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

12 1/2 years and counting.

I was a foster mom for Hopalong in 1999 and on. I ended up adopting a dog and two cats.

Unfortunately my beautiful Sylvester, who clawed his way into being an outdoor cat, disappeared about 8 years ago, and I still look for him whenever I see a flash of black and white. He is a dead ringer for the "Sylvester" cat you always see.
Mick and Smoky are still going strong, both of them now 12 1/2 years old. I have since adopted another cat, brought to me as a kitten by one of my students, and he is huge, playful and loveable.

Mick is now a volunteer "listener" for the PAWS to read program at the Castro Valley library.
I loved being part of Hopalong, and I really love what they are doing for our homeless pets!

How Byron Won My Heart

When I met little Byron, he did not immediately come right to me. He did not reject my advances, but he refused to be held... I was nonetheless drawn to him, which is something I can't quite explain, except that I understood he was afraid. He along with his four brothers and sisters were all being fostered by my roommate. They were all very young, not used to the house, and definitely not used to me, as I had only just returned from a trip out-of-state.

But as I said, I was drawn to him. The time spent with the little pack of five dark furballs involved a lot of care and trust-building, and was easily one of the most rewarding experiences I've had. I've always grown up with cats as pets, and even raised one since she was a newborn, but had been without an animal companion after moving to California. Though the five kittens were not technically my fosters, I helped socialize them now and then. Byron was always the one I inevitably found myself spending the most time with, but it wasn't until a mere couple of days before they were scheduled to return to Hopalong that the extent of our attachment became evident. I offered to take care of their food and litterbox while the fostermother was out of town for a day or two, and in that time, Byron refused to leave my side. He had a fondness for resting on my right knee, and I jokingly referred to him as my Kneebuddy, though as pictures show, he's learned that my lap is much more comfortable.

It was only a day or two, but I knew then and there that Byron wasn't someone I could let slip away from me. He loved me and he won my heart... I suppose the rest of the story is obvious. I adopted him, and brought him back to the home he was fostered in. He was already used to the surroundings, and ultimately was much more interested in me, purring mile-a-minute and giving me little loverubs and headbutts. Since then, he's been renamed to Chococat, after the Sanrio character who is dark-furred, just like him. We call him Choco for short, and he leads a positively happy, adventurous life with his brother, who was adopted by my roommate. Generally his days are filled with rambunctious wrestling all across our hardwood floors and over my bed, and periods of rest, right next to my right hip, if not directly on the center of my chest. He also has a fondness for squeezing into the comfortable spot between my laptop and my lap - admittedly, he's "helped" me out by pushing the space bar
for me - and as pictures show, he likes to reach out and act as my paperweight, from time to time. An easygoing, happy life, which has brought me moments of peace that I haven't felt in a long time. The kind of peace a pet owner shares with their pets, and I have Hopalong and my roommate to thank for that. Thank you for giving little Choco a chance to find me!

Indigo

Our family adopted Indigo about six weeks ago, and its already hard for us to remember our lives before we had this cuddly little guy. We all smile and laugh a lot more than we used to, and there is a lot more hugging and wet, slobbery kisses.

Indy is very smart and was basically house trained when we got him at 11 months old, and he took to his doggy door immediately. He has also learned to sit, and to walk on a leash without pulling, and he is progressing well on learning to come "here" and to lie down. We are working one on one with a trainer, because Indy did show some aggression after he'd settled into the house for a couple of weeks, which came as a surprise to us -- that such an adorable, affectionate and fluffy pup could cop big dog attitude! He is doing much better now that we all have clearer rules to follow, however, and he has always been very friendly with other dogs and when meeting new people.

We just got back from a few days' vacation in Bolinas, where we discovered that Indy's ideal life is as a beach bum. He loved playing chase with the waves and digging in the sand and running in a pack with all the big dogs off leash. When we came back and went through our photos, we realized that we'd basically forgotten to take any of our daughters -- our new little boy is hogging all the attention! But the girls definitely don't mind -- everything we do together is more fun with Indy along -- he reminds us that when work is done its time to play.

Thanks, Hopalong!

Sebastian & CJ are home

Hopalong named them, but they have new names: Jumpin' Jack Flash (Flash for short) and Tigger. It took them about 5 minutes after we opened the carrier in my home office for them to start exploring.

It has been a week and the kitty energy is undiminished. They figured out the cat flap in my study door (a legacy of the former owner of our house) within an hour. They now have full run of the house and are reviving our 14 yr old big cat, Spike, from his mourning since his shelter partner Rags passed from kidney failure.

The 5 of us pile on the bed each night and both kittens love to sit on my lap and walk on the keyboard when I'm trying to get work done.

We were happy to participate in the Maddie's Fund adoption.

Michael

your heart grows back bigger

I love the line in the movie Must Love Dogs where John Cusack's character says that once it breaks, your heart grows back bigger...

My first Hopalong kitty was the love of my life. Buddy Stone maxed out at 17 pounds, he was a big, beautiful boy who my friend Suzanne always called my 'starter marriage.' Starting with the day I fell in love with him in the window of Your Basic Bird, we had a dozen wonderful years together, and when he passed in October it felt like the end of everything good in my life. Little did I know that two crazy, high-jumping littermates called Carmello and Zephyr were waiting to move in and take care of me, proving that your heart really does grow back bigger when you make room in it.

My new Hopalong kitties love to play and are perfect foils in terms of style and energy, complementing each other as siblings tend to. They love to climb on top of everything, wrestle at the foot of my bed and compete for lap space when I watch movies. Having two is great: I know they have each other for company while I'm at work, and it was nice to keep the kids together.

It took me a while to be ready, but the rush of kitten energy was just what I needed to start a new chapter in life. Everyone at Hopalong was great, and I always recommend the organization to folks who ask or are looking to adopt a pet. I'm so grateful to have my sweet boys, though I can't believe how much they've grown just since the picture below was taken (!)

Hopalong, thanks for helping my heart expand : )

Our Little Diesel Engine

When we adopted five-month-old Diesel in February, we prepared ourselves for weeks of slow, careful training to acclimate him to our home. He was incredibly sweet, but very nervous and skittish. Just 36 hours after arriving, he was tearing up and down the house, entertaining himself with countless toys, romping with our other cat, talking up a storm, and sidling up to us for regular cuddle sessions. He insists on sleeping on my face at night, and he routinely wakes us up with his loud purring.

Diesel is a wonderful addition to our home!

Lindy & Scarlet

March 1, 2011

We (John & Linda) recently lost the third of three cats who were with us when we met, got married and bought a house together. All three shared our lives in good times and bad. Sadly, all three died within a 15-month span – two of old age (18 and 15) and the third from cancer at age 13. We quickly realized that we each had not been without cats in our lives for decades, and the silence was deafening. Enter Hopalong Rescue!

Once we were ready to start looking for new kitties, we decided we wanted to adopt two cats, so they would each have a playmate, and hoped that they would already be bonded so that they did not have to adapt to both a new house AND a new friend. Fortunately, a kind volunteer at the Oakland Animal Shelter (thanks Ann!) directed us to Hopalong, which had just rescued two adorable feline sisters and placed them in foster care. In researching these two, we found that they were very bonded and enjoyed cuddling with each other – sounded like the perfect pair for us. We visited with their foster mom and fell in love! After a short wait for them to recover from being spayed, we met with Trisha at Hopalong to do the paperwork. Trisha was awesome and obviously LOVES what she is doing. We were also very impressed with the clean and comfortable Hopalong offices – there's no doubt they all love and respect their animal clients. We were excited to take the sisters home that day, and
after much discussion, renamed them Lindy and Scarlet.

So how are they doing? Fantastic! After a day or two of hiding under the couch, they have warmed up and let their personalities blossom. They're healthy and playful. They love playing hide and seek, running around the house, playing with toys. When it's time to chill, they love to sit in the window watching birds or cuddle together, even grooming each other every night. They have brought much love and joy to our lives, and our house has the pitter-patter of little paws again.

We can't thank Hopalong enough for taking such good care of their animals. Hopalong is an outstanding organization that provides a valuable and important service to the animal lover community. We were able to learn more about our kitties than we would from an animal shelter, and their loving foster mom (thanks Amy!!) cared for them and made the transition that much smoother. Although adopting from Hopalong is a bit more expensive than many animal shelters, it was worth every penny as we felt SO much more comfortable adopting from people who obviously care so much. Most city animal shelters do a great job too, but the sheer numbers of animals prevent them from giving the same kind of personal attention as Hopalong.

So, thank you so much Hopalong – we are very grateful!

John & Linda Waldman
plus Lindy & Scarlet!
Alameda, CA

Photo: Scarlet (L) cuddles with sister Lindy on the couch

Bella Brightens our Life!

About 8 days ago, my husband and I adopted our darling little Tinker BELLA (formerly known as Fieval) from Hopalong. She has been such a welcome addition to our family of two older dogs, a beagle and a Jack Russell terrier. She seems to have limitless energy and engages with everyone for playtime. As you can see by her picture, she appears to be a border terrier and possibly some schnauzer. We also have two Siberian Huskies (grand-dogs) that come to visit often:, so we were a little nervous about how Bella would be around them. She weighs 8 pounds while the Huskies are 50-60 pounds each. No problem there---the younger huskie just adores her and she actually wears him out with their play!
Last Sunday, I got brave and took the 5 dogs to the Fremont Dog Park---because it has the astro-turf surface I figured that they wouldn't get so muddy from all the recent rain. It seemed like all of the Fremont dog lovers decided the same thing, so the park was crowded. Once I turned Bella loose, she got busy "herding" all those big dogs and chasing them all over the place. She is fearless !
Bella is also very intelligent. She has learned so many tricks and is pretty much house-trained (it helps that we have dog doors for her to use anytime).
I can't thank Hopalong rescue enough for their care and support and a special thank you to the foster mom who did a fantastic job with her! I will happily tell everyone I know about the rescue and I'm sure we will be back to adopt in the future. Linda & Ed Sowell of San Leandro

Happy Tail

almost a month now ;-D
so a update on Jupiter

like my post below, he went to the vet and is now on "the pill" .

he has met several of the furry guys in the park and very social
ok one big dog ( illegal for the park) came through a screen door an we had a long hard talk and won't happen again, but Jupiter was totally safe !
he is slowly learning i am not the big boogie man ;-DD
and this is a short (35 sec) video of him in the back yard today !

so probably the last post as all is going well here, no problems at all
still too fast to use the front door,, but will come on command and a treat) heheheh

and loves long walks in the rain and cold windy weather ( i don't) but i do get my exercise ;-DD

Clink on this link to see a 35 sec of jupiter showing off ;-D