Success Stories
Hi--my name is Daisy and I’m a Southern girl, born and bred in New Orleans until the age of 5 months when Hurricane Katrina hit. I soon found myself in an equestrian facility in Gonzales with many other rescued animals. It was there that I met some ladies who came all the way from Colorado to help out, not knowing at the time that one of them would fall for me and become my lifelong companion.
Everything that could be done to find my original family was donebut to no avail. The rescue place was running out of space, so we were being sent to shelters all over the country-- the ladies from Aspen took 18 of us. I was one of the lucky ones who got to fly to Aspen. The pilot let me sit on Jan's lap and I was able to look out the window. When we landed some newspaper people were there to greet us. They wrote an article the next day and mentioned in the paper that there was a little pit bull looking out the window of the plane. The next day there was a letter to the editor complaining that pit bulls were being brought into Aspen. That person didn’t even know me. I believe that is called racial profiling. You always hear the bad stories, not the good about my breed. I happen to be submissive and very affectionate.
I love people and assume everyone feels the same about me. I get excited when Isee children, because they like to run around and play too...when we have guests I sneak into bed with them and snuggle; so far no one as kicked me out of bed!
I have a bratty older Blue Heeler sibling named Stella who pushes me around and sometimes hurts my feelings. I get back at her by removing the stuffing from her favorite toys. She did teach me how to swim and we both like watching "The Dog Whisperer" together. We don’t like being disturbed when it’s on. Stella sits right in front of the screen with her paws crossed and I sit up on the sofa. Jan and David hope we are learning some good behavior, but fear we’re more interested in the bad.
My life would have been very different if Hurricane Katrina didn’t happen. Good or bad, I don't know. i probably wouldn’t be sleeping in a king-sized bed or taking over the sofa. I most certainly would be fighting fleas. There are no fleas here. I’m spoiled rotten, get to hike, play in the snow, go camping in the desert, go for car rides, dig in the dirt, swim and play with other doggy friends. I also love rolling on stinky things. Life is good!
Tiki ("Snapper" from Krabloonik, because he snapped at the mushers), went
from neurotic sled dog to wonderful companion and pet. We adopted him on
our son's 8th birthday, which happened to be Tiki's 5th birthday exactly!
He had lots of crazy/annoying behaviors, like peeing in his food dish
after every meal, but now he is a GREAT addition to our home and family.
--Shereen Sarick
Lily has made herself right at home with Susan and Brian Landers and their kids Sam and Jack in Atlanta, Georgia. Lily is quite the traveller--she originally came to the Aspen Animal Shelter in January as part of a rescue group from Merced, California--dogs who were about to be euthanized due to overcrowding.
Susan wrote "It was a great 2008 Easter. Started with an Egg hunt and then our Easter "Lily" was delivered this afternoon. I finally got my girl! She is just a doll! We love her so much! " Lily is a darling one-year old Lab/Boxer mix with a somewhat shy personality but she loves people, especially kids, and is great with other dogs. Brian's mother Linda lives in Aspen part-time and fell in love with Lily when she was visiting the shelter.
Linda says "They are having the best time with Lily! She runs and plays with the kids. She sleeps with Brian and Susan. She is fitting right in and making herself right at home. She loves her new home!"
(The photo above shows Sam, Susan and Lily. The left photo below shows Lily with Jack and Sam and their cousin Landon in the background. The right photo below is of Sam and Brian with Lily.)
A six-month old ragamuffin kitten, Pascal was found wandering about the Ritz-Carlton Club Thanksgiving of 2006. Upon arrival in shelter quarantine, it was discovered he had been attacked by a coyote, sustaining a long gaping wound on his side. He was rushed to Dr. Scott Dolginow for surgery--and after a few days, replete with stitches and drain tube, returned to convalesce in the Cat Room. Fortunately he recovered and volunteer/board member Mimi Teschner adopted him. Pascal is now an
official member of the Aspen Music Festival and School staff, going to work on a regular basis to visit his many canine friends --shown here relaxing with longtime buddy Moses in the Development office. A spirited fellow of many talents, he has also become an accomplished gymnast and performs advanced flips at home--training to find success at the 2008 Beijing Cat Olympics!
Meow...how have all of you been? My new parents Charo and Bob really know how to treat me like a king. They tell me every day that they love me a lot. They must because they seem to put up with my snoring. I still don't believe that I snore but that's what they tell me. Maybe because my bed is so comfortable. I get a lot of toys to play with too...but I keep losing them under the furniture. I always wait by the window in the sun for them to come home. What they don't know is that before they come home I like to spend the warm days laying in the bath tub drinking the water with my paws. Sometimes at night when they aren't watching I drink some water out of their glasses. Then go back to sleep on their pillows and play with their hair. Sometimes I hear that their family likes the way my name is said in Spanish..."Home'ro"
So I hope that everyone is doing well and a kiss for all.
Prrrrrrrrr...Homey
(email sent via his new parents Bob and Charo, October 2007)
Oscar, a purebred Boxer male, came to us from a dramatic puppy mill rescue in the summer of 2006. He has landed in a great home where he is very happy acting as chief Baby Sitter. "Thanks to Oscar, our new baby sleeps though the night..."
Max...
Hi! My name is Max and I came to the Aspen Animal Shelter as a rescue from an overcrowded shelter in Merced County, California. I kept hearing them say these were my “last days” – whatever that means – but then two ladies, Anne and Bland, from the Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter board, came and got me and five of my shelter mates who were also being told it was their “last days.” Anne took me home to foster me – ha! She isn’t very good at fostering because she fell in love with me and immediately adopted me! I love it here! I go hiking in the mountains and swimming in the rivers with my two siblings, Bella and Stryder. Our home is full of love and treats – we’re super spoiled and get to sleep wherever we want to! I always curl up on the bed, right next to Anne. She really loves me despite the fact that I chewed up the leather seat, gear shift, armrest … well, pretty much the whole inside of her nice Jeep the first time she left me in it. She was mad but then started laughing at what I’d done – it was pretty impressive! I’m one lucky boy - life is good here in Aspen!
Stryder...
My name is Stryder and I came to Aspen as a Katrina rescue from New Orleans. I had spent ten days alone in the deserted city in the aftermath of the storm, when I was rescued and taken to a shelter in Gonzales, Louisiana. It was there I met the ladies from the Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter board and despite being a little fearful and snarly, (it was very scary there!), they saw through my fear and rescued me. I was brought to Aspen and fostered until I could be officially adopted a few months later by Anne, a shelter board member. I now have a wonderful life in a loving home and go on lots of hikes where I romp in the mountains and along the river. I used to be very fearful of water, but now love splashing in the river with my siblings, Bella and Max. When not hiking and playing, I curl up and snooze in my favorite chair or stare out the window and watch the river and the birds and chipmunks in the yard. I would really like to catch a few, but I’m not allowed to chase them. That’s okay though – I still feel like the luckiest boy ever to have been rescued by the Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter!
