Success Stories(2005)

If you have your own SPCA success story, tell us!

The SPCA is not responsible for the content of links to external websites.

Dogs

Chance

We adopted "Ricky" in mid December 2004.  He was one of the older dogs seized from the Hague area puppy mill.

First, we decided he needed a new name to start his new life.  Our family agreed "Chance" was perfect as he was getting a second chance at a decent life.

We contemplated how difficult it might be to train a dog who hadn't had much structure in his life.  It became quite apparent that Chance was an affectionate little dog who was very eager to learn. Besides being housetrained fairly quickly, he has learned some basic commands as well.  He has also learned to love going for daily walks, eating good food, having a nice warm bed of his own, and getting lots of love and attention.  Ginger, our other dog, has accepted Chance as well, and they have become good buddies.

We encourage others to adopt older dogs that need homes.  They make wonderful pets and they still have lots of life and love left in them.

Thanks to the SPCA.  

Rhea and Stephen Betker
Matt, Amanda and Ginger

Buddy

Just want to let all know that buddy has adjusted just fine to his new home, we are so happy with him and couldn’t have asked for a more perfect dog.
The Carlsons
 
The Johnson Family

Boomer

In January 2001 one of our family members passed away.  He was a Lab border collie cross.  His sister (also a lab border collie cross) was sad and would not eat unless fed by hand.  We decided she was lonely and needed a companion.  That started our trip to the Saskatoon SPCA (we brought her with us on the trip).  When we walked into the SPCA we let the staff know that we wanted a LARGE dog.  We told them why we had come and that we still had so much love in our hearts for another dog they took us to the kennels to view some of the animals.  We were shown puppies and younger dogs but we felt that we truly wanted to adopt an animal that was a little older.  One staff member overheard us say "actually we are looking for a larger dog".  
 
At that point we were taken to a kennel to view a  large dog, then named "Rocket".  He is a fabulous dog (lab cross).  We took him outside to meet our other dog and see how they interacted.  Everything went really well and we adopted "Rocket".
 
Well since this is an update, we would just like to tell you that we changed his name as it wasn't as suiting to his personality.  His name is BOOMER now.  He is great companion for our family and our other pets.  We love him so much. He is very gentle and alert.  We are extremely happy to have adopted him.  He has been healthy and happyever since we adopted him.  We could not ask for a better pet to have as a member of our family.  Within a day or two of having him home our other dog Brynleigh began eating on her own again.  They have become the best of friends.  Thanks again for everything!!!  
 
The Johnson Family

Thea & Mocha

We are former Saskatoon SPCA residents.  We were puppies when we came to the shelter.  Things did not look to good for us at the time because the shelter was overflowing and there was parvo in the building.  We were scared and lonely for a family.  We went into foster care right away.

Our foster home was great.  Our foster family showed us lots of love and hugs.  There were lots of toys and food.  We were so happy to have a home filled with caring, compassionate humans.

We also had an older sister in the house who not long before we came, had lost her big brother of 14yrs to a form of ms.  She was missing her big brother but we made her feel like a puppy again. We felt that we belonged here.

The love, hugs and kisses we got helped us grow strong.  Our foster family fell in love with us and decided that they would adopt us.  We were so happy and grateful that our foster home has now become our "forever home".

A month ago our big sister passed away. Our mom was very sad, but we helped her wipe her tears away.  We miss our big sister,  but luckily me and my sister have each other and a great family now.

Even though we are bigger now, we still get all the love, hugs and kisses we did when we were pups.  Thank you to the Saskatoon SPCA for letting us go to a loving, caring home.  Our "forever home".

We wish for all the animals still in the shelter to be as lucky as us, and that they to will be adopted and finally have a "forever home".

xoxo,
Thea & Mocha

Lucky

Hi! I'm Lucky!

I'm a weiner dog and about 2 and a half years old. I used to live in a kennel all the time and wasn't looked after very well. Then I was taken to the SPCA. I was very scared until I was adopted by my new family. Now I always have good food and a warm home. My new family loves me VERY MUCH and take good care of me. There is always someone to snuggle and love me. I love to play with the little boys I live with. We even sleep together!

I am so happy now!! I hope other puppies and kitties get good homes like me!

Thunder

Hi, my name is Thunder. I am one of the cutest and friendliest German Shepherd / Husky mix dogs you will ever meet.

I came to the SPCA as a stray in September 2003. I stayed there for over 2 months until my "pets" adopted me. I have them well trained. They feed me lots and give me lots of attention. In fact when I met them I was 45 pounds (5 months old), but now I am 90! Lots of exercise built me up pretty good. Oh yeah, and a few treats helped too.

When I first came home with my new pets, I didn't know what rules were. I learned the basic things very quickly, and over time, I developed a close attachment with my pets. I trust them so much and since I have learned the rules they trust me too. Other people are sometimes afraid when they see me because I am really big! But they quickly find out that I am the world's biggest suck. I love everybody, especially those who play with me. And give me treats.

 
Submitted by Tolga and Viola Yanik  

D.C.

I adopted Quincy (as known to the shelter), now D.C., on the 27th 0f January of 2004. D.C. was abandoned and was at the shelter for close to a month, no one seemed to want this poor animal. My girlfriend and I were walking in market mall one afternoon and we were on our way out when she spotted this beautiful dog! D.C. was just lying there in the SPCA's "little shelter" they had set up. He didn't move or pay attention to anything, we thought he might be deaf and quite possibly depressed. I just sat there petting him, wondering how I could manage to have this dog in my life. I certainly wasn't planning on having one anytome soon, but D.C. and his big eyes just looked me and said "help".

So I went to visit him the next day, and when I saw him in the actual kennel, I knew this guy had to come with me. I adopted him and everyone at the shelter was relieved because he had been there so long and no one wanted to take him. I knew I was taking a chance with a dog that was very unresponsive.

When we got home all he wanted to do was sleep, he did that for at least 8 hours a day. He didn't even want to go for walks, and he's a purebred Siberian husky. The next few months he stayed in his shell, not really warming up to anybody, but started to like his daily walks. I soon realized he liked going for rides, so we did that a lot going down to the river and the dog park.

Fast forward a couple more months. D.C. can't stop barking now when its walk time (I didn't hear him bark for at least 6 months). He is quite possibly the biggest cuddle bug now, loves to play, is great with kids, loves the cat (which most huskies don't) and watches out the window for us when my girlfriend and I are gone. Everyone who has known him since I've adopted him say he's 1000 times the dog he was when i first got him.

There is never a shortage of kisses from D.C. My girlfriend Sara and I have compiled a large selection of pictures of D.C. as he is so photogenic and just so damn cute.

I can't even begin to think what my life would be like if I had just left him there that day. I love this dog so much and I think he knows it!! I am very happy he ran away from where ever he ran from because he has made me so happy. It'll be a sad day when he's no longer there on my bed looking at me with those same big eyes that made me fall in love with this animal.
Thank you SPCA.

Tess

My name is Tess and I am around 1.5 years old and I was adopted about a year ago. How time flies. When I was first adopted I became sick and almost died but luckily I was able to get better and now I have fully recovered and enjoy playing with the other dog who was there before me and we like to chase each other through the fields, chase cats, I like to play soccer with a basket ball and I love to sit on the couch and sleep while my family's watching TV. Thank you SPCA for finding me a loving home.

Tess and the Charbonneau family

Sampson

We are thoroughly enjoying having Sampson in our family. Thank you so much for all your good work.

Sincerely, Rev. Nora Brown & Derek Vedress

Cats

Maxx

Hi there,

I am an animal lover and come by it honestly. I grew up in a home that always included a cat as one of its family members. This cat in particular was so precious she was even included in the family pictures. She lived to the ripe old age of 18! And I believe she was also a product of the SPCA.
As I ventured out on my own I knew I needed to have a cat to call my own. I knew exactly where I was going to get mine, the SPCA. At the time (1999) I lived in Chitek Lake, Saskatchewan. I drove in to Saskatoon and with my sister and mom in tow went to pick out my new baby. I choose to look at cats, not kittens, ones who needed a home quickly.
The cat I choose was a 1 year old male orange tabby named Maxx. His previous owners could no longer care for him and they couldn't find him a home. Maxx had a funny way of talking with his meows and he reached out several times with his paw to say hello. I walked into the SPCA declaring I would look at anything BUT an orange tabby but he was just so irresistible.
Maxx lived with me in Chitek Lake and then made a big move to Melfort. He saw my family expand as I was married and he helped us welcome our baby girl into the world in February of 2004. Maxx also welcomed his big brother Toby into our home as well. Toby is a Rhodesian Ridgeback/Rottweiler cross. He was ever so patient as Toby chewed on his ears as a pup and chased him through the house. Now Toby is HUGE and Maxx learned how to tune him in if he got out of line, a quick swat to the nose!
Maxx was a superb moth chaser! He lived for that. He loved little toy mice and would play with them till they all became lost under the couches. Maxx slept on my pillow every night. He was an amazing animal. He was a big cat, with huge eyes and a very loving spirit.
I speak about Maxx in the past tense because we lost him about a month ago to a bladder and kidney infection. My baby girl still picks up his picture everyday and gives him big kisses. We miss him dearly. He died too young, but I know we gave him a good home and he was happy. I also know when I am ready that the first place I would go to find my new kitty is the SPCA.

Sincerely
Jodi Chamakese
Melfort, Sask.

Merlin

My name is Merlin, aka: “Puffy”. My family adopted me in the first week in December 2004. That was a great Christmas present don’t you agree?

I love my new family, and am very happy in my new home. Some of my hobbies include: bird-watching (as seen above), playing peek-a-boo with my human brother, and watching Clifford the Big Red Dog with my human brother. I like to chase the characters on TV. My human brother takes good care of me too! He calls me his “little brother with fur”. His name is Jaden, and he’s 5. He’s good at helping Mom take care of me.

I’ve gained a little weight since coming home, but the vet says it’s completely healthy. I really love to eat. I can even open up my own cat treats *sneaky grin*.

I am very loved in my new home, and I just wanted to thank you for taking such good care of me while I stayed at the Shelter. My family appreciates it J (and so do I). Anyway, I must attend to my catnip mouse now, I think I hear it calling me.

Yours,

Merlin Hogan

Jack

I adopted Jack in October 2004 from the Saskatoon SPCA.
 
I've always loved cats and when I moved to Saskatoon I didn't get one until I owned my own home - five years of waiting!  I decided to adopt from the shelter BUT I only wanted a kitten small enough to fit into the palm of my hand, and a girl - just like the cat I grew up with.
 
I ventured out to the SPCA after purchasing all the necessary supplies for my new "girl" and one cat caught my eye.  The cat would not stop meowing and reaching out of the cage.  I went home that afternoon and could not stop thinking about that cat, imagine my surprise the next day when I went back and that cat was gone.  I enquired at the front desk and luckily the kitty had just been readied to go to Petland.  We met in a room and I found out that my "girl" was a "boy" and he certainly didn't fit into my hand!  I just showed me that I don't always know what I want.
 


Jack is the best, smartest kitten ever, we're approaching his 1st birthday and the household is very excited.  He loves people and playing, he talks just about as much as I do!  He has a great sense of humor and for all of his toys to play with he'd just as sooner jump in a cardboard box!  He has enriched my life and I love him.
 
My roommate was not on-board with the adoption but Jack has him wrapped around his "paw", it's heartwarming to watch the two of them together when they think no one is watching.
 
A very special thanks to the SPCA for bringing Jack into my life.
 
Tina.

Second Chance

We adopted an abandoned calico kitten on Nov. 19/03. At that time she was just skin and bones.

We took her to our vet here in North Battleford (who by the way honoured your free vet checkup).

Two weeks later she had gained almost two pounds and taken over being the hell-raiser in our home, much to our delight.

Thank you for allowing us to adopt such a wonderful kitten! We have named her "Second Chance".

To all the staff and volunteers - you're doing a much needed job which in turn brings great joy to those of us who adopt. Keep up the good work!

Lyle & Forrest LaBrecque

Merlin

Hi, I was an abandoned kitten, too young to be away from mom. I didn't even know how to feed myself when I was brought into the Saskatoon SPCA in September of 1996.

Then my new mom and dad came in, looking for a black kitten so the shedding hair wouldn't be so visible on most of their wardrobe. I was climbing all over the inside of the cage, doing anything I could to get them to play with me through the bars. They couldn't resist me and took me home that day.

Mom showed me how good food was to eat by using my need for cleaning to teach me to eat solid food. I learned that well, and took a few good bites out of the Christmas ham that year from the table. Mom and dad had a lot of leftover ham that year....

I was good at climbing the Christmas tree, and boxing with the small poodle sister I had who was the same size as me when I grew up, I was also very good at snuggling on the chest of mom and dad, getting petted and purring.

Then when we moved away from the poodle sister, and a black cat friend Sylvester, I grew lonely and would not stop following mom and dad around meowing. The next thing I knew, they brought home another kitten from the SPCA to be my companion- they named her Morgana. I was not happy! This little furball was not shy about invading my personal space, and kept wanting to play with me - I am too dignified for that!

Well, after a week I was used to it, and now I am quite happy to chase, or be chased around the house - on my terms. My favourite thing is to lay down in the nice warm laundry straight for the dryer, reminding mom and dad that a calico kitty's hair shows up on all colours of cloths. But I'm sure they wouldn't trade me for anything - wouldn't matter how many hams I ate, or how hairy their clothes were, or how many plants I shred!

- written by mom&dad Laura and Geoff Klassen because kitty paws aren't designed to hold pens that well.

Back to Top