Happy Anniversery/Birthday Charlie Mae

In March of 2009, I wondered into the Fairfield Area Humane Society to "look" at the dogs. Kris and I had been talking about getting a dog but were living in my parents basement at the time so the timing just didn't wasn't right. But, we of course should have known better than to let me "look", everybody should have known I would have filled out an adoption form about 5 minutes after walking in the front door. I took my sister with me, who knows why, maybe moral support, to stop me from adopting a dog or for what may have been my intention the whole time, to help my pick out the perfect dog! We walked through the kennel, looking at all the dogs, reading their little profiles that were tagged to their crates, playing with them and feeling heartbroken all at the same time. I always told myself that if I were to adopt a dog, it was going to be an adult dog, EVERYBODY wants to get a puppy so I didn't worry about the puppies not finding homes, the adult dogs were the ones who needed their second chances. I was playing with a dog when I hear my sister say "hey Ash, here she is." I walked down and looked into the crate and there she was. She looked a little like a pit which was one of the breeds my husband specifically told me we could not own due to home owners insurance reasons but I didn't care, she was perfect. After spending a little time with her I discovered she was a 2 year old White Boxer/Shar Pei mix that the shelter had names Leah. She had just been rescued from the dog shelter from the back row where they were about to euthanize her, simply because she had been there too long. I immediately filled out an adoption form and couldn't wait to take her home. Now, they make you wait what feels like forever before they approve you, then make you wait even longer to get to take your new pet home. After about a week (which felt like a month) on March 27, 2009, my mom and I picked up "Charlie" aka "Leah" and took her home, her second second chance had just begun!


It both breaks my heart and warms my heart to think about what Charlie has gone through in her life. After a few visits to the vet it became immediately clear that she was abused in her previous home and was afraid of certain movements and people of a certain body shapes and builds. It is presumed that she escaped that abusive home only to spend an unknown about of time on the streets as a stray prior to her capture by the pound. Then she was rescued by the wonderful people at the Humane Society, underweight and scared. A week later, I walked into the shelter and took her home. Now, her life couldn't be better. She is spoiled rotten, very much loved, and was exactly what Kris and I needed in our lives.


Today, we have had Charlie for a year, hard to believe it's been that long. We set this day as her birthday, which makes her approx. 3 years old. She is at a very healthy 40lbs, extremely attached to Kris and myself, she no longer flinches at movements and is all around a wonderful dog, and addition to our family.


I would like to share a link to the Fairfield Area Humane Society to share Charlie's success story on their website http://www.fairhumane.org/public_html/NewSite/Assets/HappyEndings%20Charlie.pdf

Happy Anniversery/Birthday Charlie Mae

In March of 2009, I wondered into the Fairfield Area Humane Society to "look" at the dogs. Kris and I had been talking about getting a dog but were living in my parents basement at the time so the timing just didn't wasn't right. But, we of course should have known better than to let me "look", everybody should have known I would have filled out an adoption form about 5 minutes after walking in the front door. I took my sister with me, who knows why, maybe moral support, to stop me from adopting a dog or for what may have been my intention the whole time, to help my pick out the perfect dog! We walked through the kennel, looking at all the dogs, reading their little profiles that were tagged to their crates, playing with them and feeling heartbroken all at the same time. I always told myself that if I were to adopt a dog, it was going to be an adult dog, EVERYBODY wants to get a puppy so I didn't worry about the puppies not finding homes, the adult dogs were the ones who needed their second chances. I was playing with a dog when I hear my sister say "hey Ash, here she is." I walked down and looked into the crate and there she was. She looked a little like a pit which was one of the breeds my husband specifically told me we could not own due to home owners insurance reasons but I didn't care, she was perfect. After spending a little time with her I discovered she was a 2 year old White Boxer/Shar Pei mix that the shelter had names Leah. She had just been rescued from the dog shelter from the back row where they were about to euthanize her, simply because she had been there too long. I immediately filled out an adoption form and couldn't wait to take her home. Now, they make you wait what feels like forever before they approve you, then make you wait even longer to get to take your new pet home. After about a week (which felt like a month) on March 27, 2009, my mom and I picked up "Charlie" aka "Leah" and took her home, her second second chance had just begun!


It both breaks my heart and warms my heart to think about what Charlie has gone through in her life. After a few visits to the vet it became immediately clear that she was abused in her previous home and was afraid of certain movements and people of a certain body shapes and builds. It is presumed that she escaped that abusive home only to spend an unknown about of time on the streets as a stray prior to her capture by the pound. Then she was rescued by the wonderful people at the Humane Society, underweight and scared. A week later, I walked into the shelter and took her home. Now, her life couldn't be better. She is spoiled rotten, very much loved, and was exactly what Kris and I needed in our lives.


Today, we have had Charlie for a year, hard to believe it's been that long. We set this day as her birthday, which makes her approx. 3 years old. She is at a very healthy 40lbs, extremely attached to Kris and myself, she no longer flinches at movements and is all around a wonderful dog, and addition to our family.


I would like to share a link to the Fairfield Area Humane Society to share Charlie's success story on their website http://www.fairhumane.org/public_html/NewSite/Assets/HappyEndings%20Charlie.pdf