Cats and dogs: How they win hearts

August 24, 2008 04:00 am

— Do we choose our pets, or do they really choose us?
However dogs and cats end up with their particular people, there's a kind of magic that happens as the bond between animal and human strengthens and grows.
Sometimes, a pooch or feline friend can even change the direction of a person's life or give new perspective on life itself.
Here are some stories from readers about their beloved pets.
Pretty as a picture
It was the summer of 1976, and my late wife, Ellen, and I were walking home after Saturday morning brunch in New York City. At an ASPCA mobile adoption vehicle, we encountered Becky. After falling in love at first sight with this almond eyed sheltie mix, my life was changed forever. We adopted her, which led to dog-training classes and calls to the ASPCA help line (Becky was barking while we were at work, and we feared eviction). At training, the instructor referred us to her agent. At the audition, the agent said, "If you can teach her to bark on command, I can get you work." I taught Becky to bark on command in an hour using bits of turkey. She went on to appear in many advertisements, and the beauty of this all is that Becky inspired me to become a trained volunteer at the ASPCA, learn dog training and start Tender Loving Pet Care, a pet-sitting service. This dog changed my life for the better and forever. Thank you God, and thank you Becky. Sadly, Becky passed on in December 2001.
-- Federico Guillermo, Cadyville
Bear in the backseat
We were in desperate need of a new pup. We needed a wagging tail to welcome us home. A litter was offered -- mother, a Lab; father a golden or a Newfoundland. It had to be the newf, because Bear grew up to fill the entire backseat of the car, a loving, eager-to-please, gentle giant. My husband became hospitalized, and I made my daily trips from Tupper Lake to Saranac Lake. It was hunting season. The roads were tricky -- icy at times. I took my sleeping bag, an extra battery, jumper cables and, of course, Bear. On one return trip, a man flagged me down. I assumed that he had come out of the woods and his car was up the road. I stopped. What had I done? He smelled of dirty, sweaty clothes. He winked at me and said, "There ain't many women who give a guy a ride."
Help! I turned to him and said, "I do not have to worry -- see this dog?" Bear wagged his tail. "He is trained to go right for the throat on command," I said. My passenger visibly shrank and left my car right at the end of town. No, I have not repeated this foolish act and learned my lesson with the help of Bear.
-- Ingebord Sapp, Plattsburgh
Precious Pomeranian
We were visiting our daughter, whose husband was stationed at Camp Pendleton, last winter, when we observed a couple with a little Pomeranian trailing behind. The dog was lost, and they were trying to find the owner. We agreed to keep the handsome little guy until we found the owner. After a few days of frantically searching, we discovered that the little Pom was abandoned, and we happily adopted him. Symba is unique. Unlike most Pomeranians, he only barks when he is really excited, for example, when anticipating a ride or a walk. He loves people and is very tolerant of other animals. We were visiting a cousin of my wife recently. She had just lost her husband, and some of her friends and relatives were over to try to comfort her. Symba would sit in front of one person and then move down the line to the next one, almost as though he were introducing himself. He really lifted everyone's spirits.
-- Paul Rascoe, Chazy
Irresistible Isis
Isis is a snowy-white husky mix with stand-up ears and big beautiful blue eyes that do not see. Blind since birth, she was found wandering around a mall, where some insensitive soul dumped her before she was turned in to the Elmore SPCA. After I adopted her, it took about a week for her to stop bumping into everything, and now she gets around as well as her barkless buddy, Ethan, another Elmore adoptee. After stumbling into the fence a few times, Isis has staked out some territory in the center of the yard and feels comfortable chasing Ethan around. Ethan is the bigger of the two and tends to be a bully, but Isis has no problem letting him know when he is getting too rough. Like most pets, she just needs some love, an occasional hug and lots of TLC to live the good life.
-- Ken Wibecan, Peru
Well-traveled Tanner
Tanner is a Australian shepherd mix. There weren't any locally, so I went on Pet finder.com and connected with a 13-week-old puppy rescued from a kill shelter. The puppy traveled by horse trailer from Tennessee to Nanuet, N.Y., where picked her up June 23rd last year. We've had a fulfilled and sometimes trying year, first teaching Tanner to abandon the puppy habit of mouthing, biting us as we played with her. Our dog is also a fence jumper and a runner, which we discovered after returning home one day to find her tied to a neighbor's tree. Our newest experience is invisible fencing. A lot of patience and love that goes into making a good pet. And don't forget the money, too. But she is worth it.
-- Betty Shambo, Plattsburgh
God's plan with paws
Al wanted to look at tools. Joyce and I didn't. We decided we'd wander around the flea market. Just looking. We came upon a cage with two adorable golden retriever puppies, one asleep, the other looking at us with pleading eyes. We asked to hold the curious pup. That did it. We were hooked. Joyce already had an old English sheepdog, so I had to become the new mother. Two days into this new relationship, this sweet little fellow became seriously ill with parvo virus, a life-threatening disease. My tears flowed. The vet said treatment would be very expensive. I said, "He is worth it -- he deserves life." Three days later, my miracle dog was home with me. Did God have a plan for us? You bet! This Sir Reginald Pilsner (Reggie) and I are in training so we can bring canine joy to those in nursing homes and hospitals.
-- Diana Cron, Plattsburgh
A stray that stays
She's a petite yellow and white cat called Molly, and she's been coming to the home of my parents, Bill and Eileen Tedford, in AuSable Forks every day for about seven years. Each morning, my father feeds her before he eats his own breakfast. In the winter, he warms her food in the microwave. During the big winter snowstorms, my parents watch for her. She has been missing for up to 10 days but always reappears. My parents have never been able to get close enough to pick her up or coax her inside. Over time, Molly brought a total of 12 kittens "home." After the second litter, my dad captured Molly and paid to have her spayed, doing the same for all her offspring. The vet and Elmore SPCA helped place the kittens. Four years ago, Molly showed up with two rings of a plastic six-pack holder around her neck. My father gave her a sedative and freed her from it. Whenever I hear another animal neglect story, I try to think of the many people out there who do so much to take care of the less fortunate ones. I admire my parents' loyalty to the stray that stays just beyond their reach but gets close enough to accept their kindness each day.
-- Mary S. Cook, Plattsburgh
Escape cat
My sister-in-law Connie lifted the hood of her car and discovered a very tiny, frightened gray kitten. My daughter, Emily, came up with the perfect name, Runaway, for the cat, who we adopted and brought to live at our Monty Street home in Plattsburgh. Eventually, we moved to Crescent Drive, keeping Runaway in for several weeks to accustom her to her new surroundings. She finally escaped, and about six hours later, she was in our old backyard. We brought her home, but that cat kept escaping, and the scenario started again. And so for several months friends put out food for Runaway in hopes of capturing her. After a time, since Adam really missed his old school, we decided to send him back there. One afternoon, picking him up from school, we spotted Runaway. We were stunned and amazed, as she almost was waiting for us. We took her home. That was three years ago, and I think Runaway has resigned herself to the fact that we moved -- finally!
-- Anne-Marie Burdo, Plattsburgh
Charlie picks his people
In the fall of 07, Charlie, a very large, two-year-old, male cat was abandoned and homeless in a populated apartment complex. He looked into windows, raided the garbage, attacked pets and jumped on people. At one point, the police were called for assistance in ridding the area of this nuisance. One freezing cold January afternoon, he was bloody and bruised, so we let him in. He ate ravenously, and drank water and slept in the cellar. For several weeks, we had an overnight guest. Then we took him to Dr. Palmer's for shots, worm-and-flea treatment, and neutering. Charlie is a social outdoor cat. In our neighborhood, he still looks into windows, he visits the dogs, cats and rabbit, and he is happy to get a neighborly tummy rub. Charlie rides in the car with us when we go to camp, and until he becomes familiar with the wooded area there, he willingly tolerates a harness and a leash. With his huge paws and long, black tail, he is a treasure, and we are lucky that he found us.
-- Sandy Soulia, Plattsburgh
The circle of life
Sissy was an older Collie who shared her affections for her family with three kitties. Tanner was a rescued corgi/golden retriever puppy that arrived as a birthday present for 14-year-old Jennifer. Sissy was arthritic and had difficulty moving. She could no longer climb stairs and was nearly deaf. Tanner was Sissy's constant companion, her "physical therapist." He made Sissy feel young again. Together they ran in the field playing tug-of-war with toys, chasing each other with tails wagging. Time crept up on those two buddies, and within two years Sissy began to wander aimlessly in the field and spent more time resting instead of playing. The night Sissy died, Tanner lay on his master's bed sobbing and whimpering. As days went by, he no longer ate or played.
Deciding something had to be done, his masters brought home a 5-month-old sheltie named Ted E. Bear. Today, the two dogs play together in their field of many toys, chasing each other as they frolic about. Now a puppy gives back to Tanner what he once gave to another. The circle of life continues.
-- Teresa Walsh-Estes, Jay
Love at first sight
The ad read: "Special Holiday Appeal. Severely visually handicapped young adult female cat in need of immediate adoption. Found behind a local restaurant Thanksgiving week ... Call Nora, Champlain Valley Vet Services." I went in to see the cat. That was it -- she was so lovable, clinging to me when I picked her up and butting her little head against me as if to say "please take me home." I'm not sure if her visual handicap was from abuse, but it certainly was abuse to leave her out in the cold. Thankfully, a kind person saw her and brought her to the vet. That was December 2000. This cat is totally amazing. After keeping her to one room for a few days, she was able to maneuver around the house and never missed finding the litter box. Had named her Mitzie, but my husband started calling her PeeWee -- she was such a small cat -- and that name stuck, although she is not so small anymore.
-- Helen Redmond, Peru

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