SAVE — A Friend to Homeless AnimalsSuccess Stories
A year ago today I stopped at your shelter. I had just lost my 13 year old German Shepherd and was looking for a large, friendly dog to adopt, preferably a
Shepherd/lab mix. I met Barbara & Ken who showed me the dogs they thought I might like but there wasn't a match. Then they brought out 1 1/2 year old Laurel,
a 60 pound hound mix who immediately jumped all over me and mouthed me. What a bundle of energy, happy but totally without discipline. When he came into the
office he literally climbed up on the desk! He wasn't at all what I was looking for. He'd spent 11 months, most of his life, in shelters and never had a real
home. He needed a chance. I fell in love with him and adopted him the next day. The name had to go, so I changed his name to Cooper which he caught on to
right away, he's very smart. I had been warned that he would take a lot of work but I was up to the challenge and Ken thought I could handle him.
Then I found out why no one had adopted him. He was rough, strong and stubborn. He was also sweet, lovable and too cute to stay mad at. The next 3 months were tough. I was bruised from head to toe! We took obedience classes, walked for miles, ran around our large fenced in yard, but he still had energy to spare and I couldn't get him interested in games to play. He doesn't play ball! He used that extra energy to chew furniture, eye glasses, electrical cords, anything he could get; surf counters and tables; and test my patience. He's a year older now, trained in obedience, an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen & is loved by me, my family, friends and neighbors. We have now channeled that extra energy into agility training. He loves it! I've even built him some of his own equipment so he can practice in our yard between classes. I'm amazed at what he can do, he's really good at it.
He still gets in trouble now then and is always crated when I'm not home. He has a very large crate in the family room & even naps in there on his own. You can't help but love him. I am so glad I gave him a chance. I've attached a current picture of him, in the yard on his very own teeter totter, he's awesome!
As we celebrate our one year anniversary I thank you so much for saving him and taking such good care of him. Thanks to Barbara & Ken for introducing me to him. He makes me laugh every day.
Shelley Webster
I moved to New Jersey from Texas in 2006 and was living on my own. I found myself in need of company. I’ve always loved animals. I stumbled upon one of your volunteers
at a shopping center and he had this sassy little dog on a leash. I had actually been thinking about visiting a local pet store to purchase a puppy. I talked to him for a
few minutes and he briefed me on your organization and the wonderful things you all do to save defenseless animals. I was sold! He suggested I visit the location and see
for myself. I went home and thought about it. I couldn’t stop thinking about the little dog and wondered if he was up for adoption.
I adopted Mr. Bean a.k.a Prince (short for Princeton ) the following week. That sassy little dog stole my heart! I moved back to Texas in 2008. Prince adjusted so well! We even added a few members to the pack. I rescued two more dogs. I was nervous about how Prince was going to react, but he’s been a great big brother. Prince was 12 years old when I adopted him. He is now a little older and a little slower. It’s always great to see his reaction when he takes one look at his leash. He absolutely loves his walks! He is the perfect companion and I love him dearly.
I really want to thank SAVE for allowing me the opportunity to take care and love this wonderful dog. There are so many dogs out there in need of good homes. I can assure you that he has been taken care of and has been a wonderful addition to my family. He is a very happy dog and I am a VERY happy owner!! Thanks again SAVE!
Patty Gomez
San Antonio, Texas
Hello to the wonderful staff at SAVE!!
I am writing this a little over a week after bringing home our new family member, Jack. I can honestly say, this little guy is nothing short of an angel…he has
brought so much love, joy and happiness to my son and myself…we are both totally in love with him, and he is in love with us too!!! He is the best little fellow
I have ever met!!! He has the best manners, better than some humans that I know!!, he is gentle and loves to have his belly rubbed!! He has not made one bit of mess
in the house, besides the normal wanting to eat the toilet paper!! But that makes my son and I laugh as we watch him learn what is ok and what is not.
I can never thank you all enough for selecting us to be Jack’s new parents…truly, we could not imagine a home without him!!!
As soon as I get our pictures developed I will be sure to send some to you!!
Thank you again, and hope you have a wonderful, happy day!
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't wary about getting a new dog from SAVE ... Getting a dog and knowing little about his background made me uneasy, but unless we gave it
a try we'd never know for sure. So we brought 11 month old 'Cherokee' home to our house of three boys and two cats. That was almost three months ago. And while we've
had a couple bumps in the road as well as several twists and turns, it is absolutely amazing how he has become such a big part of our lives. A little training goes a
long way with a rescue dog. The rewards have been endless."
"Smart, loving and extremely loyal are some words to describe Cherokee, as well as funny and charismatic. He has a different relationship with everyone in the family, including the cats. He has brought back the joy we'd been missing from having a dog and the pleasure of unconditional love. Yes, Cherokee is filling the old dog's shoes, and he has a pair of his own as well. We would not trade him the world!"
June Pecora
"A few years ago a woman in my office convinced me to volunteer at SAVE, walking dogs together on our lunch hours. My first walk was with Webster, a 10-year old, 75 pound coonhound with a black saddle and a white old-man-face. I walked Webster every week from October through February. On Valentine's Day of 2004, my husband agreed to bring our own puppy to the shelter to meet Webster. The dogs hit it off right away, and we brought Webster home that day."
"The old man required five walks
a day, and was a typically cantankerous old guy. He eventually learned how to play, but always on his own terms. He was a good boy with the most endearing bawling bark.
After almost two years of happiness in our home, Webster was diagnosed with a brain tumor. We treated his condition, spoiled him rotten, and loved him completely until
his tumor reached a terminal phase this past June. Since his passing, I have re-devoted my time and energy to volunteering at SAVE, partly to help heal from my loss, and
partly to honor my old man's memory by giving back to the place that gave me Webster."
Jill Korot
"As you may recall, I adopted Blixa after
rescuing and visiting him for 4 years at SAVE. After 4 months at our home in New Jersey, we moved to Tucson, Arizona with him ... and he was a fabulous traveler in the car.
He calmly enjoyed the scenery. We absolutely are in love with him, as is everyone who meets him. He has settled in so beautifully, he loves looking at the lizards outside
the window. He is beautiful, playful, and has trimmed down a bit, with his chasing his toys all around. I thought you'd enjoy a few photos. Hope Mathias is doing OK without
him. We are immensely grateful to SAVE for taking such good care of Blixa for so long."
Lois Manowitz
"I adopted Alphie from S.A.V.E in December of 2005. She is wonderful, charming and gentle. She is an amazing dog. She is an angel. I wanted to thank you for taking Alphie into your shelter until I stumbled upon her one day in your office in Princeton."
Michael Burr
