Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

Despite the daunting clean-up job from the ice storm and intermittent outages of the internet and phone systems, WHS has been able to complete four very happy dog adoptions.

 

 

Lagatha

Beautiful Lagatha went home with her new family on Thursday. She was very stressed at the shelter, and we are overjoyed that she now is snuggled into her new peeps.

 

 

 

Isabelle

Also adopted was Isabelle. Lucky family! She’ll get to start slimming down. She is going to be such a wonderful family dog.

 

 

 

Fetty

There was one very special adoption last week. Fetty arrived at WHS from an Alabama shelter in March 2019 after terrible tornadoes had hit his home town. He was extremely fearful and shy. Volunteers Linda and Jolene spent lots of time with him and he slowly began to be braver with the help of Pam, another shy shelter dog. Fetty was finally adopted in July, 2019. He was very happy with his new family, but when they moved from the house into an apartment, he had a hard time adjusting. Because he wasn’t doing well, his family sadly surrendered him back to WHS last December. He went to a foster home and—as frequently and happily happens—his foster family fell in love with this sweet boy. Last Friday they adopted him. We are so happy for Fetty. He’s such a good dog!

 

 

 

Miska

Sweet Miska went to her new home on Sunday. When WHS Trainer Jessi heard the news, she said, “She is an awesome dog!! She got along with everyone, walked great on leash, never heard her bark or anything.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you like to play soccer? Do you need a goalie? I can do that!

Bastion is a three-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier mix who is an absolute delight to be around. Even though he has not had a very happy life so far, he is a cheerful, eager clown who keeps anyone nearby laughing.

 

 

Bastion arrived at WHS a bit unsure of this new situation, but he has quickly adapted and become a favorite of both staff and volunteers. He absolutely LOVES to play soccer and his favorite position is goalie. Here’s how Nichole, WHS Trainer, describes his technique: “He really likes soccer balls. He will block kicks with his body then pick the ball up in his mouth, running in a curved body position all around the yard.”

 

 

Bastion also enjoys the game of tennis-ball fetch as well as meeting new people. Nichole wrote recently, “Bastion thoroughly enjoys playing fetch. He even knows the cue ‘drop.’ He got the zoomies today in one of the turnouts. He also met two new people. He greeted them politely by sitting on cue and taking the treats nicely from the palms of their hands.”

Bastion is an active, enthusiastic young dog. He is embarrassed to admit that he has had very little leash training, and in his excitement about just about everything, he pulls—hard. He is working with volunteers and staff in loose-leash walking, and since he is highly treat-motivated, it shouldn’t take long for him to get the hang of it. Speaking of treats, his new peeps will not have to worry about purchasing expensive ones. Bastion likes just about anything as a reward, even his plain kibble!

 

 

Bastion thrives on attention. Although he is a bit shy at first, he quickly warms up to new people. He enjoys pets and as one volunteer wrote, “Bastion is loose and wiggly, leaning into you and falling over when petted.” In the spirit of full disclosure, there is the slobber issue. Let’s just leave it at that.

Trainer Nichole has spent quite a bit of quality time with Bastion, and I asked her to tell me a little about him from her perspective. She wrote, “Bastion is a big marshmallow. Today he flinched when a leaf blew past him! He really likes soccer balls. Watch out for the slobbery showers! He enjoys a fast-paced game of chase. He can be the chaser or chasee, just as long as he’s moving. He will hog the sofa if you allow him up. Every treat is his favorite. He loves rump rubs and body scratches.”

Bastion enjoys rough and rowdy playgroups. He can be a bit overwhelming for some dogs, and would need to meet any dog he would be living with to make sure they had compatible play styles. He and Miska had great romps before she was adopted.

 

 

Bastion is uneasy in noisy, busy environments and would do best in a home that is calm. He is nervous around children and so is recommended for teens fifteen and older as well as adults. If children visit the home, Bastion will need a quiet place to which to retreat. Bastion will also need a home without cats. He is very much looking forward to a family of his own who will enjoy his clownish sense of humor and his wiggles, while overlooking the slobber.

On Tuesday, Marianne and Bastion spent some time outside together. They got to talking about the future.

 

 

And then…who knew that Bastion could sing?!

 

 

 

Bastion was mostly an outdoor dog in his previous home; he’s really hoping for a family who will enjoy cuddling on the couch, playing soccer, and telling jokes. This goofy, big-hearted dog will be a devoted best friend. If you have a calm home with teens or just adults, no cats, and a fenced back yard for soccer, Bastion may be your perfect fit. Fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on Bastion’s picture and then on the link Apply to Adopt found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/

 

 

We’re hoping that Bastion will soon find the forever family he deserves.

As always, thank you to my “photo team” for the great pictures: Jessi, Nichole, and Marianne!

That’s it for this week!

 

Other terrific dogs waiting to be adopted can be found at Willamette Humane Society. Here is the link to the adoptable-dog page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/

Dear Fellow Dog Lovers,

It’s been quite a week. Our Willamette Valley was hit on Friday with an historic ice storm that left thousands without power and did tremendous damage to the area’s trees. The cleanup has been ongoing, but there is still much to be done. Thankfully, WHS never lost power, but their internet and phone systems are still down. Here’s a picture volunteer Marianne took of the ever-growing branch pile at the shelter.

 

 

While all the animals at WHS have been taken care of and are warm, due to the storm, all adoption meets had to be canceled.  As a result, I have no adoptions to report this week.

 

 

Yes, I know I need to lose a little weight…ok, well, a lot, but I’ve won the hearts of everyone at the shelter! Maybe I’ll win YOURS!

Isabelle, a six-year-old Lab mix, was surrendered in January because her family couldn’t take care of her anymore. When she arrived, she had some ear and skin issues, but with a high-quality diet, ear drops, and antibiotics, her skin and ears have healed well.

 

Isabelle doesn’t like to discuss it, but her biggest health challenge now is her weight. Isabelle is short as Labs go, and at 101 pounds, she is considered obese. If you need a motivation to get out and walk, Isabelle could be your new best friend. With her high-quality food, fewer treats, and exercise, Isabelle will slim down and become a healthy, active girl.

As soon as Isabelle arrived at the shelter, she became a favorite of both staff and volunteers. Her affectionate, easy-going personality was evident right from the start when Intake Staff wrote, “Isabelle was very tolerant of handling, did not even notice getting vaccinated or microchipped. She LOVES treats and is very easy-going. She pulled a little on the leash but listens well when food is involved.” Ah, yes, she loves treats, which were cut way back once she was settled in. Volunteers Marianne and Nancy enjoy taking Isabelle into Mary’s Place for some play time and cuddles.

 

 

 

Isabelle has done well in our shelter playgroups. She is more of a “mingler” than runner, no doubt due to her extra weight. She does not like to be around the rowdy dogs, preferring gentle ones. She can be picky about taking medication, as staff discovered when trying to get her to take her antibiotic. “She knows when it’s pill time and really hates them! I tried the pill pockets (all flavors and types), and she just spits out the pills. I tried giving her a small amount of food with the pills crushed and mixed in, and she wouldn’t eat it! Just smelled it and turned up her nose. Today I tried some tuna to see if it was stinky enough, and it was! She ate the crushed up pills in a flash since she couldn’t smell them!” (Note to her future family—tuna!)

Isabelle’s family had only good things to say about her, having had her since she was a puppy. She was loose in the house and never caused any damage when left alone. She can be touched anywhere on her body except her nails, which she is sensitive about. She is happy to see strangers, though can be a bit shy at first. She rides fine in the car. She has happily lived with a cat and has gotten along well with children.

Since coming to the shelter, Isabelle has made many human friends. She loves going out to the play yard and hanging out with the staff and volunteers.

 

 

Marianne is one of Isabelle’s biggest fans. She writes, “Isabelle is the sweetest dog. I’ve taken to calling her Izzy for short. She is very loving, and I can picture her being a couch potato some of the time. She loves people and loves to cuddle. She has some energy though, and I can imagine her getting down to her ideal weight and being fairly active. She is a strong girl and can pull on leash when she wants to. I think she would make a great family dog and would be wonderful to take camping and hiking.”

If you are looking for a reason to get out and walk and want a devoted companion to help motivate you, perhaps Isabelle is the perfect addition to your life. Fill out the Adoption Questionnaire by clicking on Isabelle’s picture and then on the link Apply to Adopt found on this page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/

 

 

We have THREE terrific updates this week!

Jewel

Jewel came to WHS via an overcrowded California shelter in August of 2017. Here’s what I wrote about her in my September 6, 2017 post:

“Jewel is just that, a jewel of a dog. A Chihuahua mix, she was transferred to us from a California shelter and is full of energy and fun. At two years old, she still acts much like a puppy. She has a little cold at the moment, so is spending some time in our ISO kennels, but that hasn’t stopped her from playing her version of fetch, which is to dash madly after the tennis ball, then veer off after a bug. This little dog keeps us laughing.”

 

 

 

On September 16th, Jewel found her forever home. Last week I got this sweet update:

“Hi Martha. We adopted Jewel back in 2017 and thought you might enjoy seeing how she’s doing. Thanks for all you do for animals.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pugsly and Wilbur/Winston

Pam and Tom have two WHS alumni, Pugsly and Winston (formerly Wilbur).

They adopted Pugsly in 2015.

 

February 10, 2020, they came back to the shelter and adopted Wilbur, who became Winston.

 

 

Pam has been a devoted reader of my blog posts and has been so kind about keeping me updated about the boys. Last week she sent this update.

“Tomorrow we will have had Winston for one year. It is hard to believe it has been a year. He has brought us so much joy and love. He has quite the personality. He is a smart little guy. He loves to go. This picture was taken at Minto Brown Park, this afternoon. We just love him so much. He is so good to our little Pugsly. He takes good care of him.”

 

 

“This is a picture of Pugsly waiting patiently while we get the other pups loaded in the car. We went to Willamette Mission Park yesterday. Hope all is going well at the shelter. I know with this Covid it has been hard on all of you. But as I read the newsletter it seems you are still doing a great job of adopting.”

 

 

 

 

Toby

Toby was one of our longest “long-termers” at the shelter. He was surrendered on July 14, 2019. He was adopted once, but returned when it was not the right fit. Toby was not the right dog for everyone. I wrote about him in my blog posts many times, but still he waited.

 

 

This is from my December 11, 2019 post:

“I’ve written about Toby many times, but still he waits for just the right family fit. In his former home, he spent most of his time outside but really wants to spend more time inside with his family. Toby is a sensitive dog and he’s hoping that understanding and patient people will adopt him. In his ideal home, Toby would love to have someone there most of the time, as he can be anxious when left alone. Toby is an active dog who would love to go on hikes or jogs with his person. He’s the kind of boy who can be energetic and eager, but then settle down and lounge on a blanket. Toby is not the dog for everyone, but he will be a great pal to someone with patience and time who will help him gain more confidence and will enjoy a rather large, affectionate lap dog. Toby has been waiting a long time.”

Marianne, Caroline, Megan and I all loved Toby and worried about who would adopt him.

 

 

 

The weeks, then months passed and still Toby waited. Then on a cold Sunday, February 9th, 2020, a young couple came in to meet him. It was love at first tail wag. After over six months of shelter life, Toby went home!

 

 

 

Mike and Jeannette were great about sending me several updates in the first weeks of Toby settling in with them. Last week I was thrilled to get another one from them. Toby was so lucky to find his perfect family.

“Hi Martha,

I’m not sure if you’ll remember us, or if you’re still doing the blog for the Humane Society, but I thought I’d give you a little update on Toby.

It’s been a year since we took him home and he’s really come out of his shell. He certainly doesn’t shy away from letting us know what’s on his mind. He’s gotten used to his routine and holds us accountable to it 😂 He loves that we’ve been working from home and have more time for playing and cuddles. We go on mini road trips a few times a month and they are his favorite. We played in the snow for the first time, but he was not a fan. He’s made a ton of progress with being more social. He’s still scared of most dogs but he actually made one dog friend! I hope this finds you well, warm wishes to you and everyone at Willamette Humane Society.”

 

 

 

This picture made me laugh. Nope, Toby is not a fan of snow!

 

 

 

With those happy updates, that’s it for this week!

Other terrific dogs waiting to be adopted can be found at Willamette Humane Society. Here is the link to the adoptable-dog page: https://whs4pets.org/dogs/