WALTER

When I saw his face on the website I knew I found my new friend. I'd been "dogless" for almost a year after losing Charlie, my 16 year old lhasa apso mix. We adopted Walter (the name he was given by animal rescue and we decided to not change it) 2 weeks before Christmas. Walter has settled in and is now running the show. He may only be 14 pounds (he was 12 pounds at adoption - I think he enjoys his cookie snacks) but he has a big dog personality. He loves to cuddle and play catch. He has the run of the house. I wish he could tell me about his "first life" and I call him my little survivor. He certainly was lucky to be picked by Hopalong and I was lucky enough to find him. Thank you for bringing us together.

Sharon

Oliver

We lost our beagle " Marcel " at age 10 on April 16, 2011. We were heartbroken and did not think we were going to ever get over his passing.

While purchasing a pair of prescription glasses in late Fall, I spent time with some customers who were speaking of how amazing Hopalong & Second Chance Animal Rescue was. I decided to go on line to find more information about the rescue group. While I was going through the site, I was very intrigued by a couple of rescued dogs. Before I knew it, I was on the phone and setting up an appointment to see Scooby.

On December 11, 2011, we met Scooby and decided to bring him home. This turned out to be an amazing day. We named him Oliver. Oliver is now a very important member of our family. He loves his long walks and looks forward to his play dates. He is such a sweet, sweet boy.

Thank you Hopalong for making the adoption process so very easy and professional.

Norbert

Hockey Stars Turned Literary Lions

When we adopted our kittens in August, their names were Heatley and Setoguchi, after hockey stars Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi. I mention that because I hope their foster family reads this and recognizes the names: I want to extend thanks for the unbelievable job of socializing they conferred on these guys. My son and I decided to re-name the cats after two of our favorite writers, so Heatley is now Roberto (after Roberto Bolano) and Setoguchi is Carver (after Raymond Carver). OK, these writers can deal with some of life's rougher aspects, but these cats are as sweet as cats come. I know how much their foster family must have contributed to that. But I also want to praise Hopalong. The adoption process was great. Background checks were thorough but not unreasonable. And the care that had been taken with these animals was superb, from screening for feline HIV, to ensuring that they had received a full battery of shots, to microchipping. Hopalong's staff and volunteers are
professional, knowledgable, caring, and coourteous. What a great experience, and what great pets we have. Thanks to everyone who helped make Roberto and Carver such wonderful kittens .

A gift from God

Hopalong staff,

I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the tremendous gift you have given me.

I adopted my dog Kota from Hopalong in February 2002, he was only 6 months old at the time and was staying with a foster family. When I saw Kota on your website, I just knew in my heart, he belonged with me and my family.

Within a year, Kota was diagnosed with cancer. With my broken heart and Kota's will to survive, he was able to conquer the cancer with surgery and move on….. For the next 8 years, Kota's life was nothing short of entertaining. Whenever he rode in the car, he would constantly paw my elbow so I would throw treats in the back seat for him and my other dog Jake.… Oddly, Kota was under the impression he was a miniature poodle, who just always wanted to sit on Mom's lap. He never quite understood he was a 130 lb Rottweiler Pit-bull mix! One of my fondest memories of Kota was when I would return home from work. Kota would always be there greeting me at the door with his toy chicken in his mouth. If Kota couldn't find his chicken, he would have this goofy grin on his face, snort like a pig, and wag his giant tail back and forth which would shake his entire body. His unconditional love of life and family always shined through.

In June 2010, Kota was diagnosed with kidney failure. With his will to survive and my broken heart, he once again was determined to fight the disease. After 17 months of medications and IV fluids Kota started to lose the fight. Sadly, on November 28, 2011, my family and I all had to say good bye to Kota. Even though his life was short, the amount of happiness he brought us will forever stay in our hearts. He was true gift from God, his memories and spirit will be with us forever.

In telling you my story, I want to thank you again Hopalong, for doing what you do. Your dedication to helping animals has given me the opportunity to experience Kota's unconditional love for nearly the past 10 years.

In memory of Kota.

Pepe and Mattie

Our family adopted Pepe from Hopalong in September. When our beloved Noche, a lab who we had adopted from Hopalong nine years ago died, our son convinced us it was the right time to get a puppy because both my husband and myself were not working for the next few months and it was a good time to have a puppy at home. Although we were sad, we decided to go ahead and went straight to Hopalong because we knew they were a great organization. We saw a photo of Pepe on the Hopalong website along with his five brothers and sisters. We were lucky to get the last puppy left in the litter.

Pepe is a black and white Pointer mix and now about 3.5 months old. His spots make him the cutest fellow with a Buddha spot on his head and one black eye and and one black ear. He is a bundle of joyous energy. A quick learner, Pepe loves to play and has us always laughing. We gave him the name of the famous cartoon skunk because he is Black and White and so affectionate. No worries- he does not smell like a skunk!

When we saw Pepe, we also saw a litter of cattle dogs posted on the web and told our friend Martha. She had been looking for a puppy for awhile. She adopted Mattie who is an almost six-month old and they now have play dates. Pepe, true to his name is a love bug and a bugger! Maddy is much mellower and when they play together it is hilarious. Pepe loves to crash into Mattie with his shoulder and somersault over onto his back. She stands there watching while he zooms around and tries to pounce on her. She's not having any of it, and shoves him back. It's great fun!
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Wynter--aka Pollyanna

We have had a wonderful week with Wynter aka -Pollyanna. My youngest son, Ryland, decided that her name was Wynter because she is dark, just like Wynter. Once we got her home, we started showing her around and she quickly became friends with Shelby, our German Shepherd. Wynter has gone running with me four times already, and she goes on nightly walks with my sons and me. The Fresno heat proved to be too hot for her and we took her to the groomer's for a cool new haircut. She loves her short hair and seems so much happier now. We paid a visit to the vet and she said I was so lucky because Wynter is such a healthy dog. Thank you, Hopalong, for the perfect pet!
Check out Wynter's before and after photos!

Pollyanna comes home

We just got Pollyanna home this evening and she has already adjusted well to her surroundings. She met her new sister, Shelby, and they ran and ran all over the backyard together. Later, my boys and I took her for a walk and she responded well to leash training. She is super smart and a real joy! She does not bark and just enjoys following my boys around the house. Right now, she has settled down next to me while I work on my laptop. I think we are going to enjoy having Pollyanna in our home. She truly is a beautiful dog with a darling personality!! Thanks Hopalong:)
The Bailey Bunch