changed when he was fitted with custom splints made by Pawopedic, paid for by the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF). It’s amazing how quickly he adapted to walking on his “sticks,” says his foster mom, who’s lovingly documented his progress and playful nature on Instagram. Though his wrappings still had to be changed every 5-7 days, Styx was patient and cooperative. When it came to hour-long foot soaks, Styx just laid down and relaxed.

He had surgery on his left front leg to fuse the joint three months and it’s healing nicely. He’ll have his right leg done later this month. Fingers crossed, Styx should be able to shake off his braces at the end of his treatment in another 5 months or so. Then he’ll be able to hike, jump and play like the healthy 2 year old he is.

His idea of a perfect day? Styx likes to sleep in a little and then, after breakfast, take a nice little walk followed by a soothing belly rub. He’s obsessed with his Chuckit! Ball and carries it around, chewing on it, perhaps dreaming of the day soon coming that he’ll be able to chase it at full throttle. Yet he’s a couch dog, too, and sometimes a lap dog. And he enjoys following his person around. He is a gentle soul who seems to go with the flow.

Styx comes when called and “sat” well on command when he first came to his foster family. He picked up “lay down” quickly and is now learning to “spin.” He does bark when people come to the door but once they enter the house, he’s “all over them” in a friendly way. A big, enthusiastic dog, he’ll likely need more leash training once he shucks his splints. He’s great in the car, gets along with other dogs in the home, and hasn’t shown separation anxiety. He’s not sound reactive: he even took Fourth of July in stride.

When pressed about any behavior challenges, Styx’s foster mom had to think hard. This is what she finally came up with: He’s freaked out by helmets and cowboy hats. But baseball caps are ok (maybe it’s because he heard the Mariners did so well last season? Baseballs remind him of his favorite chuck it ball?).

His most endearing quality? His foster mom just can’t get over how resilient and how patient Styx has been throughout his treatment and months of rehab. She also loves his funny voice. He’s very talkative, she says, especially if bored or if his ball rolls under the sofa.

Styx is her 27^th foster and she says he’s one of the easiest dogs she’s every had. “I just don’t understand why he’s not adopted yet,” she says. “He deserves a nice, stable home.” Now, he has one!

Great news! Styx has found his forever home! If you are interested in meeting other currently adoptable animals, visit the Seattle Animal Shelter adoption portal. To help animals in need like Styx, please consider making a valuable donation to the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation

From abundant adventures to sidelined by surgery and back again

Posted on Sep 19Nov 8 by Tom

Ra is still available for adoption! If you are interested in meeting him or other currently adoptable animals, visit the Seattle Animal Shelter adoption portal. To help animals in need like Ra, please consider making a valuable donation to the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation.

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If there’s something that can dim Ra’s adorable smile, this sweet bully boy hasn’t come across it yet. And considering the challenges he’s faced, that’s saying a lot.

Ra’s journey to finding his forever family has been a bit bumpy. The Seattle Animal Shelter was Ra’s home when he was a puppy, and again at 3 years old after an owner surrender. And unfortunately, another challenge was coming his way.

In March 2022, Ra needed a break from shelter life. For some dogs, the noise and activity can be mentally taxing, and Ra was thriving less over time. SAS put out a call for foster homes for some of their animals, and Devin Reynolds and Kelly Knickerbocker of Seattle were in the perfect position to help.

The two had just said goodbye to their second dog in four years (both pit bulls, Diego and Jersey), and they missed the daily presence but weren’t fully ready to recommit. “Because we knew fostering would be temporary, we thought, we can help in this way, we can provide a dog with support and love while they are looking for a forever family,” Kelly said. They met a couple of pups but Ra was the standout. 

“When we took him out for a little walk he had the ear-to-ear bully breed smile, something we fall for 100 percent of the time,” Kelly said. “He was so happy to be out and about. We thought he could benefit from being outside of the shelter.”

So off he went, to a home full of physical and mental stimulation, which is just what he needed. Right off the bat, he was “a little adventure guy,” going on three-mile-long runs with Devin, where he picked up directionality easily, and car trips, but also loving sunning in a grassy patch in the yard. 

“He’s so amped on life,” Kelly said. “He is as excited to wake up as he is about ending the day.”

But then, he started showing signs that something was definitely not right.

“It turned out he had a piece of rubber Kong in his intestine,” Devin said. “We kept noticing runny stool, and we figured he was anxious from all the change in his life. We added some pumpkin to his food to (help), that seemed to trigger vomiting and diarrhea. We had to take him to Animal Medical Center for evaluation.”

They took Ra in on a Wednesday and were sent home with some instructions to try to fix him up, but by Friday it was worse. They took Ra back and when the clinic did an ultrasound, they found the obstruction.

The doctor advised that Ra needed immediate surgery. Though it was an expensive treatment with a long recovery time, there was no other option in the minds of Devin and Kelly and Seattle Animal Shelter.

“We felt very supported and were so grateful to have access to the SASF support during Ra’s time of need,” Kelly said. “It made a huge difference in Ra’s life, and probably saved it.”

Ra needed two weeks of home care and bed rest after his surgery, something Devin, a former vet tech, and Kelly were serendipitously prepared for. They had spent months caring for Jersey (their pet who died in February 2022) when she was sick with cancer, and were well-versed in how to support Ra. While they had come into fostering with the expectation they wouldn’t be back in this situation so soon, they found a silver lining.

“It wasn’t what we were signing up for, but it gave us an opportunity to bond with Ra. It engendered more trust,” Kelly said.

As Ra recovered, they started helping him get out some energy by doing “nose work” with him by scattering kibble around, and found he responded very well to it. They got him a fun activity mat to encourage even more mental engagement.

And it wasn’t long before Ra started making his way back to his old playful self. 

“If you didn’t know (he’d had surgery), you wouldn’t know,” Devin said. “He’s doing zoomies around the back yard.” 

Ultimately, Devin and Kelly just want this wonderful boy to be able to fulfill his potential by finding the perfect person or family.

“He has amazing potential to be a wonderful family member,” Kelly said. “The support we got allows him to ultimately make it to the place where he is with the forever people who he deserves. It would not have been possible if he hadn’t made it through that traumatic experience.”

Thankfully, Ra won’t ever have to worry about that.

From Helpless to Happy: How Rue Found Her Courage

Posted on May 11May 11 by Leah Traxel

When Rue came to the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) in October 2021, she could barely look at anyone. For weeks, the four-year-old American pitbull terrier mix remained curled up in the corner, averting eye contact, and avoiding all human interactions. The more staff and volunteers tried to engage with her, the tighter she curled up against the wall, even staying in that position overnight.

One of the shelter’s more difficult cases, Rue was rescued by the Seattle Police Department from a hotel room, where she was found penned in her own waste alongside several other dogs. Her companions were covered in scars consistent with dog fighting. While SAS’s medical examination showed Rue to be physically well, her emotional scars ran deep.

Rue scared — Shortly after arriving to SAS, Rue curled up in fear.

“If you looked at her, moved towards her—even to just place a food bowl down—she would curl up tighter or push herself even further against the wall,” said SAS’s lead behaviorist Kimberlee Spicer. “We would attempt to take her out on walks, but she did not want to move. If we needed to get her out to clean her kennel, she would walk with a tense body—tail tucked, ears back, closed tight mouth, and pupils dilated.”

Kimberlee explained that Rue was exhibiting behaviors consistent with a condition known as learned helplessness, which can develop when a dog is repeatedly frightened or abused and learns to shut down, believing they have no control.

SAS’s behavior team immediately stepped in to help, starting by moving Rue out of her kennel and into a quieter shared office space. Typically, a behavior training session consists of walks, treats, and lively positive reinforcement. For Rue, the trainer would come into the office, sit down at a comfortable distance, read to her for several minutes, drop a tasty treat on the floor, and then slip back out.

Rue and Kimberlee at the shelter — Kimberlee sits with Rue in a non-threatening manner.

Progress was slow and steady. Rue would not eat in front of anyone (a significant show of trust for a dog) or move from her corner, even to go to the bathroom. But around a month into the behavior program after constant and consistent support, Rue began improving, moving about the office space, taking a treat from an outstretched palm, and allowing the staff and volunteers to take her on brief walks around the parking lot.

Rue dog getting pets — After a brief walk with Kimberlee, Rue allows a shelter volunteer to pet her.

Finally, Rue was taken in by an amazing foster family. Her foster parents, Krista and Andrew, were endlessly patient with her, allowing her the time, space, and praise to learn to be a normal dog again. They worked with Rue on house training, leash training, being around people, exploring the yard. They also exposed her to different people and rooms in the home, sounds and textures.

Rue especially benefited from being around her foster brothers and sisters. While she was hesitant to seek out interactions with them, she was observant, watching how the other dogs behaved and slowly mirroring their behaviors.

Rue takes cues on how to relax from watching other dogs.

After two and a half months in foster, Rue was adopted on February 9, 2022. Some animals will backtrack when they are adopted, but Rue leaped forward. Less than a week after her adoption, she was eating in the kitchen (not in her crate), sleeping on a dog bed in an open room, and spending time with her new family in the open living spaces. Like her namesake, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, she was courageous.

Her new favorite activities are performing zoomies and leaping over the small stream in her backyard; taking car rides with her little head out the back window; and eating vanilla ice cream from Salt & Straw with her big brother, Spike, another SAS rescue.

“Our goal was to get Rue’s little tail to wag, even just once, by her 1-year ‘Gotcha Day’ (adoption) anniversary,” said Shannon Ryan, her adoptive mom. “I am happy to report that Rue’s little tail now wags daily, and it makes my heart so happy every time I see it.”

Successes like this would not be possible without the continued generosity of SASF donors, who provide support for programs such as dog behavior training and the vet clinic. If you are interested in supporting the important work SAS does in getting animals to their forever homes, consider joining the annual Furry 5K. Held at Seward Park on June 12, 2022, the proceeds from this fun walk/run go directly to the Help the Animals Fund at the Seattle Animal Shelter, which supports medical care for pets in need.

Rue dog snuggles — Roo is comfortable in her forever home and loves snuggling with her new mom.

We Weren’t Looking for a New Cat

Posted on Apr 28Apr 29 by Scott Marlow

Originally posted 4/29/20

The Seattle Animal Shelter has been making a difference in the lives of pets and pet owners for nearly 50 years. Irina Mueller, SAS volunteer and cat mom, shares how SAS helped her find a best friend for life.

“We lost our previous cat in August 2017. It was devastating. We weren’t looking for a new cat. We even moved into a new apartment with a “no pet” clause. I started volunteering at the Seattle Animal Shelter in the fall of 2018. Oliver, a handsome tabby originally called Cheezy, came to the shelter in early March 2019.

Oliver was recently diagnosed with diabetes, and unfortunately his previous owner could not afford to take care of him. At the shelter, he received the treatment needed to control his diabetes by taking insulin twice a day. We were so happy to see the shelter give him the care he needed. Having a cat on insulin is an extra monthly expense, and the shelter was able to give him the very best treatment regardless of cost, thanks to donations from the Seattle community.

Despite his medical needs, Oliver was such an affectionate cat. I would sit on the floor and he would climb into my lap, purr, put his head in my hand and nap. He quickly became my favorite cat. I could not stop talking about him. I even got special permission from our landlord to have a cat! Then I talked my husband into meeting him.

We brought Oliver home in early April 2019. As advised, we kept Oliver confined to one room to allow him to adapt to his new surroundings – for about a night. He could hear us from “his” room and was not happy being by himself. He owned the apartment within 24 hours. Our adjustment period was significantly longer than his; we never had a cat with medical needs before. The veterinarian on duty showed us how to give Oliver his insulin shots and check his blood glucose levels. It took a while, but we figured it out -it was well worth it to have Oliver in our lives.

What seemed daunting in the beginning is now routine. We had to adjust our lifestyle of being home every 12 hours to give Oliver his insulin, and my work-life balance greatly improved. All the adjustments have been worth it. Oliver has been part of our family for about a year now, is much loved, and is spoiled rotten. He is still a total snuggle bug, an excellent biscuit maker and has the loudest purr (some drooling included). He loves being around people. The lap is still his favorite place, and he can stay there for hours. Now that he’s a senior cat, he also enjoys sleeping in the sun in our tiny, escape-proof and safe yard.

I am thankful that the Seattle Animal Shelter gives animals like Oliver a chance to find forever homes and live happy (and hopefully) healthy lives. Oliver taught me that he is more than an “older cat with medical needs” – I just had to look past the label. I am glad I did, because I cannot image him not being a part of my life and our family.”

To help pets like Oliver get the love and care they need, donate to the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation. 100% of donations help pets, like Oliver, get the care they need while waiting for their forever homes.

Mario – a SAS Behavior Program Success

Posted on Oct 21Jan 17 by Scott Marlow

You may recognize Mario the dog from Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation’s (SASF) Furry 5K event promotion back in the summer. Mario was featured as one of the adoptable dogs during Furry 5K and received many sponsorships to participate in the fun run/walk. Before he was the star of the annual 5k, he was working closely with Seattle Animal Shelter’s (SAS) animal behaviorist, Kimberlee Spicer, to address his behavioral issues.

Mario – Furry 5K star

Mario was brought to SAS in late November 2020 and stayed at the shelter for seven months before being adopted in June 2021. During Mario’s time at SAS, Kimberlee and the dog behavior team (DBT) worked with him almost every day (sometimes even twice a day!) to address some of his behavioral issues. Mario was wary of strangers and would occasionally display reactivity to strangers while out on walks. He would also play tug with his leash and jump on his handlers while mouthing their arms and hands.

In addition to these behavioral tendencies, Mario would often try to eat non-food items such as dog toys. He had two foreign body removal surgeries during his time at SAS. After his second foreign body removal surgery, SAS veterinarians deemed him unfit to be left alone with any bedding or toys unsupervised – since that risked him eating something and requiring another surgery.

Thanks to the dedication and time of Kimberlee and the DBT, they were able to address many of these issues — and got creative with solutions. These solutions included:

Mario ready for a walk with his two toys for the road

— Providing Mario with a double kennel with only a durable bed. Over the months, Kimberlee and the DBT would slowly introduce hard, durable Nylabone-type toys that he could have in his kennel.

— Getting creative with kennel enrichment. Kimberlee would freeze his meals in large containers so that his kibble and wet food would become a large ice cube. Mario was also provided with regular ice cubes and music.

— Taking a plushy toy on walks. With his mouth occupied, Mario was less likely to tug on his leash or mouth his handlers. Sometimes he’d even carry two or three toys in his mouth!

— Spending office time with Kimberlee.

— Training on specific things, like introductions to strangers, four on the floor, crate training, pattern games, and walking on a leash without tugging or mouthing.

Spending some at home time with Kimberlee

There was a point during his stay when Kimberlee and her team wanted to see how Mario would do in a home. Since he was brought in as a stray, there was no home history available for him. “I ended up doing field trips with Mario in his last couple of months at the shelter to my house,” shares Kimberlee. “On days that my son was in school and husband was at work, I brought him to my house once a week for four hours. He got to play in the yard, hang out on the deck or couch, do some enrichment and go for neighborhood walks. He was a gem, and we didn’t see any of the wanting to eat non-food items in my home.” Shortly after that, Mario was able to go to a foster home for a couple weeks so the team could learn even more about him.

On June 12, 2021, Mario was adopted. The happy ending to his journey through SAS would not have been possible without the nearly 300 sessions with Kimberlee and nearly 80 training sessions with the DBT volunteers. It also would not have been possible without the support of SASF’s loyal donors who provide support for programs such as the DBT and staff like Kimberlee.

“Mario was a complete goof ball at heart and bonds strongly with his people. He has SO many amazing qualities. He, like a lot of our behavior dogs, may not have had such a happy ending if it weren’t for the donors that support my position and the entire behavior program! It is them that I say thank you to for giving me the opportunity to work with Mario.”

-Kimberlee Spicer

If you are interested in supporting success stories like Mario’s, consider donating to the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation.

Getting Ziggy the Care he Needed

Posted on Oct 4Jan 17 by Scott Marlow

Often times, critters that come into the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) require much-needed medical care and attention. Thankfully, Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF)-funded programs, like the SAS vet clinic, provide this much-needed care.

Ziggy, a little albino hedgehog, received the nourishment and care he needed at the vet clinic after being rescued from a deplorable hoarding situation. Ziggy eventually won over the heart of a SAS critter volunteer, Jenny S., who adopted him, and their story was featured in SASF’s 2019 Annual Report. An excerpt of the story is included below.

Ziggy’s journey starts with a common occurrence for a lot of the animals who find themselves at the Seattle Animal Shelter. He was one of many animals rescued by SAS animal care officers from a deplorable hoarding situation. There were so many animals of different species that were found starving, in dire condition, and needing immediate medical attention.

Luckily, Ziggy was able to be fostered by one of SAS animal care officers who took great care to bring him back to health. He was traumatized, would not trust anyone, and would only come out from hiding to eat and drink a little water. With the help of the SASF-funded vet clinic at the shelter, Ziggy’s needs were completely taken care of so that his recovery was guaranteed.

Jenny S. had been a critter volunteer for almost three years when Ziggy arrived on the scene. She remembers being so taken by him that she instantly fell in love. He was so sweet and was such a trooper. She remembers looking forward to seeing him on her days as a critter volunteer and decided to adopt him when she realized how much she would miss him if he were not part of her life.

Every night, Jenny sat on the couch and gently petted him while he burrowed into a blanket or a sleeve of her sweater. Because he needed a lot of socialization and bonding, Jenny found this the best way to ease his concerns and give him confidence in his new surroundings. She found that Ziggy felt cared for and nurtured when allowed to nestle and cuddle on her lap. And now, Ziggy and Jenny’s three dogs like to cuddle up and be with him while he burrows under their blankets. The dogs are very careful with him and appreciate his need for solitude and his night-time rituals. But they love nothing more than to greet him in the mornings with nose sniffs and kisses.

I can’t get over how much of a trooper he is and how loving he is. He doesn’t mind being picked up, doesn’t chew or nibble, and for a hedgehog is very sociable. I just love him. He is so special.

To read more about Ziggy’s journey, explore the SASF 2019 Annual Report.

Consider supporting valuable SAS programs like the vet clinic by donating to the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation.

A Happy Ending for Oliver

Posted on Oct 4Jan 17 by Scott Marlow

Oliver is one of many animals that received loving care from Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) in 2019. This care included a loving foster home, behavior training by SAS Animal Behaviorists, and continued training and love in his forever home, which ultimately transformed him from a starved 18-pound puppy to a now 53-pound dog.

Oliver’s story was featured in the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation’s (SASF) 2019 Annual Report. Read more about Oliver’s journey below.

Oliver came to Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) at the very end of June 2019. A Good Samaritan had brought in Oliver, a skin-and-bones pitbull puppy, to a local vet before he was transferred to SAS. When Animal Control Supervisor Brandi Homeier laid eyes on Oliver, who needed a foster home, she eagerly signed up. “When we first brought him home, he was scared, apprehensive, and would completely shut down. He’d often try to hide behind something when someone approached him.”

Eventually, after some time of respecting Oliver’s reservations, he warmed up to Brandi and her husband. “While still scared of strangers and other people, Oliver became more open as we introduced him to our own dogs at home. He became bolder as time went on and wanted to play more with other dogs,” describes Brandi.

While Oliver grew more comfortable in his foster home with Brandi and her dogs, he still remained uncertain and scared around other people. “I would bring him into the office with me and he was still one of the shyest dogs around people.”

To help overcome this apprehensiveness, Oliver worked with the SAS Behavior Modification team when he spent time in Brandi’s office. “I think one of the things that helped Oliver come out of his shell with other people was the way the behavior team worked with him. They respected his boundaries and allowed him to make the first moves.” By building this foundation of trust, Oliver made progress by becoming more comfortable around other humans.

Bryanna and Dylan Bowles, Oliver’s forever parents, used the same trust-building tactic when first introducing him into their home after six months in foster with Brandi. “We gave him room to make choices on his own terms and honored them through positive reinforcement,” says Bryanna. While he still acts a little unsure around other people, Oliver has shown greater curiosity in getting to know others. “The day we met Oliver at SAS, he looked at my husband and I like we were crazy people,” says Bryanna of their first encounter. Now when spending time with other people, such as Bryanna’s family, Oliver has slowly learned that although these individuals are not in his space every single day, they aren’t going to hurt him. Oliver has grown from an apprehensive pup to a more open and trusting animal around humans.

Oliver is the strongest little fighter and lover we’ve ever met. His story and triumph are what made us fall in love with him at SAS. He deserves so much happiness, and we wanted to be the people that showed him patient, loving, and good people exist, just for him. Thank you to Seattle Animal Shelter and the Foundation for their support of Oliver during his foster care and his behavior training. Saving one dog may not change the world, but surely for that one dog, their world will change forever. We hope Oliver loves his world with us.

To read more stories like Oliver’s, explore the SASF 2019 Annual Report. If you are interested in supporting the important work SAS does in getting animals to their forever homes, consider a donation to the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation.

Looking Out for Mimi

Posted on Sep 11Jan 17 by Scott Marlow

It’s been a long journey for Mimi, but this once reactive pup is now in her forever home. Mimi first came to Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) in 2018 when she was surrendered due to reactivity towards other dogs. Mimi would often lunge, bark, tremble, and growl at the sight of other dogs. Laura, a foster program volunteer, took Mimi in and, with the help of the animal behavior team at SAS, worked on her reactivity towards other dogs.

Mimi went through a few adoptions, but unfortunately, things never seemed to work out. Laura continued to work with Mimi for almost two years to address her fear-related issues. When the new Animal Behaviorist Lead Kimberlee Spicer joined SAS, she worked with Laura, digging deeper into the behavioral issues. Mimi would work directly with Laura two to three times a day and with Kimberlee once every other week. With the support of Kimberlee, Laura trained Mimi to look at her and away from other dogs using a “stunt dog” while on walks. Tactics like this helped Mimi reduce her level of reactivity, decrease her “bubble” to 10-15 feet (distance at which she would react), and recover from a reaction much faster. Kimberlee also assisted Laura in changing Mimi’s emotions towards other dogs by creating positive associations. Through these strategic training sessions, Mimi’s behavior improved drastically.

After working with Laura and Mimi closely, Kimberlee knew it was important to find the right adopters. Mimi’s adopters would need to understand her behavior issues and work to make her feel comfortable in her forever home. To do this, Kimberlee prescreened all potential adopter applications. In about a month, she was able to find the right home for her with Brad. Both Laura and Kimberlee offered support to Brad post-adoption so that he could continue working with Mimi on her reactivity. Kimberlee went with Brad to the store to find items to set up her new home and went on a walk with both Brad and Mimi so that Brad could see what would be required for walks with her.

“I’m on the lookout for squirrels, cats, and such on our walks. I’ve found the best walk routes to avoid other dogs,” shares Brad. While Mimi requires a quieter walking route, Brad doesn’t mind. “It’s worth the tradeoff; we fit well together.”

Although Mimi may be excitable and anxious on walks and a leash, Brad shares that she is chill and relaxed at home and around other people. “She is on my couch and lap 24/7. The silliest thing she does is trade me her toys for treats. She’ll bring them to me when I get home. Otherwise, she never plays with them.” Laura fondly remembers Mimi’s sweet personality and silly toy trading routine, as well. “She was so sweet. Very polite, always asked to get up with you, loved to snuggle/cuddle on the couch or in bed.”

Will trade toys for treats!

When asked what made Mimi “the one,” Brad shares, “I needed her, and she needed me. There were several dogs I looked at when I wanted to adopt and she was the first… and there was just something about her. All she needed was love.” Thanks to Brad’s love, and the help and support provided by Laura, Kimberlee, and the Animal Behavior team, Mimi is happy in her forever home after two years of hard work and searching.

To support the important and valuable programs Seattle Animal Shelter runs, like the Behavior Modification program, consider donating to the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation.

Molly – A SAS Behavior Program Success Story

Posted on Aug 3Jan 17 by Scott Marlow

Before Molly was adopted, she had to overcome some big behavioral obstacles. Molly had taken to becoming very aggressive when guarding her resources, especially when items were taken away from her. Molly’s first owner also noted that she would become aggressive and bite when a harness and leash was put on her. Due to the owner’s travels, age and own health issues, she decided to surrender Molly to a local rescue in Washington. Molly was later adopted, and her new family was given strict guidelines regarding her biting history. The rescue required her adopters to conduct training to address her behavioral issues while in their care.

Unfortunately, after about a month, Molly was surrendered to the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS). Molly was surrendered to SAS on January 12, 2020, but because she did not exhibit any behavioral issues or aggression while at the shelter, she was made available for adoption on January 14. Molly was returned to SAS on January 19, 2020 after the behavioral issues and biting resurfaced.

This is when SAS Animal Behaviorist Lead Kimberlee Spicer stepped in. Spicer gathered as much information as she could on Molly to formulate a plan that would work to help Molly address these issues in the long run. During her research and digging, Spicer learned that Molly’s first adoptive family hired a trainer that utilized adverse training methods, which did not suit Molly’s needs. Instead, Kimberlee outlined a plan for a foster parent who agreed to foster Molly and use positive association training and desensitization of resources (like food and toys) with her. Spicer’s training plan (a seven-phase approach) ultimately made Molly comfortable around her resources by rewarding her with higher value items (like cheese) and giving Molly the space she needed. Kimberlee noted after reading up on Molly’s history that she exhibited high anxiety when being forced to do certain tasks, like going on walks. Spicer stressed the importance of allowing Molly to slowly build up to more activity as she became more comfortable.

“Molly’s resource guarding is her way of showing stress and anxiety,” said Molly’s foster parent Shalini. “It took me a while to understand where it stems from, but I started noticing that she’d pant with wide eyes closer to the object she was guarding and growl if I came closer. With tremendous support and consult from Kimberlee, I tried training techniques that seemed to work and made her resource guarding manageable.”

Thanks to the careful behavior modification training outlined by Spicer and carried out by Shalini on a daily basis for three months, the Quality of Life team at SAS felt that Molly was ready to be made available for adoption. Spicer prescreened all 75 applications for Molly and looked for an experienced family that was able and open to continuing her training and giving her time to acclimate to her new home. After the extensive application reviews, Molly found her forever home.

As with Molly’s foster parent, Spicer was in constant contact with Molly’s new adopters every couple of days, offering behavioral support until the family was able to find a positive reinforcement trainer in the area. Molly has shown immense improvements and is continuing her behavior modification training in her forever home thanks to the wonderful work of Spicer, her foster parent, and the behavior team at SAS.

If you are interested in supporting SAS programs like the behavior modification training that helped Molly, consider donating to the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation. To learn more about the behavior and foster care programs at SAS, click here.