Breaking the bonds of cruelty

From The Owner:

I have a long, overdue adoption success story for which I need to thank Pinal Animal Care and Control. 

My name is Ellen Leeper and about six years ago, I adopted a dog from your organization whom you had taken from her owners because of charges of animal cruelty. Her name was Missy and her owners were prosecuted. She was registered with Pinal Animal Care and Control as a Shepherd mix. When you rescued Missy from her owners, she weighed about 26 pounds (she weighs 60 pounds now). The photographs you took for the court documentation, which I still have, reveal an animal starved for so long that every bone in her body, including those on her skull, were visible. She had tick fever, dysentery, and other ailments. Your organization gave her extensive veterinary care that saved her life. I hope I have continued that care to this day. Ironically, your staff informed me that the owners had the nerve after prosecution to return to the shelter and beg for her back because the kids "missed her." 
Her name is no longer Missy. We call that name her "slave name." She knows herself as Latisha, or Tisha, for short. A breeder confirmed that Latisha is a mixture of American Dingo and Yellow Lab. American Dingos are sometimes called Native American dogs or Carolina dogs.

Nevertheless, Tisha is the love of my life. She has her best friend and companion. Pip, my male Husky/Black Lab mix. She loves Pip with an almost unfathomable longing. They are inseparable. 

Tisha, Pip, and I lived in Arizona on 20 acres in Maricopa until I got a job with Boeing in Seattle. We got a house in a suburb of Seattle and spent many weekends on the Oregon Coast staying in our special "dog friendly" hotel where Tisha loved the ocean. After I was laid off from Boeing after September 11th, I bought a new fifth wheel and we traveled traveled over 20,000 miles throughout the West and across the United States. I made a sign on the back of my RV that said, "Pip, Tisha, and Ellen's Excellent Adventure." It was an amazing experience. Despite the RV, the dogs got tremendous exercise hiking, swimming, and running in the woods. I am a pretty active outdoors person.

Tisha has always been admired by everyone who meets her and they always comment on what a beautiful dog she is. To this day, Tisha has traveled more than most people I know and has sniffed and played in nearly every forest, oceanside, mountain, and canyon in the U.S. She is truly a tenacious and seasoned "travelin' dog." Her soft spirit, patience, and adaptability is invaluable for a journey woman like me. I am single and love to travel, but my dogs must always accompany me wherever I go. We are a pack and I could not imagine my life without them.

Tisha had lots of emotional problems due to the horrible treatment by her owners. For a long time, she expected abuse and wanted nothing to do with human beings. After a lot of patience and building of trust, Tisha is the number 1 snuggler in the house and has transcended all her fears and phobias. She is a gift to my life.

I have attached some photos from our travels, but the best ones I have because I don't have a scanner. I will try to send some better ones at a later time.

We have settled back down in Seattle while I work and finish my teaching degree. Tisha goes to doggie daycare and the dog beach on Puget Sound when I am away or at home. She has learned to get along with other dogs, which was a trial for her at first, and she tends to like littler dogs on the beach to play with. She is still a bit shy and afraid of big dogs. 

Now that I am back to work, I am sending a donation to your organization for the wonderful work you do and the tremendous gift you brought into my life. I hope you know that the work you do matters. You save lives. I hope I have continued the extension of your work by giving my commitment for the duration of Tisha's life. I know that when she closes her eyes to this world, she will have only good memories and knowledge of love and security. That is a reward I would not trade for the world.

Ellen Leeper

Once a stray pup, now a significant family member

From The Owner:

Dear Animal Control:

This is a long-overdue acknowledgement of the pleasant experience I had recently at the Pinal County Animal Care and Control facility.

Let me give you a little background: I was helping my sister (who lives in PHX) research finding another pet, as they recently lost their 10-yr old greyhound. The loss was so recent, my sister wasn't sure they could bear another greyhound; as I've had such wonderful experience with my lab crosses, I included this breed in my search on Petfinder.com. One of the results of my search was a young lab cross in your facility. As it turned out, my sister decided they would prefer to wait a while before getting another pet. However, I was smitten with the dog I'd located for her.

I contacted the PCACC and learned the dog (Godiva) was still available. I made several calls to Karen as I inquired about the dog's age, size, temperament, origination circumstances, and made arrangements for adoption. Karen was most helpful in answering all my inquiries. As I currently reside in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was relieved when Karen said it would be okay for my brother-in-law (from PHX) make the initial trip to Casa Grande to complete the adoption paperwork.
In hindsight, realizing that I initially contacted PCACC on Monday (8/25) and drove 700 miles just 3 days later (8/28) to pick up a dog I had never interacted with is... well the wildest, most harebrained thing I've ever done!!! But, because Karen set the correct expectations--speaking openly and honestly about the dog, the result could not be better! I'm very happy to report that I have a GREAT dog with whom I'm delighted; she interacts very well with my 10+yr-old lab cross, is very eager to please, and could not be sweeter!

I want to thank you, Jane, for the services you all provide at PCACC and recognize Karen for all the help she provided in placing what was once “simply a stray pup, roaming the streets of Casa Grande” into my home, as a very significant family member.

  Thank you,
  --Lynn

Where everyone knows your name

From the Owner:

  Hi [Animal Control]!

Last week (Wednesday), my husband and I adopted "Kathleen", a lab/shepherd mix puppy from your shelter. I saw her picture on Petfinder.com and fell completely head-over-heals in love! Seeing her in person, well, she just stuck out like a sore thumb in the pack of puppies you had. We both immediately said, "She's the one"! [An AC&C Officer] took her out of the kennel and we brought her up to the lobby. What a bundle of energy! Great personality, she's just perfect! Tomorrow will be one week and we couldn't be happier with her! We've already taken two 1/2 rolls of film of her playing in the grass in our backyard, playing with toys, sleeping with me on the floor of our living room, she's just a wonderful little girl! We changed her name to "Hailey" (which I think fits her better than "Kathleen") :) Your staff was great getting all of her information put together for us and I can't thank you all enough for letting us adopt her! I'll be keeping in touch via email with [Animal Control] with updated photos of Hailey! She was definately our "missing link"!

How Do You Spell Success: "Freedom"

February 25th 2003: Freedom made his television debut on the CBS show "Jag" as a bomb-sniffing dog.

Freedom's Story:
Shortly after 9/11 Friends for Life Animal Sanctuary volunteers pulled a German Shepherd we named "Freedom" from your facility. The name "Freedom" seemed fitting with the world events and the fact that this dog was also gaining freedom and the chance at a new life. Shortly after his rescue Freedom met his new family at our adoption center. Janice Gantenbein was in Arizona, visiting from California. It was a star-struck encunter for both Freedom and Janice. Freedom made the trip back to Gantenbein's home in California where he joined her other anmimals; most of them rescued. Several of those animals also dabble in the film and television industry. In fact, Gantenbein trained the rat, Memphis, who appears in the new hit movie "Daredevil".

Janice immediately began teaching Freedom basic obedience as well as taking him to Paramount Studios where he became acquainted with the sites and sounds of television and movie sets.
In Freedom's role on Jag he plays a bomb-sniffing dog. Freedom's scenes are shared with his Aunt Barbara. It truly is a family affair. Gantenbein says "Freedom really got into the Hollywood "thing". Freedom reported to the set of Jag in the evenings and spent his days like any other star, lounging near the pool and snoozing outside his hacienda.

New Family, New Friends ... A New Beginning

This is thanks to [Animal Control] and all the folks at Pinal County!!! Looks like the [German Sheppard] is in a wonderful home.

From The Owner:
"I just wanted to show you how well Kia (I got that name from one of your [German Sheppards] you had) is adapting. I didn't want to let her loose until she got more familiar with our property, but she doesn't seem to have any intentions of going anywhere so we let her run loose. Of-course we will always be with her just in-case but she seems to already be at home with us. I can't believe her owners didn't come to find her. She is perfect and so content with us, I think she knows she's in a good place.

Thank you again."

The Cat Nobody Wanted ... A Cat Named "Hootie"

We received this Siamese when he was a baby and rather unattractive. Many shelter shoppers looked at him but he just didn’t seem to please anyone.

Then Karyn, one of our licensing clerk-front office angels, called a potential adopter who came in. It only took one look and unnamed kitty became "Hootie" because he is such a "hoot".

Now you can see just how gorgeous Hootie became. He’s in a wonderful home with humans who spoil him completely.

This is what adoptions through Animal Care and Control is all about!

From The Owner:
"Can you believe that no one wanted this guy. I lost my cat of 9 years and told Pinal County I was looking for a cat. [Animal Control] called me up and said we have this little guy with a big nose, who loves to have his tummy rubbed. Well, It was love at first sight. He has grown from the little fellow with the big nose to this handsome boy. Hootie is a hoot. He is king of the cats and dogs in our house and has a personality that makes him shine."