Hi Darling,
The Carr-Fassett family has a lot to be grateful about. If you’ve been following our adventures on Facebook and Instagram (where I post most of my personal pix and lots of animal adoption updates) you know that we found a big ole blessing in the woods (with the help of some awesome New Yorkers!): A sweet, emaciated (35 pounds underweight), sick and struggling-to-stay-alive, hound dog who we named…Buddy!
After weeks of searching for his owner, making countless trips to the vet, nursing him back to health around the clock (how do you moms out there do it?!), and showering him with love, respect and compassion, it’s official—he’s doing great and we’re keeping him! He’s our soon-to-be-healthy boy now and we couldn’t be happier. Welcome sweet Buddy!
Today Buddy is quite the celebrity. Thousands of people from around the world have been praying for him and cheering him on (#gobuddygo). Folks have been logging into their social media accounts just for Buddy, especially on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
If you’re one of those people, I just want to take a moment to thank you. I know your love matters. It’s been part of his medicine and ours.
What’s more, I’ve read at least a dozen comments from people who went out and adopted a first or second fur-child. And countless others who have said, “now you’ve really got me thinking, I really want to adopt.” Booyah! Nothing makes me happier. I swear I’ve cried hundreds of heart-opening tears as I read all the love and possibilities. You all are so wonderful, yet another reason I have to be grateful.
When I first saw this skinny guy, I knew the road would be long.
And I heard the voices in my head: “Um, you don’t have time for this. He’s too sick. You’re already spread too thin. Lola doesn’t like to share. You travel too much. He’s bigger than your house. He’s a hunting dog, you eat plants!” Sound familiar? I bet you have practical voices that tell you not to do stuff you really want to do too.
Soon I came to understand that Buddy was my spiritual lesson.
I constantly talk about the importance of loving kindness—extended to all beings. How could I pick and choose when it’s convenient? How could I not take this guy into my life and heart. Brian felt the same way (thank the Gods!).
That was our rubber meets the road moment.
Who better than us to care for this guy? We have 16 acres of woods to explore, 6 of which are fully fenced in—crucial for Buddy’s built-in wanderlust. We work from home. We love animals. We want more joy in our lives. It quickly became a no-brainer.
As for Lola, she’s dealing and healing too. I think Buddy is the only brother she’d ever tolerate. Because he was so malnourished and wounded, she gave him space and reverence. Though she really doesn’t appreciate when he takes over her bed (that’s way too small for him), I think she likes to have a pal to trot around and explore with (which he is slowly starting to do). We’re doing our best to make her feel super special during this time. Translation: She’s getting chubby. “Hello piglet, enjoy it now cause it ain’t gonna last!”
After only a few days, Buddy is putting on weight—close to a pound a day. His coat gets shinier, his eyes get brighter and his tail wags more and more. He’s even starting to look our way when we call his name!
I wanted to express how lucky we feel to have the chance to make a difference in Buddy’s life.
If you decide to bring an animal into your home this holiday season, please consider adoption. So many beings suffer senselessly in shelters. Sadly, many of them die there, never knowing any kindness or cuddles. If you’ve got a rescued fur-baby, you know what I mean. You also understand that they know you saved them—it’s a bond like no other. And boy do they appreciate it.
Unconditional love heals.
Thanks for listening! He continues to heal. As do we.
There’s nothing better than happy trails and waggy endings!
Public Service Announcement: For all the hound dog lovers out there—consider a GPS collar. Hunting dogs and hounds are lead by their nose. They get lost easily and really need our help. Tragically, many hunting dogs go missing during hunting season, and others get left behind if they aren’t top performers.
Your turn: Share your adoption story in the comments below (and congrats to Lisa Henbest, my Crazy Sexy Kitchen contest winner!)
Peace & wags,
Hi All!
Reading through all the comments, my heart is truly warmed by all the awesome parents to their rescued pets! I tried to keep this as short as possible, but the story is about my two little rescues that each has an incredible story.
Four years ago I was approached by some family friends who had a friend in New Mexico that had this little Italian Greyhound that had no home. She was smaller than a normal Italian Greyhound should be and desperately needed to be with a family. I had grown up with two rescues, but both were large dogs (over 60 pounds each). I was in a position where I could take a pup in, but had no experience with a small dog. A week later a 2.5 pound scared little pup arrived at the airport where we waited for her. I held this little, skinny thing and looked at her and thought, I have no idea what to do with this little pup. We went through trials and tribulations between her crying all night, peeing everywhere she went, scared of her own shadow and ultimately learning how to knock over the garbage can to get all the tissues and cardboard-I mean tissues, really?? However, her big eyes and big heart truly had me fall in love with her. We learned a lot about each other. Like how she hates to get wet, and so do I, so she walks very closely to me under the umbrella. We learned that q-tips are not to be consumed because they make her throw up and so we got a bigger garbage can. We learned that she likes to open doors and then gets herself locked into rooms because to her pushing the door always means it opens-it couldn’t possibly close. We also explored all the hiking trails in the New Jersey area. We have been through much together so far and she weighs a hefty 8.3 pounds!
About a year later this same friend contacted me again. They had a male Italian Greyhound that was found at the edge of a canyon with kids trying to tease him over the edge. He had scars all over his body and needed a lot of dental work. They found worms and all other kinds of problems with him. I looked down at my little girl, whom we have just started to adjust to life together and she was finally understanding what house training was-but I knew I couldn’t say no to the little man. It took about three weeks for him to heal his wounds before he could come to his new home which we sponsored for all the work to get done. He was so scared we couldn’t even get him out of the kennel the first day. He had scars all over his little body and lots of missing teeth. He shied away from everyone and yelped whenever we touched him-out of fear. We finally got him home where my little pipsqueak was impatiently waiting for us. Her tail was wagging and she was jumping all over the place. When we put the little man on the ground he instantly ran into a corner where he curled into a ball and refused to move. What does my little female companion do? Spring and bounce over to his corner, tail wagging and starts to lick him all over. All of a sudden the little guy jumped up, ran in a circle and started playing! We couldn’t believe our eyes! They hit it off and became best friends from that moment on.
It has been a long road though with healing the little guy. We also recently found out that my little girl has PRA (progressive retina atrophy) and will eventually be completely blind. What I have learned the most is to realize that life is short and sweet. I look into her eyes now and wonder just how much of me she can actually see. I remember that when she was diagnosed she didn’t feel sorry for herself or even become remotely sad. She continued to love me unconditionally through break ups and loss of jobs and new beginnings. She is the first one to curl up in my lap and remind me of how wonderful and happy life is. She is the first one to dry my tears with her little kisses and make me smile and laugh when it feels like there’s no reason to. She was there when Grandma got sick and passed away and curls up with pop every night to keep him company while he watches TV. She is a priceless reminder of the glory and amazement in life and that there is nothing else but this moment. She has been a continuous blessing as well as my little man who still likes to hide in his corner, but has learned that laps are pretty awesome too. I cannot imagine life without these babies! Because honestly, I have learned more from them and been more loved by them than I could only hope to return half of.
Blessings,
Lauren
I used to be allergic to cats until I started taking allergy shots hoping one day I could have one. In my dad’s culture and where he grew up, they don’t keep pets, so at first he didn’t want a pet. But then after years of allergy shots, a hungry cat wandered in to where my dad worked and they kept it in the bathroom with food and litter until one of the coworkers could take it home. My dad fell in love with it and surprised me one day and brought home another cat that he adopted! We named him Snickers and we love him so much! Your story was so inspiring! Snickers would never let another cat live in our house because he growls at other cats but when I get my own place I would definitely love to adopt rescues!
LoVe… that’s all I gotta say. Thanks for sharing your happy tears, considering adopting a 5th fur child. We have 3 cats & a dog already! They truly are like real children… they can drive you nuts but you still love them like crazy 🙂 xoxoxo………
In the past I had adopted difficult 14 months border collie mixed after she had been adopted from previous 5 owners and returned her back to the Toronto Humanity Society 5 times. One had begged me not to return her back. I loved her so much and had kept her for 14 years till her death. I also adopted cats from the various rescue groups for years. Now I have two recused cats, one retired goldendoodle Hearing Ear service dog and I have a lab and golden mixed guide dog for the blind for I am both deaf and blind. I love them so dearly.
Cheryl Osten
We have three very different breeds of dogs we have adopted from our local animal shelter over the last 14 years. Moby, our oldest, has to be partly if not mostly wired terrier and the leader of the pack with our smallest and youngest, chihauhau, Joey, right up there with him. Punkin, the min-pin, is a little overweight and pants a lot while trying to keep up with the other two and loves to sit her butt down in the shade when she’s had enough. When I take them on a walk together, the smiles from people driving by or walking by on the ditch bank make my walk that much more enjoyable. They have given us lots of laughs and loving over the years and continue to do so.
In 2006 our family was grieving from the illness and loss of our beloved cat Percy. I swore that was it! I would never have a pet again. I thought I could never love a cat like this one. He was so special. Then one day I decided to go to the local Petsmart where a local organization called “Cats in need” was having adoptions. Nonchalantly I walked to the cages filled with furry kids. I walked by them telling myself, “Margot don’t look in their eyes.” Well that lasted for about a second. Just around the corner there he was. A black polydactyl cat (polydactyl cats have extra toes. This one had 6 on each foot.) he was shaking the cage door with his hand. Like an inmate in a prison. I thought this was the craziest thing I had ever seen. I went home and told my family about this crazy cat. Over the course of several days one by one my family went to see this cat and couldn’t believe what they saw. My husband thought he was a freak. I was determined not to get a cat.
We went on a family vacation and one morning on the trip I woke up and told my family that I had dreamed of that crazy six toed cat. My son and daughter both yelled ” oh my gosh so did I .” Well we took it as a sign that we were meant to adopt this cat. At that moment the need for him became so strong that we cut our vacation short and rushed home to Petsmat to get our new little guy. We ran into the store and to his cage and stopped dead in our tracks. Our hearts sank. The cage was empty. We just stood ther looking at the empty cage. We must have been quite a sight because one of the volunteers came over and asked us if we were ok. We told her we had rushed there to get “our” cat and he is gone. Happily he was just at the foster home. She told us not to move and he would be there in 10 minutes. Short story long…Elvis is the best kitty and we have adopted Lila from them too!
Six years my husband and I went camping and met the cutest dog we had ever seen (thus far). We chatted with the owner to find out his breed as we hadn’t seen one before. That little guy was a Mini American Eskimo. Once we got back home we started a search to find one. Only a week or two later I saw one posted on Craigslist that needed a new home. I called and spoke to a very unpleasant man who said if I wanted to see him we’d have to come today because tomorrow we was taking him to the pound. My heart broke after that conversation. The man didn’t have an ounce of sorrow or sadness in his voice. I could tell instantly he didn’t care none the less love this little fella whom in the pictures posted online looked so sad and skinny. Go figure 🙁 I called my husband and replayed the story, telling him how we need to make the hour dive and save this dog. Later that day we made the drive and met him. He was a very angry little dog and the only way to calm him down was through teddy grahams, which we broke him of that promptly. Even though he barked like crazy at us and for a lack of better words was really freaking out, we couldn’t say no. He was the cutest boy we had seen and his need for a home was greater to us than his lack of socialization.
Once in the car on the way back to our home he became a different dog. He smiled, was very happy, and no more barking (at us) occurred. Since then it has been a bumpy but rewarding road with Woody. While he was only a year and a half when we adopted him, we were his 4th owners. Due to this he still is uncertain about all strangers and other dogs. He does have a 3 time rule though. After 3 times of meeting someone he’ll be your new best friend but until then you have to prove you’re a good guy and not out to hurt him or his people. He loves car rides, treats, and kids. Woody has taught us unconditional love and to put others before ourselves. While we don’t technically have children, he’s been our furr baby since that day. While it’s been hard having a very far from perfect dog who can’t be around others much, I would do it all over with him again in a heartbeat. Saving Woody made us a family two years into our relationship and helped created the foundation that later turned into our marriage.
What a great story about Buddy! He looks so happy with you guys – I love that you took him in!
Three years ago I went to visit my cousin and his wife in Raleigh, NC. A week prior, they had found a kitten in their garage – emaciated, dehydrated and near death. They took him to the vet, got him rehydrated and started caring for him. Since they already had two cats, they were keeping him outside in their garage and were looking to re-home him. Talk about being at the right place at the right time! The second I heard his meow I was smitten. I took him home, nursed him back to health and today he is the most beautiful, amazing animal I have ever had the privilege of knowing. I named him Leroy Brown. He’s the best! I don’t think I’ve ever loved a cat as much as I love him. He sleeps with me every night and his favorite game is fetch – believe it or not!
We adopted our cat Bill almost 16 years ago. I had never had a cat before and wasn’t sure how it was going to work out. Now, I can’t imagine my life without him. My husband and I talk to him all the time, sometimes when he is not even in the room! When we go on vacations, it is weird that he can’t come along (he hates the car) and we find ourselves talking to him and looking for him. It is amazing how an animal can capture your heart.
So glad to hear that Buddy is doing well.
All of my pets are rescue animals. We are at capacity for cats and have 2 dogs. These animals seem to find us. 2 of our cats found us at my childrens elementary school. I picked up my daughter early for an appt and out popped a kitten from the bushes. I picked it up and heard another crying which my daughter quickly found. We inquired inside about them and they were just hungry strays. We brought them home (missed the appt) and feed them and loved them and they have been here ever since.
About 9 years ago I adopted a 4yr old female cat and her 3 mo old male kitten. They came from an abusive home. The first 4 months, Patchouli (f) hid under my books shelves. I worked with her daily, to try to get her to feel comfortable near me, by throwing a piece of food (kibble), which, in the beginning, she’d run out to get, then run back to her hiding place to eat. Slowly she came closer, and eventually would stay and eat the food beside me. But, I still couldn’t touch her. Over the space of 2 years, she became more comfortable, wouldn’t run from the room when I came in, and I was slowly able to touch & pet her – but that never lasted long, as soon as she started purring, she’d run away. So, I decided to get my Reiki certification, so that I could send her loving energy from a distance. After my attunements, she wanted nothing to do with me (lol) – but, around the same time her kitten Chai (m) , then 2, was diagnosed with a severe heart murmur. I was told that unless he was put on meds, he wouldn’t live to be 5 yrs old. So – he started meds, and I started giving him Reiki. About 4 years later he went back to the vet, and they couldn’t hear the murmur anymore. (maybe he grew out of it? maybe it was Reiki?) – he’s now 9 and off his meds & doing well.
Patchouli has progressed very well too – in fact, it took her about 6 years, but she’s now always near me, wanting to be pet, and tucking in and curling up behind my legs when I’m on the couch. Sometimes I reflect back on how she was when she arrived here, and marvel at the changes she’s made – and, how long it’s taken. It’s also a reminder that sometimes we need to be SO patient with rescues, and that there can still be changes, and progress, even years after we adopt them.
On a final note, my Reiki certification has also allowed me to volunteer for a local hospice – & I was able to give Reiki to my dad when he was in palliative care – probably one of the most profound, and rewarding, experiences of my life. (I wouldn’t have gotten my Reiki certification if I hadn’t needed to for my cats).
A bit of a long story – I honestly didn’t expect that taking in these 2 cats would totally transform my life, but they have. And I’m thankful every day that their souls chose to journey with mine.
I applaud your efforts to try to raise awareness about adopting rescues. We’re all here to love: to give love, to receive love, and to increase love – and what better way than to give love to an animal that has been abandoned or neglected.
😀
Namaste,
Miriam
Thanks for all the info on Buddy, it’s so awesome to see him doing so well. Just over three years ago my wife and I went to our local Humane Society and adopted a dachshund mutt named Willie. I remember thinking he was an odd looking dog, and worrying because he had blood in his stool (probably from all the drugs to get him shipshape), but now I couldn’t imagine our lives without him. He has brought so much happiness to our lives, and I absolutely believe he understands that we rescued him and he found his forever home. If anything the only semi issue he has is that he gets a bit upset every time we leave for work and overly excited when we get home. It’s nice to be so wanted though 🙂
So happy for Buddy…and you!
When my daughter, a volunteer at a shelter, called me and cried about a little yorkie in bad shape i tried to reassure her and let it go. But he stayed on my mind, so after three days i called the directer of the shelter and told her i wanted him. He was not even up for adoption, clearly headed for being euthanized, but we worked it out and we brought him home. His age was estimated at 10 or 11 years old. he was skin and bones his fur was sparse and his teeth were missing and bad. He could not see well, and when we brought him home most people thought he would not make it. At the vet we discovered that his canine teeth had come out and food was getting into his sinus cavity. We had surgery and a very talented Dr. removed the rest of his teeth and made flaps to cover the holes. He was fragile but began to heal and grow fur and gain some weight. We fed him every two hours and had to try hard to find food he would eat. (he was fond of filet mignon and chicken) We named him Oliver (for Oliver Twist) and called him Ollie. Ollie slept on a furry cover right next to my head and I called him my husband dog because we were so in love. He wore sweaters and non-skid doggie sox because he slipped on the floors. Ollie lived another five years. He required a lot of care, but the love we shared was one of the important highlights of my life and I still miss him all of the time. Giving an older dog a chance is worth it.
I LOVE happy endings! Your Buddy love story made me all teary eyed and I’m so thrilled to read what an inspiration you have been to others in deciding to adopt a homeless pet. My husband and I have six rescue fur children: 2 cats and 4 dogs. There is SO much love bouncing around in this house! I’ve always loved animals and grew up with everything from a hamster to a horse, so I knew my own home-life would never be complete without a critter…or six!
Our two lady dogs, Kex and Gypsy, came to live with us one year ago this week. They had been living on the streets and were tiny sacks of skin and bones—absolutely starving snd terrified of everything. Today, they are happy, healthy and their fears have vanished. Witnessing these changes filled me with immense joy.
We have a rescued Boston Terrier who is struggling with a severe case of inflammatory bowel disease (just one of many issues overbred, designer dogs can suffer, so adoption is crucial to changing the lives of dogs in these situations. Down with puppy mills!). His personality is enormous! His name is Pilot, and he is our little comedian.
Donkey is our tiny wolf: part chihuahua, part some sort of wirey haired terrier. He is small, but strong and is guardian of Hay-Chapman house 😉
Our two senior cats, Opie and Falcor, have thyroid (Opie) and kidney disease (Falcor). You might have guesses we spend a lot of time at the vet’s office; it’s our second home! And we do so happily, because adoption is forever. When we make that commitment to a pet, it’s a promise to care for them through it all, the good, the bad, the happy and the sad…forever. I know the promise is good on their end by the love, laughs, tiny kisses and great snuggles they so happily serve up every day. I won’t break my promise to them either, they’ve changed my life in a major way for the better and I’m grateful for every minute of it!
After picking up a “new to us” washer/dryer set off Craigslist, we were headed home. A tiny black dog ran in front of our 1968 Chevy C-10 pickup. He stopped traffic going both directions, and his traveling companion–a little black and white fellow with floppy ears–was barking furiously at him from the sidelines. However, Mr. Black laid down in the street, and we pulled over. Don got out of the truck, knelt in the grass, and whistled. The black and white dog, who we realized was a tripod, literally ran to him and leaped into his arms. I thought, “Uh-oh. We have dogs.” Neighbors came out decrying their miserable condition and handed us leashes, and food, and flea shampoo (they were both riddled with them). I was terrified as they looked up at me from the floorboards. I’d never had dogs! Their inscrutable little undernourished stare startled me. When we got them home, we realized quickly they were not housebroken. They were poop machines. They ate ravenously. The vet said that the leg had come off “in an accident and never received medical attention.” Quickly, the black one–almost bald–sprouted a thick coat. He was a Pomeranian! We christened them Trace (Tres) and Catorce (after the intro to U2’s “Vertigo”). Trace has since passed on, but I know he was my original doggie angel, and I miss him every day. We have four dogs now–an old boy whose first mom died of cancer, and two more who were abandoned by neighbors. Seven animals (three gatos) in a two-bedroom duplex loft isn’t ideal, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! (At least we do have a fenced yard and nearby off-leash trail. And everyone now knows to poop outside!)
My husband and I have rescued many animals through out our marriage. We had a coon hound who showed up outside our home while my husband was working out of town. I had to leave a note on the door when he came home one night saying the stray is in the house so be careful when you come in. We have also rescued dogs from shelters. I worked at a humane society for a while. I did pet therapy with the developmentally disabled. There was a dog which I used for this service a lot due to her loving temperament. I came home on day and asked my husband if we could adopt her. She was a loving companion to use for 12 years. About a year ago when she passed we went in search of another furry to love. We found one in a shelter when we went in to meet him he instantly started playing with my hubby I knew he would be coming home. While riding in the vehicles he either rides with his head on hubby’s lap or shoulder. We also adopted another sweetie who is Mommy’s girl and stays by my side. That is just the dogs we have adopted. We fostered 3 kittens from the humane society after their mother had been hit by a car. They were barely a week old. We kept one of them and the rest were adopted to loving families. We also have adopted another foster who had a social problem. She likes to sleep on my side. I believe that animals in shelters and rescues are the most loving ones you can find. I am glad that Buddy chose your family to make his forever family!
This is the first article I read from your website after subscribing to the newsletter.
It is a very inspirational story and it is true that “Unconditional love heals”
I hope to read more stuff from you!
Great idea Chris- well I have a whole house full – at one time we had 5 dogs now just 2 but we have become the home of old wayword male cats ( they get neutered) if they stay. My policy. You can stay if u get along. These r guys that have seen tough times and just want some love. Since we live in a relatively rural area there are lots of “drop offs” that find there way to us to live out their final days with a good meal and warm bed. We even took in a donkey- a wayward farm bird – and a quail (of all things). I do not have children so I pour my love to those in need.
Our furry friends return our love tenfold.