Happy Endings

The lucky Aussies on this page were all at one point shelter dogs before being adopted by their new loving families. Read their stories to find out what wonderful pets and companions Aussies rescued from shelters can be, provided they receive the right amount of love, training and exercise. Many more Aussies in Shelters are waiting for their "Happy Ending" story to begin, so give them a chance.

Just as with the original story, if you'd like to add an update to any of the stories, write it up and Contact Us or e-mail it to: aussierescuesocal@gmail.com. For those of you that have a spam blocker or filter on your e-mail, please make sure you add this address to your list of approved beforehand if you want a response.

We adopted Maeby from Laurie at SoCal Aussie Rescue in March, and she has quickly slotted into our house and routine here in San Diego. My girlfriend indulged me a little because I was so breed-oriented for this adoption, but I had a very special black tri female look after me in the formative years of my childhood and young adulthood. She died six months after I went away to college and for ten years I didn't let myself fill the hole she left for fear of moving and traveling and all the little practical responsibilities of having a dog. When we moved in together recently, I inherited from Kristine a rat terrier and two cats, and started checking the rescue websites once a week, talking myself out of things until I saw Sadie who was perfect apartment size, smart and trained, and so cute! Sensing my residual tentativeness, Kristine threatened me with starting a Pomeranian rescue unless I followed through, and I'm really glad we decided now was the time.

Maeby has learned to navigate a house full of cranky creatures, and even learned to coexist with our 'quirky' rat terrier, and revels in walking to the dog park at Morley Field to chase the ball until she passes out, or taking a short ride to Dog Beach in Ocean Beach to frolic in the sand and water. All in all, we are so happy to have her be a part of our life, and are grateful to everyone who helped us find her. Cheers!

Dogs Name: Bailey
Adopted from: The Lancaster Shelter
New Home: The Moulay family of Santa Clarita, CA

We adopted Bailey, a sweet pup under 6 months old. She has definitely had a rough start. Unfortunately she has not been fully integrated into the family yet because she had kennel cough, Giardia, Coccidia & round worms. The good news is that she is on the mend and receiving plenty of love and attention. The kennel cough is gone and she went through the first round of treatment for the parasites. She is sweet, loveable, smart, and full of life. She already knows how to sit and comes to her name ready to play whenever we call her. She absolutely loves belly rubs. Our adult dogs, Dorothy & Maddie, are so excited and can’t wait until she has full access to the house so she can be with them. They are eager to show her the ropes.
We are so happy to have her. Getting through puppyhood is a lot of work but all of our dogs give us back so much love and joy. It really can’t be beat!

Colleen Moulay

Jennyanydots came into our lives when she appeared on a street in Canyon Country and needed a foster-home. “We have to keep her on a leash,” we were told, “because she’ll run away.” You often hear this from people who prefer to blame rather than train. Now, in the high desert, Jenny the runaway runs like the wind through the chaparral, raising her head from time to time to make sure we haven’t run away. If Jenny were more high-strung, all the strings would break. When walkies are in the offing, she thrums like a strung bow. This morning, when Jenny was anticipating our walk, Betchen made up a parody of “McCavity” in “Cats.” “Anxiety, anxiety, why can’t you just be quiety?” You might think this isn’t ready for primetime, but YOU try to rhyme something with “anxiety.”

For the most part, Jenny is one of the smartest Aussies we’ve had. Very briefly, I was able to flummox her by tossing her Frisbee onto the concrete patio, where she couldn’t pick it up. Very quickly she learned that she could either back up, pulling the Frisbee over to the lawn with her front paws, or push it there with her nose. But there are occasional odd gaps in her understanding—an Einstein who can’t figure out how to open an umbrella. Friday morning, for example, she came into my study carrying a dog biscuit she wanted to save for later, and she wandered around the room, looking for a hiding place. One corner had a discarded curtain in it, seemingly well adapted for hiding a dog biscuit, and Jenny checked it out, but then she decided on a different corner. That corner had the advantage of being farther away from Genji, the only other member of our family who might want to eat the biscuit. Betchen and I seldom eat dog biscuits, and only on special occasions. The trouble was, the corner Jenny chose didn’t have anything to hide the biscuit behind. Besides, she was suddenly interrupted by the need to scratch her nose. Putting her head between her legs, she pulled itforward, dragging her nose on the carpet. She kept doing this, and I suddenly realized that she was dragging her nose toward the corner, again and again, and from different directions. Our little genius was trying to cover the dog biscuit by shoving carpet over it with her nose, a technique that had worked well for her outside, where she could cover up her treasures with leaves. I explained her mistake to her, and she asked me not to tell anyone. While I did promise to keep this to myself, I had my fingers crossed.

This is Ozzy! I got him in June 2011 from Cataic Shelter. He now lives in Manhattan Beach. He thinks he's a lapdop. He loves the dog park, car rides and his belly rubbed. Ozzy is super smart, very playful, and extremely friendly! He will greet you at the door with his great, big hugs. Ozzy has adjusted well to his new life in Manhattan Beach and often gets complimented on his handsome looks and gorgeous fur when he goes out on walks. He has a little 6-pound, 6-year old Pomeranian brother name Louis. While they get along fairly well, Louis loves to steal his bones and yap at him when he gets jealous but Ozzy is such a good bog brother he will never snap back. Whenver we look at Ozzy, we wonder how anyone could have given up this beautilful sweet animal.

-Lynne and Cody, Ozzy & Louis

We are happy to update that we have rescued another Australian Shepherd. On the right in both pics is Layla, our sweet blue merle Aussie adopted from the Lancaster Shelter. She is just as striking and beautiful as Ozzy but much more quiet and calm in demeanor. Layla is definitely a princess. She lives for belly rubs and will plop down and get right into belly-rubbing position as soon as she meets you. She is still getting used to her new home and to being Ozzy and Louis' sister. We are definitely glad to have found her!

I lost my Jindo dog Gracie a few months ago and missed her terribly- I was determined to find another dog and I wanted to rescue somebody from a shelter. I wasn't having much luck- it's a very painful process to got to a shelter and look at so many sad desperate faces and choose just one. I was also determined to rescue an older dog- I have always thought Aussie dogs were so beautiful - especially the black tri color ones- so when I saw Luna on the Petfinder web page I raced over to the shelter to see her-

The animal shelter was pretty much in chaos with many people there looking for pets and dogs all barking- I saw Luna sitting at the back of her cage looking very forlorn- but I called her to come to me and she got up and walked over and sat down at the front of the cage. I noticed at the time that Luna drooled but my Jindo had drooled when she was nervous so I thought it must be the same thing- anyway after sitting with Luna a while I thought she needed me to take her home.

The staff had several concerns- first they weren't sure if she was ill or just depressed. They also pointed out the wasting she had of the muscles above her eyes- - Well a trip to the vet answered several questions- first she had some sort of wasting disease of the muscles over her eyes which apparently affects her being able to open her mouth- also at some point her lower jaw had been broken and not repaired so that her front teeth sort of hang forward at a 45 degree angle- and the drooling is permanent- I can handle most things but a dog with continuous ropes of thick slobber hanging from her mouth?

But Luna (now Sophie) is such a terribly sweet dog- she still seems sad- perhaps she misses her family but she knows she is safe here and she is willing to give me a try- we go on short walks- I worry about her because she can't pant and cool herself like other dogs.I don't know if she has had a lot of training but I do know that if I tell her something she catches on pretty quickly. I think she was a cat chaser in her previous life but she is realizing the cats live her and she leaves them alone- She does like to sleep outside so I gave her a dog bed and she instantly curled up on it and went to sleep.

Sophie will have a forever home with me- drool and all

-Carol

The Amazing Mayson
In 2002 we adopted Quasar from Animal Rescue of Fresno (story below) and in 2003 Holly from So. Cal Aussie Rescue and Megan (story below). Sadly, we lost our Hol in 2008. In Spring of 2009 we were ready and turned again to So. Cal Aussie Rescue and Megan. Mayson, the freakishly-large Red Tri, captured our hearts instantly and joined our family in the foothills above Fresno. He fit into our home immediately, never even having an accident. He LOVES our cats, licking bottoms and ears and saving the cats much time with their tiny tongues. Mayson has also become certified as my medical alert dog (allowing Quasar to retire). The Maysonator is amazing! He takes everything in stride from working at home, to a super WalMart, to even working on a steam locomotive ride. He is an ambassador for his breed and for service dogs where ever he goes with his love of people and gorgeous looks. Holly was good, Quasar is wonderful, but Mayson is entirely the perfect dog. From a dog that spent five years as a shut-in with an elderly woman, he now accompanies me absolutely everywhere and even has his own Facebook page (Mayson Fusinato). Thank you and Megan for saving this one and bringing him to his forever home.
- Dave & Cara Fusinato -- Squaw Valley, CA

I saved Tucker from the Lancaster shelter on Sept 4th, 2010. He was 2 days away from being put down due to a over crowded shelter. I saw him on "Aussies in Shelters" and I knew I had to get him out of there. When I got there, he was in a dirty, wet kennel with two other aggressive dogs who wouldn't let him eat. I couldn't get him out fast enough. After finishing the paper work, he hoped right in my car as if to say "Woo Whoo!!! I'm free!!!!

We think he is half Aussie and half Border Collie. We are thrilled with him as we have horses and small livestock on 2 acres and he LOVES to herd them up, follow my husband on the tractor and just be busy watching all that goes on on our small ranch. He is also very gentle and loving. We work with inner city kids and he will be great for a therapy dog as well. Thank you so much for posting him, I would never have known he was there. God bless you

Sincerely, Joyce from Yorba Linda, Ca :o)

Adopted from: Pets N Pals in Lathrop, CA
New Home: Laura & David in Walnut Creek, CA

We discovered Finn on petfinders.com as my boyfriend and I were perusing for a pet. I only had two criteria 1.) Had to be Australian Shepherd 2.) Had to be a rescue. Growing up with our Aussie was a real treat (she turns 15 next month!) and I knew it was the perfect breed for me..for life! From the moment we brought Finn home we have been enamored with him. He is the absolute sweetest puppy who really acts more like a big cat than anything else. People are constanly stopping us finding out where they can "get one just like him". He is an aussie/chow mix and a perfect blend of the two breeds. Can you believe that someone just dumped this little guy in the streets at 10 weeks old?! His name Finnley means "light haired courageous one" can you think of anything more perfect?

Sydney is a black tri Aussie that we adopted seven years ago from Aussie Rescue (Megan). She has been the princess of our lives since then – greeting everyday and everyone with a smile and a kiss. She was best friends with Roo, our blue merle, who died from cancer in July. She let us know around Thanksgiving that , while she liked being an only dog sometimes, she really wanted a new friend. After a couple of false starts, we saw Juneau on the website and the rest is another happy ending. Juneau has a forever home and Sydney has a friend for life.

Odo was adopted back in '99 from the Camarillo shelter (after learning about him from Aussie rescue). He was a beautiful blue merle, who never failed to elicit oohs and ahhs even as an older boy.

We were told he was 5 years old, which was probably accurate since we were told he was turned in for "barking too much in the backyard." We concluded he must have been tied out in the backyard, as he had developed some rather troubling issues with mailmen and gardeners. He was a loving dog, not a licker but always nearby. I tried him on agility but he probably was just a little old to get started on something like that. I had him instinct tested with sheep, and he clearly knew his heritage.

He got along with our other dogs, reasonably well with the one we already had and was inseparable from the Lab we got as a puppy a few years ago. He learned to accept cats, though they also figured out not to push his buttons.

Sadly, our boy passed away in May of this year at 15 year old. He leaves a major hole in our hearts, and his Lab companion still clearly misses him!

Adopted from: Private Owner in San Diego
New Home: Terry Keating & Joey Gonzalez' Home in Costa Mesa, CA

Joey and I had been looking for a Red Tri australian shepherd for months. We considering buying from a breeder, but decided that adopting an older dog was the best option for us. We started searching for a rescue on Petfinder.com, then came across the Aussie Rescue website. We checked it almost every day until the perfect little brown dog named Ruca was posted! He was listed by a private owner in San Diego that couldn't keep him anymore.
We drove down to meet him and the second he came into the room he ran right up to Joey and rolled onto his back asking for a tummy scratch! We took him home that day and he is the perfect dog. His favorite things are running on the beach and playing in the water, giving Joey Hi-5's, going for car rides, snuggling and giving lots of kisses. We love him so much and are so happy that we were able to rescue him. All our thanks goes out to the people at Aussie Rescue So Cal! -Terry

Little did I know when I married my husband 11 years ago how my life would be changed. Not only did I gain a husband, but a darling 3-year old step daughter and an Aussie mix rescue dog named Foster (for Foster’s Lager, an Australian beer). Foster was my husband’s best buddy, paper fetcher, home guardian, and sweet companion. He even welcomed our second daughter home from the hospital with a loving kiss!

In 2005, then nearly 15, Foster went to doggy heaven. Our family was so sad, it was awful. I channeled my sadness into action, scoured the Internet and looked at every Aussie rescue dog in the country! I eventually saw a photo of a dog on the So Cal Aussie Rescue site (see “convict” picture above) that had a “special” look. I warned my husband that I was going to fill out an application and see if this dog was available and would suit our family. His name was Victor, having been rescued from the Victorville, CA dog shelter. That week we were invited to visit Victor in Southern California. It was my birthday and we had plans to go away for the weekend. However, it wasn’t difficult to convince my husband that we should change our plans and drive five hours south to meet Victor. The next thing you know we were driving home with a beautiful, quiet, well mannered one-year old black tri Aussie!

The kids welcomed him home and he fit right in with all of us. He was a real love-bug. His new name was Toby. I remember my husband saying that Toby was very quiet, “what kind of a guard dog will he be?”. Well, about six weeks into it, aliens had snatched our dog and replaced him with a barking, digging, aggressive, reactive maniac! The honeymoon was over.

On walks, Toby would pull you to the ground and aggressively bark at other dogs and people. He’d knock you over coming in and out of the house. He nipped at people’s arms and herded the children down the hallway. It was now obvious that Toby had not been well socialized as a youngster. Before we knew it, Toby had become a liability. He was either going back to the So Cal Aussie Rescue or getting trained by a professional – and going back to rescue was just not an option. Our very sweet and loving boy would soon go to doggie boot camp.

In 2006, my hairdresser told me about her dog trainer, Janice Tan, who was very good with reactive dogs. The first time Janice came to our home we were so impressed with how obedient her dog was, we were sure Toby would never be like that – but we were wrong! I had weekly private lessons and then Janice told me it was time to try group. I didn’t think we could ever be around all of the dogs in a group class. At first, Toby just barked hysterically the entire time. Luckily the group was used to this. Little by little Toby made progress and I was learning just as much as he was and then some. Some time passed and Janice suggested that I work on Rally with Toby and take him to matches to get him better socialized. She suggested I join our local dog training club as well. I was so afraid the first time I went to a club and a match. I was sure he was going to eat someone’s dog and that I would be kicked out forever! To my amazement, Toby did very well and loved it and so did I!

Eventually Janice and others suggested I get an ILP (whatever that was!) for Toby and that we should start going to trials. Toby loved it so much! For me, a full-time working mom, I found it to be great therapy. I was able to be outside with Toby and could momentarily forget all of life’s stresses. That is one of the greatest gifts Toby has given me. It was a lot of fun to practice and to compete. I never would have guessed that we were going to enjoy competing so much. My husband and family were very supportive of the many hours Toby and I spent working and competing together (see trial pictures above). Taking home a lot of blue ribbons wasn't too shabby either!

In 2007, Toby and I earned our RN, RA, RE, CD, and CGC. It was quite a year for my little Aussie maniac! In fact, he received the USASA 2007 Year End Award, 1st place for Rally Excellent A and 2nd place for Obedience Novice A. What an accomplishment for such a naughty dog! I must say that I am most proud of our CGC. When we first started going to group classes, other owners discussed working towards their CGC. I was certain at that time that this was beyond our reach. Toby is a star now and I have to thank my trainer Janice and the dog club trainers for their patience, skill, and believing in us. Toby and I are currently working on Open Obedience at the local dog training club. My family is very proud of us and I am grateful that Toby has introduced me to a wonderful world of fun and new friends! Got to love that rescue dog!

As I browsed my favorite Aussie rescue sites... (just browsing!) I came across a picture that would change my life.

He looked so scared and thin. I called the shelter and was told he was on "limited" view as he was a "biter". He had been on quarantine for 7 days, and was 12 days into his 14 day limit. I went down the next day and met an aloof, disinterested and withdrawn dog. I was late for work and told the shelter I would come back the next day. When my daughter and I arrived the following day I was heartbroken to hear he had been "taken out of the system" as unadoptable.

With the intention of fostering him... I said, " Go find him. We'll take him." The woman at the counter said, "Are you sure you want this dog?" "Tucker" came home and the depth of his scars became evident. I tried to pull him outside by his collar and he attacked me. Two days later Tucker and my male, Brew fought like rabid pit bulls. Although our wounds healed it was clear I was in over my head.

Tucker spent 2 weeks at the home of a professional trainer. The trainer also worked with me, my family and our other two dogs. A kennel was built, crates purchased and we tried again! Tucker has now been home since the end of October. Now that he trusts me I handle him with total confidence that he will never attack me again.

Tucker gets along GREAT with my female Aussie mix, Harley. For now I'm keeping Tucker and Brew apart. We'll take it slow and hope that one day they can all just "hang out". Until then I will continue with the training, exercise, supervised play time and lots and lots of belly rubs!!

The gang..Tucker, Harley and Brew.

Happy boy
Christmas Kisses
Christmas toys

Our family was looking for a friend and companion for Blaze, our 9 month old Aussie. We found Blizzard at Aussie Rescue, and my kids KNEW she was the right one! We have since renamed her Honey, as she is so loving and is a cuddle bug. Honey is a Lethal White, both blind and deaf. She is such a happy dog and is best friends with Blaze. She is also the diva of the dog park... making friends human and four-footed wherever she goes. Her personality and smile shine out and touch everyone! We are truly blessed to have her in our family.

Keisha, Melissa, and AJ
La Habra, CA

On October 13, 2009, Honey moved into her forever home with me...her new owner, seeing-eye-person, and loving companion that she "adopted".

Since the adoption, we have met up with Keisha, her kids, and Blaze on several occasions. Each time has been a wonderful experience for all of us...and for which we expectantly look forward to many more of these gatherings in the years to come.

The additional photos of us (one in Berkeley, with some of San Francisco's landmarks at a distance, and the other with Mount Shasta in the background) came from a road trip we took together (driving betweeen California, Oregon, and Washington) in mid-November. I figured it would prove to be a wonderful bonding experience...and it was.

Even in such a short timespan (less than two months), I couldn't imagine being without her. Like with Keisha and her family, I am truly blessed to have her as a companion.

Leo Sarmiento
Cerritos, CA

My daughter is a volunteer at the West End Shelter in Ontario, California. She called me one day to tell me about this blue merle that had just been brought in. I said "No more dogs!!" We already have a red tri, a red tri/golden retriever mix and a black lab mix. She said "I know mom but just come and see him". Well long story short, there he sat in his cage trembling in the corner with his face looking down at the ground. He broke my heart....and won my heart!!!!

So off to the vet he goes and we are told he is 5-6 years old with arthritis and juvenile cataracts. He was so slow moving at first but with daily treatments of Synflex (liquid glucosamine with lots of other good stuff) and baby aspirin he is sprinting around like the aussie he was meant to be. All of our other furkids have accepted him into the pack and have been so patient in letting him settle in before insisting he participate in their daily play.

We have named him Jacoby after my favorite red sox player Jacoby Elsbury. And he is a world champion in our eyes!!

This is Chance, we adopted him from the Lancaster, CA. shelter, just about a year and a half after adopting Clooney, from the same shelter (his story is below) I saw Chance on the shelter website, while I was browsing for pictures to send to Karyl for this website. We had no intention of adopting another dog, and I wasn't looking, but when I saw that his markings were almost identical to Clooney's, I couldn't believe it. Hubby said not to even show him the picture, don't even think about it, LOL, no more, we have 2 already ! So, of course I called...and was told he was due to be euthanized and that so far noone showed any interest !

After more than a week of calling the shelter, and going up there, and noone knowing where the dog was, they finally realized he had been bitten by a rattlesnake while at the shelter, and was in an emergency clinic. The clinic was contacted, and a girl that works there had taken him home to care for him temporarily, but then brought him back so that I could adopt him.

My husband got to the shelter at opening time ! When he brought Chance home, he was so thin that you could see every bone in his body, he had been starved nearly to death ! We weren't sure if he was going to make it through his first week. He had also been severely abused in the past, with scars, emotional problems, and his tongue had at one point been sliced through the side badly. He also still had a few ticks on him, and an upper respiratory infection, as well as his hair had mostly fallen out.

But now that we have had him about a month and a half he is flourishing with us! He has gained quite a bit of weight ( almost 9 pounds the first week !) and he is no longer showing signs of emotional distress, and with the help of our vet he is very healthy. He is playful and energetic, and loves attention! Noone had ever pet him before, as he spent his first 9 months on a small chain out in the desert behind someone's house, so if we stop petting him, he will scratch at our hands and lift our arms with his nose. He has become my husband's main companion as well....funny how that turned out. They seem to connect, as my husband was disabled in an accident a year ago, and Chance was badly abused, so they both are healing, in a way. He is allowed to sleep in our bed every night, and pretty much goes everywhere with his "daddy". And as small as he is he has seemingly become the leader of the pack with our other dogs, he sure is rambunctious! They all get along wonderfully, and we are incredibly happy to have him in our home

Frank and Teri Donahue, Lancaster, CA.

Hi my name is Brittany and my boyfriend Cody and I just adopted an aussie and collie mix from the Mon County Adoption Center. I was looking through sites because I wanted to see where my dog (Chance) got his reddish fur...and I saw a bunch of different colors and patterns. I can definitely tell that my dog is half aussie from his face and fur...Chance's story is...well...Cody and I were talking about getting a small dog because we live in a townhouse, so one day while Cody was at work I went to a few shelters and and saw a lot that I liked but when I went to the canine adoption center of Mon County I saw Chance, who at the time had no name...

I asked the lady about him and she said that he was actually trapped a mile from her house and it took 3 baths to get him clean and a couple weeks before he would come around people...so I took Cody up there the next day and we took him out and played with him and he was the sweetest dog and very calm...so we took him home that night and I'm so pleased that we did...I am just so happy that I could give Chance a second chance at life...thats how he got his name ..Chance...and we are so happy with him, I couldn't ask for a sweeter dog...he loves attention walks very well on a leash ..I really don't even need a leash...so that's Chance's story.

We lost our Aussie blend Ernie and thought we would wait to get another dog. After a few days of loneliness and tears, we went searching for another Aussie. After visiting shelters within 50 miles, I found the Aussie Rescue page and a local number (Laurie Zurborg). I called and she did have a new rescue from the Santa Ana shelter and had not had time to post him on the website. After Laurie described the dog to me, I drove immediately to her facility to see him. Riley looked exactly like our last doggie Ernie! It was amazing and it was love at first sight!

We are so blessed to have found Riley and he fills our days with laughter and smiles! Here he is and we hope he makes you smile as well!

Janice & David Jeng
Yorba Linda CA

Rescued from: Ojai Animal Shelter Ventura County CaliforniaNew family: The DeSanto family, Almere, The Netherlands

One day, when I still lived in Ventura; California, I had the very strong feeling that I had to go to the animal shelter. I went and found Clyde, my dog, the one I had seen in my dreams for a while already. We took him home and he never left my side from that day on. He moved with us to my native country, Holland, where we took long walks every day. He loved it. And we love him so very, very much.

Last Monday, after 10 glorious years, in order to give him a chance to pass away the way he had lived, with dignity, we had to make that last horrible decision. His old heart could not take it anymore. He passed away peacefully, while lying on my lap. I miss him so much!!

My first Aussie, my big boy, my hero...............I will see you again at the Rainbow Bridge. Until then......you will be in my heart forever.

Ingrid DeSanto

Adopted From: Camarillo Shelter

New Home: The Stires family in Simi Valley. Joins, Tank, Trinket and Whisper

Frodo has a sad story to tell with a happy ending. He is eleven years young and just moved into his third and final home. When we discovered him on the website we weren't sure whether we could have another dog. We already have Tank & Trinket, listed 4 happy endings down and baby Whisper, All Aussies. We went to the pound to meet him anyway and fell in love with him.

Frodo was taken to the pound from his second home because his owners said that their two year old daughter was grooming him and he nipped her." They went on to say that he was a mean, unsocial dog, who was turning agressive. Frodo is not only very social, but has shown no signs of aggression toward any person or dog. He has fit right into his new family and is ready to finish out his life in a happy, loving environment. He loves to watch younger sister, Trinket and Whisper practice their agility, and to curl up with young brother Tank.

Hi, Just wanted to share our story of our "Lethal White" boy Dugan. We had been thinking about adding a dog to our family as a friend to our Saint Bernard, Benny. We came across Dugan's picture quite by accident, but fell in love with him! I knew nothing about him, or the "lethal white" syndrome, when I first emailed Laura (Animals Rule Placement) regarding this beautiful pup. She had rescued him from the Norco Animal shelter. After learning about his vision difficulties (he is mostly blind) and doing some research, we wanted to adopt him even more!

So, we brought Dugan home in December 2004. He is now about 7 months old and a wonderful addition to our family. He and Benny are the best of friends! Although the vet says Dugan has very little vision, it is difficult to tell- well, except when he is chasing a ball- you can't throw it very far :). We are so happy with our little Aussie boy!

Kathy Busam
Wrightwood Ca

Shelter: Ark-Valley Shelter, Buena Vista, CO
Family: The Wissels, Arvada, CO

Our family adopted a beautiful red-bi Aussie from the Ark-Valley shelter in Buena Vista, CO.

Penney was found as a stray a few days before Christmas. We had just lost our almost 16 year old Aussie, Murf. I was heart-sick and didn't know if I should adopt a new dog so quickly. Moses our 8 year old Border Collie was depressed, hanging out by himself. I began searching Aussie rescue sites and found Penney listed through Save-a-Pet.

I couldn't get to Buena Vista until the weekend so the shelter kindly put a hold on Penney. My husband and I made the 3 hour drive to the shelter on Saturday. (Did I mention that my husband didn't think that we needed another dog?)

We liked Penney instantly. She was a true Aussie with a wiggly butt that loves to be scratched. We brought Moses with us to get his opinion. Bless Moses, Penney was less than cordial with him. We spent about an hour walking and playing with the two of them before things started to settle down. We decided to give Penney a try.
Penney is a clown that loves to laugh. Her Aussie smiles are contagious. Penney is playing more and more with Moses. They love taking their *walkies* together. Our resident felines weren't thrilled and it has taken about three weeks for us to train Penney "No Chase" and "Leave It". But I'm seeing positive signs that a few months from now everyone will be integrated.

If you aren't sure about adopting a shelter dog, especially an older dog, my experience is it is tremendously rewarding. I believe they are always grateful for a second chance at love. We had challenges integrating our pack but we got a lot of good ideas from the shelter. Use them as a resource.

I am still grieving for Murf but Penney showers me with love - just like an Aussie. She has become a part of our family.

Thanks so much for the shelter staff and rescue folks. As someone else said "you help make miracles possible." Thank you for rescuing and caring for our beloved friends until we could find them.

God Bless,

Cheri Wissel

Rescued from: LA County Animal Shelter, Baldwin Park, CA, August of 2004
Now: The Queen of Everything in Altadena, CA.

Here's our story...

I had been looking for a dog to go hiking with me in our local canyons and had always wanted an Aussie. After reading every rescue website looking for the perfect match, I walked into some local animal shelters. I must have looked at a few hundred animals before my heart was stolen! A stray, a big Blue Merle (with a long waiting list) wanted to be my dog. She was the only dog not barking at the shelter that day! I waited for a week, calling the shelter every day to see if she was still available. By Saturday, no one had claimed her, even the Rescue lady forgot to pick her up!!!

She was mine! I was shaking as I paid her $54 bail and walked out of that awful place with my matted, tick infested prize!!! She is a gem, a total velcro dog that was trained before we got her. She walked straight to my car without looking at anyone else and sat down waiting to be invited inside. Who would dump such an amazing dog? 'Stella' is a beauty: protective, funny, playful, squeezable, and sweet. She gets a lot of compliments on her brilliant blue eyes. And best of all she loves to hike in the canyons with me and my family. Stella also loves to wade into every puddle and stream she can find! (see photo)
Thank you for your good work!

Everyone should rescue a dog--they will thank you every day 🙂

Sincerely,
Cydney & Stella
Altadena, Ca.

Adopted From: Trinket came from the Castaic Shelter, Tank from the Aussie Rescue
New Home: The Stires family of Simi Valley

We got Tank in August of 2000 from you guys at the aussie rescue a few months after our Golden Retriever passed away. He was a big boy with huge paws and a lot of fur. Thats why he was named Tank. He is a very loving dog who loves nothing more than to protect his human and animal family (including the cats). If one of the cats accidentally gets out, he will bark until someone comes and brings the cat back inside. He has taken a few agility classes but its not as much his thing.

Trinket was adopted the following year in May(2001) from the Castaic Shelter. She was one of 12 puppies. We actually went to look at one of her brothers, but she picked us. Boy are we lucky. She is one of the best dogs you could ever have. She just started her agility training in September of 2004 and will be competing her first agility trial in April of this year (2005). Her work ethic is amazing and she is one of the fastest dogs I have ever seen.

She has moved up quicker than any other dogs in her classes. Her and Tank hate to be separated, but she is learning to cope without him at agility class. I just sent in Trinkets application for the AKC to get an ILP so that she can compete AKC agility trials. Good Luck Trinkee Girl.

The other dog in the house is my new puppy Whisper. She was born on September 12, 2004. Trinket loves her like she is her own baby and is very patient with Whisper.

Thank you so much for my wonderful Tank.
Britney Stires and the Stires family

I just adopted my Aussie "mix" from the Lancaster, California shelter. I am sending along the picture that I spotted on the web site 10 seconds before I ran out the door with my bank card ! I had a Sheltie for 16 years, and recently lost him to kidney failure, so I wasn't planning on getting another dog, as we already have a 5 1/2 year old 122 pound red Aussie/Malamute mix. But when I saw his picture I fell in love ! My husband and I drove there, and as soon as we saw him we had to have him ! We brought him home and he has been just perfect ! He understands basic commands, goes to the door when he wants out, and is the most loving dog I ever met. Not to mention that everyone describes him as being as soft as a bunny ! This is him, his name is Clooney (our other boy is named Sinatra) and the vet says he is just about 4 months old.

Clooney was found wandering the streets in Lancaster, and although two other people had put a hold on him, they did not return to adopt him. Clooney came home with kennel cough, but is on medication, and is almost all better ! He has now been neutered, microchipped, and all up to date on his shots ! His new home is with us, the Donahue family, in Lancaster, California. Clooney was adopted from the Lancaster shelter.

Hi there....

Just thought I'd send along some more recent pictures of Clooney, the Aussie mix that I adopted from the Lancaster shelter a little over a year ago. The picture on your "Happy Endings" page is from the time I adopted him, at age 5 months.

Here are a few recent pictures (added to slides), as you can see, he is clearly enjoying his life with us. He has grown to be such a devoted family member. No matter where he is, all I have to do is say "cuddle" and he will run full speed into my room, jump on the bed, and curl himself up next to me and put his paw over my chest and "hold" me ! Adopting an Aussie from my local shelter has been a wonderful experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun loving, energetic companion ! Here he is, a little more than a year later...

We bought a Blue Merle Aussie from a breeder about 13 years ago and she was such a joy! We were crushed when she passed away 2 yrs. ago of cancer. Six months later, we decided we were ready to get another Aussie, so I started looking on the internet. We found a breeder in Norco and on a Saturday we were on our way to see the puppies, when we decided to stop at the Orange County Animal Shelter.

Boy! were we "lucky"! Just begging to be adopted was a very friendly, beautiful, 2 yr. old Aussie! They had just picked him up on Friday! We fell in love with each other at first sight! But the clincher was when we were playing with him at the shelter. My husband tossed a stick and as the dog and I ran to retrieve it, I fell down. Much to our surprise, the dog stopped running, turned around, ran back to me and started licking my face - like "are you okay?"! Needless to say, we had found our dog! and put a deposit on him immediately and brought him home on Monday. (We never made it to Norco!)

It was like he'd been ours forever! - except no name! After about a week, our grandkids were visiting and the 6 yr. old said, "You're so 'lucky' to have such a good dog" and our 2 yr. old excitedly started jumping up and down, clapping his hands, yelling, "Lucky, Lucky, Lucky!". My husband and I just looked at each other and then he reminded me that I was always telling the dog, "You're so lucky - we're so lucky", etc. You guessed it - he finally had the perfect name - Lucky! But, we're really the "lucky" ones! Even though our first Aussie, Katie, will always be in our hearts, Lucky has definitely filled the void!

We've had him for 2 yrs. now and he's a wonderful dog! He's so smart, loveable, loyal, protective, and great with our grandkids. Well - anyone who has an Aussie knows how great they are!

Yep! We're one "lucky" family! Thanks! Orange County Animal Shelter for letting us adopt Lucky!

Warren and Paula
Garden Grove

I was stationed in Albuquerque, NM, in the Army and, when was settled into my new house, decided to adopt a cat from AAR-PACA, the animal prevention society in Albuquerque. I found a beautiful orange and white American shorthair male cat, AND a beautiful Australian Shepherd puppy found me. Miko was nine months old, blue merle with brown, and her previous owner had been committed to a mental hospital. She convinced me I really needed her, and I did adopt the cat, Colby, and Miko the same day. I found out later they had both been in the same foster home, and they are best friends. Miko is wonderful, loves other animals, kids of all ages, and is very socialized. She can spend hours playing catch, and has more energy than any dog I have ever seen! I had never been around Aussies before, and I am now in love with the breed. Miko is the smartest dog I have ever owned, she learned to open the back door in one day, and understands all I say to her. She is now 6 1/2 years old, and hasn't slowed down a bit; we are now retired and home, in Southern California, with her "brother" Colby, "and sister" Poppy, another rescue dog, a Beagle/German Shepherd mix. They all travel wonderfully, and love to go anywhere with me. P. McCrea

Jonah, a 2.5 year old red merle male who now lives in Clovis, CA.
Bailed out of the Fresno SPCA Feb. 2004.

Abby's peaceful existence in our home ended on December 22nd of 2003. The tiny deaf and almost blind blue merle rescued from a cold, damp Bakersfield shelter 3 yrs. ago paid us back each day with her love and gentle way. She was probably 17 yrs. old but we were only blessed with her presence the last three.Rest In Peace little "screen saver".

This void left my grumpy Australian Cattledog (not to mention the humans here) a bit lonely. Though "Dot" would never admit to missing Abby, she did..and very much so. It was time for another save. We mourned our loss for months, but were ready to search when February rolled around.

I have had the pleasure of rescuing many Aussies from our local Central Valley shelters and have rehomed them with relative ease..but never have I had to find the 'perfect dog' for my situation. My home includes 4 cats (who rule) and one very particular "Dot". The new male Aussie would have to ignore cats, put up with my demanding Alpha cattledog and not be horrendously

destructive. Enter handsome "Jonah". He was dumped by his owners (intact, no training) at a shelter in Fresno with no info, just his approximate age and the name "Patches" which, of course, he did not respond to. I had a friend "rescue tag" him for me, as I was out of town when he arrived at the shelter. I planned on returning for him at the end of his (shelter rule) "holding period". He stayed there for 2 months in quarantine..he had a nasty case of kennel cough and communication regarding his whereabouts were unclear (a common problem with some shelters).

When he was finally sprung from his unfortunate incarceration, he came to my home for a "trial" (and neuter!). Trial nothing...he's staying. Jonah is the perfect match for our zoo. He loves the cats, he loves Dot the grumpy dog and is the most gentle Aussie (under the age of 10!) I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Oh...and he's an incredible frisbee dog and gives the Border Collies at the dog park a run for their money...I'm so proud.

DEWEY was adopted from the Santa Barbara Humane Society in 1993.
She lives in Santa Barbara with her best friends, Kirk and Marla.

My husband is an international Master Mariner. He had been gone for two months and was due home from the Bering Sea, Alaska, on his 40th birthday in 1993. The plane was late, and the airport is near the Santa Barbara Humane Society, so to kill time, I paid a visit to see the dogs. There she was in a cage--barking non-stop, a tri-colored ball of energy. It was love at first sight AND the perfect birthday surprise: our girl, Dewey! That was over a decade ago. Dewey turned 12 on December 8, 2003, and ever since that fateful late-plane day, she has never left our side. At home she keeps a watchful eye out for coyotes as she protects her eight chickens, two turkeys, two burros and a horse. Visitors, in turn, know to protect their shins from her frequent log-weilding mouth. Six times a year, Dewey accompanies us to LAX where she eagerly jumps into her airline crate headed for Baja California Sur, knowing there will be warm weather and water at the other end of her two hour entrapment. She is an official frequent flier, complete with membership! Dewey is slower now, and grayer, but her bark is just as strong. Every single day we marvel at the love and friendship we have with our girl Dewey.

I adopted Nina and Ginger from Apple Valley Animal Shelter in 1992 and 1993. They have been the best dogs I've ever had. They are both aussie mixes and have been loving and obedient companions. I have since had two children and they have been wonderful with my boys. They are gentle and allow them to lead them around and play with them. Nina has always enjoyed going on trail rides with me and my horse. Ginger enjoys staying at home and protecting her domain. Now that they are getting old and coming towards the end of their time with me, I know I will try to find aussies at our local shelters again when they are gone.

-Donna F.

Adopted From: Camarillo Shelter
New Home: The Miller Family and Jetta

I had been looking for a second Aussie as a companion to our 12 year old Aussie Mix, Jetta, for several weeks when I came upon Reese's picture (then known as "Chivo") on the Aussie Rescue site. He looked like he would be a perfect fit with our family, past the rambunctious puppy stage and well socialized with other dogs.

He had already been listed on the rescue site for a couple of weeks by the time I called the shelter and I was surprised that he was still available. My daughter and I jumped in the car that Saturday morning and made the 1 1/2 hour trip (so much traffic on a

weekend) to the Camarillo Shelter. When we got there another couple was looking him over in the exercise pen and I was sure they would take him. He was bouncing around with all of that Aussie enthusiasm and a great big happy smile on his face. His deafness was not an issue for us, but apparently it was for the other couple. Or maybe it was because his hair was matted and he smelled, whew! really bad. At any rate, when I checked back a while later with the office, they said he was still available. I paid for him on the spot and brought him home following his surgery.

Much to my dismay his introduction to our resident dog, Jetta, got off to a rocky start. Reese was insecure in his new surroundings and possessive of everything... the yard, me, his food, and most of all, his crate. Jetta, bless her heart, was not about to relinquish her senior status to any Johnny Come Lately. It took a couple of weeks for things to settle down and the two of them to sort things out.

Reese has been home for two months now and what a delight he is. Someone, somewhere spent a great deal of time working with this dog. He knew at least five different hand signals (I was the one who had to do all the learning) and I have never seen a more perfect gentleman on a leash. Because he is deaf, his visual perception is extremely acute. He takes notice of every little leaf fluttering in the wind, any change in a family members usual appearance. Anytime any of us come into the house wearing a hat or carrying an umbrella, Reese will invariably give us an up close and personal look over, usually preceded by a couple of barks. He and Jetta have become fast friends, and he takes his watch dog cues from her. If she runs to the door, he is right behind her, following her every move. Most days they can be found napping next to each other, waiting for Mom to come home so they can go to the park. He has one amusing habit. He "collects" things he finds around the house and puts them in his crate. At any given time one can find missing hair scrunchies, socks, brushes and pens stacked up in the back of his crate. Nothing is ever damaged, and he seems giddy with delight that someone would notice all of his "treasures".

Anyone interested in getting a dog should really consider a shelter animal. There are so many pets in need of homes, and the Aussie Rescue site is a great way to find out what dogs are available. I'd also like to mention that the staff at Camarillo shelter were great. They clearly have an interest in the welfare of the animals that come under their care. A special thank you to Karyl with Aussie Rescue for coming to my aid with information and suggestions those first few days of Reese's homecoming.

The Miller's

Adopted from: California City Animal Shelter

Forever home: The Jarratt family of California City, CA

Surf Dog was a 10 week old puppy when I first saw him at the shelter where I volunteer. Having lost April, our 12 year old Aussie/Flat-coated Retriever mix almost a year earlier we were sort of (but not seriously) looking for another Aussie or Aussie mix, then I saw this little bundle of fur in Kennel # 9. I told husband all about this adorable little Aussie/Border Collie mix puppy I had fallen in love with at the shelter and how I wanted him to meet the puppy. We went to the shelter and immediately the two of them bonded. The next day Surf Dog was adopted.

Surf Dog just celebrated his 3rd Birthday and he is a complete joy to have around! He is great around kids and cats, is very tolerant of pesky foster puppies, and loves to go everywhere my husband and I go (Can you say velcro dog?). Surf loves being a "work dog" and hanging out with my husband while he is working on something. Surf Dog also loves chasing his remote controlled car in the backyard, going for desert walks, hiking in the mountains, playing in the snow, but totally hates the beach and ocean. Go figure!
We look forward to spending many happy years with him!

Thanks to Karyl at Aussie Rescue So Cal! And thank you to all of the people that open their hearts and homes to adopt shelter animals!

Glad to hear Yozzie, Charli and family are doing well! And yes it was a very hot day! 🙂

Brownie was a Mommy with a litter of puppies who was dumped (abandoned) with her puppies at the South Central L.A. shelter in summer of 2000. The puppies got adopted out immediately, but Brownie was on death row, and Nancy saved her, and put her in a foster home. No one wanted her. She was skinny, haggard, and had all her teats hanging low from her recent birth.

We found Nancy by accident on the web, we were looking to adopt a young female, but had never even heard of aussies before! Nancy responded to an e-mail and said: "I have the perfect dog for you! An Australian Shepherd mix!" I went on the web and looked up Australian shepherds. They looked so big, so regal, like too much for me, Nancy said, trust me, this dog doesn't look like the purebreds on the site.

Well, she sure was right! We went to see Brownie in the foster home in Tarzana, and my 10-year old daughter and I both said "Oh, look at her punim!" (that is a Yiddish word for face). Her body was awful, but her face was so beautiful. We played with her for about an hour and we were hooked. Nancy had her spayed on Wednesday, and we picked her up from the vet's office on Friday.

That Friday night Brownie ate her first bowl of Jewish chicken soup with rice, and she laid on the couch on top of me for hours. She was post-op, and post-traumatized. It was obvious that she had been very abused (it is so unthinkable to me, I cry at the thought of it), and afraid of men, especially men of color. I have 2 teenage sons, who worked on winning her heart, now they are her best friends. My husband, who never had a dog, and was not keen on the whole dog thing, is now, after 3 years, madly in love with her. When he comes home, Brownie goes crazy, cuz she knows she'll get treats.

The first week we had Brownie, a friend introduced me to hiking Fryman Canyon in Studio City. It is a 3-mile walking trail with some steep hills, very picturesque and country-like, in the middle of the city. Brownie and I go almost every day, she is a regular there. People constantly stop me to tell me how beautiful her face is. This has become a recurring joke with all my friends, who think I am way "too in love" with my dog!

We also go to the track at the local park, and she chases squirrels and birds. She is 100% trained off-leash, and would never leave me. She thinks she died and went to heaven, to be a dog in my house, trust me, that's heaven!!! I only buy steak with bones, so she can have the bones. I have trained my friends to save rib bones and soup bones for my Brownie. She gained 10 lbs., has a thick winter coat, and I have her professionally groomed and shaved in the summer, so she can be comfortable in the Valley heat.

I am now a total Aussie-mix fan/fanatic and am directing all my friends to your site! Keep up the good work!

Jennifer Niman, Sherman Oaks

I have had many dogs in my life...many fantastic dogs of all sorts of breeds. Amongst my favorites was a cattle dog/coyote cross, he was to be put down at 10 months old, bad attitude and not trainable they said. Always up for the challenge I took him on. Boy were they wrong, he only needed to know what no meant and from then on we were friends for life, until the person that I trusted to watch him while on vacation let him get killed by a car (so she says), I have spent quite some time looking for a replacement, I bought a Ridgeback (OOPS) love him to death but he is a hound. As a herding breed lover I wanted another but being pregnant thought a cattle dog to be a little too much (they are such one person dogs) a friend called me and said that there was a little blue merle aussie pup at the shelter in Petaluma Ca. Being 6 months pregnant I was not sure I wanted another dog, after all I did still have a 1+ year old 85 # ridgeback. As my ridgeback grew more and more protective of me and my belly it was recommended that I get him his own friend. So off to the shelter I go, and lo and behold after 2 weeks of putting it off the little aussie pup and her brother and sister were still there. I looked at all three and decided on the blue merle only to find that she was adopted and waiting to be spayed with a waiting list a mile deep.

I talked to the lady at the shelter who was concerned about my "condition" and ability to care for a puppy, I explained to her about Faeden (our Ridgeback), she said to go ahead and put my name on the list. Two days later she called and let me know that the people who had originally adopted her did not want her, and that they had not been able to reach any of the other people on the list (oh darn). 2 days later I brought home my 3 month old cotton ball and quickly learned why she came back, we named her Felice, she should have been Houdini. She is 3 now and is the love of our life, we are still trying to keep her in (good thing she likes to stay at home and only enjoys the challenge of escaping. Her and her large friend are the best of buds, and our now 2+ year old son and her are inseparable, she is a pillow, stepstool and friend. We love our Ridgeback but our Aussie will always warm our heart.

The Scalese Family

Name: Holly
Adopted By: Dave & Cara & Quasar Fusinato
Adopted From: So. Cal. Aussie Rescue
Location: Clovis CA

Holly came to join our family at the end of July 2003. Our previous rescue, Quasar, needed companionship while we were at work, and Dave needed his OWN pup to walk (in order to quit hogging Quasar during walks). Holly came along a bit unsure of her new home, but soon adapted, took over, and generally showed off her brains and awesome ball-catching ability. She immediately bonded with Dave and worships the ground he walks on (he thinks she's pretty darned wonderful too). The attached photo is of Holly (the black tri) and Quasar (the blue merle -- see his success story). An Aussie rescue is a wonderful opportunity to give a new life to an absolutely wonderful dog (we know, we have two this way).

Having heard about how perfect "Aussies" are, I decided to adopt one to tame my Siberian Husky. The local paper had only a few ads for Aussies, but one was the most compelling. A foster mom advertised a year old female.

I went to her house, and unloaded the husky who was a year and a half old. They played until they couldn't and then each rested, panting--then went off again as soon as they caught their breath. The foster mom was very responsible, and interviewed (grilled) me for an hour and half. It became clear that Lovey would mourn the loss of her new found playmate, so I told the foster mom "I think this is my dog." Lovey hadn't come over to introduce herself, so I had the foster mom put her in my car. She immediately got in the husky's seat (front passenger), something he took in stride. Lovey, who is "scary smart" waited until the first stop light, then put her head on my leg. She was my dog from then on.

She fit right in, knowing right away what her role was with regard to the husky. He had a cat-like personality, so he slept where he wanted, and she slept on the bed. When the golden retriever moved in next door and the family promptly tied him up on their deck, we did daily "doggie day care" and Lovey added another "charge" to her responsibilities. They all played in the snow together, although Lovey thinks "fetch" is stupid.

Lovey has recently been diagnosed with bone cancer. The vet has found a new treatment which has been successful in reducing (NOT CURING) the size of bone metastases in humans. Oddly enough, it's the common antibiotic tetracycline. She has been on it for two weeks and her tumor (which is on her wrist) has shrunk by 1/4 cm. I don't know how long we have, but she isn't having to understand the horror of chemotherapy, and is being given a little more time. Is it enough? Of course not, but I'm not giving up without some kind of fight. Whatever happens, it's enough just to have known her.

God bless,
Arlene Hill

Adopted from: Lancaster Animal Shelter
New Home: R and R in Palmdale, CA

I set out to the shelter to find a playmate for our 4 year old Golden Retriever. His best buddy left for the Army, and as much as the cat loves him he really needed someone closer his own size to play with.

When I got to the shelter I was hoping to find an Aussie. We had one years ago (another adoptee) and just loved him. I was excited to meet this sweet little lady. She seemed a bit scared from all the noise, and took comfort by putting her nose under my arm and getting as close to me as she could. Needless to say, I had to bring her home.

She was very thin, and sadly seemed to have been abused. It is quite apparent she loves her new brother and he loves her as much.

We had a recent scare, thinking we'd lost her. Construction workers left our gate open and she took off into the desert nearby. After searching all day we decided to place some water out, just in case, and after many prayers went to bed hoping she would come home safe. We knew she would not approach people she didn't know, but hoped if anything we might get a call saying she'd been found.

To our great surprise, Wiley was waiting at the front door when we opened it this morning! Our sweet puppy found her way back to her loving home! Prayers answered!

What a joy and blessing Wiley is to our family!

Adopted From: Orange County Animal Control and Los Angeles East Valley Animal Control
New Home: Ventura County, CA

We adopted Max (Aussie mix) in March '01 from the Orange County Animal Control. I found him on your website listed as available in the shelter. We left work immediately and went to look at him. We had his ID number and cage number but couldn't find him at first. Finally we found him. He was so traumatized that he had curled up in the back of his cage. He was bigger than I thought, but we couldn't leave him there. After bringing him home he slept for 2 days straight because he was so tired. Since he was a stray we didn't know much about his past, but found that he was probably abused. It didn't take him very long to adjust and he is by far the "BEST" dog. He is extremely smart, loyal, and loving. He never does anything bad!

After getting more space we decided to get another companion dog for him. We knew we had to save another dog. Roxy is the Rottwieler mix and we found her online at the Los Angeles East Valley Animal Control in December of '01. She was one of three dogs we were interested in. The other two dogs were more Aussie in coloring, however we were told they were already put down. This shelter by far was the worst we had ever seen. We were told that dogs get on average only three days to get adopted out before they are euthanized. Roxy had been there for seven days and all the workers were shocked that she was still there. We took her immediately. Max and her bonded right away. People always laugh at how much they care for each other. She is also extremely loving and loyal.

I wanted to write in to spread the word to other people thinking about either purchasing a purebred dog or adopting. I had always had puppies from breeders, and had the same hesitations as many people do. These dogs 'know' that they were saved and are the best! I tell everyone to adopt! Thanks for all your work and posting these dogs on the website....you do make a difference!

Schwartz-Reyes Family

Adopted From: Shelter in Tempe, AZ
New Home: Tempe, AZ

Sophie is a beautiful Blue Merle and is about three years old. My husband wanted another Chihuahua, but I wanted a dog I could go running with. We piled our three daughters into the van and drove to the shelter and hoped we would all agree on a dog. My last dog was a Border Collie, so I am partial to herding dogs. We walked through the entire shelter looking in cage after cage when I finally saw her. I looked into her brown eyes and she just pleaded for me to pet her. She literally fell against the cage door waiting for me to give her some love. Joe didn't agree, so we all went home with out a dog.
One week later, I told Joe I was going to get my dog. He protested, but in the end, he agreed that if she was still there, it was meant to be. Sure enough, Sophie was waiting! She never barked until I put her back in her cage that day. She had to wait until after she had surgery to come home.

She has been with us for almost six months and my kids just adore her. My 2 year old calls her "oaphie" and just loves to pet and hug her!

The Olsen-Salonis Family

Adopted From: Unknown
New Home: Unknown

This is a true Valentine story, we adopted our "Blue Boy" last Valentine's Day. He was the coolest dog we had ever seen! They had him in a cell with a St. Bernard of all things. He made eye contact with me and that was how he stole my heart. He was just a skinny little bone and the shelter said he was in real bad shape when they picked him up. There was no calls on him so we let them know we wanted to be his new family. What a sweetheart he has turned out to be. After seeing the Vet and feeding Blue some top notch food he picked up and now weighs 57 pounds. He is full of energy but very well behaved, potty broke from day one. Took to the grandbabies crawling around like a bee to honey. I feel so blessed to have this dog, he is just about perfect. Don't be afraid to take a chance with an Aussie!

Adopted From: Pasadena Humane Society
New Home: Altadena

Seven years ago, in October 1995, I adopted Billie from the Pasadena Humane Society. She was approximately 18 months old at the time. She must have been abused, because it took her a long time to trust that she would not be hit or abandoned. She is getting better as she grows older. She is very protective of me, "her" cat, and our home. She is extraordinarily vigilant, obedient and affectionate. In spite of some unbreakable habits (compulsive licking, excessive whining) I'm really grateful that she's my dog. I couldn't have a more loyal companion.

Barbara & Billie of Altadena

Adopted From: Rick Dawes STAAR RESCUE (via The Downey Shelter) with tons of great help from Luanne Burton
New Home: Dana Point, CA

Ringo was saved from the Downey Shelter and life is so GOOOOOOD! Our Daughter had to wait for 10 years for a dog. She read about EVERY breed and had a dog walking business for years before finally having her very own doggie! They are inseparable and everyone has fallen in love with Ringo! He is the fastest dog at the dog park and all of the other dogs LOVE his tail! Rescue is the way to go!

Thank you!

Sincerely, Lauren, Ringo and family

Adopted From: The SPCA of Monterey County
New Home: Carmel Valley, California

Suzie was surrendered to the shelter at the age of 1 1/2 years by her owners. They had purchased her from a breeder as a puppy and had kept her as a backyard dog. She had never been trained, or been an integrated member of a family. She was 12 pounds underweight and had no hair at the time of adoption. She and I together have now successfully completed two levels of obedience training and she is an AKC "Certified Canine Good Citizen." We are rarely apart from each other (I'm blessed to have her come to work with me every day.) She loves people, kids, cats, other dogs, and life in general. She has those beautiful aussie eyes and that big aussie grin. She is the very best dog in the whole wide world.

About two years ago we adopted KATIE through a rescuer who bailed her out of the Oceanside CA shelter. KATIE (on the left) was fat, head-shy, and somewhat confused by the number of people who had been her guardians in the time between her owners.

Our older Aussie SHILOH needed a new partner, as his old friend MEGAN had died several months earlier. It took a couple of months, but now the two are very happy together. And KATIE is losing her shyness and her fears. She is smart, and much more secure. She has lost the extra weight, and turned into an athlete. She loves to play and run, and do tricks. Thank you again, Aussie Rescue!

Annie Kolls

Adopted from: West Los Angeles Animal Shelter

We adopted Dawson from the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter. When we saw him, we immediately fell in love with him. When we looked on the cage to see his age and breed, the card said he was 6 years old and he was found wandering. He had such a wonderful personality and was very loving. We couldn't imagine why a person would give up such a good boy.

When we were going through the final adoption process, the person doing the processing noticed that in the computer, it said he was 10 years old and asked if we still wanted him. We couldn't believe he was that old since his personality seemed so young. Well, there was no doubt in our minds that we still wanted him in our family...even more so after hearing his age! We figured, a dog that old would have a difficult time getting adopted and felt we could give him a good life during his golden years (if he were actually 10 years old!).
We headed directly to our vet so the doctor could check him out and we asked him how old he thought Dawson was. He said he was about 1 1/2 yrs. We told him what the animal shelter said and they were surprised. We were so happy to know he would be in our lives for many more years!

Dawson gets along really well with other dogs and loves people. He has a brother, Casper who is a Maltese and a sister, Kanani who is a Lhasa Apso He is extremely smart and always wants to please us. Dawson would never hurt a fly...literally! He is so afraid of flying insects. Whenever he sees a fly in the house, he immediately runs to the bedroom and hides in his crate. He's such a gentle creature!

We are so happy to have Dawson in our lives...he has made our family complete!

Adopted from: VAP (Volunteers for Animal Protection), Humble, Texas
New home: Spring, Texas

"Hi, my name is Jewel, and my mommy and daddy (Maxine and Sam Fortner) got me from VAP (Volunteers for Animal Protection) in Humble, Texas. I was only 3 months old and one of 8 puppies that my homeless mommy had. Now I am 5 months old and I have a new mommy in Spring, Texas, with a big back yard and lots of doggy friends to play with that live near by. I love my new home and I am learning how to be a very obedient girl, and my mom says I am very smart and sweet! Soon I am hoping to learn agility sports! For now fetch and frisbee are my favorite games, and a big black lab named Russel is my best buddy!"

Thank you VAP for helping us find a great dog, Maxine Fortner

Adopted from: California City
New home: Lake Arrowhead

We were looking for an Aussie for our family in Lake Arrowhead and were happy to find "Yozzie" in the California City shelter but I had a bit of a time driving there for my husband didn't want me to drive with the kids that great distance by myself and he couldn't go with me. After calling many of my friends I found someone who would challenge the trek with me and the next day we drove and drove until we reached California City (out in the middle of nowhere) expecting to adopt a little girl who we were told was still available only to find out that she had a brother and he was available but the little girl had been adopted earlier that day. I fell in love with him as soon as I saw his excited little face and my children just cuddled up next to him and they looked almost as if they were all posing rather nicely at that. We signed the papers and off home we went. That was a long hot trip but worth every minute of it. Yozzie is definitely part of our happy family.
Next challenge is getting him to fetch.

Charli and family

Adopted from: Lancaster
New home: Los Angeles

We were not going to adopt an aussie; quite frankly I didn't even know of this kind. My husband drove from Los Angeles to Lancaster to get a rottweiler from a shelter. He just could not set his heart on any of the dogs and he was waiting around when a lady brought this little bundle of confusion into the shelter. Her story was that a car stopped in front of her house and they dropped this puppy on the ground and took off. When my husband saw the puppy, he was sure that he was waiting for him. And now we have a 50 pound bundle of joy.

Anita and Gena

Adopted from: SPCA in New Orleans
New home: Doggie Heaven

15 and a half years ago I experienced love at first sight of a beautiful, mixed Blue Merle aussie. I knew nothing about aussies, but I "liberated" Libby from the SPCA in New Orleans and brought her home to be a friend to my lab, Alex. Libby was obviously abused and wet herself and through herself down all the time. She was a big barker and obviously hadn't ever walked on a leash or had any love. The people who left her at the shelter had named her "Scrongy" (what a horrible name for a beautiful, blue eyed, sweet girl) and complained that she jumped the fence all the time. I now know she was looking for me. Libby didn't like the fact that Alex had a place in my heart and they had quite an adjustment at first, but we stuck it out and Libby and Al became best friends until we lost Alex at 14 1/2, three years ago. Libby was absolutely the BEST, SWEETEST, SMARTEST dog I've ever had (and I have had quite a few) and she touched the heart of all who knew her. Unfortunately, we laid our pretty girl to rest last week at almost 17 years old. My Sweet Libby is buried in the heart of my son, my husband and of course my heart. I love her so much, I am now wandering the aussie rescue sights to find that next beautiful girl that Libby would want me to adopt. A few months ago, we adopted a foster mixed Lab, Maggie who we love, but I know another aussie will "pick us" as her family once again. We look forward to that day. I just had to lend my wonderful success story to the website to let others know. Thank you to all who adopt these and other wonderful dogs. You are ANGELS!

Adopted from: Corona Shelter
New home: Norco, CA

We have two adult Aussies that we got from Aussie Rescue, so we didn't need another dog. Then we saw the beautiful black tri at a Pet Adopt-A-Day in Norco so we just stopped to talk to the Animal Control Officers in charge. "Taz" was a 4 year old male who lost his entire family in a tragedy and he was taken to the Corona Shelter.

I was busy telling the officer about Aussie Rescue when I noticed my husband, Gary, was writing a check. Our new Aussie (christened Kodiak) is a wonderful addition to our family. Sadie and Bailey have adapted to him well and they love to run and play ball together. Kody is our fourth adopted Aussie and they have all touched our hearts.
Thank you Aussie Rescue!!

Gary and Ruth Roquet

Adopted from: L.E.A.F Animal Friends of the Valley!
New home: Canyon Lake, CA

Here is a picture of our 40 lb. baby Brandi! She is a doll! I am sorry to announce that our little girl had been abused or traumatized before entering our home. She has been with us for exactly 1 week today and she is already doing so well!

She is a Mommy's girl this is for sure! I adopted her from L.E.A.F. which is also known as, Animal Friends of the Valley! I knew the minute I saw her that I wanted her. I was disappointed to say the least when I found out that there was a hold prior to the hold that I placed on her. The next 5 days were horrible for me. I just know I had to have her so I could give her lots of love and help her to gain her confidence!

Well, I called the shelter constantly asking the question, is she still available? Well, I must say, I was so happy to have found out that the previous hold had changed their mind. They said they did not have the time that was needed for this dog! Whew! I must say, I was so grateful! I ran out to Pet smart and purchased all the goodies and then off to the shelter I went! Well, I am happy to say, I have already paper trained her and she sleeps next to my bed all night.. She gets up a few times just to make sure I am still there and then she goes back to sleep. She is still a bit skittish, but this is changing everyday.. She is sooo beautiful! I feel rather blessed to have found such a wonderful little girl like Brandi.. I am just sorry that someone treated her poorly!

She is learning everyday and trusting me more and more.. I am allowing her to adjust in her timing. She knows I love her dearly, but I also know that this is mutual!

Sincerely, Connie Best - Canyon Lake, CA

Adopted from: San Diego Humane Society
New home: San Diego, CA

My husband and I adopted our sweet boy, Clarence, from the San Diego Humane Society a year and half ago. I found him on the Aussie Rescue site and he was right up the street so I had to go see him. A few days later, he came home with us.

He was a little distant at first. I don't think he had very much interaction with people. They had no information on him, but they suspected that he was neglected. I couldn't help but fall in love with him, and I got him home as soon as possible. After some training and lots of love, he has become the best dog in the world. We go running together, take hikes, and he is quite a dog about town. He is very comfortable and well behaved on the patio of any dog friendly restaurant. He is great with other dogs, small children, and he makes new friends everywhere he goes.

Nicole A. Stone

Adopted from: Rescue in Victorville
New home: With Nancy Gonzalez

While traveling to a local shelter in Ontario to look for a bunny for my daughter, I noticed an unusual dog jumping frantically to get my attention. She resembled an Australian Shepherd (as we already have a red-tri at home) She resembled a blue merle, but had short hair and the biggest ears I've ever seen on a dog. I asked about her and the shelter folks said that she had already been returned twice by owners as they could not handle her hyper disposition. I was also told that there were several new families waiting to adopt her but they were going to be very careful before making a decision, based on her bad experiences so far. Well, I brought my husband over and we filled out the paper work and then just waited.

Adopted from: Devore shelter in San Bernardino
New home: With Michelle (human) and Shealey (Aussie mix) in Huntington Beach

I found Winkey by accident (but I think it was really fate) ... I had been checking out the Aussie Rescue website for a few weeks when I saw a blue merle at the Devore shelter. I drove out there the next day, only to discover the merle had already been adopted. Then I looked at the available dogs, and there was little Winkey-- an energetic two month old white and peachy-colored Aussie furball with one blue eye and one brown. After a long drive home and a long bath during which I removed several ticks and fleas, Winkey got to explore her new home and meet her "big sister" Shealey, a five year old female Aussie mix. They get along like peas in a pod; Shealey even readily puts up with Winkey's puppy antics-- her favorite being leaping off the bed onto Shealey. Winkey is very smart and was housebroken easily and quickly. She can
already sit on command, and walks well on a leash. She is all signed up for puppy kindergarten next month. She has also accompanied me at work, napping patiently while I was setting up my classroom for the upcoming school year. Winkey enjoys playing with her impressive number of squeaky toys, and she also loves long walks at the beach or park, where she basks in all the attention from people. She loves to sprint on the sand, racing like a rabbit with two legs in unison following the other two. After all that activity, one of her favorite pastimes is dozing in her special sandbox in the backyard. Winkey brings so much joy into my life and I am so lucky to have her. I owe it all to the Aussie Rescue website; without it, I never would have found her. Thank you so much!

- Michelle Barker

New picture as of November 2008!!

Adopted from: Upland Shelter
New home: Chris Read and Family

I had been looking at local shelters for an Australian Shepherd since losing my beloved "Blue" in May of this year. While feeling kind of strange about it, in late July I began a search on the internet and was amazed and saddened to see how many Aussies and other sweet pets were abandoned, but also touched and inspired to know that there are so many dedicated and wonderful people devoting their time to saving as many of these deserving lives as they can.

SUNNY'S SHINING AGAIN

I had been looking at local shelters for an Austrailian Shepard since losing my beloved "Blue" in May of this year. While feeling kind of strange about it, in late July I began a search on the internet and was amazed and saddened to see how many Aussies and other sweet pets were abandoned, but also touched and inspired to know that there are so many dedicated and wonderful people devoting their time to saving as many of these deserving lives as they can.

Although we live in Northern California, we were planning to visit our son in Los Angeles and scheduled visits with Aussies in Fresno (Animal Rescue), Bakersfield Shelter, Palmdale and Victorville rescues and the Upland and Riverside Shelters. We had also visited with 3 cute Aussies in Redding. All were delightful, sweet and appealing in their own ways, but we were looking for that perfect "chemistry". It may sound odd, but in our area not so many, although still too many pets, especially Aussies, are given up or abandoned.

We found "Sunny", a stray who had been at the Upland Shelter almost 2 weeks, using your website, contacted the shelter immediately, and were told she was still there but may not be available when we were able to be there.

Lucky for us she still was. When we arrived, Cassie, a volunteer dog runner and Katherine, a volunteer groomer, had just bathed her and Katherine was trying to get all of the mats out of her beautiful long fur, some of which had to be shaved. They were trying to make her pretty so hopefully she would be adopted at Petco that weekend as her time was drawing near. Sunny was so sweet and gentle and absolutely loved all the attention she was getting. She even let me comb out some of her fur, then went outside for a little walk where I learned she knew sit and stay! At the same time, however, Sunny was also very frightened, shy and submissive- I think from her distress and loneliness from being abandoned and confused and fearful of what would happen to her next.

We have had her at home for only a week now and she is really coming out to be the bright beautiful girl she really is underneath it all, not only just the Aussie intelligence, but starting to romp and learning to play (even though she is only 2) and to trust that she really is a BIG part of her forever family!!! She loves her fluffy bed in the kitchen, big shady yard with a dog door to the inside, runs in the park, rides in the car (a convertible!) and hanging out in the mornings with me. She just makes everyone smile with her Aussie wiggle and wit, not to mention her soft licks and gentle paw on your hand.

I also want Sunny's story to be not just for her but all the others-- Of course I want all of the "rescuers" to know that their tireless efforts do really work miracles, but I also want others looking for pets to see that it could actually happen for them too--- the pets in shelters just need a second chance (if you get there in time!), the animal control and shelter workers and volunteers bend over backwards to help the pets in their care get adopted (against vast odds they know only too well), and the rewards are so great, if people will just give it a try. And for me anyway, 500 miles away, it all started with this great up-to-the-minute website and the unsung heroes who created and maintain it.

Thank you for bringing us together. I hope these pictures of Sunny will brighten your day!

Chris Read and Family

Adopted from: San Diego South County Animal Shelter
New home: The Gallina Family in San Diego

SGT. PEPPER, who is called PEPPER by his many friends (human and canine), was placed in the shelter at 6 months of age. I was looking for an Aussie and had been checking out the rescue web site regularly; I was almost ready to drive two hours north of my home to meet with a lady who fosters a variety of Aussies.

She suggested that I check out the shelter web sites to see if a dog could be found locally. I was so fortunate to call the very day that Pepper was brought in to the shelter in Bonita. I had called about a different pup and learned of the new arrival. I was

told that he must be held for 24 hours, in case there was a change of mind by the owners. I was the first to see him and fell in love immediately. After he was neutered, micro-chipped and immunized, he came home with me. He has one blue and one brown eye...one flop ear and one perk ear. He is a beautiful blue merle with a loving and gentle personality. My family, who stated they "didn't need a dog", have fallen for him too. He lives in Mira Mesa and spends his free time at the local Maddox Park running with his friends and the leash free area of Coronado Beach. He is curious about the three cats that share his home and has friendly chases and naps on the couch together. He is now 19 months old and I am so extremely grateful for the help I received from the Aussie Rescue Web Site.
Got to go now...time for the park.

Monica Gallina
Pepper's Mom

Elsie in Lake Elsinore Shelter

Adopted from: Lake Elsinore Shelter
New Home: the Dougherty family of Huntington Beach, CA

The Dougherty family was looking to replace the void of a recently lost family dog, but Elsie instantly became a lot more than a replacement. Lucky Elsie was adopted on her last day at the shelter. Had she been there any longer, she would have been euthanized.

Elsie's Story Written by her new Mom:

I recently lost my Boarder Collie of 12 years and I was feeling pretty blue. I had wanted an Aussie before my last dog so I started my search looking for Aussies on the Internet. I thought I'd like a new puppy to bond with but the day I was looking everyone was between litters. That is when I came across the Aussie Rescue Internet site.
I looked at all the colorful photos of possible adoptees and stopped at an attractive juvenile female with one brown and one blue eye. I called and arranged a time to meet her. I met her and Karyl from Aussie Rescue at the shelter where she was being cared for in Lake Elsinore. This Aussie was sweet, shy, smallish and very pretty. She looked to be about 1 1/2 years old, was quiet and well behaved even around some young boys who were petting her.

She was obviously well socialized and somehow was separated from her family without a return address on her red collar. After introductions, Karyl let me walk the nameless Aussie around. I had already decided if I kept her to name her Elsie after Lake Elsinore. She walked easily on the leash but she was more interested in her liberation than in me.

Previously, I had only selected puppies from litters and there had always been one who was so excited to choose me. Adopting an adult dog was obviously different. Elsie had no expectations of going home with me because I didn't represent home to her. Her disposition and looks were great, the fact that she had already passed the initial puppyhood stage fit my current needs, and I missed having a dog pal and walking companion. She seemed as good a choice as any, and I would never know unless I took a chance.
Karyl talked a lot about Aussies as high energy, smart, nippy and lovable, but not a breed for everyone. And, obviously there was no history on Elsie, good or bad. Then Karyl said the right thing that gave me the push I needed. Karyl said that if Elsie didn't work out with my family she would find her another home. Just what I needed to hear. I couldn't bear the burden of returning a dog to a shelter.

Well I have no regrets. Elsie is the most loving dog I have ever had. She was house broken right away, sleeps quietly all night in our bedroom and she gets so excited when she greets my family. I could tell right from the start that it was going to work out. Elsie fit in like she had been here for years. She followed me like a shadow, and instantly bonded with my husband and my son. They taught her to sit on command and to fetch a ball, which she liked a lot. She also likes to take walks on the leash.
Elsie has many sides to her. She can be frisky, follows me around, but is relaxed enough to exit through the doggie door. She spent some time sleeping under the tree in the back yard the other day, and then buried her chew biscut for later retrieval. She also likes my mom and dad a lot (our yards are connected by a gate); she goes over and sleeps in their living room. You'd think she'd been with us for a long while.

Elsie is definitely is a sheepdog. She has a pushy way of expressing herself with nips and tugs as she herds us along. But, she is also easy and wants to be with us at all times. We take her traveling and we always meet someone who owns or just admires Aussies. Her one blue eye is a conversation ice breaker!

So, that is our success story. :))

Adopted from: Norco Shelter
New Home: the Hill family of Norco, CA

The Hill family was looking for an Aussie high and low without much luck. Then they discovered through our web site that a handsome boy was up for adoption at their own local shelter. Now everywhere Mikee goes, he gets compliments, for they say he looks just like that dog in "Down and Out in Beverly Hills".

Mikee's Story Written by his new Mom:

I want to thank your organization for posting Aussie in Shelters. I had been looking for an Aussie for sometime. I finally went on the Internet and searched for "Animal Shelters". I was looking at the pages of dogs and puppies when I came across one that just made my heart jump, he was a 1-year old male. And the most exciting part was he was at the shelter one block from my house. Now I have had no luck finding one close to my house. I was getting ready to go to a rescue in Las Vegas. I was so excited but I had to call and see if he was still there. He had been available for approximately three days already and I was sure he wouldn't be there, I was wrong, he was still there.....

As soon as I got off work I went straight there. I went in and they told me he wouldn't do well with other dogs, so I left without even looking at him. I didn't feel right about it. My husband told me "go and look at him", so I went back and saw him and fell in love. He was a sweetie! I decided to try and if it didn't work out I could foster him until we found another home. Well, Mikee is still with us and he gets along fine with the other dogs. Mikee has been going to Doggie Training and doing awesome.

He has learned to stay out of the horse corrals; he will lay down and wait at the gait for me. When he first arrived it was a mad house. He would run in and bark and got kicked a couple times. I knew we had to teach him to stay out or he would get seriously hurt. He is doing great and he gets better everyday. He has learned to walk on the leash without pulling and he has learned to stay in his yard unless he is given permission. We will be learning the obedience commands this week: sit, heel and stay. Once we accomplish that I think our next goal will be Agility 🙂

Mikee is awesome and everyone likes him, we are told he looks like the dog on T.V., "Little House on the Prairie" and "Down and Out in Beverly Hills". I'll have to go see the movie now 🙂 Thank you again for the work you do. I only wish my husband would let me have another. I have my eye on another dog located in a shelter and I just wish I could get him out.

Keep up the excellent work : )

Adopted from: Tehachapi Humane Society
New Home: the Mauser family of Bakersfield, CA

Homeless Smokey was aimlessly wandering the Tehachapi Mountains with no family to call his own. A kind stranger who couldn't keep him took him in, but Smokey's original family was never found. He was then headed to the local humane society where he was destined to find his forever family.

Smokey's Story written by his new Dad

When I was growing up, I had an Australian Shepherd; we named her Duchess that was very loving and extremely smart. There were 5 of us in my family, and we all adored her tremendously. Out of all of the dogs we had, she was by far the best. We had her for 13 years.

When I bought a house, the next step I wanted to take was to get a pet. I of course was set on an Aussie. When looking in the paper, I sadly found that I would not be able to pay the prices that were being asked. My mother in-law wanted to surprise me, so she put up a notice at her local vet offering to specifically rescue Aussies. A lady that happened to raise and breed Australian Shepherds saw the notice and contacted my mother in-law.

This lady had an Australian Shepherd named Smokey that had been found wondering around the mountain community where she lived. The lady took in the dog and ran ads in the paper. No one claimed the poor dog, and since she had no room for him because a few of her female Aussies were ready to have pups, she decided to put Smoky up for adoption with the local humane society. That is where I came in. I went to see him and immediately fell in love with him. He is a Blue Merle with intelligent brown eyes. When Smokey was brought to me, he was a bit anxious with his new surroundings, but always loving.

He settled in and has become an extremely enjoyable pet. My wife keeps saying, “I just love our dog!” The story continues. Since he is alone most of the day because of our jobs, we decided to get him a friend. Of course we got another Aussie from a canine sanctuary. This one is a Red Merle and we named her Tessie (they are both fixed!). Smokey and Tessie have become the best of friends, and my wife and I enjoy the walks and sitting with them as we watch TV. They both are truly in dog heaven.

A Perfect Fit!

Rough Start But Still Full of Love:

Jennyanydots is home :]

Ozzy The Lapdog :]]

Update!!

Adopted from: East Valley Shelter in LA

Update from the Fusinatos:

Tucker is Smiling Now!!

Finn

Sydney

Odo

Ruca

From Convict to Champion...

Tucker

A Honey of a girl :}}

Update:

No more dogs!! ??? ;))

Jesper finally gets his belly scratches...

Our second "Happy Endings" story...

Giving Chance A Second Chance...

Love at first site...

Clyde, the dog in my dreams...

Holly, just the right girl...

The Last Family I'll ever have to live with!!!!

Dugan...a wonderful addition to our family!!

Penney, the second chance at love...

Stella: the Most Awesome Aussie Ever...

Trinket & Tank, Best rescue dogs around...

Just the perfect dog !!!

Update:

Miko, the smartest dog I have ever had...

Dewey, the Frequent Flier girl...

Best dogs ever...

Surf Dog, the little bundle of fur in Kennel # 9...

Brownie with a beautiful face...

A cotton ball to warm our hearts...

Holly...ball-catcher extraordinaire 🙂

Lovey...the perfect fit...

Quasar Scores!

Wiley, a 1 year old blessing and joy....

Max and Roxy, The BEST Know they were rescued...

Sophie, Blue Merle substitute for a Chihuahua...

Blue Boy, The Perfect Valentine Sweetheart...

Yogi, The Lover Bear...

Billie, I'm Grateful for the Licks...

Ringo, A Long Wait for the Fastest Tail...

Suzie, An Amazing Tranformation...

Katie.....finds a new and loving home!!

Dawson, His Age Fooled 'Em All...

Jewel, Great Texas Life...

Yozzi, The Boy from the long, hot trip to Nowhere...

This.... was the Dog

My Beautiful, Sweet, Libby-Girl, The best 17 years, ever...

Kodiak (AKA "Kody" "Taz"), Gary looses it again at Pet Adopt-A-Day...

Charlie, Bridget's Best Friend

Brandi, Trama case, But sleeps well now...

Clarence, Shy at First, But a True Aussie at Heart

Cali, Maya's Best Friend to Pancho's Great Relief...

Winky, A Fateful Furball Accident...

Sunny, The Perfect Aussie for the Perfect Family...

Abby, What a Blessing on a Cold Rainy February Day

Sargent "Pepper", Love at First Sight

Elsie, More than a Replacement pet -- the Perfect Dog

Mikee, the handsome boy who's down and out no longer

Smokey wandered from the mountains straight into a human heart

Your Happy Ending Story Here!!