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,
This story made my day! It breaks my heart to see so many beautiful, healthy animals turned into pounds or abandoned because their owners ‘changed their mind’ or didn’t fully commit to the responsibility of pet ownership.
My two adopted cats are the loves of my life – both came from a Pet Rescue organisation here in Australia, and I swear they have given me just as much, if not more than I have given them in the three years since they came into my life. Animals change us for the better – the moment I adopted my first little fur baby something inside me just clicked… I can’t really explain it but I just looked at her sitting on my lap in the car as we drove her home, and it was like she just stole my heart and I couldn’t have been happier to give it to her. I’ve never been the same since, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Pet Adoption is so life-changing, not only for the thousands of animals awaiting their ‘forever home’, but also for those of us who decide to adopt rather than than pet ‘shop’.
I love that you get behind this cause Kris! The world needs more people like you, and I think Buddy is one lucky pup to have wandered into your hearts and lives 🙂
I love this Kris! I’ve been following your adventure with Buddy on Instagram. He is amazing. And, I love this blog post so much. I had a very similar experience last year when I adopted my second dog. I like to volunteer and was looking for a new organization to support – that’s when I discovered Beagle Freedom Project – http://beaglefreedomproject.org. They specifically rescue animals used in laboratory research. They give them a second chance. And they were seeking volunteers to help with an arrival of beagles from a northern California laboratory. What they needed most were fosters. It was right before Christmas and the release of the pups came up rather suddenly, so they didn’t have fosters in place – like they usually do. In my mind I thought, “Surely I can foster a dog and not get attached. I definitely don’t have the time to devote to another dog now. It’s almost Christmas and I’ll be leaving town.” The spiral of thoughts trying to wrap my brain around fostering, not getting attached and definitely NOT adopting – were definitely in my mind constantly. But, I said yes. I was there for the arrival of all 11 dogs ranging from 1.5 – 2.5 years-old. I got to see their first step out of a cage and onto grass. Their first affectionate touch from a human. Their first time playing together and their first time eating treats. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. One little guy caught my eye – He was named Matzah. It was a holiday rescue, so all the dogs were given holiday names – St. Nick, Rudolph, Comet, etc. This little guy managed to wiggle his way right into my heart. After two days I knew he wouldn’t be going anywhere. Thankfully, my other pup, Lucky, was willing to accept his presence. And they danced the dance of ‘i guess you have to be here’ to ‘i’m the alpha’ to ‘it’s pretty cool having you around’. I’m coming up on Matzah’s year anniversary – December 11th. It’s hard to believe it hasn’t even been a year yet. This little man feels like he’s been a part of our family forever. I’m so very grateful for him each and every day. He is a living, breathing example of FREEDOM, compassion and love in my life. Thank you for this opportunity to share my story. I’ll share a pic via social media too!
Love to your entire family this holiday season!
I am a huge advocate of “Adopt don’t shop!” I have 3 cats – 2 were from shelters and the other was captured after living outside for the first year of her life. A friend of a friend had been feeding her and her litter mates and was finally able to capture her in February of 2004. One look at her beautiful face and I knew she was mine! My 3 “girls” are aging, 13, 12, and 10. Any future additions to the family will definitely be from a shelter! Thanks so much for sharing Buddy’s story and for opening your hears and home to this sweet boy! 🙂
Last year we found a cat by our house and our granddaughter burst out and said “His name is Carlos Easterly (our last name) we must take him home”. We did and have loved him so much. It’s so sad because a lot of animals are dropped off by our house because we live on the outskirts of town. We have a couple that live by us that find homes for them.
Kris thank you so much for taking the time to post this story that reaches into so many people’s lives and hearts, including my own!
Since I was old enough to walk I have been bringing home stray animals (It took a lot of convincing from my mother that frogs and snakes were not ‘strays’!) and I continue to do so to this day. Back in my 20’s I had a sweet dog which I named “Foster” (my foster child) that I’d rescued on his last day before euthanasia at the ‘shelter’. In the first week I had him he created total havoc and destroyed many things both in my house and in my car. See Foster had separation anxiety big time! This sweet guy could not be left alone for 15 minutes or he took to chewing at anything and everything. Sadly he was also deathly afraid of fire and would run and hide whenever you lit a match. He had a lot of emotional issues as he had been severely abused and had scars from what looked to be a cigarette burns on his stomach – and he was deathly afraid of men! Foster and I worked very hard on rehabilitation and overcoming fears. It took a lot of work and a long time for him to learn to trust and to feel comfortable in his own skin, but eventually he truly did. Although he could never get over his dislike of men. My intention had always been to find him a good home, one where he was not only wanted and cared for, but where he was truly loved and understood. I searched for seven years! Very few people wanted him and the ones that did, did not meet my criteria for the right home. Then one day a very quiet and sweet man walked into my garage sale. He approached Foster and gently scratched him under the chin. This was the very first time that Foster had not barked and/or hidden from a man he did not know! I was shocked and pleased. The two of them fell in love right before my eyes! This gentle soul lived out in the woods on his family’s old farm. He lived off his land all alone and so craved a loving companion. They were a perfect fit! Foster soon went to live with him and they lived happily ever after.
I had never planned on keeping Foster and although it was not easy (or cheap) I stuck it out with him until the right person came for him at the right time. I am so glad I did!
I think that buddy was led to the perfect place…a sanctuary of love and kindness. We adopted our furbaby on friday afternoon. Even with other dogs and kids there is always enoigh love to go around. Love never divides, it multiplies! #Gobuddygo
This is an amazing story, Kris! Recently our family cat passed away. We got him the same year that my father passed 16 years ago. The cat’s death was extremely difficult for my sister. I think this kind of unconditional love is exactly what could help her. I’m sending this post to her immediately!
I discovered Beagle Freedom Project two years ago, and just then they rescued 41 beagles from an experimentation lab in Spain. My mom, sister, and I went to help volunteer…and came home with Walden, who made it very clear that we were to be his family.
When we first brought him home, he was afraid of everything: noises, doorways, wind…he and his 40 brothers hadn’t even seen grass before their rescue. His teeth were rotting, he had scars from IVs and injections, and his muscles were atrophied from being in a cage for 5 or 6 years. Two years later, he is now the sweetest boy who loves the dog park, following his nose wherever we will let him, back scratches, fetch (or, his own version where he squirrels away anything he can into his den), and cuddle time.
Not only do I encourage people to rescue their pets, but to reject any brand that tests on animals. Look for the leaping bunny and you will literally save puppies!!
Hi Kris:
Thank you for your positive attitude and your wonderful spirit! You are terrific and incredibly inspiring.
I am the Executive Director & Co-Founder of Advocates 4 Animals, Inc.- a 501c3 non-profit animal rescue/rehab/adoption organization. My best friend and I founded the organization back in 2002 and since that time A4A has rescued/rehabilitated/adopted more than 10,000 pets in need. (www.advocates4animals.com)
I have so many *favorite* stories– but will choose just one to share here. 🙂
While working on a rescue near a busy apt. complex (and an Interstate)- we saved/vetted/adopted more than 40 stray cats in need. All of the cats were being shot at with BB’s and treated very poorly by area residents. A senior lady contacted us asking for urgent help for the cats. We saved every one of them– one of them being a cat named Garth. Garth was terribly scared when he came to us. We gave him a private room in his volunteer foster home as we worked on rehabilitating him socially/emotionally. In addition, he had a broken leg prior to rescue that had healed on it’s own and as a result, it dragged behind him. Garth would hiss and attack every time I entered his room to work with him. But with a lot of time and patience, Garth eventually started to sit on my lap, purr…and after several months he was running around the house with my dogs and my other cat – his tail held high, as happy as can be! He had multiple BB’s removed from his body and he made a full recovery in every way- physically/socially/emotionally. It was truly amazing! Shortly thereafter, we found a loving, forever adopter for Garth and every year we receive a wonderful holiday card/update from his adopter– and we couldn’t be happier. Garth’s story was published this month in Cat Fancy Magazine (here: http://www.catfancy-digitalmagazine.com/catfancy/201311d/?pg=41&pm=2&u1=friend#pg41) 🙂
Thank you for your kind heart Kris!
-Stacey
For the love of hounds…We adopted Cooper, a tripawd (read three-legged) Redbone Coonhound, two months ago all the way from Girard, Georgia to Montreal Canada. We saw his story on a newsletter (GirlyGirlArmy) and… it just seemed meant to be! We had been thinking about adopting a friend for Colby, our 8 year-old rescue Golden Retriever, and already have a tripawd cat, Cinta, and something about his face and story just stirred our hearstrings! Despite a sad-beyond-words story (he was brought in by Girard Animal Control this summer with a wounded leg – his front left leg required amputation after he was shot, presumably intentionnally by his owner, and we have since found out that he has a shotgun pellet lodged in his rear right hip as well) he is the happiest, most loving dog in the world. If any living being has ever better embodied peacefully living in the present it is Cooper. I call him my Zen-Buddha-Dog. He has brought more joy and love to our hearts that we thought possible, it makes you wonder who rescued who in this story. With only 4 months of tripawd practice under his gorgeous red coat he has no clue he is missing anything, races around and plays with Colby and Cinta and just oozes happiness and ‘joie de vivre’ (he is now bilingual to top it off :)!).
You can see Cooper’s (previously called Rusty) pictures and story at the link below. Huge hugs of gratitude to the amazing people who rescued him (Samantha from Girard Lifesaver Rescue in Georgia), nursed him back to health and showered him with love and caring (his foster Mom and family) and shared his story (Liz Marshall) that got it picked up by GirlyGirlArmy. He has forever changed our lives and is an inspiration to so many people who meet him.
http://www.lizardmarsh.net/2013/07/waynesboro-near-augusta-ga-burke-co.html
Alana
I am really looking forward to the day I meet my dog companion friend and we just love each other. At the moment I’m between jobs, and I’m planning to travel in the next couple of years. But one of the things that I look forward to the most when I set roots, is a darling furry friend. And I am definitely going to adopt. Your story, and everyone else’s is inspiring me even more.
I can’t wait! I AM SO EXCITED.
We adopted Mattie, a 9-year old Yorkshire Terriier from a Yorkie rescue group. She was found abandoned in a home covered with millions of fleas. When we got her she was just growing hair and needed lots of meds for different ailments. We had another Yorkie – Chantilly, and they got along wonderfully. Unfortunately Mattie did not know how to play. After treating her with herbals, especially arnica gel for her knees (which we were told she would need surgery for), and feeding them homemade foods. Mattie no longer needed her meds and best of all, with lots of patience she learned to play. She would grab a sock or some other soft thing and play tug of war, or fetch and even hide and seek. It was a sad day when Mattie passed away at 20 years old, but a comfort to know she went in her sleep, peacefully.
THANK YOU for your voice for fur babies waiting to be adopted!!!
I have 3 adopted dog-ters. My middle child, Chloe, was rescued from an animal hoarder in south Georgia. They (about 80 dogs) were kept in a basement and the man used a chain to “control” them. My precious girl came to me after two rescues could not place her as she was just too shy. She had my heart the moment our eyes met but I was scared she wouldn’t feel the same.
Her first weekend home she slept in the sun all day, resting, healing. She sloooowly began to learn there was plenty of food and water, toys are fun, and belly rubs are magical. Three years have passed and she is perky and happy and HOME!! Her past seems forgotten and she reminds me to stay present!
I love all three but my journey with Chloe opened my heart wide to what love can do, that it can LITERALLY heal. xo – Sara
Believe it or not, we met our rescue pup in the grocery store! My son Chris was working there as a teen, and a low and behold a wild and crazy pup came racing through the aisles, so fast that no one could catch him. Chris is known for his speed and agility on the soccer field, and the pup had met his match. 🙂 Chris caught him, searched the parking lot for abandoned pet-owners, but none were found. It didn’t take many blinks from those rusty brown eyes… the pup made it home with my son at the end of his work shift. Instant love grew for this little guy. My youngest son immediately gave him the name “Rocket” due to his ability to take off … or jump to great heights. Knowing someone could be missing this fuzzy ball of energy, we put an ad in the paper, and signs up at the store, and checked online for announcements of missing pets, but received no responses. Rocket has made the perfect buddy for our other dog, Stryker for the past 6 years. Now, we cannot imagine them apart.
When I owned my own home, I adopted a cat named Pickles. Pickles was a tuxedo cat with emerald eyes– a very handsome fella! He came right up to me when I met him at the Human Society, rubbed on my knee and started purring and I said, “He’s coming home with me!” Pickles was 4 years old when I adopted him and he became a frequent flyer at the vet. Despite his health challenges he purred multiple times every day! His last trip to the vet came about when I felt a lump along his jawline and he was unable to completely close his mouth. X-rays showed that he had an aggressive form of cancer that had started to eat away his jaw bone. I knew this was not a time to be selfish but rather a time to look at his quality of life. I took home an empty carrier that day and only part of my heart, but I’m thankful for all the great memories! I knew I was meant to be his mama because I too have had cancer. I’m thankful to Pickles for so many reasons, but mostly I learned that my attitude is the most important thing!
My cat found me.
She walked into my parent’s garage in May. She was so thin her face was hollowed out, she had sores, was covered in fleas, and her fur was just patches. I shut the garage door and took her to the vet the next morning. She had no collar and no microchip so I decided to keep her. Her ringworm test came back positive, so she had to go back four times for sulfur baths. I had to keep her quarantined for a month in the garage so my other animals wouldn’t be infected, but I made sure to spend ample time visiting her and showing her love. After having to leave college in September 2012 to move back home and focus on recovering from anorexia, somehow watching her heal healed me too.
Soon after, I met someone and fell in love.
As I was becoming excited to head out on my own again, my boyfriend died. He had just graduated and was preparing for vet school. He was the only person I had ever known to have such a passion for animals that I did.
Despite my consumption by grief I decided to return to school. I brought my cat with me. When I go to class, she sees me off at the door. When I come home, she greets me. When I go to sleep, she is snuggled at my side, and when I do my school work, she is purring on my lap. She ignores everyone else and is truly mine. No matter what crazy thing I put her through, such as flying on a plane, or putting a cone on her head because she can’t leave her spay incision alone, she trusts me with the loyalty of a dog.
There are still days I break down.
There’s not a moment I’m not thinking of him.
But because of this cat, I can’t say no one loves me. I can’t say no one would care if I disappeared. She keeps me from my old self destructive habits. I saved her and now she saves me every day.
Dear Buddy
ok little man, here’s the deal. The hard part is over. your in. It’s easy street from here. Think, long walks, broccoli bones (try to be gracious… smile, accept, bury out of sight), and regular meals that appear like magic. yes the law of attraction is really happening….This is not a dream. As a sibling it is now your responsibility to outshine and annoy Lola as needed but don’t get caught. do it while mum and dad are juicing. oh and one more thing. That vegan meat is not what you think it is but you will come to love it! Xxoo ps. If you break something. Just keep looking at Lola. it’s true and tested.
Shared. Sent a copy to my mom who just adopted a hound “Buddy”!! What a great home Buddy found:)
Kris, your newsletter is always such a light landing in my inbox and never fails to inspire, uplift and infuse my day with vibrance. That photo of you lying down with Buddy is just so sweet. Bless your heart, for all you do! I can’t wait to adopt my own sweet dog now that I’m out on my own. Having grown up with dogs I am highly aware of how deeply they heal us and us them. It’s a truly magical bond. Love and light.
When my husband when to work up north in Alberta, Canada, he had rented an old farm house that came with a tuxedo cat. He was so warm and affectionate that we instantly fell in love with him. When he moved back home, we took him to live with my parents on their farm. My husband said “Cats don’t belong in the house. They are meant to be outside on the farm.” After having him for many years, my parents wanted me to find him a new home as he was attracting the wild cats that lived on the farm and they were all marking their territory, the outside of the house. It did not smell very nice. So I talked my in-laws in to taking him and they agreed. They were slowly transitioning to his new surroundings when he ran away. I was devastated. My husband said that if we find him, we can bring him home, but he has to stay in the garage. (We live in a town). Well a month later we found him. I was so excited. He came home to live with us. He only lived in the garage for three days and then he moved in and became the ruler/king of the house. It was so incredible to come home to him every night and spend time with him. We later discovered that he had diabetes and for the last two years of his life my husband would give him two needles of insulin a day. In May of 2006, he become so ill that we had to make the worst decision that we have ever had to make. His last couple of nights I slept with him on the floor because he was to weak to jump on and off the bed. The house was so empty. Later we had decided that we loved having a fur baby around so much that we went to our local human society to look at a couple of cats I saw on their website. Long story short we took three tuxedo cats home a few days later. And now we have six. Aries, Spade, Lexi, Chase, Zoey and Mowgli. Each one, unique and special, with their own stories, and the incredible impact they have had on our lives. But it all started with one little “Precious” cat that helped my husband to really open up his heart and “home” to the joy that they bring. By coming into our lives, he opened up our world to the most beautiful gift that there is, unconditional love. We have a plaque at home that says “Our perfect companions never have fewer that four feet.” and we believe it couldn’t be more true. 🙂
P.S. A story about our children just wouldn’t complete without mentioning Jake. He was one of the original three and in November of 2008 we lost him. He passed away through the night. He was a big cat, so affectionate and loving and he had the softest fur. When I was having a stressful time at work it was Jake who would come to me and comfort me. I still miss him terribly everyday. Losing him led us to finding Zoey and after I named her I found out her name means “life”. He new that she needed us and we needed her and circumstances have led me to believe that he sent us to her. Thank you for reading our story.