Cupy
The story of how I came to adopt my cat, Cupid, a.k.a Cupy, is almost one of fate. I’ve always been a huge animal lover and have volunteered at BENCHS for more than three years.
In December of 2012, I found a stray tomcat when he wandered into my garage stall. The apartment complex I was living in at the time had a strict no pet policy, but the manager let me keep him overnight. I fell in love with him right away. Tearfully, I brought him to impound the next day. I checked www.petfinder.com daily over the next week to see if “Big Orange,”as I had been calling him, turned up. When he didn’t, I assumed he had been claimed, figuring that such a loving cat who seemed well taken care of would have a home with a family who was missing him.
When I showed up to volunteer at the shelter three weeks later, whose face was the first I would see staring out at me from the cat condos, but Big Orange! His new name was Cupid, given to him by the shelter staff because he was so sweet. I went home that night and tried to put him out of my mind but couldn’t. The next day, my mom and I called every apartment in town which allowed pets. We managed to find a pet friendly complex with one last apartment available. I looked at it the next day and put down a deposit.
Unfortunately, I had three months left on my lease at my current apartment. I called my aunt, a fellow cat lover, and begged and pleaded her to take him until I could move. She agreed and even enjoyed having a cat around so much that after I brought Cupy home with me, she adopted her very own cat from BENCHS!
Having Cupy in my life has been such a blessing, and I am grateful every day that things worked out how they did. He is the sweetest cat I have ever known and is perfect company. My parents love him so much that they frequently come over for a “Cupy fix” and will occasionally spend time with him while I’m at work. I’ve been told by several family friends who live in my old neighborhood that they remember Cupy. One family said that he used to stretch out on their deck during the summer. I would love to know his back story, but whatever it is, I’m glad he ended up at home, with me.
The story of how I came to adopt my cat, Cupid, a.k.a Cupy, is almost one of fate. I’ve always been a huge animal lover and have volunteered at BENCHS for more than three years.
In December of 2012, I found a stray tomcat when he wandered into my garage stall. The apartment complex I was living in at the time had a strict no pet policy, but the manager let me keep him overnight. I fell in love with him right away. Tearfully, I brought him to impound the next day. I checked www.petfinder.com daily over the next week to see if “Big Orange,”as I had been calling him, turned up. When he didn’t, I assumed he had been claimed, figuring that such a loving cat who seemed well taken care of would have a home with a family who was missing him.
When I showed up to volunteer at the shelter three weeks later, whose face was the first I would see staring out at me from the cat condos, but Big Orange! His new name was Cupid, given to him by the shelter staff because he was so sweet. I went home that night and tried to put him out of my mind but couldn’t. The next day, my mom and I called every apartment in town which allowed pets. We managed to find a pet friendly complex with one last apartment available. I looked at it the next day and put down a deposit.
Unfortunately, I had three months left on my lease at my current apartment. I called my aunt, a fellow cat lover, and begged and pleaded her to take him until I could move. She agreed and even enjoyed having a cat around so much that after I brought Cupy home with me, she adopted her very own cat from BENCHS!
Having Cupy in my life has been such a blessing, and I am grateful every day that things worked out how they did. He is the sweetest cat I have ever known and is perfect company. My parents love him so much that they frequently come over for a “Cupy fix” and will occasionally spend time with him while I’m at work. I’ve been told by several family friends who live in my old neighborhood that they remember Cupy. One family said that he used to stretch out on their deck during the summer. I would love to know his back story, but whatever it is, I’m glad he ended up at home, with me.
Hersey
By Laurel Viera
Feb. 27, 2014
I cried at work today. These were not tears of sadness but tears of heartfelt joy for a dog who finally walked out the doors of the shelter for the first time in seven months to not go on a walk. He went to the car with his new parents to go home. As I sit here writing this, I am imagining him jumping on the bed for his first night home. (Yes, they said he could sleep with them).
Hershey, a chocolate lab mix who came to the shelter in July 201, is a very loyal dog who just wants to be with people. When he would go out in dog play groups, he spent most of his time by the people who were out with him.
Being in a kennel is tough on all dogs but really tough for high-energy, people focused dogs. Months went by, dogs came and went, but Hershey stayed. Weeks would go by and no one would even ask to see him. Hershey would sit with his nose resting on the front door of his kennel, watching people. None of could figure out why people just didn't seem to notice him. It was heartbreaking to all of us.
As time went on, Hershey started to become, what I call "kennel crazy." His behavior went backward. He barked, he jumped all over, and started to do what we call "mouthing" (putting his mouth on you but not biting). He destroyed toys, blankets and leashes. He even got his own container of damaged blankets, so that he wouldn't destroy every blanket we had. He had dog walkers who came faithfully and gave him long walks and we did what we could to alleviate his stress.
Then came the day someone promised to adopt him. We were all excited because it sounded like the perfect fit: someone who was very active. Hershey would be able even go to work with him. It never happened.
And then, a short time ago, a couple who had walked Hershey came in and realized he was still there. They wanted to take him home. When I brought him to see them, he was his usual crazy self but in a short time, he calmed down. He wanted his belly rubbed, he gave kisses. It was amazing how well-behaved he was, but he wouldn't be going with them for another three weeks. So I thought.
Then, Hershey's new mom and dad showed up to take him home two weeks early.
I cried at work today because Hershey went home. Feb. 27 will always be a special day to me. It is a day which once changed my personal life and now I share that experience with Hershey. It was a good day.
By Laurel Viera
Feb. 27, 2014
I cried at work today. These were not tears of sadness but tears of heartfelt joy for a dog who finally walked out the doors of the shelter for the first time in seven months to not go on a walk. He went to the car with his new parents to go home. As I sit here writing this, I am imagining him jumping on the bed for his first night home. (Yes, they said he could sleep with them).
Hershey, a chocolate lab mix who came to the shelter in July 201, is a very loyal dog who just wants to be with people. When he would go out in dog play groups, he spent most of his time by the people who were out with him.
Being in a kennel is tough on all dogs but really tough for high-energy, people focused dogs. Months went by, dogs came and went, but Hershey stayed. Weeks would go by and no one would even ask to see him. Hershey would sit with his nose resting on the front door of his kennel, watching people. None of could figure out why people just didn't seem to notice him. It was heartbreaking to all of us.
As time went on, Hershey started to become, what I call "kennel crazy." His behavior went backward. He barked, he jumped all over, and started to do what we call "mouthing" (putting his mouth on you but not biting). He destroyed toys, blankets and leashes. He even got his own container of damaged blankets, so that he wouldn't destroy every blanket we had. He had dog walkers who came faithfully and gave him long walks and we did what we could to alleviate his stress.
Then came the day someone promised to adopt him. We were all excited because it sounded like the perfect fit: someone who was very active. Hershey would be able even go to work with him. It never happened.
And then, a short time ago, a couple who had walked Hershey came in and realized he was still there. They wanted to take him home. When I brought him to see them, he was his usual crazy self but in a short time, he calmed down. He wanted his belly rubbed, he gave kisses. It was amazing how well-behaved he was, but he wouldn't be going with them for another three weeks. So I thought.
Then, Hershey's new mom and dad showed up to take him home two weeks early.
I cried at work today because Hershey went home. Feb. 27 will always be a special day to me. It is a day which once changed my personal life and now I share that experience with Hershey. It was a good day.