Category: Success Stories

by Bernie Rice—

When Bun Bun came to the shelter in the summer of 2017, he had no idea how drastically his life would change within the next year. He was brought to the shelter after his owner was found deceased, so he was traumatized and skinny from having to deal with his owner’s death and hunger in the following days. He was broken and didn’t let anyone touch him, and he hissed when anyone came near him too quickly.

One fateful day last August, Ashley and her partner Drake were destined to meet Bun Bun. Ashley and Drake had gone into the shelter for foster orientation, and the shelter was so overloaded that day that they decided to wander through and look at the animals that needed fostering, with no intent of taking one home that day. Well, the universe had a different idea about that. As they walked through the shelter, Drake spotted Bun Bun, who was sitting in the back of his kennel with his head down, not wanting anyone to look at him. Drake instantly connected with Bun Bun for some reason and wanted to take him home to foster. Ashley was a bit intimidated to take a cat home that looked so afraid and so shut down, but her partner had that instant connection and couldn’t pass Bun Bun up. Drake knelt down and stayed by Bun Bun’s door and said to Ashley, “we need to take him.” Ashley had grown up with cats in the family, but Drake grew up with dogs and had never had a cats, so Ashley was surprised he jumped in head first for an adult cat (it was estimated that Bun Bun was 6-9 years old) that was truly terrified.

When they got Bun Bun home, Ashley and Drake didn’t want to force attention on him, so they let him run the show for the first month or so. They built him a little cave in their closet that had everything he needed: litterbox, food, and water so he didn’t need to come out and see them if he didn’t want to. Ashley and Drake sat outside the closet space every day and would sit there and drink coffee, watch TV, play cards, anything but focus attention on Bun Bun, so he got used to them being by him and would realize nothing bad was going to happen. Luckily for them, Bun Bun was very food motivated so they started out by pushing a treat toward him and he would come and grab it and eventually became comfortable being near their hands. Ashley considers this Bun Bun’s first big breakthrough. And then all of a sudden one day it was fine. Bun was fine touching their hands.

For the next couple of weeks, once he was comfortable with taking a treat from their hands, Ashley and Drake would try to pet Bun Bun. Sometimes he’d hiss, or run away and go hide in his closet. If that happened, they’d go back to square one, just pushing treats toward him. Then two weeks later, Bun Bun all of a sudden decided he loved being pet. Just like that. So they’d scratch his head and he loved it; then they’d try to pet his back and he’d be afraid, so they’d take a step back and get comfortable again. Ashley and Drake took it slow and Bun Bun make tremendous progress over time. He got really chatty with a “man meow” and started to chat all the time. It took a while but he went from not even looking them in the eye to following them around and chatting away.

Bun Bun got so comfortable with Ashley and Drake that one day he decided he didn’t want to be in the closet anymore. Ashley went looking for him and found him sitting on the bottom shelf of their book shelf, pressed up against the books. So Ashley moved all the books from that shelf and Bun Bun had a new “fort” for himself.

It took a while but Ashley and Drake loved watching this cat that was once in rough shape turn a corner and start meowing for their attention, enjoy being pet, and seeing him decide that people were okay. It was heartbreaking for them and rewarding at the same time. Bun Bun was a cat that was in such bad emotional shape when they got him from the shelter, that the shelter employees weren’t sure he was able to turn around to eventually be adoptable. If not, the next step was to look into a barn cat program because they thought he may never want people. So what a joy it was for Ashley and Drake to witness Bun Bun, who was terrified and shut down at the beginning, become a super chatty love bug who loved being pet and would lay on floor and plop over on his side begging to be pet and would purr and purr and purr and purr. Ashley couldn’t believe he was the same cat they had seen at the beginning.

Once Bun Bun had made enough progress to be adopted, he had such big fluffy cheeks—his “buns” (hence the name Bun Bun)—and a cute quirky tail that only half-works so it looks like a fish hook, that he had many potential adopters who understood they’d need to be patient and take it slow with Bun Bun to keep his progress going. Now Ashley and Drake are on foster #2—Iris—and they hope to be as helpful to her as they were to Bun Bun.

Ashley learned during the fostering process that it’s so important to not give up on an animal. Her lesson is that no matter how scared animals are, deep down they just want someone to love them and speak their language a bit. For her it was incredible to see a cat so scared to come to trust someone again, and it’s one of the greatest things she’s ever done.

SASF thanks Ashley for sharing her and Drake’s experience with Bun Bun and for being a part of SAS’ fospice and foster programs. SASF is honored to help fund these heroic efforts, made possible thanks to generous and committed donors.

To learn more about the fospice program and foster volunteer opportunities, please visit: http://www.seattle.gov/animal-shelter/volunteer/foster-care

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When five-year-old Rex came to the Seattle Animal Shelter, he had a double ear infection so severe, he had trouble walking. From September 2017 to January of this year, his health would stabilize then the ear infection in his left ear would return. With support of SAS volunteers and SAS staff, he had great care and attention, but it’s hard to be happy and be a good candidate for adoption with chronic ear infections – especially as an 80-pound German Shepherd.

After visiting a veterinarian specializing in dermatology, it was determined that his left ear was so damaged from ear infections, that is would never heal on its own with normal medical care, and a total ear canal ablation (TECA) was recommended. He had surgery in mid-January and the doctor removed his entire ear canal and closed the opening to his ear, leaving the ear drum intact.

To support his healing, SAS knew a special foster home would be needed. This is where Krista and Andrew entered Rex’s life. They were coming off of an 18-month foster commitment with a dog (now adopted) named Chloe who overcame extreme fear and sensitivity to strangers while in their care. With a passion for helping dogs in dire need – often struggling with reactivity challenges, previous neglect, fear or nervousness toward strangers – Krista’s take is all they need is time and patience to turn their lives around.

Krista’s been involved with greater foster community for seven years, starting when she lived in Maine. After a move to Seattle, she and her boyfriend Andrew got involved with SAS Foster about 2 years ago and since that time, have fostered five dogs.

While Chloe’s adoption took a little longer than expected once the right person was found, Krista was already reaching out to the shelter to see if they could potentially take Rex and give him a break from shelter life. SAS wanted to find a home post-surgery to help him get on a regular schedule and to see how his personality would manifest once he was no longer in pain and in a stable, loving environment.

Since coming home with Krista and Andrew, Rex has made a lot of progress in terms of accepting touch, affection and discovering the joy of toys. With a true shepherd personality, Krista needs to hide his favorite toys at night because he just wants to go-go-go. Krista said, “He’s affectionate in a shepherd way and likes to be near us all the time, but he’s not a lap dog. He comes in for head rubs and butt scratches all the time.” He also likes to keep watch over his people and will repeatedly check on Krista and Andrew when they are in separate rooms.

“Rex loves to play and is silly, often throwing his own ball for himself to chase inside,” said Krista. He likely qualifies as a ball junkie as he loves balls of all sizes and has been caught sneaking golf balls out of the bedroom and playing with a 10-pound medicine ball. He loves his toys and chewing them, and he knows what belongs to him, leaving all of Krista and Andrew’s possessions alone.

He’s transformed into a sweet and gentle guy who trusts his people and likes to be their shadow. Given Rex had little to no socialization, Krista and Andrew are working on managing reactivity and his dog body language as he likes to come in strong in an excited sort of way. While his dedicated duo is supporting his ongoing development, Rex is hoping to find an adult-only home with strong shepherd experience. Another dog in the family, may be OK, but it would be easiest for him to be an only dog. He needs a family comfortable with his background and ready to keep working with him on his socialization – both with other dogs and human strangers. He also would appreciate someone willing to play with him and his toys. While he’s not a snuggler, he is happy to love on you from a short distance. Rex also loves food.

“He’s very food motivated, and I started stuffing his KONG with apples and carrots and he loves it,” said Krista. “He’s so food motivated, he can be a challenge to train as he wants the food so badly, his brain can’t focus on the training.” To counter that, clicker training may be next on the agenda. In the meantime, Rex is happy to demonstrate sit, lie down and is working on watch me, stay and paw commands. “Rex deserves a chance at a wonderful life after the struggle of his first few years, said Krista.”

If you or someone you know is shepherd savvy and potentially a good match to help Rex find his forever family, please visit his pet profile

Furry Harry, aka Hair Bear, is a 12-year-old cat who was rescued by the Seattle Animal Shelter as a stray. His back right leg was badly fractured and had to be amputated. After surgery, he spent a month recuperating at the veterinarian hospital before he was taken in by SAS foster program volunteer Katy, as a foster. She noticed that he did not seem particularly interested in eating when she brought him home. The vet did some testing that showed nodes on his spleen and some kidney issues. Harry was treated with pills and when that didn’t work, he had a splenectomy and liver biopsy. The biopsy showed a liver issues that was treated again with more medicine and this time around, Harry showed improvement. Katy stated that he was the first cat she had to give meds to and he was “a complete angel about it.”

Taking him to the veterinarian was emotionally tolling, and Katy was worried that there would come a time when SAS could not do anything more for him, but thankfully that time did not come. Harry continued to improve physically and adjusted to missing a leg. There were times when he would slip around on the floor and not make the jump to the couch. As he improved though, he was able to move more successfully around the house.

In spite of his physical challenges, however, Harry was the most loving cat Katy has ever fostered. He would curl up by her side and sleep with her. “He was a constant source of sweetness and love,” Katy said. He had a hard time playing with toys because it was awkward to pounce with three legs, but he learned to play with a circular ball toy. As he got more confident with his missing leg, he was able to jump on the bed or the couch. He loved to fall asleep in strange positions and spots and liked to lay on Katy’s bowling ball bag. He would follow Katy from room to room and would jump on her lap and meow at her. Harry had some quirks too such as sticking his head in his cat grass and chewing on it. He also slept right next to Katy’s head. Once when her husband was eating dinner, Harry jumped on his lap and tried to eat the food right off his fork. For a cat with three legs, he jumped very gracefully to get a smell of that dinner.

When asked what makes Harry a success story, Katy exclaimed, “Based on all of his health struggles, he should not have been a happy cat. But not only was Harry a happy cat, he made me so incredibly happy to have him near each and every day. None of his medical issues could stop him from being his sweet and loving self.” Harry has since been adopted by two sisters who love him dearly. He gets along with their resident cat and can still be found sleeping in strange positions and spots.

Have you heard about the Seattle Animal Shelter and the Great Guinea Pig Rescue of 2017? It was one of the largest state-wide transfers of rescued animals in recent memory. It is also the perfect example of the reach of the SAS Critter Program as it works to ease the plight of homeless and abandoned critters in our area.

This story starts last April when more than 90 guinea pigs were found dumped in a field in Umapine, OR. Authorities identified a local couple as being responsible and an additional 193 guinea pigs were eventually found at their home. The couple voluntarily surrendered these remaining animals. They explained that they were unaware of any resources to help them with the growing population which had started just three years ago with two males and one unspayed female. The situation became overwhelming.

Over 250 of these guinea pigs found their way to Blue Mountain Humane Society (BMHS) in Walla Walla. Many of the females were pregnant and there were many babies. BMHS transferred over 100 guinea pigs to the Portland area, the Tri-Cities and even to Utah.

Not only did SAS participate in this transfer by serving as a transport hub for Western Washington, it also accepted some guinea pigs into the shelter, most of whom were pregnant and all of whom were white! Of the 7 guinea pig moms we fostered, SAS saw the birth of 16 babies by mid-June. These births brought the total of our “white guinea pig army” to 23!

Staff and volunteers have worked strenuously in all areas to care for these animals both at the shelter and in foster care. To date, we are happy to report that all 7 moms and 11 of the babies have found their forever homes. Most recently, moms Hedwig and Big Mama found a loving home with a young piggy companion who recently lost her sister. It took 6 months, but they finally had a happy ending.

We are not quite finished yet. We still have five of the baby boys waiting for their chance to celebrate the new year in a forever home: Theodore & BB, Munchy & Michael, & Simon. We are almost there though!

As with all of SAS’ work with critters, we are very proud of our role in this rescue and having the support of the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation. These guinea pig stories are uplifting examples of what happens when people and organizations care, but they also shine a light on the plight of the “other” companion animals out there. As with all creatures, we need to reinforce responsible care in our society, including spay and neuter, and ensure that every animal finds the home they deserve.

Sometimes a dog needs to make some big moves to get adopted. Cocoa, a Dutch Shepherd mix with possibly some Pitbull, German Shepherd and hound, is one of those stories where it took some time, work and many miles to find her forever home. Originally from a shelter in California, she was shipped to Seattle as a puppy for a new start. Unfortunately, Cocoa somehow became stray at 6 months old and was found at Elliot and 4th Ave. with her left paw mending from a break. She was then adopted briefly but returned and then lived the Seattle Animal Shelter for close to 8 months before SAS volunteer Lauren began fostering Cocoa.

One of Cocoa’s challenges was separation anxiety. She escaped through doors and jumped over baby gates. She couldn’t be left alone so Lauren juggled schedules and organized volunteer sitters to help. This was one of the challenges to overcome to help get Cocoa adopted. They worked on her separation training and dog reactivity to make her more adoptable by attending Growly Dog classes at Ahimsa as well as a session with a Separation a Specialist from Ahimsa.

As a super smart dog, Cocoa taught herself how to open the fridge, baby gates and doors. Her intelligence was matched by her cuddliness and friendliness as a 62lb lap dog. Lauren also noted she had a few curious traits like lying down in her kennel to avoid time outs or licking something and then her tongue just freezes. “Sweet and strange, just like her,” said Lauren.

She loved agility play too. While with Lauren, Cocoa got to take trips to the Zoom Room to jump through hoops and run up and down skinny ramps and tubes. She loved to go on long walks and find treats. She also enjoyed playing with her puppy friends, running after balls and eating.

Some of the special moments Lauren shared with Cocoa were driving in the car together and hiking. After four months living with Lauren, Cocoa eventually befriended her cat and soon they were sleeping together and the cat would come up to Cocoa for licks and love, which Cocoa was happy to share. They also played hide and seek.

When asked why Cocoa was in foster care so long, Lauren replied, “She can look kind of intimidating. She looks big and has that bad leg. She was just waiting for the family who’d appreciate her differences and would be willing to put in a little bit of time and effort for a really good dog.”

Lauren’s commitment as a foster parent helped Cocoa find her forever home with a new family in early July, and SASF is happy to be able to support the SAS Foster Program and foster parents like Lauren as they help animals prepare for their forever homes.

Today Frida is a happy, energetic 1-year-old Italian Greyhound/Chihuahua mix who can run like the wind, chase balls and toys and hike with her people. But just a short time ago, Frida had a broken leg that had not been cared for properly. Her owner could not afford proper medical care and her leg was splinted wrong. It soon became become necrotic and needed to be removed. The owner could not afford the surgery so Frida was surrendered to the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) where the team jumped into action to have her leg amputated. Soon after the surgery, a foster home was found for her so she could heal.

Laura, Frida’s SAS foster mom, remembers first meeting her at the shelter – just four days after the surgery – and the sound of her tail thumping wildly against the walls of the crate. Laura learned this was just proof of her resilient, happy, social and brave personality. When Frida first came home with Laura, she was slightly subdued. Her amputation was painful and wrapped in a bandage and she was on medication. Within 48 hours though, she became more animated and ready to play. She brightened up very quickly and was a charming, fun dog.

Frida adjusted to having three legs amazingly well. Within a few days she was walking with confidence and within a week, she was running and going up stairs. She would chase toys and jump up on the furniture. Going down the stairs proved to be challenging but she handled it like the champ she is.

Fostering Frida was a different experience for Laura who was used to bigger dogs but she loved her. “She has a big, bright personality!” says Laura. Frida would try to get their senior pitbull, Ramona, to play by dancing all around her head. She was very curious and social.

Frida has since been adopted and now has a Pomeranian and cat brothers to play with. Her new family sends updates to Laura and are in love with her. For more information on fostering animals with SAS, go to https://www.seattle.gov/animal-shelter/volunteer/foster-care.

Slate was found in south Seattle as a stray. His finder took him in, but since she already had three cats, Slate lived in her garage. He wasn’t neutered and he suffered from recurring bouts of an upper respiratory infection from living out in the cold. Even more troubling, a vet visit revealed that he had Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). His finder cared for him for about 3 months and then brought him to SAS because she knew that he would receive needed medical care, and hopefully, a new home.

Once at the Shelter, Slate’s troubles weren’t over. His upper respiratory tract infection persisted and he had diarrhea, so he was held in the cat isolation room. Worst of all was his behavior toward people. He was difficult to medicate, and he would hiss and sometimes growl at staff and volunteers. He was especially apprehensive toward strangers, and he disliked being confined in a cage. He didn’t swat or try to bite volunteer Deb, though, and he even allowed her to pet him. She knew that his finder had groomed and pet him, and she found that he especially loved getting a back scratch (she used a backscratcher at first, to avoid potential swats). She videotaped herself petting Slate, to show others that he wasn’t aggressive toward everyone.

Slate’s FIV+ status and his sometimes aggressive behavior posed a challenge. Deb, who had befriended Slate at the Shelter, volunteered to foster him in an effort to see if he could become a friendly house cat. Slate was cautious toward his foster parents at first, but as in the Shelter, Deb soon found that the key to willing Slate’s affection was scratching his back. Slate learned to love being petted, groomed and held. He became a fixture in his foster dad’s lap, and they knew he was a born-again lap cat who never wanted to be out on the streets again. Remarkably, Slate never once missed the litter box or sprayed, which was remarkable for a stray, previously unneutered male cat.

Now that his behavior problems were behind him, the focus turned to Slate’s medical issues. When Slate went to the Shelter clinic to be neutered, veterinarian Dr. Bittner did a thorough exam and found that he had gum and dental disease as well as puffy paw pads, which were a symptom of his FIV+ condition. Dental care in particular is expensive, but the Shelter paid for Slate’s tooth extractions. They all loved him at Phinney Ridge Animal Hospital, and said he was very well behaved there.

Slate found his forever home in February during an adoption event at the Mud Bay store in lower Queen Anne. Slate’s new owner, Julio, works from home, so Slate always has a lap to sit in. Julio reports: “Slate is perfect! He follows me all around the house and is always up for cuddles. I love him to bits. Thanks for taking care of him!”

Slate was a cat who needed a second chance, and he found one at the Seattle Animal Shelter. To help more cats like Slate, please donate today. Mud Bay on lower Queen Anne hosts the Fabulous Felines adoption event, featuring Shelter cats, on the fourth Saturday of each month.

Kojak arrived at Seattle Animal Shelter weighing a mere 8 lbs. When foster parents Stina and Don took the cat home in January of 2014, his ribs and backbone were visible through his skin. Due to a flea allergy, his fur was shaven, exaggerating his already thin frame.

“We brought the little guy home and he ate and ate and ate. He was very food motivated after some hard times on the streets and would come running anytime he thought there might be something for him,” says Stina.

In addition to being malnourished, Kojak was diagnosed with diabetes. A veterinarian prescribed insulin, and Stina had to check his blood glucose levels by pricking his ear. “It was a challenge. We took him to the vet at various times where they would keep him for several hours to test his levels and then adjust his insulin based on those readings on that day.”

Stina knew how important it was to control Kojak’s diabetes. “He was such a sweet kitty, but I knew that with diabetes it would be difficult to find him a forever home,” she says. She began giving Kojak a high-protein, wet-food-only diet, which helped him achieve a healthy weight but didn’t stabilize his diabetes. At one point he suffered a seizure from low blood sugar, and his glucose level shot up to 500mg (a normal reading is between 60-100mg).

Stina began intensive efforts to get Kojak’s blood sugar under control, testing Kojak’s glucose three to four times per day and creating a spreadsheet to track his glucose levels. Using this data, she would determine whether or not to give him a dose of insulin. Stina’s efforts paid off: Kojak’s glucose started to stabilize without the help of insulin. His fur became shiny and his weight shot up to a hearty 15 lbs. Kojak was ready for his forever home.

Now that he was feeling good, Kojak’s personality began to shine through. He enjoyed going outside, so his foster mom trained him to wear a harness so he could be outside while she gardened. He loved to gather sticks and bring them inside. Kojak also liked to play with dogs, and even liked to ride in the car and look out the window. “He had such a sweet and funny personality that he made us chuckle on a regular basis,” Stina recalls.

Just after Thanksgiving, 10 months after Stina and Don began fostering him, Kojak found his forever home. He was adopted by a married couple with a nice outdoor space and a dog named Zeke. “We have always had both at least one cat and one dog in the family for 49 out of our 50 years of marriage and they have always been the best of friends,” says adoptive parent Susan. Zeke and Kojak both have matching black and white “tuxedo” coats.

At first, Kojak wasn’t sure what to think about his new doggie brother. He hissed and growled at Zeke for the first few weeks, but now they get along fine. “He quickly decided that Zeke needed looking after and that we needed his direction to properly organize the household,” Susan says. “He likes to play and to be wherever we all are. He follows all of us around, loves his perch from which he can survey all living room and kitchen traffic and is the head mealtime nag.”

Thanks to his dedicated foster parents and the Seattle Animal Shelter, Kojak has blossomed from a malnourished, diabetic cat into a healthy cat with a big personality who found his ideal home.
SASF funding supports the Seattle Animal Shelter foster cat program that helped lead Kojak to his forever home. To help even more deserving animals like Kojak, please donate today.