Second Chance Program - Success Stories

If you have a "Second Chance Success Story" to tell, send your letter and picture(s) to rita@rchumanesociety.org and please mention in your email that you would like it published on our website!

Lucky

"Lucky" doesn't so much name our dog as it does us. We first went to the Rancho Coastal Humane Society to just "look." Both of us have always loved dogs and grew up with dogs, but we weren't thinking of getting one that day in July when we went to visit. Our lives changed when we saw a cute, little guy in kennel 17. He had cute, floppy ears, a curly tail, and expressive eyes. We fell in love the moment we saw him and knew that we were meant to share our lives with this wonderful boy. We made a commitment that very day to ensure this little fella's health and happiness... the best decision we ever made.

It would be a week before we got to take him home and we felt like proud parents when we finally did on July 25, 2003. Because Lucky (formerly known as Murphy) was a Second Chance dog, we didn't know much about him. We only knew he was about 5 years old and possibly a Chihuahua/Spitz mix. To our surprise, he turned out to be more than we could ever have expected from any dog. He was already housetrained, calm yet playful, quiet, affectionate, great with kids, and most of all he quickly bonded with us to become our little shadow. It took no time at all for him to adjust to his new home, not to mention learn all his manners along with a couple of adorable tricks. Lucky is an indelible member of our family, going where we go, guarding us in our sleep, and even serving in our wedding! Even though he hasn't been with us for even a year yet, it's hard to remember a time without him... without his adorable face waking us up in the morning, his excited personality welcoming us home, or his cuddly nature when it's time for a nap. We truly feel lucky to have been chosen by Lucky to be his parents.

Jamie and Debra

Tucker

I adopted Tucker (formerly Barnaby) from the Rancho Costal Humane Society 6 months ago, and it has been one of the best things I have ever done. When I went searching for a pet, I had a picture in mind of what I thought I wanted, but what I took home was entirely different and now the best part of my life.

When I arrived at RCHS I looked at a few dogs and there didn't quite seem to be a fit; either they didn't fit with me or they didn't fit with another dog that is part of my extended family. I was a little disheartened as I really thought I would find "my" dog that day. One of the staff members asked me what I thought about a smaller dog-I didn't think I wanted a small dog but said I would take a look. She took me back to see Tucker (then Barnaby); a little 10 pound black and white Pekinese/Papillion mix who was in an area for dogs that had undergone medical treatment. She let me into his kennel; he seemed rather quiet, no barking or jumping, almost shy. He came over and licked my toes and looked up at me with his cute little face. I picked him up, he put his head on my shoulder and sighed-and my heart melted. The staff told me what they knew about him-he was a second chance dog, he has a few minor health issues such as a recent tooth extraction and a condition called dry eye, which requires daily ointment. They estimated his age to be around 9 years old, which is considered a "senior dog". The big test came when he met the other dog in my life, who would be his "cousin" and they got along fine. I don't know how Tucker ended up as a stray; he knows his basic commands and isn't too hard to walk on a leash so he must have had some training at some point in his life.

Tucker has a great life and his personality really shines though. I think he tried to fool me with his quiet behavior in the beginning; he's certainly not shy now. He is much more outgoing than he was when I first got him, and extremely protective of his "mom"; we have definitely bonded. He's not a dog that likes to sit in my lap or wants to be petted constantly, however he does want to be in whatever room I'm in and likes to lie close to me on the bed at night. I don't think he will ever be interested in toys, but he loves to go on walks and enjoys weekly visits to the dog park or the beach. He likes meeting other dogs and people, but prefers to do it on his own terms-which is being off-leash (in the proper secured setting, of course). He's not thrilled about his weekly bath, but tolerates it. I recently discovered some of his favorite foods- peas and green beans! He goes crazy when he sees me start preparing them for him and bounces around his food dish; he barely waits for me to put the dish down before gobbling down his greens.

When people meet Tucker, they have a hard time believing his is 9 years old; he certainly doesn't act like an older dog. Recently on one of our walks someone commented "that is one happy looking dog". That he seems to be so happy that it's visible to other people is heartwarming. To give a dog a happy and secure life, especially a second chance dog, is truly one of the best things you can do. He has enriched my life more than I ever imagined possible and I am delighted that we are part of each other's lives.

Chewee

Here's a letter we received from an RCHS Alumnus, who found his very own loving family through our Second Chance Program. We'd like to thank Chewee for taking the time to write us, and of course his family for taking him into their hearts and home!

Hello. My name is Chewbacca. I am a Saint Bernard mix, of questionable background. I was part of the Second Chance Program at Rancho Coastal Humane Society. I was given a second chance when a wonderful volunteer helped one of the (equally wonderful) RCHS staff members find me at another shelter. They did a temperament test with me and I am proud to say I passed with flying colors :o) So, they brought me to Rancho Coastal and lavished me with love. They called me "Mickey" - but that name didn't quite fit. It was just the first thing they could come up with on the way back to RCHS. I guess finding names for four Second Chance dogs at once isn't easy... Anyway, I was never ever shy but I sure was skinny! I think I weighed about 50 pounds soaking wet. I also had diarrhea and I needed some good brushing, but that was all quickly taken care of by the nice folks at RCHS.

One day a very cute woman came to the shelter and saw me, and I saw her - it was love at first sight for both of us! This woman, whom I now call mommy, called someone on the phone and said "I'VE FOUND HIM!" The woman left, but came back the very next day and brought a man (whom I now call daddy) and another dog for me to play with. This dog's name is Boomer (a Mastiff-Lab mix) and he is now my brother. He had been adopted from another shelter so we had lots in common. Then they all went away again. I was so sad. But the lady came back the very next day and took me home with her to live. At first she was a foster mommy to me. I was so skinny the people at the shelter wanted her to fatten me up. Mommy couldn't adopt me until I got neutered and I couldn't be neutered until I got my weight up. It took about a month, but I finally gained enough weight to have my surgery. I didn't particularly care for that part however. But, I got over it. And then I could finally say good-bye to everybody at RCHS, and go home with my new family!

Here it is a little over a year later and I now weigh 110 pounds. My feet are 4 inches wide! Mommy says she should've named me "big foot". But I kind of like the name "Chewee" which is short for Chewbacca. I have a big yard to play in and lots and lots of toys. I play with my brother Boomer and recently mommy got another dog who is my "foster sister". Her name is Tara and she is a Doberman. We all get along together great! It gets a little crowded when all of us get into bed at night but somehow we manage. We have snuggle time and then when the lights go out I have my very own cushy comfy bed to sleep on. Before I go to sleep every night I say my puppy prayers and thank the big Dog in the sky for my home and family. I also ask him to watch over the other dogs that need a home, and to help them find one. My biggest hope in life is that all dogs get to have a home and family as wonderful as mine!!

Kisses and tail wags,
Chewbacca

More Shelter Pet Success Stories

If you like stories like Tucker's and Mickey's above, you will probably like the books below. They all tell true stories of shelter dogs and cats, success stories as well as accounts of the day-to-day routine in animal shelters across the country. While these books are not about RCHS or our pets in particular, much of what is said here is true for our shelter as well. To learn more about a particular book, or to order it from Amazon.com, click on the picture.

Found dogs - by Elise Lufkin, Diana Walker, Peter Mayle
	"Elise Lufkin has managed, in her book Found Dogs, to move without cloying, to educate without preaching and to make us laugh. This book is a compilation of photos and stories of dogs who have been rescued by caring people and many of who have in turn "rescued" their new owners. (...) Diana Walker's photographs capture the connection between each "found dog" and his savior. (...) Useful information on adopting and adapting to a pet is provided." "The photographs are sensitive and captivating. Leave this book on the coffee table, and find out things about your friends that you never knew."
Circles of compassion: A Collection of Humane Words and Work - by Elaine Sichel (editor)
	"Featuring true accounts, photographs, and quotes, Circles of Compassion publicizes and pays honor to the work of companion animal shelters nationwide. The book includes stories from shelters around the United States, a survey of modern animal welfare, a list of books and groups for more information, tips on how to support your local shelter, and heartwarming photographs and quotes on compassion."
Lost and Found: Dogs, Cats, and Everyday Heroes at a Country Animal Shelter - by Elizabeth Hess
	"For everyone who has ever adopted an animal, surrendered an animal, loved an animal or simply wants to know how we who work at a shelter manage to hang in there, this is the book. Elizabeth Hess has done a marvelous job recording her insights into the very stressful, often frustrating, often heartwarming aspect of this very difficult job. It is not a depressing book, but, rather, a realistic one. What most peple do not realize, and which this book points out, is that it is a humane shelter's job to protect the animals, most of which are abused and neglected, and get them into stable, non-abusive homes. This can be source of stress, as the average person thinks of a shelter as a pet store. We are far more than that, as Ms. Hess points it. She covers the horrors of puppy mills, the frustrations of working with an abusive public and non-caring judicial system, and the marvelous families who adopt and care for the unwanted and suffering. The most wonderful animals are found in shelters, and often some of the most wonderful people."