tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31850098338610073212024-03-14T02:26:41.889-07:00Hopalong Animal Rescue*********************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/01970315099237330988noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-56170819369690718062012-06-21T17:09:00.001-07:002012-06-21T17:09:50.019-07:00Felix (Barrymore) the cat<div class="mobile-photo">
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One year ago, through Hopalong and Maddie's matchmaker adoptathon, <br />
we came to the e.bay and found our little guy - Felix. He was named Barrymore at the time and was with his two sisters, who were fast asleep and cuddled together, not so for Felix. We had been looking for hours originally looking for an Orange Tabby, preferrably a male. We saw this cute alert Black and White kitten, and had to try him out. <br />
We got to take him into an area and interact with him and it was love at first site. <br />
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My fiance and Felix were in love and I was taken too. <br />
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We brought Felix home 1 year ago, and he has brought such joy to us and our other cat Sarah. The two of them get along well and curl up together all the time. <br />
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Our thanks go out to the Foster family that took care of the 3 little kittens, (Barrymore and his two sisters), we saw them leaving with some tears, and we want them to know how grateful we are to their socializing and love and care. <br />
We hope his two sisters were adopted quickly too. <br />
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Thanks also to the two women from Hopalong that were on hand when we met our "little guy" who is now bigger than our older cat - he is now our "big little guy" <br />
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Can't imagine our family without him - Thanks for all your good work.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-4450363488510722012-05-24T13:57:00.001-07:002012-05-24T13:57:49.571-07:00Linus ("Bernie") the Happy CatWe met our kitten (originally christened Bernie) at Your Basic Bird back in October; although we'd been talking about getting a cat for some time, when we walked into the store that day and asked for a chance to pat him, the decision was made :) We were told he'd been placed in the store that weekend, with his sister, and both kittens were adopted within a week. Although we never met "Sister" (don't even know what her name would have been), we hope that her family's as happy with her as we are with our little guy! <br />
We re-christened him Linus due to his penchant for hiding under blankets (and most anything else he can find). Six months later, he's HUGE (over 9 pounds and still growing), a leaper and explorer (there isn't a horizontal spot in our small apartment that hasn't had kitty footprints on it), and a definite cuddlebug (he slept with us his first night home, and has continued to do so every single night since). While he loves his kitten toys -- paper balls, stuffed animals to kill and most of all the fishing toys like String and Ribbon -- my husband and I remain his favorite items in the house (and he usually doesn't even maul us too badly :))<br />
We are very happy to have Linus as part of our family, and remain grateful to Hopalong and whoever the kind fosters were that took in Linus/Bernie and his family last year :) <br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-23979513402773729172012-05-24T13:57:00.000-07:002012-05-24T13:57:03.610-07:00Pete<div class="mobile-photo">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVsA0gnAFs7l5kOh6fJhr9__FSjLK4BwoSwZAhurr6USeeXCbmC4g-IdV8YIG9bHM40mU22bbrC2ZdzOCb43I09g2m0HXCrcxO3Qr4-pjRmwVyb5sKa7zRxCpZtgSDSbZnVIrSSvMoLM/s1600/IM000587-779263.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730651937619642882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVsA0gnAFs7l5kOh6fJhr9__FSjLK4BwoSwZAhurr6USeeXCbmC4g-IdV8YIG9bHM40mU22bbrC2ZdzOCb43I09g2m0HXCrcxO3Qr4-pjRmwVyb5sKa7zRxCpZtgSDSbZnVIrSSvMoLM/s320/IM000587-779263.JPG" /></a></div>
We adopted Pete, who was originally named Oscar, from Second Chance Rescue in September 2002. He was approximately 9 weeks old. He was one of a litter of puppies abandoned, fostered by SCR and my husband, Dave, took one look at him at an adoption event and was hooked. We gave him an official birthday because nobody knew the exact date he was born - August 31st 2002 which was also the date we got married. <br />
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Pete was diagnosed one month ago with Osteosarcoma, and, today, we put him to sleep so he is no longer in pain. He was with us, by his official birthday, for 9 years, 7 months and 12 days and every single minute of it was pure joy. <br />
Thank you, Second Chance Rescue, for giving us the opportunity to care for and love Pete. We will miss him so much..Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-65422868447735639152012-03-08T16:17:00.002-08:002012-03-09T14:53:14.932-08:00WALTER<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioix64vvLPlvxRypBUisfcgWEj5hmgXdWFFELEwnYvvwDLYlHKB9wMJ9DyFsXhr0ux9EMIz5HX5S2RhdPEc7fc3129KE_Gmrfa2Nzcwt4tKecgvK2VvljYuZfmTO6jTxEaty8rMA0mRzo/s1600/photo-1-758249.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioix64vvLPlvxRypBUisfcgWEj5hmgXdWFFELEwnYvvwDLYlHKB9wMJ9DyFsXhr0ux9EMIz5HX5S2RhdPEc7fc3129KE_Gmrfa2Nzcwt4tKecgvK2VvljYuZfmTO6jTxEaty8rMA0mRzo/s320/photo-1-758249.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717684919396215410" border="0" /></a></p>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. <p>Sharon</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-27258981337272995082012-01-31T13:05:00.000-08:002012-02-03T10:41:23.144-08:00Oliver<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9Z4ZaLhcxwD-Z6tB3fnJit9CXXqNWEwxQBXIe_SGaxJVgTIc3Vr4E2an243zqpK4120dfj-hiQ_kbQXnY5PuhTLknMAS9Gm5BsNN0-raT7RY0JNFUQRm4JpoYv7hjLNpfjleHuWHUc8/s1600/Spring+-Fall+2011+036-728546.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9Z4ZaLhcxwD-Z6tB3fnJit9CXXqNWEwxQBXIe_SGaxJVgTIc3Vr4E2an243zqpK4120dfj-hiQ_kbQXnY5PuhTLknMAS9Gm5BsNN0-raT7RY0JNFUQRm4JpoYv7hjLNpfjleHuWHUc8/s320/Spring+-Fall+2011+036-728546.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703905672479828610" border="0" /></a></p>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.<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Thank you Hopalong for making the adoption process so very easy and professional. </p><p>Norbert</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-51132589010339494532011-12-10T15:41:00.001-08:002011-12-22T09:24:22.683-08:00Hockey Stars Turned Literary Lions<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicp8_MyJQJpGMRUtU7hVzLabXE6OmiDYlgTf2tr55k0sMQqHR1iRiFpQmghRVl34JwMoFEX8HQgtmsC2TZcjq8VsnVTQa_eCIyDMTa1mtOLIPjJvrrQwxZTtBEGL-dF3yIS7QBDgF7hI/s1600/Cats+005-704386.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicp8_MyJQJpGMRUtU7hVzLabXE6OmiDYlgTf2tr55k0sMQqHR1iRiFpQmghRVl34JwMoFEX8HQgtmsC2TZcjq8VsnVTQa_eCIyDMTa1mtOLIPjJvrrQwxZTtBEGL-dF3yIS7QBDgF7hI/s320/Cats+005-704386.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684649086082287154" border="0" /></a></p>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<br />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 .Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-5380181362547752382011-12-01T12:38:00.001-08:002011-12-22T09:23:37.829-08:00A gift from God<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPh2tOdZmFoJVzPDD9Z0gNMP5s6ERGtZV33rKv8dk-bMvjTF5dbizczW0zLN6sDrIKzs9enrBsAORTcb1050RjLTksW00VP0lZ-rsBAg9wIEZdH-JzurAHfjYRM51W1lSFBRCfNHtV_NY/s1600/027-798184.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPh2tOdZmFoJVzPDD9Z0gNMP5s6ERGtZV33rKv8dk-bMvjTF5dbizczW0zLN6sDrIKzs9enrBsAORTcb1050RjLTksW00VP0lZ-rsBAg9wIEZdH-JzurAHfjYRM51W1lSFBRCfNHtV_NY/s320/027-798184.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681262049592240194" border="0" /></a></p>Hopalong staff,<p>I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the tremendous gift you have given me. </p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p> 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>In memory of Kota.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-56216651447431611672011-10-16T20:17:00.001-07:002011-12-22T09:22:59.494-08:00Pepe and Mattie<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yBjjmn8c_yGJu7KTndHjB_QdZ_Lw_CIgaHsAHcL8IatXIkk1-rnQCBZRtSmcv0H6mDh4Yvk0k8hZq4Vvf8OUSWDGUPu6DxfXIUbw8zPM4PIwbMvv2Ksk3H0mX8_RBVxrbeWv52ZcC2M/s1600/Young+Pepe+on+the+deck-761401.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yBjjmn8c_yGJu7KTndHjB_QdZ_Lw_CIgaHsAHcL8IatXIkk1-rnQCBZRtSmcv0H6mDh4Yvk0k8hZq4Vvf8OUSWDGUPu6DxfXIUbw8zPM4PIwbMvv2Ksk3H0mX8_RBVxrbeWv52ZcC2M/s320/Young+Pepe+on+the+deck-761401.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664295046551185842" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_WBJFu_Q_WF6pj6f-kt2r9WIoV3c72xOl6Mso3LJdCGpRsKClUqcKchrQ8VRvyg1SSOvPWD3O4alt9OV-ndmZzzZZFUlhqyx60lfzxcUw10iXMz1Pt5hJvTHJs-ztuVXxneEsRx8sCM/s1600/Pepe+and+Mattie-1-762339.jpeg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_WBJFu_Q_WF6pj6f-kt2r9WIoV3c72xOl6Mso3LJdCGpRsKClUqcKchrQ8VRvyg1SSOvPWD3O4alt9OV-ndmZzzZZFUlhqyx60lfzxcUw10iXMz1Pt5hJvTHJs-ztuVXxneEsRx8sCM/s320/Pepe+and+Mattie-1-762339.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664295049974990994" border="0" /></a></p>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. <p>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!</p><p>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!<br />File #2 Cara de bandido on his first day.JPG exceeds the maximum file size. Error: 1.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-30066392631496824802011-09-07T23:05:00.000-07:002011-12-22T09:22:34.582-08:00Wynter--aka Pollyanna<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiQl3vUqG81rR9DObpshoGNnOPWQFrL7hES8Uq1GquINklDwNSMN6wx0-jH1T28L4UNxtus1vijaC9aYPwBYRLrnStCgpYl2o5nAqlmBQ4v1za9glu4ZIUKb1FDgMVjfOgG2huyi6fvo/s1600/IMG_8621-787293.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiQl3vUqG81rR9DObpshoGNnOPWQFrL7hES8Uq1GquINklDwNSMN6wx0-jH1T28L4UNxtus1vijaC9aYPwBYRLrnStCgpYl2o5nAqlmBQ4v1za9glu4ZIUKb1FDgMVjfOgG2huyi6fvo/s320/IMG_8621-787293.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649866217857475186" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSm68TlSGdQXEKwOrZXaFtr3TX5hRaBP0wXjhSrNM7xZjKWPODFu_wtLwKtP4a2N1fKZRjY2rSGsaSbZXMsSUYNo1ihgrjC9jKW0geNgcbl0Or4OXmeqBjti69Aml26UpzxT21_dm0KSc/s1600/IMG_1092-789040.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSm68TlSGdQXEKwOrZXaFtr3TX5hRaBP0wXjhSrNM7xZjKWPODFu_wtLwKtP4a2N1fKZRjY2rSGsaSbZXMsSUYNo1ihgrjC9jKW0geNgcbl0Or4OXmeqBjti69Aml26UpzxT21_dm0KSc/s320/IMG_1092-789040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649866227559383346" border="0" /></a></p>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! <br />Check out Wynter's before and after photos!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-34832442224918802882011-08-28T21:39:00.001-07:002011-12-22T09:20:43.669-08:00Pollyanna comes home<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidu_Pb7J5-EgIQ515d8PG8llWrbZaBCCF3fsPJt9cBicrdO75_7PMnCkkhKMc1Nyeg2w6Ocbf8xvUzEJsXXnKANukaV7HSq-yhprS0OpuYEbXfPZdOiF3cMNy4GZDwQIjgBh2uZezI0Y/s1600/IMG_8621-771174.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidu_Pb7J5-EgIQ515d8PG8llWrbZaBCCF3fsPJt9cBicrdO75_7PMnCkkhKMc1Nyeg2w6Ocbf8xvUzEJsXXnKANukaV7HSq-yhprS0OpuYEbXfPZdOiF3cMNy4GZDwQIjgBh2uZezI0Y/s320/IMG_8621-771174.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646132965755461938" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FpxGQVoSsXZ3yHPZZxuHEmv9d-Hh44t95CW7qJZavhzOc4k05q-qTucpyOiPr7darC-pGENbnRTJD4rGmCKUt0KSCszIPeU500MYo4NMI8wE0vHw005NLCJvjHCe0kXBOPSgwhLKcvk/s1600/IMG_8620-773072.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FpxGQVoSsXZ3yHPZZxuHEmv9d-Hh44t95CW7qJZavhzOc4k05q-qTucpyOiPr7darC-pGENbnRTJD4rGmCKUt0KSCszIPeU500MYo4NMI8wE0vHw005NLCJvjHCe0kXBOPSgwhLKcvk/s320/IMG_8620-773072.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646132969794010594" border="0" /></a></p>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:)<br />The Bailey BunchUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-9986755767454843222011-07-31T12:23:00.001-07:002011-08-25T12:35:18.640-07:0012 1/2 years and counting.<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv84k437ExL8sZ7viRZKzCY7-RI_BP0G2O82JUVQfwEFuu9kk78VG2Ea18zQsPu6wRB-ywO_BAnYpfGrMNuJb-wapBMjWwLrE8I3CcQESakAp3eEF9os5d9JZaXPa5UepcFMOp4jOcE4/s1600/Mick-706402.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv84k437ExL8sZ7viRZKzCY7-RI_BP0G2O82JUVQfwEFuu9kk78VG2Ea18zQsPu6wRB-ywO_BAnYpfGrMNuJb-wapBMjWwLrE8I3CcQESakAp3eEF9os5d9JZaXPa5UepcFMOp4jOcE4/s320/Mick-706402.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635599275141323618" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i470UprgLXGo-R7Rly0mwoNE8b8clFMP9jr5zQdyXQYfofHqVrwVvsxhgXMkwDQP4BQJjHgnvtNZu0UWzxOegzLXJPc07j5_JZfMYviGgTeNJ1n6si8_rarIIkaZd2P6DmuRFRf7yNE/s1600/Mick+at+work.-708291.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i470UprgLXGo-R7Rly0mwoNE8b8clFMP9jr5zQdyXQYfofHqVrwVvsxhgXMkwDQP4BQJjHgnvtNZu0UWzxOegzLXJPc07j5_JZfMYviGgTeNJ1n6si8_rarIIkaZd2P6DmuRFRf7yNE/s320/Mick+at+work.-708291.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635599284947455490" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVw3Wx3HVAR5euDpsCbpvC802i9EpKmXxDSt125vGFhTiZgVYh1ZD6F9THy6CGcrV9zT-SxHl90AOn2Wu6ZhPS7SzUo25Pe8uvIWF75aZjBakLjExEewx1FB-Fz-Eyq0X6WQhRT1Cdvg/s1600/Smoky+and+Blackie-711304.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVw3Wx3HVAR5euDpsCbpvC802i9EpKmXxDSt125vGFhTiZgVYh1ZD6F9THy6CGcrV9zT-SxHl90AOn2Wu6ZhPS7SzUo25Pe8uvIWF75aZjBakLjExEewx1FB-Fz-Eyq0X6WQhRT1Cdvg/s320/Smoky+and+Blackie-711304.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635599296709356066" border="0" /></a></p>I was a foster mom for Hopalong in 1999 and on. I ended up adopting a dog and two cats. <p> 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.
<br /> 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.</p><p> Mick is now a volunteer "listener" for the PAWS to read program at the Castro Valley library.
<br /> I loved being part of Hopalong, and I really love what they are doing for our homeless pets!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-66601606327583085022011-07-25T17:31:00.000-07:002011-08-25T12:34:22.598-07:00How Byron Won My Heart<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CZX7TfecrChACvavzxW9ZC2BWoNmjrEM6trBsZgiMJh11NmhxqM3SNIJWC6nLtjeSCfR032Ky2oslesz8htzzq4u0oJdqBhLlpXw-IMLRjKAZeuwh3D_Q4KVbLPfx8SuHlm0cM2ywCI/s1600/IMAG0030-736696.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CZX7TfecrChACvavzxW9ZC2BWoNmjrEM6trBsZgiMJh11NmhxqM3SNIJWC6nLtjeSCfR032Ky2oslesz8htzzq4u0oJdqBhLlpXw-IMLRjKAZeuwh3D_Q4KVbLPfx8SuHlm0cM2ywCI/s320/IMAG0030-736696.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633452352178611266" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYY1Tjxxh6T3HGmvFtvYBct0rqKhQyHvmd-DA6qoTH0WWLLldU_cuBqUfjTmQyzOqgu2gP_f9VMxWgJQAMU7LSX9JAkBwpVfVIATt9QCKgF0VUoRbXr752KJqHZpMP6CDirzVV5AGIBpE/s1600/IMAG0034-737935.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYY1Tjxxh6T3HGmvFtvYBct0rqKhQyHvmd-DA6qoTH0WWLLldU_cuBqUfjTmQyzOqgu2gP_f9VMxWgJQAMU7LSX9JAkBwpVfVIATt9QCKgF0VUoRbXr752KJqHZpMP6CDirzVV5AGIBpE/s320/IMAG0034-737935.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633452357202067250" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEvwI-iLDmEhJ_muFZ2bR6i5wiSWqmXvAHhJVPIVn8oZg9DxdxKt0P9kOzQ9F6hKLMQ-Tws4EsHSZ4Z2vgF3IQGsLgm3yDyUHpcR4Jc_OprzSJUutVt6hggT_XKxHap6oZzk-kvcQ7U8/s1600/IMAG0028-738720.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEvwI-iLDmEhJ_muFZ2bR6i5wiSWqmXvAHhJVPIVn8oZg9DxdxKt0P9kOzQ9F6hKLMQ-Tws4EsHSZ4Z2vgF3IQGsLgm3yDyUHpcR4Jc_OprzSJUutVt6hggT_XKxHap6oZzk-kvcQ7U8/s320/IMAG0028-738720.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633452363048010722" border="0" /></a></p>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.<p>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.</p><p>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
<br />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!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-25568029840840472762011-07-23T10:01:00.001-07:002011-08-25T12:32:30.451-07:00Indigo<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVc79lMRkv4NkbtNnYNcvheX16FYAFIQ4V-ivAaT-xz7UI-g-tEZ8FFZKMgfCamlofuD_iQqNUYw1QVAnGBnx9H1RbuMmu0bXK5h-bRtpDl0aXchV02yfIBKYpbj90Ox17DG__IH9jeU/s1600/Photo+on+2011-06-07+at+16.29-715295.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVc79lMRkv4NkbtNnYNcvheX16FYAFIQ4V-ivAaT-xz7UI-g-tEZ8FFZKMgfCamlofuD_iQqNUYw1QVAnGBnx9H1RbuMmu0bXK5h-bRtpDl0aXchV02yfIBKYpbj90Ox17DG__IH9jeU/s320/Photo+on+2011-06-07+at+16.29-715295.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632594125200387810" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEI-u8Csd-728zhf90v5emJYdSaErFbLiB9LpSAmj4-RoiZHDds1ooCS5X2sc4LqUmntFg7cBiVY2MYD6KxpYREX91YkZ0np5e5j22AeVv6NKq1_S3-ruYBUounadiyKsLGFrwbB270To/s1600/P7200569-716010.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEI-u8Csd-728zhf90v5emJYdSaErFbLiB9LpSAmj4-RoiZHDds1ooCS5X2sc4LqUmntFg7cBiVY2MYD6KxpYREX91YkZ0np5e5j22AeVv6NKq1_S3-ruYBUounadiyKsLGFrwbB270To/s320/P7200569-716010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632594129764351058" border="0" /></a></p>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. <p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Thanks, Hopalong!
<br />
<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-40582705145163740272011-06-12T18:13:00.001-07:002011-07-22T15:12:14.627-07:00Sebastian & CJ are home<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sElwwHRoiaO58UxdWo5b6qRDIBFCYEiXexGFBwEl1uVYAJ-Y_9H-dbhNDoMS2xr0n9syV-CUptnOAr7588dARxUzB_OYqvGRSwrqikfD6IXFJv-s1vBG-le6pAA62Fr4U0XFWf4t_6g/s1600/IMG_2584-703998.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617506285315317458" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sElwwHRoiaO58UxdWo5b6qRDIBFCYEiXexGFBwEl1uVYAJ-Y_9H-dbhNDoMS2xr0n9syV-CUptnOAr7588dARxUzB_OYqvGRSwrqikfD6IXFJv-s1vBG-le6pAA62Fr4U0XFWf4t_6g/s320/IMG_2584-703998.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><br /><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz4tzxy-aPL0SkmxPEvagDMmK4i1YuZxiX2L0gceBmlc_orK1J6l_Zdq9oXe9fcifpuYIM-W99T87n98QJ4knUxK0mcn2s8TT18mkcZvVzFn-bb0t74Trsg7Hdh_5_ekciaeqN5-PdvY/s1600/2011-06-06_17-16-56_773-706418.jpg"></a></p><br /><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HIe2P8AO11IXIrtFFVPWfX4KfeBzYyt8yaCw0Cx5tABBV4XFeDcxVmsl21PIaid_JXAj9u3YvoOHgfdqOhbaFaic4Pi-J5myAvzXETRJNtwfEwoiYWAeli9u3Mk0mHN5DTuJHSNp9ig/s1600/IMG_2591-709107.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617506309037610786" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HIe2P8AO11IXIrtFFVPWfX4KfeBzYyt8yaCw0Cx5tABBV4XFeDcxVmsl21PIaid_JXAj9u3YvoOHgfdqOhbaFaic4Pi-J5myAvzXETRJNtwfEwoiYWAeli9u3Mk0mHN5DTuJHSNp9ig/s320/IMG_2591-709107.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>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. <br /><p>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. <br /><p>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. <br /><p>We were happy to participate in the Maddie's Fund adoption. <br /><p>Michael</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-55816002759529947362011-04-11T15:45:00.001-07:002011-04-20T12:36:14.512-07:00your heart grows back bigger<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92FRhkRfDN107UpEDZSGHzdnzk8fIpmtVQ-N5yvsPcrVL85Kt613qn0Wmru684zQ-ABrxBjw_8n1-cashkKPsIN82vm0BQ8biEVuI8T0cm2bSFD9s3ynFCVm1PlDPLm2DraEdIikXpAE/s1600/m+and+s+crop-727992.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92FRhkRfDN107UpEDZSGHzdnzk8fIpmtVQ-N5yvsPcrVL85Kt613qn0Wmru684zQ-ABrxBjw_8n1-cashkKPsIN82vm0BQ8biEVuI8T0cm2bSFD9s3ynFCVm1PlDPLm2DraEdIikXpAE/s320/m+and+s+crop-727992.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594460885757557714" /></a></p>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...<p>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.<p>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.<p>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 (!)<p>Hopalong, thanks for helping my heart expand : )Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-67716687542207599832011-04-08T12:26:00.001-07:002011-04-20T12:36:14.517-07:00Our Little Diesel Engine<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxzIZ196qll0rZcyfVMFSE6CApIwmt9Ba3Z9t_izQruXxLdpiPZqh2y9S905fqmZQcxWnyH_269n71jjMMJK9IQi5Y32hFBStCQQg7rtnxOrXsIpTrkvQ6kKphmLknl6Lp4D3qm79m74/s1600/Diesel+-+Couch-777551.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxzIZ196qll0rZcyfVMFSE6CApIwmt9Ba3Z9t_izQruXxLdpiPZqh2y9S905fqmZQcxWnyH_269n71jjMMJK9IQi5Y32hFBStCQQg7rtnxOrXsIpTrkvQ6kKphmLknl6Lp4D3qm79m74/s320/Diesel+-+Couch-777551.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593296302083852946" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iWzRS7Iq0wUjnCd6BanWxqfngeaWRJECEedMFRuGyZoznTeRwg2AuwZ7G23bYPcHlR5G5oruaEuAdcJn_64KLQQgUj0epLbzLsK92D4DryZMVFAcO67NaScwFlm8Qa3rm_kQGtLpQNc/s1600/Diesel+-+Face-779099.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iWzRS7Iq0wUjnCd6BanWxqfngeaWRJECEedMFRuGyZoznTeRwg2AuwZ7G23bYPcHlR5G5oruaEuAdcJn_64KLQQgUj0epLbzLsK92D4DryZMVFAcO67NaScwFlm8Qa3rm_kQGtLpQNc/s320/Diesel+-+Face-779099.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593296305869263890" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYojz_YkGMIejOgHHu4d-qrgZrTGnt_2T7m18nQN_jy_uWiF8AkL72p8QrSuEe4xIFbmxI4dzBbAO5sh2iBlABsTfJZYAv1NeytLIdHdX4XFEjgDWTWZdmccwmfzEsb0jBI2iinpDh7c/s1600/Diesel+and+Kitty+-+Robe+3-780726.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYojz_YkGMIejOgHHu4d-qrgZrTGnt_2T7m18nQN_jy_uWiF8AkL72p8QrSuEe4xIFbmxI4dzBbAO5sh2iBlABsTfJZYAv1NeytLIdHdX4XFEjgDWTWZdmccwmfzEsb0jBI2iinpDh7c/s320/Diesel+and+Kitty+-+Robe+3-780726.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593296315567138722" /></a></p>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.<p>Diesel is a wonderful addition to our home!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-63944795284321056752011-03-01T11:54:00.000-08:002011-03-23T09:59:39.124-07:00Lindy & Scarlet<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr2ItX_Z9Mz6H7i0LlqNc96mqfvVkH-QJEACfIYXP5vK4gLxyoYZ-pK0ebVSHqWJsQRoySEftx24Blgi-Liu1p20enfNn06kcJzh3pxYYQooGhWsUFZebilUGogCcsBF1rD4voTC1tG4/s1600/IMG_0133-709136.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579202502325252610" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr2ItX_Z9Mz6H7i0LlqNc96mqfvVkH-QJEACfIYXP5vK4gLxyoYZ-pK0ebVSHqWJsQRoySEftx24Blgi-Liu1p20enfNn06kcJzh3pxYYQooGhWsUFZebilUGogCcsBF1rD4voTC1tG4/s320/IMG_0133-709136.jpg" border="0" /></a></p>March 1, 2011 <p>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! <p>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<br />after much discussion, renamed them Lindy and Scarlet. <p>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. <p>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. <p>So, thank you so much Hopalong – we are very grateful! <p>John & Linda Waldman<br />plus Lindy & Scarlet!<br />Alameda, CA <p>Photo: Scarlet (L) cuddles with sister Lindy on the couch</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-32278105285691944642011-02-23T12:21:00.001-08:002011-03-03T11:35:46.515-08:00Bella Brightens our Life!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjTS-QPYQcSxVHCt-erm4Dvaol67K8tmbN36s0N6ecReZCyoJxAXojLpHfpXfSNNwDN36cLZ4HYTStc0jwNpzaw5_M1HCwIvTw8AHTK9o1sMbJKq5l6AzuvWAelya6hP-Tw4lkue0HeQ/s1600/Scan_Pic0032-797828.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjTS-QPYQcSxVHCt-erm4Dvaol67K8tmbN36s0N6ecReZCyoJxAXojLpHfpXfSNNwDN36cLZ4HYTStc0jwNpzaw5_M1HCwIvTw8AHTK9o1sMbJKq5l6AzuvWAelya6hP-Tw4lkue0HeQ/s320/Scan_Pic0032-797828.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576982815656532850" /></a></p>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!<br> 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 !<br> 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).<br> 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 LeandroUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-51735493493938502012011-01-15T15:59:00.001-08:002011-01-19T13:41:59.508-08:00Happy Tailalmost a month now ;-D<br />so a update on Jupiter <p>like my post below, he went to the vet and is now on "the pill" . <p>he has met several of the furry guys in the park and very social<br />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 !<br />he is slowly learning i am not the big boogie man ;-DD<br />and this is a short (35 sec) video of him in the back yard today ! <p>so probably the last post as all is going well here, no problems at all<br />still too fast to use the front door,, but will come on command and a treat) heheheh <p>and loves long walks in the rain and cold windy weather ( i don't) but i do get my exercise ;-DD <p>Clink on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/2BFwF7On0uQ?version=3">this link </a>to see a 35 sec of jupiter showing off ;-D <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v+FwF7On0uQ"></a> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-26625138709410984812010-12-25T18:42:00.001-08:002010-12-25T18:42:47.888-08:00Happy Tail<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdno_wJF_H_Vsk3aZgudjY6t01tQfVOZYtCc5i93cs453qbMHyn_0YytOzSZmQgxaIhYZeXFtq-MdQNOS9wUa1qXyId1Y3KZaNn2htGwjHfSvmsrnS7b0OTWWO3IJql-VJ4ozhFNf13Q/s1600/jupiter-767889.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdno_wJF_H_Vsk3aZgudjY6t01tQfVOZYtCc5i93cs453qbMHyn_0YytOzSZmQgxaIhYZeXFtq-MdQNOS9wUa1qXyId1Y3KZaNn2htGwjHfSvmsrnS7b0OTWWO3IJql-VJ4ozhFNf13Q/s320/jupiter-767889.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554815929165189314" /></a></p>well jupiter has been a experience for me ;-D<br>i thought i had everything lined up , new dog tag with a way to find home if lost, friend to drive and a cage in the back so no stress on me or the lil guy.<p>I was putting Jupiter the friendly corgie/terror in the cage and he managed to get out of his collar and took off running down the street ! he was very fast and traffic was faster, i tried but could not get close to him , But then his foster mom saw what was happening and called him and she brought him back !<br>have you ever tried "self induced CPR"<p>the Lil guy slept all the way back home, he checked out the yard and came inside and adopted the couch in the other living room. he was very quiet and shy all night long so let him be where he was with water and food if needed.<br>By the end of day 2 i decided to find a way to feed him ;-D so i "hot rodded" his crunchies with some salt free/no fat beef broth. yep one tablespoon and "poof" bowel empty and Jupiter back on his couch .<p>well i got his attention and tried a walk with the leash... WOW he is great! no puling, just nice well behaved and walks along my side. They said to watch out for cats, well we walked by a few, he looked and then ignored !<p>he still has this "6 ft comfort zone" but now he will follow me around the house and wonder where i am at. He learns quick and now will follow me to the bedroom and sleep in his bed.<br>perfect little gentleman on a walk. i live in a senior community and all the ladies are saying how cute he is and well behaved !<p>so now being a senior citizen i finally found a cute doggie can also be "date bait" hehehe<p>He is still a bit nervous so no fresh pictures, but the whole experience has been great !<br>i had a rescued doggie before but i will say that Hopalong was totally honest and no surprises with him ! Maybe we will go to my Vet next week if he feels comfortable with it? I want to start him on Heartworm pills ASAP !<br>NOTE to all.... back in the 70's i lost a basset hound to heart worm and not a nice thing ! now they have a pill that will prevent it, so get them on the pill !!!<p>with him being so fast and quiet i found it is safest to use the laundry room door as a "sally port".<br>when i enter and leave my house. and when i come back he is waiting at the door, sees me and then does his 6 ft comfort zone with his tail wagging.<p><br>I haven't been back to the bay area since 1986, but this trip was worth it !!<p>Ya Jupiter will fit right in here and i want to thank Hopalong for their good, no GREAT work !<p>DennisUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-79194405681808186792010-10-20T10:30:00.001-07:002010-12-29T15:40:06.708-08:00A new kitten<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0-PiAej9Sfh31dU5JqC5ybaaLDTHSg_aL08sB3tfFYsYiPDRfOxlXDvxOm113BAKFWfU2LX_f-xvymYe5CqJStC7I_JMebRSKAO24Ejmb7_hFTApjFXOxpFp-OH_OW6iVNeJVS-cMmI/s1600/Bowie-717784.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530181931108499282" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0-PiAej9Sfh31dU5JqC5ybaaLDTHSg_aL08sB3tfFYsYiPDRfOxlXDvxOm113BAKFWfU2LX_f-xvymYe5CqJStC7I_JMebRSKAO24Ejmb7_hFTApjFXOxpFp-OH_OW6iVNeJVS-cMmI/s320/Bowie-717784.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPEMHg2cgbLI0pOxgMHAqfZNJ4kEZgNKCKOQjIrSaCPxPq83BIIbfznqYCLjqwCP5nUqp_vJHYPsvSBzEY3sxf_R3jAlVi8uUPIx0PPxrvidCmfEOe8ZoCrFwxoC6HLju74FwQr4d8XA/s1600/Kitty+cats+playing-720146.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530181939603103106" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPEMHg2cgbLI0pOxgMHAqfZNJ4kEZgNKCKOQjIrSaCPxPq83BIIbfznqYCLjqwCP5nUqp_vJHYPsvSBzEY3sxf_R3jAlVi8uUPIx0PPxrvidCmfEOe8ZoCrFwxoC6HLju74FwQr4d8XA/s320/Kitty+cats+playing-720146.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aUBnjMdvYvdEuRKRRwsA76lyQpKJQA-4QezFgvV_NCXhkO4WQ8nYZbEDGHD7FsaZYDE5pNbk0QSjwNpkq7VDMHj3JeMusx38Bde5pOO_RG_WLHbO5gtiADYLrvnkGyRuCaiWf_2V9ng/s1600/photo(15)-722540.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530181948082748322" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aUBnjMdvYvdEuRKRRwsA76lyQpKJQA-4QezFgvV_NCXhkO4WQ8nYZbEDGHD7FsaZYDE5pNbk0QSjwNpkq7VDMHj3JeMusx38Bde5pOO_RG_WLHbO5gtiADYLrvnkGyRuCaiWf_2V9ng/s320/photo(15)-722540.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>I had been thinking about adopting a kitten. Already having two cats I knew it might not be an easy task to find another cat to fit in with two established cats. I saw some kittens for adoption through Hopalong at a pet store one night. I asked to visit with the kittens not thinking I'd find one to take home. To my surprise the very first kitten I met was a friendly little guy. He had a perfect balance of friendly and playfulness and he was brave which I knew he would need coming into a home with two adult cats. After visiting with all the kittens I went back to the very first one and I knew he'd be perfect. <p>I filled out the paperwork and got a call the next day saying he was mine to adopt! I went after work and picked him up. I brought him home and he quickly settled in with the new cats. His foster name was Bee (which I still call him sometimes) but I changed his name to Bowie. It's been almost two weeks and Bowie is getting along great with by other two cats. He was indeed the perfect choice for my other two kitties. <p>I was surprised to hear that black cats aren't adopted as much as others. Bowie is a very friendly kitten, he's very playful but loves lots of lap and cuddle time with me and the other cats. He settled right in with me the other cats and I can't imagine not having taken him home and hope that other people can find that black cats can be just as wonderful as any other cat.</p><p>Thanks, Lauren</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-19263267567741828412010-10-12T15:03:00.000-07:002010-10-12T15:04:44.979-07:00Black Cats and Kittens Need Homes Too<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggKriB5vfCR5PIYhDWKPk8ULVBhJytbo8381xgqvaDiP4kyrFyfDADBa180y9yPysb0oVF9I0RRP9112sdMiyeanyhTvSYWQRnDN0WLrbjM_7-82ygmnj8oW0uY57f8w5AI9jfUWaPE8/s1600/Sweet_Little_Rowan.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527283880879771698" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 280px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggKriB5vfCR5PIYhDWKPk8ULVBhJytbo8381xgqvaDiP4kyrFyfDADBa180y9yPysb0oVF9I0RRP9112sdMiyeanyhTvSYWQRnDN0WLrbjM_7-82ygmnj8oW0uY57f8w5AI9jfUWaPE8/s320/Sweet_Little_Rowan.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Studies show that black cats are about half as likely to be adopted as other cats. On average, they stay several months longer in shelters than any other cats. Black cats are frequently left waiting in shelters hoping to find a home only to be euthanized when their time is up.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Black cats are routinely overlooked by potential adopters for a variety of reasons – superstition, they don’t photograph well, they aren’t distinctive, and there are so many of them in the shelters that they just don’t stand out like the colorful calico or orange tabby.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Black cats have a common characteristic of being easy-going and good-natured. They have so much love to offer and ask for so little in return. Black cats do not all look alike and if you look closely you will see that they are truly gorgeous and regal creatures. The glossy satin sheen of a black cat is unlike any other. When their fur catches the light, it shimmers. There are many different kinds of black cats and all are beautiful – auburn shaded black, blue black, black with tiny white highlights, sleek black, fluffy black and colorful eyes – green, yellow, copper and gray. Some black cats even have tabby markings.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Nevertheless, many black cats never get the opportunity to show people how perfectly they would fit into the family’s household. Shelters and rescue groups encourage potential adopters to give a black cat a chance – their playful, easygoing attitude will charm you into making them a permanent part of your family.<br /><a title="Edit Post" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3185009833861007321&postID=3507947007979360617"></a></div>*********************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/01970315099237330988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-75883234275910460062010-09-29T18:57:00.001-07:002010-12-20T15:14:24.994-08:00Katrina and Hurricane<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILPbfAR7OvNSW9KmapBTt8VRA3F-cDUJL_H0SA9A7oUqyIVpfwf-sEnnqDE-fqawSX0Nuj8OJRI-And5DBkf1oRCWOWKmArmMzimQV3lRpsEixol5NQrdU684hyphenhyphen6BczyP_fXLB60PrUU/s1600/%2520at%2520the%2520S.%2520L.%2520Marina%2520July%252029,%25202006%2520019MA16648962-0003-725644.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILPbfAR7OvNSW9KmapBTt8VRA3F-cDUJL_H0SA9A7oUqyIVpfwf-sEnnqDE-fqawSX0Nuj8OJRI-And5DBkf1oRCWOWKmArmMzimQV3lRpsEixol5NQrdU684hyphenhyphen6BczyP_fXLB60PrUU/s320/%2520at%2520the%2520S.%2520L.%2520Marina%2520July%252029,%25202006%2520019MA16648962-0003-725644.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522519738602294466" /></a></p>After being handed these two right off the van that late night in Sept. 5 years ago, they have changes our lives. Not to mention how their's has changed. After becmoing "foster failures" we adopted them.<p>From being hairless and full of cuts and bruises to the beauties we see today, we are very lucky. They didn't know toys, weren't spayed or neutered, weren't house broken and today they are therapy dogs and members of the Paw to Read Program where kids read to them. They travel all the time and sleep on the leather couch. Yep the furniture, their choice.<p>They live a truly blessed life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-38325596545103112762010-08-31T11:26:00.000-07:002010-08-31T11:32:59.914-07:00Hurricane Katrina5 years ago, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Hopalong responded to the disaster by sending 2 teams of people to the disaster area to assist in rescue efforts. We worked in the makeshift shelters, waded through the flooded streets to pull animals out of houses, and came back with 50 dogs and cats and several goldfish. All the animals were treated for immediate medical conditions including heartworm, kidney failure, skin lesions, and anything else they needed to regain their health. Several were re-united with their families and the rest were all adopted to new homes in the Bay Area.<br /><p><br /><br />This is a photo of a mama kitty that one of our awesome volunteers helped recue:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS6JvSWYULGrDXUy2aUNr69S8_eLsYiXHZUUA1xRLhMeWsZl2KoFvBg_6dKvn-c8eLZ2y1Hx6QLVJq7z6zhMnFynSPMwfAFmj1Ez3tEvWimgObwz5aF6CDQdG7CsJJQZV0fNzoZxbtA4/s1600/Momkittens.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511642767993096402" style="WIDTH: 314px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 235px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZS6JvSWYULGrDXUy2aUNr69S8_eLsYiXHZUUA1xRLhMeWsZl2KoFvBg_6dKvn-c8eLZ2y1Hx6QLVJq7z6zhMnFynSPMwfAFmj1Ez3tEvWimgObwz5aF6CDQdG7CsJJQZV0fNzoZxbtA4/s320/Momkittens.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here she is now in her new home happy and playing with a new toy:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CEkeq-JAb551Xhs6tN500lvOe1c90Chjb7kXObz8_xPC1KsZE029iVRBNBrnlTEBJSLc2f-iV9kcH4D5zogn4IqBcx0R98FEN6-o7KsYUnJM12oDiG4umfSPRrFlAo2JZDvUdCFiOcM/s1600/Katrina2_MinetteakaMom.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511642387999597698" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CEkeq-JAb551Xhs6tN500lvOe1c90Chjb7kXObz8_xPC1KsZE029iVRBNBrnlTEBJSLc2f-iV9kcH4D5zogn4IqBcx0R98FEN6-o7KsYUnJM12oDiG4umfSPRrFlAo2JZDvUdCFiOcM/s320/Katrina2_MinetteakaMom.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p> </p><p>A big thanks to all the volunteers and fosters who opened their hearts and their homes durring this sad time. </p>*********************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/01970315099237330988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185009833861007321.post-5323912854113324512010-07-12T20:15:00.001-07:002010-07-15T21:56:53.972-07:00Lucky us!!!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjMmkOlRHajUcFGjdNZTadF_JdWxcjFHZPFPIpRTmUAGNdro8M7c7zdVBwAvhJCsLQMFx8ZSUhw4dtcOkAS8Qpc_gzA_HJKxH6XWNC3kiw1P9eKy9B0JBlsm39flkatgi2QOpqPN8HW8/s1600/IMG_0604-758288.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjMmkOlRHajUcFGjdNZTadF_JdWxcjFHZPFPIpRTmUAGNdro8M7c7zdVBwAvhJCsLQMFx8ZSUhw4dtcOkAS8Qpc_gzA_HJKxH6XWNC3kiw1P9eKy9B0JBlsm39flkatgi2QOpqPN8HW8/s320/IMG_0604-758288.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493224343820408706" /></a></p>In April, 2010, our beloved lab mix, age 13, passed away, leaving her best buddy bereft and lonely for canine companionship. We waited about a month to let Rowdy - our dachsund/chihuahua - move through his grief (and ours) before vigorously searching for a second dog. We sent to local shelters, but became discouraged when each prospective adoptee had several holds, up to 9, and we knew the chances were small that so many ahead of us would fail to adopt. We found Hopalong online and decided to pursue one of the pups in the 9-week old litter of Border Collie/German Shepherd mixes. We brought Rowdy with us, and though it wasn't love at first sight between them, my husband, David, and I instantly warmed to the puppy who was frisky and calm in turns, cuddly and adorable.<p>After a week, we felt that the connection between the two dogs was not a good one and thought to bring the puppy back. Rowdy wanted nothing to do with her, rejected all her efforts to play and engage. Like a miracle, the night before we were to bring her back, the two began playing, wrestling, kissing, licking, chasing each other as though they knew it was their last chance to demonstrate the rightness of the new family member in our home.</p><p>Maggie, the pup, has become a loving and lovable member of our family, learning how to accommodate us as we learn to accommodate her. We take her to puppy training classes, do a lot at home, and find her so intelligent and wanting to please. With only one more shot needed, we are able to take her to our favorite beaches, trails and fields. We feel so lucky to have found her and she demonstrates her gratitude and happiness constantly. It's exciting to witness her growth and development. At 4 months, she is everything we had hoped for. Thank you, Hopalong, for bestowing this blessing in our lives.<br /><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com