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In the News: Tails of Marin
It's Been Raining Cats And Dogs
No one is more excited to see the sun come out than those of us at the Marin Humane Society. Actually, every animal shelter has been complaining about the rain — not because it’s depressing and not because of the mud it generates — but because when it rains, fewer people come in to adopt animals. Dogs especially sit here much longer than they usually would waiting for new homes, and that’s hard on them.
Take Lucy, for example. Lucy is a truly exceptional dog — and she has been here for six months. We can’t figure out why. Not only is this one-year-old mixed breed super sweet and affectionate, but she’s pretty — and smart, too. As a matter of fact, Lucy is our very first dog to earn her Canine Good Citizen certificate while she’s been available for adoption! That’s a big deal. It means that she has acquired advanced obedience skills while she’s been here. Lucy’s lucky adopters will be getting a dog who already knows not just the basics of sit, down, stay and wait — but also walking without pulling on leash, sitting politely while a stranger approaches and pets her, doing a stay with distractions, and more. She even knows a few tricks.
Why is Lucy so well trained? First, because she really is smart and, second, because she did some time in the Humane Society’s Pen Pals at San Quentin program to take a break from shelter life. The specially trained inmates at San Quentin loved her so much that they asked if she could stay on as their mascot! Here’s what her handler had to say about her:
“Lucy is truly one of the best dogs I’ve ever fostered. This little girl has so much to offer someone. She is intelligent and full of energy. She is loving and eager to please. Lucy is just a genuinely happy dog. So to whomever adopts her, consider yourself lucky, because she is a gem.”
Of course, we couldn’t leave her at the prison because she deserves a real home. Come meet Lucy — you will love her, too.
Big benefits to adopting a bonded pair
The rainy season also ushered in several bonded pairs — and one special trio — of cats, all looking for new homes together. Maybe you live quietly and have no animal companions, but were thinking about adopting a kitten. Since no one is home all day, you might be thinking it seems better to adopt two kittens so that they can keep each other company. But two rambunctious kittens might be two too many! In fact, while you may love cats, there is no guarantee that any two cats will like each other, and multiple cats — or kittens — can mean multiple problems.
Until now — Punky, Piper and Leo are a trio of lovely and loving cats who have lived together all their lives. At seven years old, they are set in their ways, and their ways don’t include clawing the furniture or eating houseplants.
Punky is orange like a pumpkin, Piper (the female) is a beautiful tortoiseshell and Leo is a hefty tabby and white. No two are alike except for their calm demeanors, loving personalities and middle-aged spreads. They were displaced by a baby, but hold no grudges against reasonable children who visit occasionally.
As members of our Senior Pets Program, all three cats have been given the “works” by our clinic staff and declared healthy as can be. Now they are waiting — have been waiting — for almost three months to bring some fun into your life.
We would love to adopt all three to a home together, but realize that may not be possible. Piper and Punky are especially bonded, however, and must stay together. Additional bonded pairs include Timmy and Chewbacca, two-year-old males; Macy and Chase, eight-year-old females; and Diego and Frida, five-year-old male and female.
To learn more about these animals, please visit www.marinhumanesociety.org or call 506-6225. Better yet, visit them in person at your Humane Society, located at 171 Bel Marin Keys Boulevard in Novato.
Tails of Marin appears every Saturday in the Home & Garden section of the Marin Independent Journal
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