Some folks do and some folks don’t.
Some cats and dogs do and some dogs and cats don’t!
Our adoption and meet-and-greet events are kept short for a reason. Some dogs and cats enjoy going on an adventure, visiting a new place, hearing strange noises and sniffing new smells, meeting new people and new cats and dogs.
There will always be companions we rescue who love to ‘strut their stuff’ and others who are very stressed and frightened in new places. Meet some of the cats and dogs Pet Haven currently has who are not fond of adoption events. They are ready and willing to meet you at a park, at a foster home, in a one on one situation where they are not so overwhelmed.
Mikey is one of those guys. He’s very outgoing, enjoys meeting new people in the comfort of his foster home, needs to be an ‘only’ cat because he can be a bully with other cats. Mikey has energy to spare, would love a harness and leash to take excursions around the yard, has a wealth of toys he plays with and enjoys play time with you too. He’s probably best in a home with no or older children as he can be a wild and crazy player when he is wound up. He’s decided that our adoption events are not for him and becomes grumpy when there so you miss out on his great personality!
If you have houseplants you value, Mikey may not be the guy for you! One of his favorite toys is a ‘kick-it’!
Pennington (his foster home calls him “Benny”) is an adorable 9 lb Pomeranian mix who is about 3 years old. He was a stray taken in by a shelter in western MN and transferred to Pet Haven because they thought he needed to be in a foster home. He has settled in and is doing great. Benny is well behaved and gets along well with the 2 adults and 3 small dogs in his foster home. He probably would do fine with cats as well. Benny does have a special need – he has glaucoma and requires eye drops 4 times a day and regular eye pressure checks at the vet. He is very cooperative when it is time for his drops, so it is easy to care for him. Benny’s most endearing trait is that he is a superb cuddler. One minute he is bouncing around and wrestling with one of the other dogs or a toy and the next minute he is melted in your arms – just a squishy, warm, soft little ball of fur.
Benny does great with people and other dogs when he is in his foster home. Unfortunately, adoption events really stress him out. The normally happy, playful little guy gets very agitated with all of those other dogs and strangers and commotion, so he is no longer attending Pet Haven’s dog adoption events.
Rosie is another young girl who does not enjoy our adoption events and she has it timed out to the second!
Getting her into her cat carrier at home is just normally difficult with any cat.
Coming out to her cage at the adoption event elicits a running commentary to her foster and volunteers – “No, you’ve got to be kidding, you know I don’t like this!” But she does come out and we talk about what a fun girl she is at home: she’ll sleep on the bed, loves windows, entertains herself well and plays with toys with you and she’ll come to sit near you and visitors on the couch. She has a sign we hang on her cage. It says, “I’m stressed, PLEASE do not put your fingers up to the cage because I will swipe at them!”
When it is time to go home, Rosie rides in her cage to the car and when it is set in the car she smiles at her foster and says, “See what a good girl I am! No more hard feelings!” When they arrive home and the garage door is shut she walks from her cage right into her carrier and is carried inside, happy to be back in her foster home!
Rosie was adopted from Pet Haven as a kitten and before she was 3 yrs. old she was returned when her owner became so ill she could not care for her.
Rowan is a happy, eager-to-please lady who enjoys people, loves her toys and long walks but needs to be an only dog. She’s learning some new tricks in training and her foster family says she is very smart. She’s house trained and loves neck rubs and cuddling too.
Have you been thinking about fostering? Pet Haven is looking for a ‘no-other-dog’ foster home for Rowan – or her new forever home!
We take dogs and cats without knowing much about their personalities. It is after they are in a foster home that we begin to see their unique personalities and what makes each a wonderful companion.
They come from impound, from small shelters in under-served areas where their chances of adoption are very slim, from the streets in our cities, strays in the countryside and from owners who have had to relinquish their best friend when health or death requires it.
Pet Haven gets to know them and we seek the best home possible for them – that might be you or someone you know! Share this blog and help us find homes for some of our fosters who do not show the best side of their personalities when they are required to attend adoption events!
