Happy Endings 2007   Krissy -11/19/2007 Hi Alice, Hope all is well with you.  We are all great here.  We're are really enjoying having Krissy.  She's such a sweet girl and a real joy to have around.  She's pretty much potty trained now and she is getting a little better at jumping up but I think time and age will solve that.  She's so good natured and laid back - she hardly ever barks.  I've been meaning to send you some pictures.  Hope you like.  Have a great thanksgiving. Jayme     Rhett (aka Red) 11/02/07 Hi Vona!  Red is doing really well, an occasional chewed up toy or stuffed animal of Cassie's, but other than that he's been great!  We did change his name to "Rhett".  Yeah real original I know!  As you can see, he knows how to make himself at home.       Madison (aka Gracie)- 10/29/2007 Tracy, Things are working out wonderful with the puppy. We decided to change her name to Madison, being that Mindy and I are both from Madison Wisconsin. She has been very good since she joined our family and is continuing to develop her personality. We love having her around and I think she loves being with us too. Both Mindy and I have enjoyed every second of having her. Madison truly is a wonderful dog and we are both looking forward to having her in our lives for a long time. Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to take in such a beautiful and loving dog! Thanks, Aaron and Mindy     Finnigan (aka Donavan) -10/01/2007 Everything is going really well.  Rigley and Finn act like they've always been together, not just for the last 3 weeks.  They wrestle all the time, play tug of war with anything they can get their teeth on, play keep away, and do the Daytona 500 every night in the house.  If you remember that our house makes a complete circle, so they literally run in circles – it's funny though because Finn is of course faster, but Rigley is smarter and turns around and goes the other way and cuts him off and they crash into each other because they can't stop on the hardwoods.  They are a hoot to watch.  We still haven't gotten the fence installed yet – we have been having trouble getting companies to call us back.  We did go visit one on Saturday, but they were scheduling installs for after the first of the year.  We are still working on it, but we are making it work in the mean time, but I am getting anxious for it to happen. He's getting better on the leash too – we take them for walks together and I take Finn out by himself to work with him and he's made leaps and bounds (no pun intended) since then.  He's really smart and really wants to please us, so that helps.  I have sacrificed 2 pairs of my favorite shoes and of course they were my good, expensive ones as opposed to the Payless shoes lying around, but that goes along with being a puppy.  I got spoiled with Rigley knowing what's his and what's not and took that for granted.  All in all, we really love him and glad he is a part of our family.  Miranda B. Rice     Camo - Tue, 18 Sep 2007 Hi Gina, Wanted to send you a few pictures of Camo. As you can see she has grown a lot!! She has been to the vet and had her booster shots and her lymphnodes have gone down. We had to give her some more antibiotics and they helped. She is happy and spoiled. She has taken over Jim's chair and we are now looking for a new chair for him! Camo loves to ride in the truck, she goes with Jim most of the time and has learned to get in and out on her own now. She is the happiest when we are both with her just like a kid. :-) Take Care! Judy, Jim and Camo     Twister - September 11, 2007 Hi, Anna. I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that Twister is just a perfect fit in our family! He LOVES riding in the car, and he enjoys his spot in between the boys' car seats. He is quickly learning his manners, and he walks quite well on a leash! He was housebroken very quickly after we got off all the antibiotics for the infection. He sleeps in our bedroom, in his bed, and we don't have to crate him when we leave! He either naps on the cold bathroom floor or by the front window. He loves to fetch a squeeky Oreo and is currently curled up next to me. He is such a wonderful dog and a blessing for our family - thank you so much! Jennifer.       Probie (aka Ellie May) - September 06, 2007 The first two weeks with my new "girl" is quickly coming and I have NO trepidations saying she is and will continue to be a part of my family. It has taken some time, but she has shown her true self and fits in wonderfully. She is truly a unique little puppy with a lot of love to give and I am happy to be a part of her life. Thank you all so much, Courtney and Probie     Horton & Elsa - September 06, 2007 Hi Virginia Things are going well with Horton and Elsa.  He's doing well with housebreaking.  AND she pooped outside for the very first time this morning so we had a BIG celebration -- of course she did walk in the house and potty but at least a poop outside is something I can praise and reward her for.  She is still very shy around Sam but responds well to me and when we are alone and I tell her to come, she does obey.  She definitely needs some stability.  Everytime I give her her own bowl of food she gives me a confused look. Horton seems so adaptable and he want SOOOOO much to play with her and she's doing better at play.  This morning she chased him around the house and was wagging her tail.  They will both need obedience training after they get a bit more comfortable.  Tomorrow we are going to our vet to introduce them and to get checked out.  Thanks for checking in!  Hope you're doing well!  Leann     Gina - 08/23/2007 I wanted to let you all know how wonderful Gina is doing!   She has been the perfect fit from day one and we can't thank you enough for the opportunity.  After a short bout with mange, she is healthy and happy.  She has wonderful manners!  She cleans her bowl (and Penny's) after every feeding, makes sure the pillow and bed are warmed up a night, and helps us dry off after every shower (she would probably get in the shower with us to help if we let her). She is very friendly and makes sure all visitors are welcome in our home.  They must be Gina approved to enter, this usually involves a wagging tail and kisses.  Gina is always excited about making new friends and loves trips to Pet-Co or being out in the neighborhood.  Penny and Gina are like long lost sisters and hate to be apart.  They enjoying playing together and make a great team, especially when herding our two cats.  We recently took them to "Grandma" and "Grandpa's" farm for some water fun.  They played so hard they slept the entire next day.  I will send some pictures from the family outing so you can see how much she has grown.  She really is amazing! Thank you, Jamie Fry and Stephanie Wiley     Raz (aka Razzle Dazzle) - 07/22/2007     Teddy - 07/22/2007 Hi Jennifer, Teddy did wonderfully at the lake this weekend!  I was a little nervous bringing him out there since there aren't any fences and there are always other dogs/children running around, but Teddy couldn't have behaved any better.  My family was so impressed with how calm he is and how well he minds.  All our neighbors were constantly coming over to pet him and couldn't stop talking about how cute he was. I honestly feel so much better about Teddy after this trip.  I was a little concerned with how my family would react since they are used to having much smaller dogs, but their concerns we're quickly erased after how well he behaved.  Hope you had a great weekend as well.  Let me know when you'd like to visit my house and check out Teddy's current living situation...I haven't had an allergy reaction to Teddy yet, so I think all of my questions have been answered :) -- Andy     Kenobi - 07/22/2007 Hello! Kenobi is doing great. It's almost as if he's always been here. He was fabulous on the ride home. I sat in the back with him and he slept much of the way with his head on my lap. Lulu was a little hesitant around him on Friday night (although she was quite curious), but by Saturday they were pals. He was a little "anxious" when we were going to bed on Friday night (pacing a bit, heavy breathing) but I laid down next to him on the floor and he settled down and fell asleep. Last night he was completely relaxed. The girls love him and he is very gentle with them. He has even exceeded my expectations. He hasn't marked in the house (which I fully expected that first day) and he hasn't shown any food agression. As a matter of fact, Lulu took his treat right out from under him and he just let her. I never thought she'd be the one I'd have to correct as she is usually the one dogs take from. I tried to take a few pictures yesterday, but none of them came out that great. Trying to get 2 dogs and 2 kids all looking the same direction at the same time without coming to investigate the camera proved challenging. I'll try again today and forward them on to you. Thanks again for finding Kenobi and finding us. We just love him. -- Elizabeth     Delta (aka Bailey) - 07/16/2007 Hi, Marianne. Just wanted to thank you so much for helping us get our new pup. She is such a delight. She is so good and just perfect for us. We loved her instantly. She did not seem to really know her name and we renamed her Delta. Our other dog did not care for her, of course. She would be that way with any other dog. We took them on a short car trip yesterday and to visit family. That broke the ice. Both dogs laid in the back seat & got along great. Delta fell asleep leaning against our other dog. So cute. Anyway, we are just thrilled with her and she is already protective of her new territory. She is not much of a barker [which we like] but she is a good watch dog and barks when appropriate. I took her to the vet Saturday so she has everything she needs medically. Everything is great now that we have our new addition. It's been 9 years since we have had a puppy. You can forget how precious they are and how much fun they can be, THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP. -- Sue Anderson-Porter     Oddie (aka Sailor) -07/19/2007 Dear Virginia, I wanted to let you know how much I love my new family!  All my new brothers are just great, four-legged and two-legged, doesn't matter, I love 'em all! I've even started to answer to my new name, most of the time anyway!  One of my two-legged brothers, Blaine, is teaching me how to sit, lay, bark and roll over.  I'll do whatever they want, as long as I get a treat and belly rub and my own pillow to sleep on!  You were really nice to me, but I sure do like my new house and family!  Rocky and I are now best friends, as you can see in the pictures.  Well, sometimes we do argue but Mom says it's just sibling rivalry.  She just doesn't always understand that boys like to wrestle!  Mom is pretty proud of the way I behave on walks.  I do get pretty excited though when she gets my leash out!  She always threatens to only take one of us (me or Rocky) but she always gives in and takes us both.  It's a lot of fun, but she likes to take loooong walks.  I just lay down when I get tired, so she has to stop and wait on me.  It's kind of funny!  It's only fair since she stops to talk to people when I am wanting to walk!  Rocky is teaching me a lot of new things, like the rules around the house.  I'm teaching him stuff too, like how to be a lot friendlier to people!  Mom did tell me that I need to learn how to sleep late though, guess that's my only bad habit!  I just want to get up early and play with everyone!  Our favorite thing to play is tug of war!  We also like to share our rawhide bones with each other and try to steal them from each other.  It's a lot of fun!  My other brothers just watch us and laugh.  We get yelled at every once in a while when we get to talking too loud while we are playing.  I think they get mad when they don't understand dog-talk!  They think we're talking about them!  I have even found myself a girlfriend.  Mom lets me go to work with her about once a week and there is a really pretty girl there.  I think her mom or dad was a Jack Russell.  I don't care if she is a little bit taller and older than me and that she steals my toys.  She's soooo pretty and everyone says we make an attractive couple.  The car ride to work is really fun, but boy am I exhausted on the ride home.  All that playing and getting spoiled all day will wear you out!  Everyone comes to see me and rub my belly and give me a treat or two.  They all tell me what a pretty dog I am and how well behaved I am!  There is even a doggy store by the office that I get to visit and they always have treats for me too! I've been meaning to get this letter out to you, but it sure is hard to type with my big ol' paws!  Mom says all my weight is in my feet..... I'm always following her and stepping on her feet!  Sincerely, Odie (formerly known as Sailor)       Stubby - 07/12/2007 I just wanted to give you an update on Stubby.  He has definitely stolen our hearts.  The first day that he was here he walked right in and started eating and drinking out of Louie's bowl.  Louie sat back and watched and took his turn when Stubby was done.  They have been doing that ever since. They play together non-stop.  Louie won't even go outside without Stubby.  They spend the entire day together.  Stubby sleeps with my daughter and Louie sleeps with me.  That is the only time that they are apart. Stubby has bonded with my daughter and he cries when she is in another room.  He really loves her.  Although, he sometimes thinks that her twin is his mommy and it confuses him. When we gave Stubby his first bath he cried like he was being hurt.  It was really quite terrible.  Louie freaked out and tried to jump up and see what was wrong with Stubby.  After we were done we had to let Louie look over Stubby and see that he was fine.  They make quite a team and Stubby has made Louie be much more active.  I think that is going to be good for Louie.  They run in the yard and play with their toys.  I love to watch them.  Thanks again. -- Sherri Tucker     Cola - 07/09/2007 Hi Alice,    I just wanted to let you know how Cola is doing. Those spots on her paw are still healing, it looks like it was a nailbed infection she had which would easily explain why her one nail was long and her objections to people touching her paw before. It doesn't seem to bother her much, I just keep soaking it in salt water for 10 minutes or so until she starts getting squirmy.    Overall, she's been a wonderful dog. Last time she was at the vet she weighed just over 90 lbs and she really looks great. People are always saying what a beautiful and sweet dog she is, whether it's the first time they met her or people she already knows. She seems to be getting around a little better all the time, I still hear popping in her left hip sometimes but we're up to about 30 minute walks now. I've taken her to a dog park a couple of times, mainly to see how she is with others and they have nice walking trails as well. She pretty much has the same reaction to every dog, which is very friendly but borderline overbearing. Interestingly enough, her reaction to cats is just about the same as it is to dogs, sniffing and stump wagging. I think if I'm smart enough to reinforce her behavior, that her temperament with other animals can be as perfect as it is with people. She's such a bright dog that I learned that she was picking up commands that I wasn't intentionally giving. I figured it out when I was pilling her, which I normally do before she eats. You know how excited she gets when she knows food is coming soon, so I'd tell her to settle down so I could get the pills down. After a day or two she'd lay down when I said settle down, and it hit me that I needed to be a little smarter to keep up with her. She was always wanting to be first out the door, but it only took a day or two for her to learn "back up". She likes to be in front when she's off-leash, but she doesn't get more than ten or twenty feet ahead and is quick to respond when I tell her to wait.  Her personality with people reminds me a little of a bearded collie/sheepdog mix we used to have, if I can just get Cola to be easy-going but still playful with other dogs like Buffy was, she'd be just about perfect.     I got her one of those Cool Bed 2's, they're basically a waterbed for pets and I'd definitely recommend them for anyone with smaller dogs that have hip or arthritis problems. It's great for her too, but her size bed weighs about as much as she does when it's full, so it stays in one place. They're squishy to walk on and she didn't like it at first, but that was really easy to fix. She always gets a treat after we go for walks, so I just started making her lay on the bed to get it. Again, a day or two and now she automatically goes there after she comes inside, I think she's figured out it's pretty comfy too. If you're ever doing a home visit in Lawrence, or you're just in the area and want to see her, you're more than welcome to visit her. She's always happy to see people she knows.     Penelope (aka Drei) - 07/09/2007 Hi Virginia, Drei is great and we love her. We named her Penelope--but sometimes, it gets shortened to Penny.  She is great fun and loves to sleep in our laps.  She is doing fine after surgery last Thursday. It happened, we arrived at the same time her foster mom arrived--with her brothers. It was fun to see the rest of her litter. Thanks again for your help and getting us such a wonderful kitten. Kathy     Paulo (aka Apollo) - 06/25/2007 Anna, I want to let you and Jennifer know how much I appreciate all of your help and encouragement during the process of adopting Apollo.  He is such a little love and I feel extremely fortunate to have him in my home. He came into the house, immediately found all the toys, and started to enjoy them.  This morning he discovered how to throw a ball down the stairs and chase after it--something that my poodle, Tommy, used to do when he was younger. He is adjusting to the cats, learning which ones want to play with him and which ones do not.  My foster and old terrier have chastised him a few times for being a bouncy cretin (their words, not mine), but he takes it all in stride and keeps on exploring, tasting, sniffing and enjoying everything my old house has to offer. I thought you should know that I changed Apollo's name.  He narrowly escaped  "Goofy Dog" (my daughter would not allow it), so I call him simply Paulo. Again, thanks for everything.  If you ever want a testimonial about your rescue organization, let me know. -- Betsey Gardner     Tyson (aka Black Jack) - 06/17/2007 Hi Amy! Black Jack is doing GREAT! We are SO happy to have him!  He is actually laying right next to me on the couch right now snoozing (we let him sit on one section of our couch that has a blanket over it).  He is such a cuttle bug!  We decided to name him "Tyson" and call him Ty (or Tyson). Amy, he is such a great dog, we couldn't be more happy with him, and Lauren (our daughter) laughs hysterically at him, which is great, she doesn't do that a lot.  He is really good with her, I don't think he has an aggressive bone in his body.  I'm still trying to convince Cara to let him sleep with us, but I don't think I am getting very far!  ha ha...  The first night we had him, we decided to go for a walk (after stopping by Petsmart to get a "gentle leader" which is FANTASTIC!), we loaded up the stroller and I took him with the G.L. and he did great, didn't pull at all! We wanted to let you know that anytime you would like, you are WELCOME to come by and visit him, ANYTIME!  We are kind of far away from the kennel, but it's still in the metro ( about 30 min.) to Olathe . Thanks so much for taking time out of your fathers day to meet us at the kennel to meet him, we honestly appreciate your time very much.  Oh and Tyson loves his new back yard, runs circles around the yard (FAST!). Good to hear from you -- Alan and Cara     Coco - 06/12/2007 Just wanted to drop a couple lines to let you know how Coco is doing. She is 150% better. She is getting very used to the apartment and is actually taking over. Not only am I spoiling her rotten but so are all my friends. They have bought her treats, clothes, and toys. She loves going on walks although not very long ones. When she is ready to head home she will turn around and head the other way and will not budge unless your heading home. Thank you again!     China (aka Charna) - 06/04/2007 Alice, Thank you.  She is such a sweet girl.  I am very happy that we have added her to our family.  Meka and China sleep together on the same couch and in one bed, even though they have two.  It really is a great match. Thanks, Melissa Waters     Maggie (aka Lyric) - 06/04/2007 Hi, Lyric---Now Maggie, is doing just fine and the two girls are getting along very well. They did alot of chasing and playing this weekend. We have noticed her food aggression and are working on that. Molly backs off, so there is no fighting. She has found her forever home! thank you so much. she will be a great addition to our home. -- Teena     Dodger's New Family Dodger - 06/01/2007 From Amy H, TARA volunteer and foster mom; Man... I forgot how much it hurts to let a foster go! I miss him already. But this is a great family! I know they will love him very much. They brought toys and a blanket with them and then as they were leaving, they were headed to Petsmart to get a collar and more goodies. The mom knows about all the vet care that he needs (shots, hw prev, etc) and that we would want him back if it didn't work out. But they are sure they won't give him back. :-) I am sending a pic along.     Kiani - 06/01/2007 Virginia, I'm sorry, but I know we have only had Kiani here for one night, but I just wanted to give you some info.  She is doing GREAT!!!  She is so calm, does pretty well on the leash, and is ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL with the kids! Jackie had some trouble getting to Des Moines due a car accident on the interstate, which they had to wait quite some time before traffic was moving again, but once we finally met, things went very smoothly.  Please let her know that I appreciate her and her husband taking time out of their day to meet with me and to complete the adoption. We feel blessed to have found her, and however Kiani ended up as a stray is unbelievable because she is such a good girl. The kids were so excited that I could hardly get them to bed last night.  My 5 year old kept getting up to make sure she could pet and hug Kiani when she got up in the morning! She is just like a new baby to me, so I talk pretty sweetly to her and she just takes it all in and just about melts in my hands. It was pretty entertaining to see her sprawled out on the living room floor last night, belly up! She is a big teddy bear, and turned out to be just what we were looking for.  I will admit I was a little hesitant to pick her up and bring her home without meeting her first, but after about 2 minutes with her, that thought never crossed my mind again!!  Your description of her on PetFinder was completely honest and accurate. So far, so good, and I will definitely reach you in a couple days to let you know how we are all doing at that point! Again, Thank You for making this possible! Rachelle Jacobs     Fuzzy - 05/31/2007 Marianne, Fuzzy and Peach appear to be establishing better relationship - Peach now lets him lead occasionally when they on paths and Fuzzy isn't afraid to protect his evening treats if Peaches gets close. Fuz is definitely more confident than 10 days ago; he knows many of the path sections, is not intimidated by stream waters (is now walking up to even roaring sections) and will dart down the path or linger to smell the grasses. Speaking of grasses, the April and May rains have created grasses that are 2- 4 feet tall (concern if we get dry weather and typical low humidities during the summer that could lead to fires). Fuzzy has learned to dive into the grasses to get where he is going. The positive reinforcement is working while out on the path. Both dogs are fully leashed during the start and end of the walks around streets, other dogs or when security for them dictates; however, there are stretches where the terrain allows them some freedom. We walk only about 3 miles per hour and neither is more than 50 feet away at any time. A quick whistle brings both running for the treat reward. We went to the vet last Thursday for the suture removal but Fuzzy apparently had already removed them by biting them. This didn't surprise her and she gave Fuzzy a quick once over and put him on the heartguard medication. We returned to the mountain lookout and on the third visit Fuzzy recognized the mountain ground squirrels and chipmunks as something worth paying attention. He watches now Peaches patiently waits for them to get fairly close before he makes a short 5 - 10feet dash toward them. Both appear satisfied with making only this short movement but I'm playing it safe this summer and keeping Fuzzy on the leash because I don't want him wondering off in this location so far from home. We made a trip back to Iowa over Memorial weekend and both dogs made the trip in good fashion - sleeping most of the trip and enjoying the doggy walk area at the rest stops. Both were good traveling when inside the hotel rooms. Like the rest of my dogs, both appear excellent travelers. Today I was away at work a little longer and both were there to greet me upon returning home. Friday we have entire day together. Darrel     Connor (aka Lionking) - 05/27/2007 Hello Marianne , Wanted to let know you know Lion King is doing really well. For starters, we have renamed him Connor - it fits him well and is a nice Scottish name befitting a breed that originated in Scotland! The trip home was uneventful (other than driving thru a ton of rain!), he slept soundly most of the way. The introduction to his new sister went very well, I was really pleased with her and how well she accepted him. After they spent some time in the backyard together we fed them both, brought them both into the house and let him sniff his way around. Not once did he try and lift his leg inside the house, which was great. I am positive he was someone's house pet - he knows how to sit, lay down, shake paws and he also was crate trained. He wasn't real happy when I first put him it in while we ate dinner but he quieted down after about 20 minutes and several "no's". After we finished eating we let them both out at at bedtime (10:30 -we were beat!) for potty time and they both went back in their crates for the night. Again a bit of fussing but we told him "no, quiet" only twice this time and he quieted down much faster and we all crashed. This morning we got up at 5am (same schedule we are on during the week) fed them both in their crates (my brother in laws suggestion) and took them out to stretch and potty time. At 6:45 we came back in and he went straight into his crate that time, no fussing what so ever and my husband and I slept till 8:30. He is a very good dog and I think that with a solid routine over the next couple weeks he will fit right in. He certainly likes to play! He and Millie were doing great on that until she took one of the toys from him and took off and he jumped on top of her to get it back; that did not go over well! He will have to learn not to be so rough and I think she will put him in his place. We do have to watch him with the cats. So far everybody has sniffed noses and each other but if they take off or scurry away from him he wants to chase them. He is a very smart dog like collies usually are and I think he will learn quickly. It was funny to see our 20 lb Maine coon male cat fluffed up to the size of a 40 lb cat! He is such a sweetheart ~ I am so glad you entrusted him to us and please be assured he has a great home for life. Kay     Tinkerbell (aka Sunny) - 5/25/2007 Hi Anna, Just to let you know that "Sunny" is doing quite well so far.... I stopped 3 times to walk her on the way back. Happily roamed around the house and sniffed Nana when we got home. She kept jumping up on my bed as if she knew what it was for and wanted to sleep there. I put her in the bathroom (tiled floor for easy clean-up) with food, water, and a dog pillow and she was quiet all night. She also didn't use the bathroom either.  Took her outside the next morning (I had her on a long rope) and she met 2 of our cats, who weren't the least bit scared of her. Then the neighbor's dog (Timber, a yellow lab) showed up wanting me to play fetch with him. Sunny couldn't decide whether to run after the stick with her, play with Nana, or jump up on me, so she tried to do all three. So everyone seems to get along perfectly. Looks like she is a very good choice. I also got compliments in both the McDonald's drive-thru and at the gas station at how pretty a dog she is. Thank's, Mike Hromanik     Zieder (aka Champion) - 5/14/2007 Alice, I just logged on to your website and was thrilled to see my Zieders picture on your front page!!!! He is such a delight to have in our home. PetFinder: "We lost our beloved collie, Andy, the 28th of March. We believe he was poisoned by dog food, at that time not listed on the recall list. I was lost without my mate. I started looking for a furry friend the same day we lost him. I finally looked at T.A.R.A and saw Zieder. His little face just took our hearts. Two weeks after loosing Andy, I met him. I took him in my arms and he took my heart. Alice let me take him home that same day. I am forever in her debt. The space Andy held in my heart has not been replace, but Zieder help me understand he had his place in our lives. He is healthy and happy. He rules his yard. Last weekend he welcomed two Bull Mastiffs as neighbors. Take a look at T.A.R.A's website. The little face you see is my Zieder. " He has brought so much life into our home. We can't thank you enough for letting us adopt him. I would love for you to see how he's grown. He rules his back yard, and has welcomed the new neighbors Mastiffs into the neighborhood. Thank you again and again. Michael and Diane Vinyard     Parker - 5/14/2007 Virginia, we can't thank you and Marianne enough for driving all the way up to Northeast Nebraska to bring us Parker. (I suppose it was a shorter trip than when you rescued him from Arizona, though!). It is a tribute to how dedicated you are to finding a good home for the dogs. As soon as we saw Parker on petfinder.com, we fell in love with his brown eyes and intelligent face. He is such a fun and loveable guy. I hope we are as good for him as he is for us. Each day he gets a little more comfortable with us and he seems very happy. Our friends have commented that he looks very content. He was quite a hit at the vet's office, people kept popping their head in the room just to look at him. I hope as each day goes by, that Parker feels more and more at home. Thank you again for the great work that you are doing at TARA! Lois and Frank (and Parker)     Copper (aka Hubert) - 5/14/2007 I found Copper on Petfinder.com and fell in love instantly. My husband and I have a basset hound and we have been looking to add another hound dog to the family. Copper was malnourished and had an ear infection, both of which will be taken care off with a little love and care. He is SUCH a sweet, loving, mild-tempered dog. I love that I could offer him a home where he could receive the love that he obviously didn't receive from his previous owners. Copper and our basset hound, Ellie, are getting along famously! We are lucky to have Copper in our family and we hope he feels the same way!     Murphy (aka Hansel) - 5/11/2007 To T.A.R.A. and Veronique, Thank you so much for all your great work and for saving Hansel.  He is a wonderful dog!  I would not be so fortunate to have him without the wonderful work of the TARA organization. I adopted Hansel on May 5 th after seeing him online and meeting him at the Country Kennels.  He is just a sweetheart. I will send more information when I have pictures.  He was a little shy and reserved at first, but he quickly figured out he was “home”.  He has adapted very quickly and his personality is really starting to come out. I named him Murphy, because he is just such an easy going guy. He can't bark (he just makes a small whine or cry) so I think he must have some Basenji in there somewhere. I'm thinking he's a lab/basenji mix.  He is doing wonderfully on house training, and just wants all the attention he can get. He has quickly made himself a part of the family. The little neighbor boy (he's about 4) has also fallen in love with him and came over yesterday to ask if “little Murphy could come out and play”. Murphy is great with little kids and other dogs, and I don't think he has ever met a stranger. Thanks again. Lana Maudlin     Butch (aka Milo) - Wed 5/2/2007 I adopted a little fellow you named Milo yesterday.. What a pistol.  He is fitting in just perfectly in my household.  A special thanks to V for taking some extra time to help us integrate this little guy into our family.  He is going to be so fun to have around.  We love him already. Thanks again for all your efforts on behalf of homeless pets.  It is truly wonderful. Phyllis Robinson     Jasper (aka Swiper) - Wed 5/2/2007 Hi Alice, I just wanted to let you know that all is going great with Jasper. He has learned some commands and quickly learned how to behave around the cats. Him and Misti are at home together this afternoon, now that my floors are done. They have been doing well together. He likes to follow her around and she enjoys the attention. He lets Misti rub against him and walk underneath him already! Suki is keeping her distance as she does not yet trust the dog, but with time, we'll have her calmed down. She is separated from him when I am not at home. Jasper has met my friend's dogs and Emily's dog and does well with them. He prefers smaller dogs over bigger dogs. We walked at Lake Shawnee on Sunday and he liked all the activity at he lake. He did not want to get his feet wet on the beach, though. He did walk out onto the dock without being afraid. My vet said his little tail is what he was born with because the vertebrae did not go all the way to the end. I am glad to know he did not have any trauma to his tail. He takes the medicine well with peanut butter. He is eating well, playing with his toys, fetching his ball, and acting very happy. He got very excited when I mowed the yard yesterday, and him and the neighbor dog (Welsh Corgi) ran up and down the fence together playing. He minds well and is really a joy. I look forward to going home to him after work. I will be on leave next week and will be spending the week at home getting my house put back together, so I'll be able to spend a lot of time at home with him. He sleeps in my room, there have been no accidents. Thank you again for saving him, he is a wonderful pet for me. Debbie   Ashley and Harvey - Wed 5/2/2007     Homeward Bounds   T.A.R.A. is happy to report that thanks to the big heart and vigilance of members of our group, a lost pet was saved from a sure death and reunited with his family. In Mid January "Bentley" was one of the lucky dogs chosen by our volunteers to be transferred to a no-kill shelter when his time had ran out at a local Animal Control Facility. After his transfer, one of our volunteers, who regularly reviews KC Pet Connect site for lost pets, recognized Bentley from his picture and immediately contacted the owners. "When the rescue group picked him up at the shelter he was due to be put to sleep that day. They took him back and looked on your web site (KCPetConnect). When they saw his picture they called us, scanned his chip, and we picked him up within an hour. Thank you." - Michael Reese, Kansas City, Missouri, Reunited on 02-03-07 Bentley was reunited with his family the same day. They had been looking for him for a long month, putting adds, flyers, etc. and hoping with all their heart their cherished family companion would be found.