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The Sweet PAWS of Success
There’s nothing more gratifying at an animal shelter than
witnessing the joy that an adopted animal brings to the lives of those who open their hearts and homes
to give them a better life.
Here are a few tales of happy endings that truly are the Sweet
Paws of Success.
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Jackson’s Story – A Perfect Ending
Jackson, a Catahoula hound mix, came back to the LA/SPCA as a
return adoption in May with a severely torn ACL in his rear left
leg. Thankfully for Jackson, VCA Airline Animal Hospital, a
private full service animal hospital in the New Orleans area,
agreed to take on Jackson’s case at no cost. The LA/SPCA, a
non-profit, open admission shelter, does not have the expensive
clinic equipment and resources at hand to perform such an
extensive surgery.
The LA/SPCA also sent out a massive press release about
Jackson’s case because they hoped to help him find a third
chance at a forever home. “We saw Jackson come to the shelter on
two occasions, first as an owner surrender and then as a return
adoption due to his injury. Our behaviorist on staff [Loretta
Lambert] knew Jackson was a perfect candidate for adoption, and
we’re delighted that VCA came on board to give him another
chance,” said Ana Zorrilla, LA/SPCA’s CEO.
During his post-surgery recovery, LA/SPCA staff member Elizabeth
Spence offered to foster Jackson in her home. Jackson’s recovery
was a success as evidenced by his boundless energy. The next
step was to find him a forever home, so Jackson was groomed to
take part in an upcoming LA/SPCA off-site adoption event.
However, before that event took place, fate walked in the door.
Christine Seaworth came to the shelter one day with the
intention of looking at all the adoptable animals and hopefully
adopting one of them. However, before searching for an animal
companion, she happened to stop by the office with her friend
and LA/SPCA Advisory Council member Tazzie Colomb, who was
making a donation to the shelter. Christine met Jackson in
Elizabeth Spence’s office and immediately saw something special
in him, but decided to still meet some of the other shelter
animals. However, Jackson and his story struck a chord with
Christine and she quickly realized he was the one! Staff came
out to bring Jackson to Christine just as he was being taken out
for a potty break. For Jackson, it had to have been the best
break ever.
And in the greatest twist of all, Christine Seaworth just
happens to be Dr. Seaworth, an orthopedic surgeon currently
doing her residency at LSU’s School of Medicine. For an active
pup like Jackson, still recovering from surgery to his rear leg,
he will never have to worry about finding a doctor who makes
house calls.
So how are Jackson and Christine doing now? Just take a look at
the recent note we received from Christine. Life for Jackson
couldn’t be better.
Hi Elizabeth!
I meant to email you last night, but after Jackson and I took a
walk, we both passed out early.
We went to PetsMart yesterday and got a crate, collar, chews,
etc and signed up for obedience classes. He hasn't made friends
with the cats yet, but no blood and guts yet either. And I found
out he already knows how to sit, lay and shake. He is very good
at not eating my food off the coffee table, you taught him such
good manners!
As you said he loves to chew and tore right threw the ones I
bought him yesterday. Trying to get him to like chewing on a
Kong.
We also took a walk (like I said) around the park and he did
great on the leash. By the time he got home he already knew
where he was going! I think he already has a new favorite toy
too. Of course I had to start him with a soccer toy since I
played soccer in college at Tulane.
Feel assured he is doing well. :)
Christine
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One Look and You Will Know
by Patricia Leroux
[Editor’s Note: Patricia Leroux and the Leroux Family adopted
their cat Puddin’ Pie (a.k.a. Fatty Patty) from the Louisiana
SPCA and shared their touching story of how Fatty Patty has
enriched their lives, especially at a time when they needed it
most].
Nikki and I had been together pretty much since her birth. Over
the course of 10 years we had seen and been through so much
together that when it came time to make a very painful and
difficult decision, I felt like a part of my soul had been taken
away from me. Nikki had suffered a stroke brought on by four
tumors in her brain and the chances of recovery and leading a
normal cat life were slim, if they existed at all.
When I made the decision to end her pain, it was the hardest
thing that I had ever done in my life. I felt like I was
betraying her, letting her go when there was still life in her
body. My mind kept telling me that it was the right thing to do,
that her little body had been through so much that it would be
cruel to keep her alive, but my heart kept selfishly screaming
that I did not want to let her go.
The house was a lot emptier without Nikki. She became a quiet
little ghost with her patient stare who haunted the halls and
watched over her younger sister, Huntlee, like a loving mother.
My husband, who had never owned cats before Nikki, was saddened
at her loss, expressing that he missed her even though we had no
other choice.
Some weeks passed and it was suggested that we might want to get
another cat, not to replace Nikki, but to help fill the void
that all of us felt.
At first I thought it would be crude, to put one cat to sleep
only to get another. However, the more I thought about it, the
more I came to realize that even though I could not save Nikki,
I may be able to save another life that might otherwise be cut
short. So, one Saturday morning, I decided to go to the
Louisiana SPCA, not necessarily to get another cat right then
and there, but to at least look and see how I felt about what I
saw.
“How will I know?” I asked my husband the night before. “If I do
find a cat I like, how will I know if I have chosen the right
one?”
“You will know.” He told me. “One look and you will know which
one is the right one for you.”
“But you want a kitten.” I said.
“I would prefer it, yes. Huntlee may adjust better to a kitten
than a full grown cat.” He said. “But ultimately, it is up to
you.”
So off I went, into the new facility that did not even remotely
resemble the place I remembered on Japonica Street. Instead of a
building of despair and hopelessness, there were clean walls, a
huge parking lot and friendly staff that helped to round out the
inviting atmosphere that welcomed one to come for a visit and
hopefully stay to adopt.
I made my way to the cat room, still not convinced I would find
someone to help me with the loss of my Nikki. However, I could
not help but smile as the cats and kittens pressed themselves
against the glass, wanting to be petted and scratched and loved
by anyone who was passing.
 I
had only gotten about 10 feet when I stopped. There sat this
huge cat, with bright green-gold eyes and a body full of long
brown/tabby fur, perched on a little shelf that barely fit her
immense size. She got off her shelf and came closer to get a
better look at me, her mouth opening in a meow that was muffled
by the glass. I put my hand up against the glass and read the
name “Patty”. When I looked back at her, her paw was pressed
against the glass, right where mine was, almost as if she was
trying to hold my hand.
I immediately got one of the staff members and asked to hold
Patty. I wanted to see what kind of personality she had before I
made a decision. As I sat with Patty, the young woman explained
that she had been adopted out 3 times already and returned. When
I asked why, I was told it was because she was so obese and
there was the potential for diabetes unless she lost weight.
Also, she would require daily bathing because her weight
prevented her from cleaning herself properly, which resulted in
Patty having an unpleasant smell.
All this information scared me a bit. After losing Nikki to
cancer I wondered if I could handle the possibility of Patty
having diabetes. I told the young woman that I needed to think
about it for a bit and I would be back. Yeah, sure, they
probably heard that all the time.
So I left the center, mulling things over in my head and trying
to decide what to do. Over the next few hours I pondered Patty
and her potential problems. The more I thought about it, the
more I wondered if I was setting myself for another agonizing
loss. Friends and family listened to me talk about Patty, but
they all said the same thing. “The decision is ultimately
yours”.
I have no idea why I was torturing myself when I should have
just admitted from the start I was going to take that little
lady home. Later in the afternoon, I rushed back to the SPCA,
desperate to get there before adoption hours ended. I told the
lady at the counter that I was there to adopt Patty.
“Fatty Patty!” She exclaimed. “Aww! You’re taking my baby home!”
Everyone was so excited to hear that she was being adopted as
she had been in the shelter since September and had been through
3 unsuccessful adoptions already. As I filled out the paperwork,
I was once again told about her possible medical problems due to
her weight and that if my vet told me that there was indeed a
problem, then I could bring her back and they would let me get
another cat.
“You had best say your goodbyes.” I told them. “When she leaves
with me, she is not coming back.”
After getting Patty home, and promptly giving her a bath that
she actually seemed to enjoy, she began to acclimate herself to
her new surroundings. She said hello to our 5 year old Chocolate
Lab, Kie Anne, who was excited to meet the newest member of the
family, tried to make friends with our 9 year old cat Huntlee,
who was less than thrilled with the introduction but has since
come around, before making her way to my husband who promptly
rechristened her “Puddin Pie”.
 Puddin
has adjusted to the household quite nicely although the opening
of the screen door usually sends her sprinting for the back
bedroom. She promptly returns though, trilling a welcome to us
when she hears us calling her name. She has already lost some
weight, now weighing in just under 19 pounds after being over 20
pounds. She loves to be in any room that we are in, preferring
to lie on the carpet next to the couch, making certain she is
within reaching distance of a pet or a brush.
She has a few quirks that we are coming to know, one being that
if you move off the couch, she will quickly lay claim to your
spot. The other is that she sucks her “thumb.” This most often
happens when she is content from a fresh brushing and the family
is watching television. She will wash her face and then happily
suck on the tufts of hair on her paw, feeling safe and secure in
her new home.
I know that things happen for a reason and I know that the loss
of Nikki could not be avoided. I also now know that even though
I went to the SPCA to help save a life, it was me that was
actually saved.
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Sonar – A Great Companion and A Good Soul
Every summer during the month of June, the Louisiana SPCA holds
Care
Cadet Camp, a program developed for children entering 6th or
7th grade. The program is designed to expand the participants’
knowledge about all types of animals as well as teach young
people how to be humane educators to their peers. They are
introduced to equine, reptile and avian species as well as to
the inner workings of the shelter, dog training, pet handling
and care, pet diseases and treatments.
One of the highlights of the program is the involvement of the
LA/SPCA shelter dogs in the camp. Working in teams, the cadets
are assigned a shelter dog to obedience train. Under the
guidance of a professional trainer, they turn these cute and
cuddly balls of energy into well-behaved, very adoptable canine
companions. The skills they learn are of benefit for years to
come to them but more importantly; it increases by ten-fold the
chance for our shelter dogs to find a forever home.
Sonar was one of the star shelter dogs at Care Cadet Camp who is
now a living testament to the gift Care Cadet Camp brings to a
shelter dog’s life. A handsome, black Lab/Chow mix, Sonar
arrived at the LA/SPCA on April 13, 2008 as a stray relinquish.
He was heartworm positive and suffering from intestinal
parasites. But despite his physical problems, Sonar displayed
qualities of being well behaved, house-trained, cooperative,
loving, and kind. As one volunteer described him, “He’s like a
wise, perfect gentleman. He has such a good soul.”
But Sonar, not unlike many other dogs with black coats, was
overlooked by potential adopters both at the shelter and at the
many off-site adoption events he journeyed to; but the staff and
volunteers wanted desperately to see him find a home.
Sonar was also a perfect candidate for Care Cadet Camp and he
passed all of the camp training with flying colors. On
graduation day when Sonar, and all the other Care Cadet Dogs
showed off their skills to parents and friends of the campers,
Sonar displayed his skills like a champion. He was, as always,
the perfect gentleman. Sonar also received a gift from a
“guardian angel” who offered to cover the cost of his heartworm
treatment.
 After
camp concluded, however, there still did not seem to be someone
out there who would give Sonar a home. He went through yet
another off-site adoption and again returned to the shelter. So
as plans were being made to prepare him for yet another adoption
event, it all came together.
On July 18, just another typical day at the shelter, the staff
received a short e-mail that said simply, “Sonar just got
adopted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
For the staff, volunteers, and LA/SPCA Care Cadets July 18
became a beautiful day indeed!
The LA/SPCA received a note from Sonar’s forever home that is a
tribute to our handsome Sonar, a great companion and a great
soul.
Sonar has settled in wonderfully. I cannot tell you how happy I
am with his house manners. He likes to be around me at all times
and whines even if I step out to take out the trash but I think
he will get over that as he gets more comfortable. He is most
interested in all things with four legs. He walks without
pulling unless there is something he is interested in (dog, cat,
squirrel, or horse). He wanted to introduce himself to the
horses at Audubon Park yesterday which I though was not the best
idea.
Today we went to the vet to see about his heart worm treatment.
They recommended the 2 month treatment since it tends to be
better tolerated. I would like to provide the vet information
and cost of his treatment for his guardian angel and start him
on the treatment in early August so he has a bit more time to
get settled here before I have to restrict his activity. He is a
great companion and brings me much joy. I am so happy we found
each other. Thank you and the LASPCA for all you have done for
us.
- Tina Stanco
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COOPER – Formerly Groom
Thank you letter from Amy and Evan Lundeen, after adopting
Cooper:
 We
adopted "Groom" this past Saturday and just wanted to let
everyone know that he is doing great! He wasn't feeling well the
first few days we had him and he mostly slept - which was
probably the best thing, honestly, because it gave our other two
dogs a chance to adjust :) We have changed his name to "Cooper"
and he's been having a blast chasing around with our 2 year old
Chubbs. Our older dog Rosie (she's 6) isn't much for the
playing, but they are fine sleeping next to each other on the
couch. We've taken him for a few walks with a gentle leader on
and he's starting to get the hang of it. We normally walk Chubbs
and Rosie with a double leash, but Cooper can't quite get the
hang of it, so for now he's being walked on a separate leash.
Anyway, we're having a great time with him and he's doing very
well. He loves everyone we meet on our walks and everyone who
comes to visit! His housetraining has been going outstanding!
Thanks much!! – Amy & Evan Lundeen
[Editor’s Note: Cooper, aka Groom, originally arrived at the
LA/SPCA on Feb. 15, 2008, as an Owner Surrender. After one
unsuccessful adoption, Cooper was adopted by Amy on Feb. 22.
In a twist of fate, Amy recently joined the Louisiana SPCA as
our first ever Humane Education Director. Congratulations to
Amy, Evan and our LA/SPCA alumnus Cooper!}
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