ADOPTIONS   >   HAPPY TAILS

Of the over 1500 animals we've rescued so far, (as of June 2009) below are "tails" of very happy dogs and cats. We rotate new stories all the time, so check back for more Happy Tails! This is why we do what we do!

View video of some of the Happy Tails we've had in 2007, and also see pictures and stories below of other animals who found "forever homes."

Happy Tails - Part 1

Happy Tails - Part 2

Happy Tails - Part 3

Cassie is now a Couch Potato!

Lovely Cassie was a stray rescued from a shelter, and now is living the life of Riley! She is socializing well with other dogs, behaving beautifully for her new family, and just could not be happier - neither could we!

Oliver

Oliver, the lost black kitten, is now known as Chester. As you can see, Chester and his new brother, a Shepherd/Husky mix, are getting along much better than anyone expected!
Chester's owner said, "Chester is just what my dog needed. They are both so happy!"

Jozie

A letter from Jozie's dad:

Jozie is doing fantastic. As each week goes by she's getting more and more adjusted to her new home as well as to my wife and I (her tail starts wagging like crazy whenever one of us walks into the room). She's really relaxing now and enjoying herself. She likes to play and nap and LOVES to chew. If we let her she would probably spend sun-up to sun-down working on a large compressed rawhide bone.

We're working with Canine Dimensions to get her well trained. The trainer taught us a lot about proper pack structure in the home and how to communicate with each other. Next month we start proper leash walking.

We also had our first visit to the Vet yesterday. She's healthy and weighed in now at 34 pounds.

All in all, she is doing great. She's still a bit shy when she meets new people but will warm up quickly once she realizes they are OK. We are so happy to have Jozie in our lives!

Dakota

This is Dakota, he is a german shepherd/lab mix. He is about a year old. He was abandoned by his owners but now Dakota is in a lovely home with a mom, dad and a little girl who LOVEs him!

The last email from the family reports:

"Dakota, loves to give love and be loved! He sleeps in his crate under my daughter's loft bed and is now tall enough to lick her awake in the morning when he stands on his hind legs. He's like a 2 year old child: once he's awake, everyone else has to be awake! He starts with her and then goes on to whoever makes the mistake of trying to sleep later than him. It's one of his favorite things to do! His tail is wagging a mile a minute as he stands on your head and licks your face at the same time.

He's a happy dog who doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He's extremely smart. He's managed to untie the knots in 3 Booda ropes. One of which is intended for bigger dogs like Rottweilers. He graduated from puppy kindergarten over the summer. He was the teacher's pet (no pun intended). She would use him to demonstrate the lesson because he usually got it the first or second time she demonstrated it.

We want to thank you for taking care of Dakota until he found my daughter."

Gracie

This beautiful girl is Gracie. She along with her two brothers were recently brought up from a shelter in Virginia. She was 10 weeks old when this picture was taken, and now has found a forever home. She's extremely happy and very loved!

Meeko

This is Meeko. He is a German Shepherd/lab mix who came from a shelter in VA, as his owners were giving him up. He is now in a great home right near a beach, so as a lot of space to run around.

This is there last e-mail from his parents:


"Meeko and he is a super friend. We figured his birthday was around now so he just celebrated his 1st on Sept 29th. Here is a picture of him on the beath. He weighs about 55 lbs and loves to play with other dogs and loves the water! And we love him!"

Seamus
This is Seamus, 3 year old Keeshond mix. He came from a Animal Shelter in VA. He was picked up as a stray because he was eating someone's dinner on a picnic table. He went to a great home with three children!

Here is the lastest email from mom:


"Seamus, is doing great. He is very much loved and a fixture in the household. He took training classes at PetSmart in the spring and escaped from there once! He’s definitely happy here, but he’s an adventurer- maybe that’s how you ended up with him in the first place. Anyway, we love him very much!"

Heidi
This is Heidi - Baxter and Dodger's sister. She is a Australian Shepherd/Blue Heeler, and also came from a VA animal shelter. She went to a home with a mom, dad and one teenager who she loves!

Her mom recently wrote:

Heidi is doing very well. We are on her third week of obedience training. She usually goes to doggy day care during the day so she's rarely alone. She is almost house broken and is getting along with the kitten Rosie. Also she loves going to the beach - we just love her!

Baxter
This Baxter, an Australian shepherd/blue heeler. He is 1 year and was rescued from Virginia Animal Control. ARF helped him find a forever home here in Pennsylvania, and he's very happy and doing well!

Molly
Molly is an adorable german shepherd/lab mix. She is 2 years old. She came to ARF from the shelter we partner with in Viriginia, and went to a home with a mom, dad and two teenagers who spoil her rotten, as you can see from the picture! The life of luxury for Molly!

Her mom recently wrote: "Molly is doing great! She is still growing! We had her at the vet a week and a half ago ... they told us she weighs 38 lbs! She's so fun and we love her soo much! I taught her how to sit, give paw, and lie down. Since she's still a pup shes still has puppy naughtiness...but each day she gets a little smarter! She's the best!"

Blaze
Blaze is a coonhound/lab mix. He is 3 years old and came from a shelter in VA. Blaze ended up in a home with a mom and dad who love him very much!

Rex
This is Rex he is 2 years old. Rex is Dexter and Bailey's brother. (below) They were all left at a shelter in Virgina where they were very emaciated. Rex ended up with a lovely lady who works at home and lives in Philadelphia. She says: "Rex is GREAT - he just got his checkup and shots on Saturday and the vet said he is in perfect health. I love him so much!" :-)

Dexter
This is Dexter and he is 2 years old. Dexter is Bailey's brother (below). He is a German Shepherd/Lab mix and found a home with a stay at home mother with two children who just love him! He has a brother named Hobbs who is a chocolate lab purebreed - show here. Here is there last e-mail from Dexter's mom:

Dexter now weighs 65 pounds, with NO fat on him. He's very lean & fit - gets lots of exercise with Hobbs, either at the park or at our house. He always comes upstairs with us at night when we are putting the girls to bed and then comes in each of their rooms to check while they are going to sleep. He's such a great dog. he loves our girls!

Bailey

This Bailey, a German Shepherd/Lab mix. She is 2 years old and was given up to a Virgina shelter. She was emaciated but through ARF, ended up in a lovely home with a stay at home mother and four children who just love her to pieces!

Austin and Dakota
Austin and Dakota they are brother and sister and are both 2 years old. They are lab/shep mixes. They were found abanded under a house, but ended up in a very happy home - a happy tail indeed! (or two!) A letter from their owner says:

Dakota and Austin are doing GREAT! Dakota weighs about 45 pounds, and Austin 43.

They’ve got sooo much energy all the time…unless they swim, and that tires them out somewhat! They LOOOOOOOOVVVVE to swim! It’s adorable! Most times they will come down the steps to our pool, and swim out to us, but if they think we’re drowning (which we aren’t, we’re all swimmers) they’ll jump in from the side! They always land on top of us, and if we were drowning, they would drown us more, but they haven’t realized this yet!
They are happy pups for sure!

Maya
This is Maya, a visla/pharaoh hound mix. She is 3 years old and was pulled by ARF from PAWS in Phila. She was totally emaciated and actually had to keep a sweater on for the winter she was so skinny. However, Maya ended up with a great man. Here is the last e-mail from him:

Maya has gotten comfortable in her home. She like long walks. I believe she has some type of hunting dog in her family. She is a real scent hound, running with her nose to the ground following where other dogs have been. She really needs a big yard to run around in because she loves running without a leash. When I take her to my son's house, she spends hours running around in their yard with the kids.

She hasn't met a dog she doesn't like, and her special friend is a big 100 lb. bulldog. She goes crazy when she sees that dog, and they roll around together and take turns taking sticks away from one another.

Overally, she's settled in nicely to her new home and is very, very loved!

Odie
Odie is a 3-year old Basenji/lab mix. He came from Sussex County, Delaware as a stray. But he adopted into a lovely home with 2 children to play with.

One of his new "siblings" writes:

Odie is doing really well! He can be quite the puppy at times, but we
love him. We've found out that he likes butter - REALLY likes butter. A few times when we're in the room he licked the butter dish clean; right
from the table!

Roo
A letter from Roo's new mom, "Just wanted to say thank you so much for Roo! He's wonderful and is warming up to his new surroundings and family. He even did a binky yesterday, I was very happy to see him do that. Well, it was a bit sloppy, but better than nothing! Within the last few days he's started to run at top speed over and under the furniture and around the rooms. As for the bonding with our other rabbit Peach, its going as well. They'll groom each other through the fences of their pens, they also play "follow the leader" a lot. Its very cute to watch. Peach usually leads but whatever she does or where ever she goes, Roo is right behind. They go on and under the furniture, through tunnels, on top of boxes, etc. We just love Roo!

Chloe
This adorable puppy was rescued with her siblings from a shelter in Virginia. Her new mom says that Chloe has indeed made herself at home and is very comfortable in her new surroundings.

At first it was hard for her to be away from her brothers and
sisters, but she made lots of new neighborhood doggie friends. Mom says, "Chloe is absolutely precious and we are lucky to have her with us! She has a big personality for such a small pup!"

Shadow
Chloe's sister, Shadow, is also doing great in her new home.
Her new mom Susan says that she got her name because she is "Shadow" to her daughter - seen in the picture. She's eating, sleeping well and playing with the entire family as well as the neighbor's dog. "We're delighted with her," says Susan!

Nitro

Nitro is another lucky pup that was rescued by ARF from a Virginia shelter and found a lovely home where he is absolutely thriving. Look at those beautiful eyes!

Rocky

Rocky was one of a litter of pit mix puppies ARF rescued - he's Cal's brother (below). His new mom says he's doing great and is up to 11 lbs! He's also developing quite a personality, which you can just tell from the cute picture! Thanks to his new mom Lisa, and ARF volunteer Karen!

Cal and his Human, Danny

Cal was one of five puppies that were on their way to the SPCA, as their owner was moving and wouldn't take them. One of our ARF volunteers and her sister fostered the mom and the puppies and Cal, pictured above, is one of the first to find his "forever home." He and his best friend Danny are taking a quick snooze after a long day of play. Welcome home, Cal!

Toolbox and Hillary
Toolbox is a kitten who was found in a closed tool box by animal control. Little Hillary was a lonely kitten found wandering in front of borough hall in Prospect Park by an employee. They were both placed in the same foster home and just bonded instantly. Hillary initially would not tolerate any other cats but Toolbox. It was them against the world!

Happily, Toolbox and Hillary were adopted in November 2006 by a couple who live in Narberth and understood they just couldn't be separated. They report to this day that the two are still inseparable!

Dodger


Dodger was rescued as a 3 month-old puppy. He is doing great in his new home and gets along wonderfully with his pit bull mix sister, Jada (seen on the love seat with Dodger). He loves going to the dog park even though he can't really keep up with the "big dogs" yet. He's about 8 months old now and 38 pounds - and still growing!

His mom recently sent and update: "Dodger is doing great!! Everyone that meets him loves him so much. He is a litter hunter! He caught a baby squirrel once (it was kind of sad actually) and he has caught birds and left them on my back doorstep! He loves to play fetch with his ball or a frisbee. He also loves wrestling with his big sister Jada. The first day we got Dodger he was afraid of Jada but now he tortures her because he wants to play so much. They cuddle up and sleep together every night!"

Frankie
Poor Frankie was found trapped under a porch as a newborn, and one of our ARF volunteers bottle fed him back health. He grew by leaps and bounds, and then it came time to find him a "forever home."

Frankie was featured on "Fox Fursday" on Fox 29, and was seen by Erin Nasko who immediately contacted ARF. He is now a content one-year old cat and could not be happier in his new home!

Chloe
Clover was rescued along with her mom along two sisters. She is doing great in her new home. Her new mom says, "We have fallen in love with Chloe. She and Rocket, (the dog we already had) are getting along fine and lately I am catching them napping on the same couch. Thanks for bringing this little girl into our lives."

Veronica
Veronica was brought to Prospect Park vet by Animal Control last summer. They didn't want to take her to the SPCA, so one of our volunteers who works there fostered her for about 8 months. She was adopted in February 2007 by a lovely couple in Swarthmore whose previous cat passed away not long before.

They report, "Veronica has fit in better than we could have hoped for, she has helped to ease the pain of losing our last cat. If I only could cure her of playing so much (I'm tired) she'd be purrrrfect. I can't thank you and ARF enough for the work that you do and, especially, for making Veronica/Mittens available too us."

Abby
A purebreed Shar Pei, Abby is just a dear. Her new mom says that, "Abby is great! She pretty much just chews her toys. I got an extension leash
for her so I can take her up to the field. She loves to run around up there!



She follows me around like a shadow and sleeps at the bottom of my bed. I had her up at my sister's house and she loved her kids. She's a perfect dog! We love her so much - she's the sweetest thing!"

She still loves to follow people and makes "pig" type noises but she's as cute as ever. She's awesome...such a great dog. She definitely doesn't like to be left home along though so I usually stop by during lunch time.

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Have you adopted from ARF SEPA? Please send us a photo and description of your adopted pet, your family and how your ARF SEPA pet is going in his or her forever home. We'll post the stories on these pages!