Stockton Animal Shelter Friends

Success Stories

Tell Us About Your Adoption!

Did you adopt your pet from SASF? Do you have any sweet or fun stories to share? Has your new pet changed your life? Tell us about it! Send an email to info@stocktonpets.org, and include your name, your pet’s name and your story. If you have a digital photo you’d like to share, please attach it to the email.

The Stories

Dear Stockton Animal Shelter Friends and Animal Control Personnel:

I was thinking that you may be interested in an update on one of the dogs that you had sheltered and was subsequently adopted.

My husband and I adopted a dog four months ago on March 9, 2007. She is a border collie (mix?) and was called “BC” in the shelter records. She had been at the shelter about 6 weeks when we adopted her. Very little other information was available about her, even though she was an “owner surrender”.

We named her Gypsy. Gypsy is a very good dog! As it turns out, she is housebroken, is good with people and other dogs, doesn’t bark excessively and doesn’t beg for food. She is generally very well behaved (she is not hyperactive, obsessive or “what next” like border collies can be) and just a really sweet girl. Not that she doesn’t have some “issues”, but nothing very troublesome. For example, I don’t think that she had traveled very much in a car. But, after many short trips here and there, she is much better. I don’t think that anyone had ever given her or taught her how to play with toys. At first she was not interested in the ball, tug rope or “chew man” that we had bought her. Now, she likes to play ball (although we are still working on the “drop it” part) and play with an old sock that I made her from my and my husband’s worn out ones.

You may remember that she looks a little “cross-eyed”. This does not seem to be a real vision problem; perhaps she has a little trouble seeing things close up or things that do not move. She certainly has no problem seeing a squirrel 100 feet away or chasing rabbits and deer through brush and meadows.

In the past 16 weeks, Gypsy has graduated from Basic Obedience class and Rally Obedience class, both sponsored by the Sierra Tuolumne Kennel Club. We are planning on going to Beginning Agility class in September. She is already very bonded to me, my husband and our property. Even though she first “climbed” (this is why I think agility may be her “thing”) the gates of our fenced yard to get out when we first left her alone, it was only to go out in front of the garage so she could watch and wait for us to come home.

I anticipate that Gypsy will spend her remaining years with us being happy and well cared for and enriching our lives with fun doggy-type experiences. I have attached a few pictures. She was pretty skinny when we first brought her home, but she has put on a little weight and filled out so her ribs do not show quite so much. She has the prettiest white markings and the shiniest black coat!

I just thought you would be interested in our success story. There was a very helpful young woman at the shelter the day we adopted “BC” who said she owned a border collie. Perhaps she would like to know that this particular adoption has been good for all three of us.

Karen Stark-Alfano
David Alfano
Sonora, California
July 11, 2007

I just wanted to thank everyone that helped us at SASF. We recently lost our beloved cat Jango to cancer. We wanted to save a life of another cat and my husband came with our oldest son to visit your facility. They were so impressed with your staff and the lovely cats, and the care and love they receive. They adopted Alfie a large 4 year old grey and white male cat. He is so wonderful and loving. We fell in love with him so much we just adopted another one 3 weeks later, this time a 3 year old male tabby named Bambi. He's is a loving and exceptional cat. We just wanted to thank everyone at SASF for their help in the adoption process. It is so wonderful to have 2 beautiful and loving cats in our home and we can't thank you all enough for making that happen.

Sincerely,
Mary, Brian, Eddie & Ben Gehrke
Tracy, CA
July 9, 2007

Whitney (a.k.a. Grandma Trixie) is reunited with her family after being lost for over a year

SASF volunteer Steve Komure writes:

The first we heard of Grandma Trixie was on July 30, 2006, our neighbor came to us saying he saw a stray dog on the levee behind our homes. We went to look for her and found her in some bushes in the “green” (an easement for high tension power lines). I told my neighbor he could take her home, advertise her in the newspaper that he found a dog, hold her for 30 days (our shelter’s policy before a dog not housed at the shelter before they could be adopted out) or call animal control to have her picked up.

Later that evening, my wife, Mary, asked to see if she was still there. By this time, it was dark so we took a flashlight and looked in the bushes. We found her still lying in the bushes. She would not come out, so I went home to get a leash to get her. Upon my arrival, my neighbor was with my wife and they coaxed Trixie out. My neighbor was feeding her throughout the day and giving her water. We put the leash on her when we noticed that she was limping, very skinny, and very weak. We walked to back toward our house but after a while, she could not walk any further. I picked her up and carried her to our home and put her in our side yard where we have it set up for our foster dogs. She immediately went into a doghouse. We gave her food and water. Being how weak she was and with a injured leg, we figured that she must have rolled down the levee as there was no way she could have walked down the steep slope.

The next day, we brought her into the house, but she was very scared and we saw that she was at least 10 years old. She just lay on the dog bed and ignored our dogs and us. I took her to the veterinarian who said, professionally she would say to put her down but in her heart, she said she still has at least two more years to live. Her injured leg was an old injury that was never treated. Looking at her eyes, there is no way I could have her put down. We nursed her back to health gaining back some weight by feeding her chicken, rice, and yogurt three to four times a day. As she began to gain her strength back, she became more and more attached to us and us to her. We would take her to adoption events but hoping no one would be interested. Many people asked about her leg and why was she so skinny. We told them her story. The people we told and we also wonder, how could someone abandon such a sweet dog as her? She wants to be close to us, lying on the couch next to us, or on the floor when we are eating or working on the computer. She enjoys going for rides.

We took her to our major fundraiser event, Strut Your Mutt and Dog Day Afternoon. A family saw her there and called the center the next day to adopt her. We were out of town for a few days, so upon our return, I took her back to the veterinarian to get a letter so she would not have to get spayed because of her age. The interested family was coming that night to adopt her. The veterinarian was surprised how good Trixie looked and how dark her coat got. She said we did a fantastic job bringing her back to health. I had to leave her at the veterinarian so she could have a blood test. Later that afternoon, the veterinarian called me and said that she will go over the test with me. The veterinarian showed me the test results and it turned out that she is suffering from kidney disease. The veterinarian said that she could die overnight or live two years. My heart dropped. The veterinarian told me that she needs to be on medication for the rest of her life, fed special food and that may extend her life.

That evening, the family came over to adopt her. I told them immediately what I had learned earlier that day. They decided that they cannot give her the attention that she is going to need. We told them that she can stay with us until her time was up.

We continued to care for her expecting that we will have her for the rest of her life. She was a joy to be around. We have noticed that she was becoming more outgoing, “wooing” at the other dogs and playing with them. She was getting more comfortable in our home. On Sunday, October 1, we received the following e-mail:

This email is regarding Grandma Trixie, id #A088361. Does she have a docked tail? Brown with white and spots on her legs? Does she woo, woo when you tell her to speak. This is my moms dog Whitney. We lost her when she was frightened by a lightening storm on Sept. 26th, 2005- my moms birthday. We would love to have her back and are going to try and see on Sunday Oct. 1st if she is at the Adopt-a-Pet on Murray drive. Then if not we’ll check the SASF on Monday. My mom gave the animal shelter a picture and description of her and posted it on the web, but nobody ever contacted us that she was found. When was she found?

Can you please call us ASAP? We’d really appreciate it and prey that is our Whitney.

We called the writer’s mother and gave her our address. They were over in less that a half-hour. They had pictures of her along with the Petfinder listing. They said that she did not have an injured leg and she did not really respond to her name. Everything they said about her behavior, matched what we had noticed during the time she was with us. They also said that she had an odd number of nipples, which she did. After looking at her for an hour or so, we asked them if it was her, and they said they were sure. Grandma never showed much affection toward us just a lick or two a day. She did lick the husband. When they left, they put her in the back of their SUV and the husband rode in the back with her. As they drove away, it felt like our hearts had an empty feeling as we were set giving her a quality rest of her life but it was nice to see that the joy her original owners had. They loved and missed her very much.

She was found about 15 miles from her home. We still are not sure what happened during the ten months she was missing but she could have wandered down a diverting canal that is near the owner’s home and that feeds a river close to our home or she was found by someone and they abandoned her. The other question was how did she injure her leg.

Queen of the House

Donna writes:

Hi Stockton Animal Shelter Friends,

I just wanted to provide you with an adoption success story. We wanted a new dog for an energetic family - a dog who would be part of the family, love parks, going for walks, and playing fetch. My daughter really wanted a black lab. We had downloaded a lot of dog information from petfinder.com and had many pictures. My daughter shared all the pictures with her friends at school and finally selected a dog from your site because it looks “forlorn and sad”.... a dog that would not have a much of a chance as other dogs she had seen.

Early September 2006, I took a trip from San Jose to the Stockton to see this dog - a “black and white lab mix of unknown age”. I took the afternoon off of work so I could visit your shelter. When I got there I was greeted by a very happy, healthy solid black lab puppy of about 3 months of age. Not at all what I was expecting. She was younger that what we were looking for, but I fell in love with her at first site. Needless to say, she came home with me. She fit in with the family right away and has been such a love to us all.

We all adore “Zoe” and have had lots of fun teaching her new things. She attended “Bark in the Park” in San Jose and had a blast. We went to the beach and had lots of fun digging in the sand. She loves going for rides in the car, too. She is now getting ready to go to doggy school. We just bought a dog cookbook and plan to start making gourmet doggy cookies.

Our kitty, Miss Oliver, took a while to accept Zoe. Miss Oliver chases Zoe around the house - at first it was because she was a little scared, now it is because she is having fun and is showing Zoe she is “Queen of the House”. Zoe doesn’t mind - she loves everyone!

Thank you Stockton Animal Shelter for providing us with the perfect pet!

October 7, 2006

Dog finds place as member of family

The Record
Published Thursday, Feb 9, 2006

Jennie Rodriguez of The Record’s LENS section talked to Sonja Smith about her pet adoption.

What did you adopt and from where?

We selected a Chihuahua/terrier mix from Discount Pets on Hammer Lane. They had a lot of dogs to choose from in different cages, so we picked our favorite dog, and my 6-year-old son named her Coco.

What attracted you to her?

Actually, my son really liked her. He picked her out because I explained to him that we didn’t want to get a very big dog, since it was his first dog.

When did you adopt her?

In November, just before Thanksgiving.

How has she been so far?

She has been good. When we got her, she was 11 pounds, and we made regular visits to the vet. Basically, she gained 5 pounds within a couple of weeks. He gave us vitamins, and there is stuff we put in her food to make her coat shine.

What is the relationship between your son and Coco like?

Very good. She tends not to want to listen to him, because she knows he is the child and I’m the boss. Pretty much, she tries to get away with things with him, but he tolerates her.

He really likes her. He is always excited to see her. That is his little buddy, because he is a single child. Coco is like another little sibling. He even says, “Mom, you have two kids now.” His name is Isaiah Kelly.

Has Coco had any health problems?

A month after we got her, she did get kennel cough. They said that’s common with dogs that have been abandoned, because they’re exposed to other dogs that aren’t taken care of. She is an inside dog, so she wasn’t used to being around other dogs.

What about classes for Coco?

I started her training a week after we got her. She is doing good, but she is a little feisty thing. She’s a little diva. When she started the program and saw all the other dogs, she would bark, being territorial, but now she got over that. She pretty much realizes that no one else is barking, so why should she?

Has her behavior changed since the training?

She sits down. She has a little bed in the family room, where she sits. She knows exactly where to go when it’s feeding time. She listens to commands, and she knows her name. She is pretty responsive. I’m very happy we chose her.

Have you adopted any animals before?

Never. This is the first time. We stopped at Discount Pets just to look at the dogs. My intent was not to adopt a dog. It just happened. My son pretty much fell in love with Coco. I wish I could have adopted all of them. It’s so nice when someone can offer a home to a dog in need. Dogs need shelter; they need to be loved and fed, just like we do.

Would you adopt another pet?

Absolutely! I think it’s the best way to go. You are helping a dog in need. ... I’m glad I made the decision to adopt.

Family adds dog to its menagerie

The Record
Published Thursday, Dec 29, 2005

Pat Meyers of The Record’s LENS section talked to Debbie Foss about her pet adoption.

Where was Tommy adopted from?Stockton Animal Shelter Friends was holding an adoption at Discount Pets on Hammer Lane.

How did Tommy come to that agency?

I think he was abandoned and picked up by the pound. Every weekend, Stockton Animal Shelter Friends goes to the pound, picks up animals and takes them to places like Discount Pets, hoping that someone will adopt them.

Why did you decide to adopt a pet?

Christian, my 11-year-old, is a pet lover. He’s constantly over at Discount Pets looking at the animals.We had three dogs, all 17 to 18 years, and in a four-month period, we lost two of them.

My son wanted a companion for our remaining pet, and this would also give him a dog to run and play fetch with.

What attracted you to Tommy?

I think what attracted me to the dog was just the way he looked at Christian - just the look in his eyes.

Describe the dog’s personality.

Tommy’s a bit possessive. He acts more ferocious than he is. He’s hyper, yet loving.

Does he have any quirky habits?

He had a bad habit of sitting on the table and eating out of the plates. I had to quickly put an end to that. I was gone for a couple of days, and Tommy totally shredded up his bed. I think he suffered from separation anxiety.Tell me a funny story about Tommy.

He does quite the dance. He’ll get up on his hind legs and twirl like he’s entertaining us.How many times have you adopted a pet before? I adopted five pets previous to Tommy.

In addition to Tommy, how many animals do you have?

We have Peanuts, an 18-year-old dog; Sushi, a 17-year-old alley cat; Sassy, a 3-year-old cat; and No-Name Mom, a wild cat that I feed.Do all the animals get along?

Tommy likes to play, and Sushi doesn’t want to have anything to do with anyone, so she put him in his place right away. Otherwise, all my animals get along.

Would you adopt another animal?

Of course, in a flash. I think animals are good for the heart and soul.

Puppy finds a Happy home

The Record
Published Thursday, Dec 8, 2005

Linda Terry of The Record’s LENS section talked to Tara and Paul Happy about their pet adoption.

Where did you adopt Sophie from?

Tara: The Stockton Animal Shelter. We got her Oct. 30.

Did you want a large dog?

Paul: I wanted a medium-sized dog. She’s a little bigger than that, but she’s all right. She’s not a bulky dog for her size. She’s full-grown. I’m guessing she weighs about 60 pounds.

Has she fit into the family, or have you had problems?

Paul: That was one of the features of getting a dog from the pound. Puppies are hard to train. People don’t realize that they are a lot of hard work. She’s 80 percent trained. She’s still a puppy, so she does still chew a bit. She’s more or less potty-trained.

Tara: I had more problems at first with the baby -- the realization that I can’t just lay him on the floor, because the dog is not used to a baby. She might step on him, and we have two cats, and the dog didn’t get along with the cats so well at first. I think she has caught on now that when the baby cries, I’m going to go in there. Before I’m even up, she’s going there.

Did you adopt the cats also?

Tara: One was a stray that we just decided to keep, and the other I got from a friend. Paul grew up with dogs. I never had a dog. I had the harsh realization that a dog is a huge responsibility, like another kid. Cats are more independent.

Paul: Sophie didn’t want to hurt the cats. She would run after them and want to play.

What is her personality like?

Paul: She’s not aggressive at all; she barks a bit, but not uncontrollably. She will run around the back yard barking, but basically she’s just talking to the neighbors. After a couple of minutes, she stops barking. She’s not aggressive to people, dogs or cats.

You can look at a dog and tell if they have had a bad experience. You can tell she has no fear, hasn’t been mistreated. They said the previous owner felt they didn’t give her the time she needed. Sophie wants to be around people all the time.

Does she have any unusual traits?

Tara: She likes to play with the vacuum, and she can open doors.

Paul: She’s a really good dog. She goes to bed around 9 p.m. We have a blanket for her on the floor, and she puts herself to bed.

Would you adopt again?

Paul: Of course.

Puppy bounces back from injury

The Record
Published Thursday, Oct 27, 2005

Pat Meyers of The Record’s LENS section talked to Pat Picasso about her pet adoption.

Where was Jenna adopted from?

She came from Stockton Animal Shelter Friends, but the day we found her, she was up for adoption at the Discount Pet Foods store on Hammer Lane.

How did the dog come to that agency?

She was running with two other litter mates down on El Dorado Street in south Stockton, and they were all hit by a car. Her brother was killed, Jenna had a broken hip, and I don’t know what happened to the third dog. The pound truck just happened to be going by and saw what happened. All three dogs were picked up and taken away. Jenna was luckily fostered back to health by a nice family before being put up for adoption.

Why did you decide to adopt a pet?

We’ve had dogs before, and about two years ago, the last one had to be put down because he was really sick. My son was totally attached to that dog. Recently, he’s been begging to get another dog. We told him he could get a dog, but he would have to pay for it and take care of it. He really wanted a German shepherd, so when we went shopping for a dog, we were really fortunate to find one. My son is realizing that having a puppy is a big responsibility.

What attracted your family to Jenna?

Basically, just because she was a German shepherd, a big dog and pretty.

Describe her personality.

She’s lovable, quiet and greets us when we get home. When we’re home, she just lays around and sleeps, but when we’re gone, she gets nuts -- getting into anything and everything.

Does Jenna have any health issues?

No. She did injure her hip, but the bone was broken on the growth ring and has since healed very nicely.

Does she have any quirky habits?

She digs only when we’re gone, so I think she suffers from separation anxiety.

Tell me a funny story about Jenna.

She won’t get in the car unless one of us crawls in first, so if I need to take her somewhere, I have to crawl in the back seat. She follows, and out the other side I go.

In addition to Jenna, how many animals do you have?

We have three cats and another dog. We adopted a terrier mix the day after we found Jenna because we fell in love with him while looking for Jenna.

Chatty cat gets many new animal friends

The Record
Published Thursday Sep 29, 2005

Pat Meyers of The Record’s LENS section talked to Robin Nyberg about her pet adoption.

How did Khan come to that agency?

I was told that he originally was at the Stockton Pound. Stockton Animal Shelter Friends goes to the pound and brings some animals back to the shelter. As a result, Khan was at the shelter when I went to adopt a cat.

What attracted you to Khan?

One of the reasons that I picked Khan was because he was a talker.

His appearance also attracted me. He’s beautiful gray and tan with leopard spots and has big blue eyes.

Khan is the biggest cat I’ve ever seen -- tall and lean. He looks wild and sleek, kind of resembling an ocelot.

I went to the agency prepared. I took my pit bull with me to see how a prospective cat would react to the dog. The only cat that showed no fear while meeting the dog was Khan.

How long have you had Khan?

We’ve had him approximately three months.

How many times have you adopted an animal?

This is my fifth time. Previously, I adopted a German shepherd from the German Shepherd Rescue; a pit bull and a pit bull mix from the Manteca Animal Shelter; and a domestic shorthair cat from the Delta Humane Society.

Why did you decide to adopt another pet?

I just wanted a playmate for my other cat.

Do all the animals get along?

They all get along great, except for the German shepherd -- he’s not crazy about the cat.

Does Khan have any quirky habits?

He likes to sit on the microwave and look out the window at the doves.

New family member remains watchful

The Record
Published Thursday Aug 18, 2005

Jennie Rodriguez of The Record’s LENS section talked to Gabriella Garza about her pet adoption.

Why did you choose Cece?

I adopted a pet almost the same breed about four years ago. She died of liver failure. My daughters and I were pretty upset, because Jade was our watchdog.

I said, ‘We’re going to try it again.’ Cece wasn’t in the center the first time I went. Steve Komure a volunteer with Stockton Animal Shelter Friends had her at his home; I guess she was a little aggressive toward other dogs. I wanted a watchdog, one that would bark. Steve said, ‘I don’t tell too many people about this dog I have at home.’ He told me about Cece, and he showed me a picture. I said, ‘Oh, my God, that’s Jade.’

He brought Cece in to the center on a Sunday. She’s a well-behaved dog. She is the same mix, color and has the same white patch on her chest as Jade. She is totally house-trained, very smart. She is a very good watchdog, and she barks at everything she is supposed to.

Why did you want to get a watchdog?

I live in a pretty good neighborhood but I am a single mom of two daughters, Hannah, 16, and Megan, 11. Even though I have a high, 16-foot fence, I still feel a little uncomfortable. I just feel better with a watchdog.

You mentioned Cece’s resemblance to your previous dog. What are the differences?

I hate to say it, but Cece is smarter. She is much calmer. My other dog was a 95-pound dog. She was very big, wild and very heavy. She would knock my daughter down. Walking her was difficult.

On the other hand, Cece is about 60 pounds. She is a strong dog, too, but she doesn’t knock my daughter down. Cece has a motherly intuition. She watches over my girls.

Did you know her circumstances?

Steve told me she was dropped off at the shelter with her puppies. He took all the puppies home and adopted them out.

Does she have any funny habits?

My dog Jade was an outside dog. Cece is an inside dog. It is a big change for us, and I’m not used to having a dog in the house. When she wants to go outside, she tries knocking at first. If no one hears her, she will go into my daughters’ room, jump on their beds or lick their hands or faces.

Would you adopt another pet?

Yes, I would. I have had two great experiences. Steve, his wife and the people who are responsible for running the Adopt-A-Pet center do a really good job. The animals are well taken care of. They give you as much background information as they can, like how it behaves. It’s better than not knowing what you are getting.

Puppy loved by three generations

By Dianne Runion
Special to The Record
Published Thursday, March 3, 2005

STOCKTON -- Poppy Rose is one lucky puppy. She’s the beneficiary of a community of caring. Through Stockton Animal Shelter Friends, Sheila Satterfield fostered Precious, Poppy Rose’s blind and pregnant mother. Upon learning about Precious’ need for eye surgery, an anonymous donor agreed to pay for the expensive surgery as soon as Precious had whelped and weaned her puppies.

By February, Precious could see again, and all five of her puppies had been spayed or neutered and successfully placed. Precious also found her happy ending in a local home. But Poppy Rose may be the only one of the group with three generations caring for her.

Maggie Ott saw pictures of Precious’ family on a bulletin board at work and adopted the tawny Pomeranian-mix puppy for her daughter, Sascha Rose Moreno-Castanon, a 10-year-old fourth grader at Commodore Skills School.

When Sascha chose her puppy, she said Poppy was “more calm. The boys were going crazy.”

Calm mattered. Sascha’s grandparents, retired San Joaquin County interpreters Cora and Fernando Moreno, care for Sascha after school and Poppy Rose all day until Ott gets home from work. Asked if she was fine with the added duties, Cora said, “We didn’t have a choice. It’s what grandparents do.”

But she’s not complaining. Fernando Moreno said Poppy follows Cora Moreno, stays at her feet and fell asleep on her slippers while she was making coffee.

The Morenos’ poodle showed less enthusiasm for Poppy: He disappeared for a few days before he turned up again. And Sascha’s hamster, Beeboo, has only a sniffing acquaintance with the fluffy pup.

Ott, a single mom, said the romping in Sascha’s room sounds more like a sleepover, but her daughter “was a good age to be more responsible.”

While the dog slid upside down off the couch between the Morenos, Fernando Moreno laughed and said training involved more than one person.

Cora Moreno added, “She’s comforting and something to do besides cooking and yard work.”

Ott raced to clean up a puppy puddle on the Morenos’ otherwise spotless hardwood floor. Shaking her head in wonder, she said, “We were never allowed to have dogs in the house.”

Then Poppy bounded across couches and three generations of laps.

Ott said, “She’s very loved by this whole family.”

Foster kittens brighten household

By Dianne Runion
Special to The Record
Published Thursday, December 2, 2004

STOCKTON -- Fostering small animals is a bit like being a grandparent. You love and help civilize them when they’re little or in special need, then send them home.

Kitten foster caregiver Arlene McNeal puts it another way: “They’re a gift you have for only so long.”

Dale and Arlene McNeal’s current gifts are seal point Siamese kitten littermates Alfie and Arnie (after Gov. Schwarzenegger). At least the McNeals think the kittens are seal point Siamese. When animals come from the pound, it’s generally hard to know their history.

The McNeals do know their 11th and 12th foster kittens were weaned around six weeks and out of their mandatory two-week quarantine. Arlene said most unweaned kittens fewer than 8 weeks old and without a mother are killed by injection at the Stockton City Animal Shelter. The staff has neither time nor personnel to hand-feed the hundreds of unwanted kittens and puppies.

City Shelter Animal Control Supervisor Tom Ramirez put the problem in perspective. He said 6,231 cats and kittens were turned into the Animal Shelter in 2003 -- 50 percent to 60 percent of them unweaned kittens. If they are dropped off or picked up with their nursing mother, they are held until they are weaned. The shelter does its best to place them with foster caregivers, volunteers or adopters. But wild and stray kittens, often found motherless, present an enormous problem to the city.

Ramirez heaped praise on Stockton Animal Shelter Friends, who help place hundreds of cats and kittens each year in what he called a vastly preferable “win-win situation.”

As longtime Stockton Animal Shelter Friends, the McNeals count themselves among the winners. While pink-nosed Alfie climbed the cables on Arlene’s sweater to get at the crocheted doily on the chair behind her head, black-nosed Arnie ran up and down Dale’s arm and shoulder. Dale turned Arnie over and rubbed his tummy, saying he could even trim the lively kittens’ claws. Arlene said they teach them “No!” when they bite with a gentle tap on the nose. They also introduce their foster kittens to litter box and scratching post.

The McNeals kept their first foster cat, one of several cats that have cuddled and slept with their Australian Shepherd dog -- another Stockton Animal Friends adoptee. Childless and retired from University of the Pacific, the McNeals said, “We’re basically animal people.”

Stockton Animal Shelter Friends always need money and volunteers. Dale sometimes sits in the SASF cattery to see which cat crawls in his lap. A former professor in the University of the Pacific biology department, he said, “Three different people will sit, and three different cats come to sit in their laps. Cats pick them.”

Introducing foster animals to animals already in the home takes patience. The McNeals go slow. Arlene said, “Somebody’s going to be alpha, but they kinda call a truce.”

When the McNeals’ foster pets find a home, they feel good about what they’ve done. Dale said, “It’s such a pleasure to know when these go out and find a home, you’ve saved a few.”

Woman provides comfort to dog

ADOPTER OF THE WEEK
By Dianne Runion
Special to The Record
Published Thursday, November 18, 2004

STOCKTON -- Blind and pregnant, Precious faces a rough road on her way to adoption. Her story tugged enough at Sheila Satterfield’s heart that she will foster Precious until her puppies are born, weaned and ready for adoption.

Satterfield is a volunteer for Stockton Animal Shelter Friends. At least once a week, Satterfield goes to the shelter, formerly known as the pound, to comfort potentially adoptable animals.

The shelter calls her “The Socializer.” For several hours, Sheila-the-Socializer sits, pets and calms scared, lonely dogs.

“This was my calling, and I didn’t know it,” said Satterfield, a clerical worker for San Joaquin County Human Services. “I can’t stand to see a dog put down. I know I can’t save every animal, but I want to do it.”

“Look at this,” she added, nodding toward Precious, sleeping on her back in Satterfield’s lap. “They can’t take care of themselves.”

The back of Satterfield’s blue-and-gold Friends of the Animal Shelter T-shirt spells out the reality: “For each and every person born there are 15 puppies born. And 45 kittens born.” And, in capital letters: “Please spay or neuter your dogs and cats!”

Precious is a sweet-natured, reddish fox-colored terrier mix whose cataracts are obvious. Through Friends of the Animal Shelter, a local vet agreed to do expensive cataract surgery on both of Precious’ eyes for a reduced rate. Always in need of funds, volunteers and foster caregivers, Animal Shelter Friends are trying to raise surgery costs for Precious through petfinders.com.

Panting a lot, Precious lay on her back with her fox-brush tail fanned out, sleeping in her foster home, where Satterfield also has an Akita/shepherd mix and a Lhasa Apso. Unborn puppies wiggled and jockeyed for space beneath Precious’ swollen teats.

Neither Precious nor Satterfield knows Precious’ future, due date or even if a larger sire could make her delivery difficult. But as Satterfield gently strokes Precious, one blind stray dog can count on a Thanksgiving full of safety, comfort and love.

Stockton Record articles used with permission from The Record, a division of Ottaway Newspapers, Inc.

Menu:

After You’ve Adopted