The following stories are examples of pets that have come through
the Dumb Friends League and how our various programs and services were able to
help them.
Our Behavior Department receives calls on their Behavior Helpline everyday from
concerned pet owners who are having problems with their pets. The volunteers
who take calls on the Behavior Helpline do their best to provide suggestions
and advice to these pet owners. Faith Englehart was one of these pet owners
who was having a problem with her newly adopted dog, "Buster," a Lhasa
Apso mix. Buster was supposedly house trained, but when Faith brought him home,
he began to soil the carpet on a regular basis. Not knowing how to handle this,
Faith called our Dog Helpline and spoke with a volunteer who had several ideas
and suggestions. He told her to use a product on her carpet called "Simple
Solutions" to get rid of any pet odors that may have been there before
they bought their house because Buster was probably "marking" his
territory. She was also told to put him on a regular feeding schedule and take
him outside at regular intervals to go to the bathroom. When she wasn't home
and at night, she would also confine Buster to a certain area. Fortunately,
all of these suggestions worked and Buster is now "perfectly potty trained."
Our Behavior Helpline helps pet owners find solutions to their pet problems
without having to give up their pets!
Daisy was a one-year-old terrier mix who had been abandoned by her owners. One
day a man was walking by an area of town where there were a lot of stray dogs.
The man noticed one dog that was barking and making frantic movements next to
a muddy area. Because of the dog's actions, the man dug up some of the mud and
discovered four puppies buried in the mud! He tried to take Daisy and the pups
with him, but Daisy wouldn't leave. She continued to act frantic and excited,
so the man dug up more of the mud and discovered three more puppies! He took
Daisy and her puppies to his local animal shelter and they were soon transferred
to the Denver Dumb Friends League. Daisy and her puppies were put into our Homes
With Hearts Foster Care Program because the pups were only a couple of weeks
old. There they could be cared for in the home of a volunteer until the pups
were old enough to be weaned from their mother. Daisy and her puppies were eventually
adopted to separate homes. Daisy's new owner, Kristina Nelson, said that Daisy
was very cautious at first when they took her home, but now she is sweet and
affectionate and very well-mannered. She's very happy in her new home and we're
glad we could provide that for her and her seven puppies!
Too often, we receive pets that have had a difficult start in life and we try
to match them up with a new family that can give them the love and care they
need to make a fresh start. Pepper was one such pet and her story is bittersweet.
When Pepper, a black Pomeranian, came to the Denver Dumb Friends League in 1995
she was five years old, terribly frightened, and extremely underweight. It was
obvious that Pepper had been neglected and possibly abused. Her coat was so
matted that it had to be shaved off. Lance and Cheryl Caplin came to the Denver
Dumb Friends League that summer, and with the help of our adoption counselors,
they adopted Pepper. When Pepper arrived at her new home she was too afraid
to eat with people around, so she would slither like a snake to her bowl when
no one was looking. The Caplins and "Fancy," their other dog, tried
to show Pepper affection, but she kept her distance. It was almost a year before
they were able to pet or play with Pepper. Gradually, though, with continued
tolerance, and lots of love, Pepper began to accept her role as a member of
the family. Over the next three years she changed even more and began to trust
her family. Pepper came to understand that regular grooming, baths, nail clips
and visits to the veterinarian were all part of "being taken care of."
Her family doubted she was ever told that she was a "pretty girl"
and it took a long, long time for her to feel good about herself. Today, she
is a very confident, talkative and loving member of the household. She dearly
loves and respects Fancy, her best friend, for teaching her "the ropes."
She loves people, particularly little children, and has a smile on her face
almost all the time. Pepper is a wonderful example of how animals, as well as
people, can have a fresh start in life.
We are a private nonprofit organization. We spend an average of $300 on every animal adopted, over and above the fee paid by the patron. If you would like to help us, you can click here to make a secure online donation or print out a donation form and mail or fax it to us.
The Dumb Friends League respects the privacy of its donors. We do not sell or exchange any individual donor information. For details on our privacy policy, click here.
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"Helpline
Happiness"
"Daisy"
Saves Her Pups
A
Fresh Start for "Pepper"