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Adoption Success Stories
(Click on pictures to zoom, use your back button to return.) Pictures of Dan (Savage) and his new friend,
Buddy.
Tater's Story Ten months after adopting Baby Cakes
and Toby our family decided that we had room in our hearts and house for one
more four legged baby! Pat had told us about Tater and we were very excited
to meet him and we fell in love instantly! He is a welcome addition to our
family - Baby Cakes and Toby have adjusted very well to their new brother!!
Tater is full of energy and love and we are so glad to have him!
As most of you know, I love my calico cats, and Valerie was
a fairly easy choice, but it wasn’t an easy introduction. Patches, the cat who
came to me in October of 2004, was not my problem child which really surprised
me. She easily accepted Valerie. Darla, the cat who chose me and we adopted from
APFL on December 11, 2008, was not happy with our new addition. She became quite
vocal, quickly establishing her dominance over Valerie by growling, hissing and
slapping at Valerie. Darla still puts Valerie in her place and that’s okay.
Everyone coexists in peace, at least most of the time. Darla and Valerie take
turns playfully chasing each other, and recently, Patches has joined in playing
with Valerie. Valerie also loves to follow, torment, and play with our dog,
Luke. Of course, Luke attempts to keep peace between everyone and he isn’t
always successful. In fact, the cats are dominant over him, which can be very
hilarious. Sometimes, it can be chaos, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. In
September, due to sicknesses, our family lost two of our five dogs within two
weeks. All of a sudden we went from a happening canine family of five to
three. It was much too quiet!! Since I review this website weekly, I knew
Honey was waiting for her forever home. She is a 12 year old adorable blonde
Cocker Spaniel and extremely cute! She could not be any sweeter. Her
personality is very young and playful!!! She fit into our family without any
issues. Every morning after breakfast she hurries back to the bedroom to jump
up on the left side of the bed and walk over Matt to snuggle in on my pillows on
the right side. This is her routine that she does every morning for a quick nap
while Matt and I get ready for work. We are so blessed to have adopted another
dear elder dog from this shelter! What a dear
face with big fly-away ears! Amie was another dog that I could not keep from
viewing every week on this website. When APFL lost Amie’s sister, Hannah Grace,
I could not wait any longer; I decided to adopt Amie. I did not want Amie to
live without a forever home for the rest of her life. She is a 12 year old
loveable dog! She dances around with pride when going outside to pee or when
waiting for her food to be prepared. She worked her way into our hearts just as
quickly as Honey and the other dogs in times past. We shortened her name to
Amie as it is hard enough to say the right dog’s name when we need his/her
attention. Amie was used to being part of a pack since her former owner was a
dog rescuer. As with Honey, Amie accepted our three cats at first sight. Amie
is quite the old lady with white on her face but she is still young at heart!
She enjoys being snuggled and has a fondness for treats!
My name is Quincy. I was adopted on December 22, 2007. My new Momma's name is
Mary Trotter. It was truly love at first sight for both Momma and I. I'm now
known as Sir Quincy Trotter… and lovin' it! With Love,
Pat Long has been a true angel in her pet rescue mission. Once again, we are so grateful for our pets. Thank you Pat!!!
Please remember that pets deserve happiness and love too. Keep them safe and
loved in your home and family.
Two weeks after
adopting Baby Cakes we spoke to Pat Long about any other available dogs to add
to our family. At that time she recommended Toby.
On June 11, 1008, our beloved family member and friend, 11-year-old Lab/Golden Retriever mix, Lucy, passed away. Our home was so lonely without her. We could not come through the door without crying, knowing she would not be there to greet us, play with and just be with us. A lot of people told us the best medicine would be to adopt a new dog. On the advice of our vet’s office, we checked out www.apetforlife.org. Once we saw the face picture of Baby Cakes, it brought smiles and laughter back into our life! We called Pat Long to set up an appointment to meet “Baby” and her other dogs. It was love at first sight with Baby Cakes! Once we arranged with Pat to adopt Baby Cakes, we set up a time for Pat to deliver her to our home. Pat brought all her records, medicines, collar and leash! Once Pat left, Baby ran around our house at full speed, tail wagging, jumping on the furniture, she was as excited as we were! Since that day we have been so very happy! Baby has a very special place in our hearts! She has not “replaced” Lucy but has added sunshine, love and laughter to our lives once again! We now look forward to adopting one more family member from “A Pet For Life!!” ~ Dean, Patricia, Matthew and Mark Murrell - June 29, 2008 ~
In May 2006, we were searching
for a dog to love and who wanted to be loved. That is when we found an
ad in the newspaper to adopt dogs. After meeting with Pat Long, we
were introduced to Amber. We fell in love with her at first sight.
She looked at us and her eyes just told us we needed her as much as she
needed us. After a couple of long days waiting, Pat delivered Amber to
us, all cleaned and groomed, and we welcomed her with open arms. We
love her with all our heart, and we owe our enjoyment to Pat Long. We
keep in constant contact.
We fell in love with "Nicholas" the moment we saw
him; while some of the other dogs were barking, he just calmly looked at us.
When Pat opened his door for one-on-one, he came out and immediately rolled
on his back for us to rub his stomach. That won us over. Both my
wife and I are retired so we didn't want a "high-energy" dog.
Nicholas was a perfect "fit" for our lifestyle. By the way, we changed
his name to "Waddles" because he waddles when he walks. UPDATE ... "Waddles" is such a
wonderful dog. We have had him one (1) month and he hasn't messed up either
time. Today, 2/5, he received his shampoo, nail clipped, etc. The vet
told us we have a wonderful dog to treat. He also loves to go riding
in the auto. And he loves to play with his bean bag (it has a
"squeaky" in it and he enjoys making it squeak). We chase him from one
end of the apt to the other, trying to get the squeaky from him. He
has such a good time. The 1st day we got him, I had gotten a big,
pillow bed for him & I told him, "This is your bed to sleep on!", and he
goes to bed there each night. We are so thankful God used this
adoption agency to find us our "perfect pet".
When I started going to spend time with the cats at Pat's, I was drawn to Darla from very early on. Over the next few months, I patiently worked with Darla, not letting her "get away" with hiding her pretty face from me. I'm sure both my husband and Pat grew tired of hearing me talk about each small step I made in winning Darla's trust. Finally, in December, my husband surprised me by allowing me to adopt Darla as a Christmas present. She came to live with us on December 11th, 2007 and she has really surprised me by being more affectionate and loving than I ever imagined she could be. My other little girl, Patches, is still adjusting to having to share her Momma with a smaller, but older sister. Luke, the dog we adopted from Pat in May 2007 is curious about Darla. With a little luck and a little time, hopefully, they will learn to coexist in our little family. I'd like to thank Pat for
somehow seeing Darla's potential to be the loving, playful cat she's becoming
and for giving me the chance to adopt her and spoil her rotten. I'd also like
to thank Robert, my loving husband, for giving me the wonderful gift of
allowing Darla to become a part of our family and for giving me a gift that
will keep on giving for many years to come. I feel very blessed.
Well, it has been almost two months since we
welcomed Pebbles (now known as Roxie) into our family. We all love her so
much. There is still a lot of puppy in her as evidenced by the shredded
blankets in her crate. She carries the little pieces around with her like
they are her blankies. I think her favorite time of day is the morning when
our three children get up and she sees them for the first time. She is so
excited to have "her kids" to play with again. The children love playing with
her and have even embraced the chores that come along with pet care (even the
unpleasant clean up of the yard). We enjoyed our first Christmas with Roxie
and are looking forward to her first birthday next month. We are so thankful
to Pat Long and A Pet for Life for uniting us with such a sweet, wonderful
dog.
We had been wanting to have a dog for a very long time. My son Daniel asked
me to look in the newspaper, and lo and behold, was an ad for A Pet For Life
in the classifieds. Daniel and I looked up the website and we were instantly
taken by the picture of Tess. When we went to visit and see her, we knew she
was the right dog for our family! We didn't even bother to look at any other
dog. Tess is a very sweet dog, and loves all the attention that we give her.
She loves to crawl on our laps, wag her tail in excitement (almost like a fish
swimming upstream!) when we come home, and follow us around the house. She
has brought out the dog lover in all of us. We are so glad that she came to
us!
![]() ![]() Ginger's Story(formerly known as Gidget)
Ginger was a little timid and shy when she came to
us, but very sweet and loving. We could tell that she hadn't had much
attention in her first few months; she was starved for love and attention.
Pat was right that Ginger would be a very lovable member of our family, and
Henry is just smitten with her. She has started riding with him in his truck
(in her very own seat that she is most proud of!) and now whenever she hears
keys, she is at the door to Go!
Ginger loves to eat anything on the ground
(especially leaves) which has given us a headache during the fall. She
decided to chase every cricket in the vicinity of our home. Thank goodness
for the frost! Ginger's favorite game is catching the ball - she is great at
retrieving it and even brings it back for more. She has, however, learned
from Henry what the couch is for and she wastes no time snuggling down in a
blanket on the couch to watch tv! She has become demanding when she wants
something - maybe that comes from being an only child! She's a very happy
puppy and is continuing to grow each day. Will send some more pics asap.
Thanks again for bringing Ginger into our lives. She is a joy to live with!!
~ June Brittingham - December 13, 2007 ~ In October 2003, we adopted Abbey, a cute petite black and white parti-colored cocker spaniel. She had just turned 11 years old. Her owner's landlord forced him to get rid of her after 10 ½ years. Abbey lived in a kennel for several months before A Pet for Life stepped in. Mary, a friend of mine, told me about Pat Long and the shelter. Mary told me that Pat had Abbey and had been trying to find a home for her. Mary knew that we adopted the older dogs that it seemed no one ever chooses. We met Abbey one evening and decided that we had a place in our hearts and home for her. Abbey came to live with us the following weekend. It did not take long for her to take charge of the house. She is just like her Momma, a take-charge individual. After living as an "only dog" for almost 11 years she had to adjust to life with a doggie brother, 3 doggie sisters and three kitty brothers. She's still a bit of loner, but now exists peacefully (most of the time!) with her siblings. Abbey has become very attached to her Momma and even visits her at work when Abbey doesn't feel well. She has had many conditions with her skin, ears and toes due to allergies and many problems with her heart. Abbey has chosen to make her doggie bed in front of the TV her throne. She runs to it whenever she needs to reinforce the notion that she is Queen of the house. She is quite a joy to own. She has kept us on our toes. When she wants something, she thinks she should have it and immediately. We honestly have to admit, it has been hard not to give her everything she wants. She is after all, the elder at 15 years old and still going very strong! In April 2006, we adopted Mollie, a happy go-lucky little black cocker spaniel with a very long tail. She was 11 years old. Her owner had died and the granddaughter of the owner wanted to put Mollie to sleep. Pat Long enters the picture and declares that she can't put such a sweet dog to sleep. She asked for the granddaughter to sign Mollie over to Pat's shelter. Pat knew that Matt and I had just put one of our little sweet dogs to sleep and were having a hard time. She approached me about adopting Mollie. Matt and I were going to be stopping by for a quick visit while we were in town. I decided that I was going to adopt Mollie even though Matt and I decided that we were not looking to add another "mouth to feed" after losing our other dog. The weekend that we visited was our anniversary weekend. Matt and I joined Pat and Mollie in the kitchen. Pat knew that Matt was not interested in getting another dog, but she knows Matt and me all too well. She knew that Matt would cave as soon as he saw the playful and loving little Mollie. Matt began playing ball with Mollie. The two of them became connected. Pat took out the contract and handed it to me. I read it over and looked at Matt and said, "Happy Anniversary??" He knew he was being set up, but he couldn't refuse the ball-loving Mollie. We took Mollie home with us that weekend. She has been with us for a year and a half now. She has had 12 teeth pulled, gone deaf and has lost sight in both eyes due to glaucoma. After many problems with Mollie scratching her protruding eyeball, Matt and I decided to have the eye removed. It was not working anyway. It has been about two months since the surgery and Mollie gets along like a champ. She knows where to find the water bowls and how to go up and down the stairs. She jumps onto and off the bed all by herself. She can't play ball anymore, but she has become fond of walks and gnawing her special bones. The other fours dogs don't mind her tripping or running into them. They just lie still or move on (even Abbey above). Mollie has lost some of her spirit and "childlike" personality, but she is still very happy to be a part of our household. She really likes to sleep in now. I assume because everything is dark and quiet. It sometimes takes 15 minutes to wake her, but she jumps up then and starts her morning routine. She stops and takes time to smell the roses and that reminds Matt and me that we need to do the same. This is one of the things that remind us how precious life is and that God uses circumstances like this to teach others. We both love Mollie so much and can't imagine not having her in our lives.
If you have a
chance to adopt a pet, remember that you are the only one responsible for that
pet's wellbeing and happiness.
Little Jesse was rescued by Pat Long and A Pet For Life, Inc. in 1999 from a
ghastly situation of horrendous and shameful neglect. The many abandoned
animals found still alive were all starved, dehydrated, and covered with matted
hair and filth. They were all flea-ridden and infested with parasites. Jesse
was born into this terrible situation and, sometime after his birth, his tiny
left front leg was chewed off and his tail broken, neither of which ever had any
veterinary attention. Amazingly, this valiant little Yorkie mix survived and,
at age one and one-half years, came into the loving hands of Pat Long, who had
him cleaned up, groomed, and medically attended. He weighed only five pounds
and was so anemic from fleabites that he could not tolerate inoculations for
more than a month after his rescue. With Pat's compassionate care, his body
began to heal and he was made ready for a loving home. When he was entrusted to
my care, his weight had risen to seven pounds, but he was still so dehydrated
that, when the skin on his little back was pulled up, it stayed up, instead of
snapping back, and his body was still skeletal; but his intelligent eyes were
bright and he won my heart immediately. The prognosis was not good, but this
little survivor came through the dark and has brightened my life for more than
seven years. He now weighs eleven pounds soaking wet and doesn't miss a trick.
The name "Jesse" means "Gift from God," and he has, indeed, been a blessing to
me. He is sweet and loving, but with a mischievous streak that has earned him
the title "Messy Jesse, The Holy Terrier." Thank you, Pat, for bringing this
little fuzzy bundle of love into my life and my heart.
Our pet adoptions from A
Pet For Life Inc. have been a huge success. We have a dog named Jasmine and a
cat named Kassie. We got Jasmine in April of 2001. We changed her name from Star
to Jasmine. She is very hyper sometimes but has become part of the family. She
enjoys the dogs next door a lot. She likes to go on rides in our boat. She is
very friendly with people. When you first meet her she gets excited. But, as you
get to know her she calms down. Kassie enjoys her life here. She loves to roam
our four-acres that we own. She is very independent like most cats but she loves
attention. When you walk by she flops down on her back with her belly up. That
means she wants you to scratch her belly. Kassie is like "the queen of the
yard." When our neighbor's cat
came into our yard one day, Kassie decided she owned the place and chased the
neighbor's cat off. Jasmine gets in fights with Kassie sometimes and Kassie
wins. Since there are lots of animals where we live in the country it's a good
thing she knows how to defend herself. She is a hunter not a cat that likes
toys. She bats at moths and bugs. At night, I shine a flashlight on the ground
and she loves to pounce on the light. We got Kassie in August of 2006. We
changed her name from Petunia to Kassie. We love our pets, and we're glad
they're part of the family.
Kernel Update: Leroy's Story We would like to thank those who have contributed their adoption success stories to our web page. If you would be interested in sharing your story about adopting one of our animals, and have a couple of minutes to write a little paragraph, we would greatly appreciate it. A Pet For Life, Inc. would like to share your success story with other families who have adopted our deserving animals, and those families who are interested in adopting a pet from us. Please send us a picture and/or a short story or even just a sentence or two. You can send it to us by mail: A Pet For Life, Inc., 28215 Log Cabin Road, Salisbury, MD 21801; or email us at apetforlife@Comcast.net. Please remember to include your name and your pet's name. |