Happy Tails

Judi Roth and her husband Gary lost their Baby Girl Jezebelle in October. They both missed the “cutest pug ever” and noticed the void it left in their family. Judi had been planting the seed (firmly) her husband Gary’s mind about adopting another dog for several months and they finally agreed on springtime – good dog walking weather in NYC!

As soon as April came, Judi made finding a dog her number one priority. Judi remembers, “I knew I wanted to adopt a dog from Bideawee. I’d been volunteering at Bideawee for two years, and I’ve gotten to know the staff and other volunteers. I saw firsthand how caring and loving they were to all of the animals and I knew I would find the right dog at Bideawee”. Judi told the staff what type of dog she was looking for – one that was small enough for her and Gary to bring on a plane was a priority – and she checked the website daily. Judi found one dog that she became attached to – Smokey Bear - but her husband didn’t feel the same. As Judi’s desire to find a dog increased, she and Gary checked out some other shelters, but they did not get the same feeling about the care, knowledge and health of the dogs as they did with Bideawee. They decided that they would go back to their original decision to only adopt through Bideawee, and shortly after, “Arnold”- now “Yogi” came to Wantagh.

One of the staff had been out there for a day, and alerted Judi that Yogi was getting ready to come to Manhattan. Yogi seemed perfect – a Chihuahua/Pug Mix –A Chug – but of course the chemistry had to be there for both her and my husband. Judi’s friend Doreen was visiting from Seattle and she was also with her when Judi met her first dog, Jezebelle. Judi was hoping that Doreen would be her good luck charm! Judi, Gary, and Doreen met at the Adoption Center at Bideawee in Manhattan and they all instantly fell in love with Yogi. Judi got the thumbs up on the adoption from both Gary and Doreen!

After brining Yogi home, he took no time in making himself feel right at home. Judi and Gary couldn’t wait to introduce him to Gloria – their friend Gail’s 11 year old Chihuahua that she adopted from Bideawee almost a year ago! They have had two play dates so far, and everyone is confident that they will become good friends!

Judi tells us that “Yogi has brought so much happiness into our lives in the 3 weeks since he has joined our family. It’s incredible how much joy such a little fur ball can bring! We are so grateful to Bideawee for bringing him to us.”

Back in July, we put down our wonderful cat of 16 years, Pixel. We were finally feeling ready for a new kitten by September, so we searched Craigslist and found a kitten. She was unfortunately diagnosed with distemper shortly after her arrival at our home, so we had to give her up to her owner for treatment. This was devastating coming right after losing Pixel. We had to completely sanitize our apartment to purge all bio risks to enable us to bring in a new kitten, which we were still determined to do. We knew it would take at least a month to be free from contamination.

After that Craigslist experience and still searching, we discovered that Bideawee was in Manhattan not far from our apartment. We visited on a Saturday and met an oriental short hair named Gabrial who we wanted right away. Due to our risky apartment contamination situation we could not take him. But we really liked the Bideawee organization, and thought, maybe they'll hold him for us until our apartment is ready.

So we went back the very next day, Sunday, to ask if they would hold Gabrial, but he had been adopted just hours after we met him. Fortunately, we were told that he had a sister, Olympia, and that she was recuperating from a fever and foot injury in a downstairs room. As soon as we met her---it was love at first sight. Lisa, the Bideawee adoption manager, told us we could have her after our apartment treatment was complete, so about a month went by with us visiting Olympia and getting to know her even though she was still in her isolation cage.

The happy homecoming day came in late October. Three days later, Hurricane Sandy hit. We weathered the storm together as a family. Olympia loved our apartment and played through the storm by candle light.

After a few health issues, Olympia received a clean bill of health right before New Year’s Eve. We adore her and couldn’t have asked for a better way to start out the new year. We also love Bideawee and everyone there who helped us through our adoption process…. many many thanks to the staff at Bideawee!

As a former Bideawee volunteer, I should have known better, but I began my search for a pet by choosing a cat from the Bideawee website and convincing myself that "this was the exact cat I wanted." As I completed the on-line application, I responded to some really insightful questions about the personality of the cat I was seeking but these questions didn't really register until I arrived at the adoption center to complete the process. Once in the cat play area, I started chatting with staff & volunteers about the tabby cat in the website picture that I believed I wanted. In the meantime, Wallaby (aka Whopper) a gorgeous, pure black cat was rubbing up against my legs, doing the "roll-over rub my tummy" maneuver and mewing at me....I looked down at him, he looked up at me and it was clear that Wallaby was going home with me that day. I had been adopted and that was that!

Staff informed me that he was a sweet, loving cat and there was "no problem" changing my selection. They advised that "black cats are harder to find homes for” and I suddenly understood the pitfalls of choosing a pet based on appearance. Instead of picking a cat for its coloring or breed or because it looked like every other cat I'd lived with, I had broken through the barrier of selecting a pet for the way it looks and was able to see the true nature of my soon-to-be companion. Wallaby is currently stretched across my desk enjoying a nap. A lot of my papers are on the floor but who cares? I put a soft rug on the desk for him. He loves to snuggle and receive tummy rubs and I would have missed all this by picking a picture instead of a cat.

The sign outside The New York Dog Shop simply said: September 9, Bideawee Adoption Event, 11am. I had recently lost my 15-year-old white toy poodle, Monty, and was in no frame of mind to adopt another dog, but I went anyway.

I walked inside and saw a little white dog and a border collie. The small dog, Cami, gave me a glance and then continued to socialize. I began to ask questions about her. What kind of dog is she? A maltipoo. How old is she? One year, 7 months. Boy or girl? Girl. I took a moment to pet her, then picked her up. I sat down with her on my lap for a while.

Then she looked up at me with her big brown eyes and kissed me and my heart sunk. I didn’t know how I could adopt another pet when I wasn’t done grieving the pet I had lost. And that’s when it occurred to me, even though my heart was still broken from my recent loss, Cami’s little heart was broken because she didn’t have a mommy or daddy. This sweet girl from Tennessee needed a “forever” home and I knew I couldn’t walk away from her.

I didn’t put her down for the rest of the event and that afternoon I went to the Bideawee Adoption Center on the east side and adopted her. Everyone there did their best to make sure that Cami and I were the right fit for each other, and when I received the green light I was thrilled.

It’s been over a month now since Daisy (her new name) has been with me. She spends the daytime with my mother (her grandma, who she adores!) and my mother’s two poodles, Fabio and Chester, who have welcomed her into their pack with open paws. When I come home from work, Daisy greets me at the door, jumping and licking and grabbing toys and just overwhelmed with excitement. Everyone she meets falls in love with her. she is big-hearted, smart, funny, she loves to shop, and she’s curious about everything—from computers to pigeons to giant garbage trucks! And while her sweet little disposition can melt your heart, she also has what I call her “tough shelter girl” side. She’s no pushover, and I love that about her too!

So thank you Bideawee, for bringing Daisy and I together. We are well on our way to mending each other’s hearts. And every day when I wake up and see her all curled up in my bed, I can’t believe how lucky I am that we found each other!

In January, a small cat was brought into the Animal Hospital at Bideawee in Manhattan after having been found on the side of the road scared and alone.  The veterinarians knew that the cat had endured a traumatic few days as she was dehydrated, starving, and extremely weak. As the cat healed and became accustomed to her surroundings she began to demonstrate the layers of her personality and quickly became a staff favorite.  The staff thought that the name Joy was perfectly suited to this little loving bundle of fur. It represented what this cat was going to bring into the lucky family that adopted her and gave her a forever home. 

Today Joy is living happily with her adopter, Jodi, who has renamed her (Nu)Kitty Carlisle. According to Jodi, (Nu)Kitty Carlisle has taken over the house, including one of the best lounging spots. She gets along well with the other cats in the house, and Jodi reports that she’s still one tough cookie. Bideawee is fortunate to have amazing people like Jodi and the talented group of veterinarians, vet techs and assistants as a part of our community. They are the embodiment of the love and care that the entire Bideawee staff gives to each and every animal that comes through the doors. Bideawee looks forward to hearing more about (NU)Kitty Carlisle, and the joy that she is bringing to her new family, for many years to come.

Sully is a dog whose cheerful nature stayed with him even in the worst moments of his life. A victim of a speeding car, Sully suffered severe chest trauma, a punctured and collapsed lung and a tracheal tear. The vet who treated Sully was sure the young Australian shepherd mix was going to live if he got intensive care for his traumatic injuries. Understandably the vet was heartbroken when Sully's owner said "We just can't afford it. Please put him down." 

Sully's vet couldn't end this lovely dog's life when a complete recovery and long life was possible with the proper care. So she called Bideawee instead and begged us to save Sully with the care and rehabilitation from the caring team at the Animal Hospital at Bideawee in Manhattan. Throughout the ordeal, our veterinary team took note of Sully’s happy disposition even as he struggled for his life.

After complex surgery and rehabilitation, Sully is doing great and enjoys spending his time outside. His mornings are spent chasing after a tennis ball in the park behind his house and the afternoons find Sully keeping a sharp eye on the chickens in the backyard. He’s even been on an ice-fishing trip and enjoys meeting new people wherever he goes. Sully’s sunny disposition is ever-present and is a sure sign that this dog has a long, happy life ahead of him.

In early January, future Bideawee adopter Ritishka Vij had been searching far and wide for a “forever pup” to bring home. Her search brought her to the Adoption Center at Bideawee in Manhattan where she found and immediately fell in love with Mable, who had been rescued from a shelter in Tennessee. The connection was instantaneous, and Ritishka knew that she had to make the 10-week-old, 6 pound Jack Russell mix a permanent part of her life. “The Matchmakers were very helpful,” she recounted. “They stayed well beyond closing to help me complete the paperwork.”