Dream Big Because Good Things DO Happen!

Well I shed a few more tears for little Toby yesterday.  But these were tears of joy!

BECAUSE HE GOT ADOPTED!!!

Toby was featured on our local NBC affiliate 9News 4 O'Clock broadcast on Tuesday, July 7 and a couple adopted him the following morning!!  The same 4 O'Clock broadcast showed a photograph yesterday of the happy couple with Toby ~ who looked happy but a bit overwhelmed by all that had happened to him in less than 24 hours!  

This being the first real connection I felt to an adoption as a shelter volunteer I was kind of in shock for a minute. Good things really do happen! Sweet deserving animals do find homes. I was reminded of something Yukari told me: "Positive things always happen in a very quiet manner. But they are happening!"

I was so overjoyed I emailed the news anchor to say thank you for their ongoing feature Petline9. The power of media is just what these little guys need. (By the way, he replied to me within 15 minutes - to say thank you for being a volunteer at the shelter and that all the folks at the station love Petline9 and are happy to share the stories.)

Ever since I saw the ranch below I've had a dream of buying a beautiful farm as a rescue sanctuary for abandoned, abused and homeless animals. (I've read Jon Stewart is doing that in New Jersey. Yay, Jon and his family!) 

Of course the one I want happens to be in Carmel-by-the-Sea (the Pacific Ocean is just on the other side of that mountain). And it isn't for sale. But it surely planted a seed!

When I dream I dream big, folks. You'll have to come visit me in La La Land someday ~ it's a lovely place. 

So now in addition to that dream I thought ~ wouldn't it be lovely to have a local television program ~ even just a 15 minute long program to feature local cats and dogs (and ferrets and birds and bunnies - you name it) who are looking for homes?  A 15 minute long daily time devoted to showcase the little ones who never have a chance ~ who will never been seen.

La La Land ~ it's really a wonderful place.

Till then I guess I can do the next best thing and feature photographs of the cats and dogs I visit at the shelter on my Facebook pages, Instagram and in this blog. Maybe I it's time to reactivate that Twitter account... Now what was that password?

Toby Needs a Home

Although my main focus volunteering at the Aurora Animal Shelter is "cat enrichment" (which means playing with cats) we do take a stroll thru the dog kennels once in awhile. There are so many adorable dogs with those classic puppy dog eyes just wanting to come home with me. Ack - it's hard sometimes...

I'm more of a small dog person so I'm naturally drawn the the little guys. One particular little boy caught my eye a couple of weeks ago because he reminds me of my Kizzie girl. 

(This is Kizzie; not Toby)

Toby is 3 years old, neutered, micro-chipped and has all his vaccinations. He is sweet as can be - super mellow and I would say the perfect lap dog. I was super excited yesterday when while making dinner I just happened to hear from the television in next room "Coming up on Petline 9 we have Toby from the Aurora Animal Shelter!"

Whoa! I texted my partner in crime -- well my partner in volunteering -- Yukari  -- immediately to tell her. Luckily she was home and we both got to share in Toby's big television debut! (You can view the full video here - just look for Toby the 3 year old Cairn Terrier Mix Looking for a Home.)

He did such a good job!

He sold the cute really well!!

My dog, Koko, loves to watch TV.

Football...

And sometimes a movie break on my lap in my studio...

But Koko goes bananas - absolutely bananas - when he sees any kind of animal on TV ~ but especially when he sees a dog on TV. 

You will never guess, though, what happened when Toby came on television yesterday. Koko watched very intently but did not react - did not bark, did not go bananas. He just watched.

Of course me being me took this as a sign from The Universe that we should probably adopt Toby and add him to our little pack. (Totally forgetting my previous post.) 

But I talked myself down from La La Land and remembered I can't adopt every dog and cat I fall in love with. What I can do is do my best to promote these little guys - every single one of them - and help find the loving homes they so deserve.

So somebody please go get Toby! He's a love and deserves to be loved. His adoption - and adoptions for all cats and dogs 1 year old and older - are FREE this week. After that they are available for a nominal fee.  The Aurora Animal Shelter is located at 15750 East 32nd Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80011; phone 303-326-8280 and the hours are Monday - Friday 9:30am - 6:00pm; Saturday 8:00am - 4pm -- closed Sundays.

I'll stop crying now.