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