

The Yakima Valley Pet Rescue and Adoption Center assisted with over 900 adoptions last year. It is hard to keep track of where they all go! If you have adopted a pet from YVPR, or from one of our partners who assisted us with an adoption, we would love to hear from you! Please send 1-2 short paragraphs and a photo of your pet (and both it’s new name and name when adopted, if you know it). Many times our fosters spend significant time with our pets before they are adopted, and it means so much to know how they are doing!
Thank You!
To submit your YVPR adoption story and photo, please contact us.
About four years ago, Yakima Valley Pet Rescue received Gracie May from the Humane Society and she went into one of our foster homes. Unfortunately, she was attacked by three dogs and injured badly. She was transported to the ER vets where she was treated for several wounds. Once she was released, she was given time to heal and was worked with to help her overcome the trauma from the attack. Gracie May is now in her forever home. She is very active, loving and full of life. You can’t tell she’s been through all that she has, thanks to the dedicated YVPR volunteers that make these wonderful success stories possible and for those special adopters willing to give dogs like Gracie May a second chance and home. Special thanks go to Tambra, Mike & Marian and Gracie May's new mom and dad, Mike & Cathy. |
![]() Gracie May (after) with her people Mike & Cathy |
Dear Momma Bev, Ok that's all for now! Say Hi to everyone! I miss you and hope to see you if we pass through on visits to the east! |
![]() Calvin and his new friends! |
Shelby has brought so much joy and laughter to our lives. She loves to dig and hunt moles. We are sure glad they picked a spot that’s not part of the yard or garden. Shelby has doubled in size! Nutro Max Large Breed Puppy Food is perfect for her. Her coat is now beautiful, smooth, shiny and very soft. She does however bolt her food, can tell she had to fight for any food before, never seen a puppy eat so fast. Made me cry the first time I saw it. The neighbor has 6 kids and they all come and play with her. Shelby will never be hungry, cold or lonely again. THANK YOU~ Shelby update: |
![]() Shelby and her buddy |
Tilly continues to make strides and has truly become a part of our family--everyone ADORES her. Every weekend George and Tilly go out to Michael's Dad's farm property and run around like crazy. They sometimes spend the night with their "Grandpa" and then come home the next day. These sleepovers really seem to be helping her get more social and trusting with others. Our parents now refer to George and Tilly as their grandchildren, and our brothers and sisters call them their niece and nephew. Tilly now officially jumps on the bed all by herself and we LOVE having cuddle time with both of them every night. Tilly and George send their love. We all hope you have a Happy Easter too!Best, Sarah, Michael, George and Tilly Bean. |
![]() Tilly and George |
Hi to the great people at YVPR! Almost two years ago, you helped us adopt our adorable Chihuahua sisters, Thank you again! |
![]() Chloe and Pepper |
I wanted to let you know how Bear and Beethoven are doing. They were adopted last September about a week apart. They are both doing very well. We started taking both puppies to a sheep herding farm close to our home (called Ewe-topia) and they have a 2 acre dog park attached, which both puppies love. We finished our fence and they love going out to play in the yard. I have attached some photos. Both Bear and Beethoven are happy and healthy. I hope all is well for your organization. Thanks again for helping us welcome Bear and Beethoven into our family. Sincerely, |
![]() Bear and Beethoven |
Hi, Bob and Debbie
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Scout and Willow |
Everything is new for Molly but she sure is taking to the ranch and us very quickly. She is eating wonderfully and is already putting on a tiny bit of weight. Though shy at first, Molly took in running after Koko and they ran and played for nearly 1/2 hr. You could sure see the Border Collie in Molly as she nipped at Koko's feet as Koko ran past her and then Koko would nip at Molly's feet as she ran past. Those two are a "hoot". It warms our heart so much to see Molly enjoying her new family and home. She sure is a sweetheart!!! |
![]() Molly |
Lilly changes every day to the best. This morning she let me pet her belly did a little wiggle of pleasure and gave me little love bites on my arm. She is settling in nicely. She is following me everywhere and has learned how to climb the stairs to the loft. Lilly figured out where to sit on the stairs so she can look out the window. She is a sweet little thing who now accepts hugs and pets. Loves her walks in the forest and smells everything. Her little nose and ears are always active. She is now allowing Mike to pet her. She is showing her little sense of humor. Her personality is changing with every new day. She is my little Chow girl companion. Love to all. Nancy and Mike |
![]() Lilly |
Happy New Year, Truman is still doing well. I play ball with him every day and we go to the dog park. He is living the dream. I bought him lots of toys and he hasn't torn any of them.. We exercise him alot. He has lots of toys for Xmas and is doing better on the leash. He loves to run at Marymoor Park in Redmond,WA and also loves too swim. Truman Loves his new Home! Kristen and Eric |
![]() Truman |
Happy New Year! I just wanted to thank you again for fostering our little girl Dolly. She is turning in to an amazing young adult dog. She stays close to me when we take walks in the woods. She comes when called and obeys commands. And she gets along great with her doggy sister. She is gentle with the kid goats. I can take her into the barn with them and don't have to worry about her chasing or nipping them. She continues to be nice to our cats and has made friends with one in particular. She loves the rain and playing in her kiddy pool, but likes coming in and being toasty near the fireplace too. She is a wonderful companion. We'll continue to keep you updated. Thanks again. |
![]() Dolly |
Update on George. He has grown from being smaller than Cali to being bigger in just 2 months! He is a very fast learner, very loving and a comical guy! He is a great addition to our family! We have found out that he loves the laser pointer and loves to play tug-a-war with Cali (when she allows it!). Each morning he greets everyone with the same bursts of happiness and he always gets excited when the kids come home from school! He is such a goofy boy and always keeps us laughing! We want to thank you for helping us find a perfect new addition! Hope you had a Merry Christmas and have a wonderful New Year!! Cyndi Chung (Chung Family) |
![]() George |
I’m still grinnin’ ear to ear! Just gave Tucker a bath and he just got done playing “find the treat” around the house. He’s taken to my place very fast. If I’m sitting watching TV or on the computer, he’ll just go to his bed and nap. I think he has a sense that “all is good”. One of the neighbor dogs, Cooper came into the yard when I was out there talking to my mom and he started barking, saying, “Hey!!! Who are you!!!??? This is my pad!!!” Then Cooper finally came up and they both were licking each other’s faces. He’s great with all the dogs he’s met so far and everyone here just loves him… It’s like I’m a proud father! J He’s pretty much glued to me. Where I go, he goes… I really appreciate you for allowing him to adopt me. This is going to be a great Christmas!!! Thanks and Happy Holidays!!! Gerwin, Tucker’s new roommate… |
![]() Tucker |
We are so pleased with Luna. She has been a delight from our first contact at PAWS in Fife. She had her first vet visit today and is just fine, except for a little conjunctivitis in one eye. She's gotten her boosters and deworming. Because of our rural environment, she also was vaccinated for leptospirosis. She is a very happy little dog and wishes the cat would calm down. She has met the horses and doesn't seem afraid of them at all. When they figured out that she wasn't a carrot, they just snorted on her. Thanks so much for your help in our adoption. |
![]() Luna |
This is the montage of Beau. My work moved to Lower Queen Anne, so I did, too. I entered this in the Pet Photo Contest and we WON. We sent the proceeds to YVPR. The caption read "Beau leaves Puppydom for Lower Queen Anne. Owner follows him with her smart phone". Show to Bev; she'll probably remember him as he lived with her 8/2011. He's a little more spoiled now but I feel considering his former life, he' deserving of it. I used to share custody of him with my 23 year daughter but now she's living in Bellingham going to Western. She kidnaps him for outings when she's in town and he's so excited to see her. He's grown up to be an urban dog now. Before he was afraid of his own shadow inside as he lived tied to a tree his first year. He's still afraid of the vacuum. |
![]() Beau |
| Good Morning, Just an update on our beloved pooch Bubba……He has really calmed down a lot but a couple weeks before Thanksgiving he was clearly stressed. We have a hunch that he was probably abandoned by his previous folks somewhere around that time considering the approximate time he came to you. After Thanksgiving he was back to his usual self. Bubba still enjoys a few eggs most mornings. He has filled out and his coat is thick and glossy. He is learning the trick of holding a goody on his snout until given the command to eat it, tossing it up in the air catching it. He is well behaved and doesn't run off when I'm trying to bring in groceries or even working in the front yard. It has been almost a year and he truly is part of our little family. We can't imagine not having him. -Jillian |
![]() Bubba |
I wanted to send a picture of Yahoo who is now Little Joey. He has brought me great joy this Christmas. He is already going on a pee pad and loves his little ball. He plays ball with me. Joey is very smart but likes me to be with him all the time. He slept with me in his bed and did not wet or soil. I know he misses his brother Google. I will send more pics and updates about him. Patty |
![]() Little Joey |
| I adopted little Jellybean, now named Stella. I wanted you to know that she is doing very well. We recently took her in for her yearly checkup/shots and her DR said she is as healthy as can be, seems very happy, and could lose a couple lbs LOL! She does love food and we are trying to cut her food back and give her healthy snacks instead of treats. She is such a blessing. I cannot thank you enough! |
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| Happy Holidays from Layla and Taylor!! |
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I wanted to let you know that little Tulla is doing really well. She has settled in like she has been here forever. We sure love her! She is the sweetest little girl. She sleeps under the covers in my bed every night. We take her with us in the car when we go out and about; she graciously lets the boys tag along too! ;o) Please let her foster mom know that Tulla is doing fine. Thanks for doing the rescue work. Sally |
![]() Tulla |
I just wanted to send a little note to let all of you know Minion (formerly Lilly) is doing very well. Merry Christmas! Sincerely, |
![]() Minion |
My name is Jenn Zeutenhorst and a few weeks ago, I adopted a black puppy from you guys. You all had named him Jack but he is now called Sam! I thought I would send a quick note to let you all know that Sam is doing great! He is almost 100% housetrained, has been to the vet where we found he had an intestinal parasite that we are treating but otherwise received a clean bill of health. He is a typical puppy, playing a ton and getting to know the layout of our house. He is picking up on the game of fetch but really loves just being with us where ever we are! Everyone who has met lil’ Sam has absolutely loved him and he has loved every one of them. He is a handsome lil’ pup and has brought a lot of light in to our home again. I'm attaching a few pics just in case you forgot how cute he is :) Happy Holidays, Jenn Z |
![]() Sam |
| Boston or Bossy (formerly Bailey) is doing SO well. She has three new friends, another dog and two cats and she plays nicely with all of them. Her favorite activities are playing with her toys and napping on whoever's lap stays still the longest. She has also taken to sitting on top of the couch like the cats, which we think is adorable, of course. She is SO smart and has already figured out her potty training in just a few weeks. We LOVE our new puppy and want to thank Yakima Valley Pet Rescue for the addition to our family! Megan and Bristol |
![]() Boston/Bossy |
| Petunia is settling in very nicely. She is doing very well with her potty training. She has such a sweet nature and is a wonderful lap dog. She has a vet appointment on Monday for her last shot and we start obedience training classes next Tuesday. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Petunia loves Tommy and is so excited when he comes over to play. Joan |
![]() Petunia and Tommy |
Ok...here is the big news Bev...I have renamed sweet Rambo and am calling him Cesar (or Little Cesar for now!) I am so grateful for the joy and love he has already added to my home and I feel so thankful that his foster care was with you. I am inspired and grateful for the good work you all do helping to rescue and re-home these amazing dogs. I certainly feel like he is the right dog for me and both of our lives will be enhanced because of it! |
![]() Cesar |
Wanted to send an update on Aspen (formerly Ulu). She's doing really well and adjusting nicely. She's done well with the crate and is getting a lot better at potty training. She loves our other dog Ferris and we've taken it slowly with them so she doesn't overwhelm him. But they get play time and walks together every day. While I'm at work, she gets play time with our neighbors around lunchtime and then a dog walker comes around 3pm, so she seems to be fine while we're away. And then I work from home on Fridays, so I get extra time with her then. Also, we had a DNA test done when she had her last set of shots. Thought it would be fun to know what she was. And it was not what we expected! Apparently, one parent is a Shiba Inu/Australian Shepherd mix and the other parent is an Australian Cattle Dog mix. So she probably won't be that big, but will be very energetic and smart. Our kids also love her - they are always asking about her and it's really cute to see them together. All in all, I think she'll be a great fit for our family. Best, |
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After being abandoned just after having a litter of puppies, Daisy has found a loving home with Mattie Rae and family. The two are an inseparable match! Not only has Daisy found a home to be loved and cared for, Mattie Rae has found a forever friend to love and care for her back! |
![]() Daisy and Mattie Rae |
These are some seriously happy kids. We adopted Alexa, now Alexia/ Lexi, this afternoon. She's 10 weeks old, and sweet as can be. My 4 year old is delighted by her puppy kisses. :) |
![]() Alexa and family |
Just wanted to pass along that Ben is doing FANTASTIC. He is the most wonderful companion I could’ve asked for, and I feel blessed to have him as part of our family. He’s growing everyday – and him and our Collie, Mali get along like they’ve never been apart. I feel so lucky to have met him and that’s because of you and all the hard work you did with Barbara. Ben’s intelligent to the point where one word training sessions aren’t interesting to him anymore...give him a sentence and that dog will figure out what you want. SUPER intelligent. He is a pleasure and a fabulous dog. Thank you thank you thank YOU! Regards, |
![]() Ben and Dara |
Regarding Isabella, white Persian, adopted in June 2012: Jane and Ron Moe |
![]() Isabella |
| We just wanted to send you a little message to thank you for helping to bring Macie (Grace) into our lives. She is doing wonderful and we are loving every minute that we get to spend with her! We took her camping last weekend and she got extremely filthy, but had a blast! Thank you for putting so much effort into giving her a good home before she came to us. She is extremely well behaved and has become very comfortable here. I attached a picture to this email so you could see her. Thanks again and we hope all is well with you and yours! Sincerely, Cory, Amy and Macie |
![]() Cory, Amy and Macie |
Kodiak...Rise of the Phoenix Kodiak, the hero of this story, was not in such a heroic state when brought in to the Yakima Emergency Vet Clinic. This eight week old pup was in a state of continual seizures and non responsive as a result of suspected brain trauma. After seizure control was implemented he lay in his kennel in a semi-coma state, blind, and unable to sit up or walk. Since he was a Good Samaritan case with no known owners, the clinic staff was considering ending his miseries after a couple of days of semi-conscious behavior, but one alert staff member saw him moving his eyes, following her as she walked across the room. Kodiak was making his last ditch effort to provide him a chance to live, as he followed her movements across the room with the only means he had of reaching her heart, his previously blind eyes. Thus begins the miracle of Kodiak's retreat from the grip of death, and the beginning of a new life. This new life was not without its challenges, since Kodiak was hardly able to stand up, much less walk. With his increasing interest in the blossoming world about him, the clinic staff decided to send him off to a foster home, so that he would have more opportunity to develop his physical and social skills necessary for his entry into a balanced human world. At this time I became the very fortunate foster dad of Kodiak. As he entered a new world of people and animals, he quickly became friends with my pack, Hobo, a border collie, Shiloh, a Rottweiler, and Molly my Jackapoo. Though unable to make but a few steps forward before falling down due to brain trauma and cerebral injury, Kodiak was as determined as any pup could possibly be, and with the help of Molly in particular, he became increasingly motivated to try to keep up. As time went by, his falls diminished to an occasional episode, and he looked less and less like the drunken sailor he had appeared to be, and more like a goose stepping parade veteran. He was such a pleasure to be around, to watch his ceaseless determination and increasing ability to walk. With his absolute appreciation of life and his total lack of concern regarding his limitations, there was not a moment that I was with him, that I didn't share his happiness. Few, if any people, could provide this sense of joy and happiness just by their presence under such trying conditions. After about seven weeks of intensive rehab, Kodiak was ready to be adopted into his Forever home with special needs consideration as. And without fail, the first application which came in was as perfect as one could anticipate, seemingly resulting from the magic which surrounds Kodiak. His inner spirit knew where he belonged in this world, and I followed his lead. Following a visitation by his new adopting family, they were totally taken in with his unrelenting appeal, and Ross, the 13 y.o. son became the new 'pack leader' , who Kodiak was totally willing and devoted to follow. Ross had spend many hours over the prior weeks looking through Petfinder's listings, in an attempt to find the perfect puppy when he came across Kodiak's new listing and accompanying video. Immediately Ross knew that Kodiak was meant to be with him. With this transition, Kodiak entered into a new state of happiness and satisfaction, and with a new 'pack leader' he could devote his life. This is just the beginning of his story. The future will surely bring him everything which he deserves. Just the chance to have a happy, comfortable life with a family he can love without conditions. |
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Mousse sleeping on one of her favorite blankies! I just wanted to let you know how much we love the newest member of our family! Mousse (as in chocolate mousse) formerly known as Sox has settled in very nicely. She's hilarious, very smart and so sweet. She's learning how to walk on leash (in the backyard, until after her next vaccination). She's learned how to sit, lie down, leave it and drop it! She thinks that she's a ROCKSTAR, because she taught herself how to go up and down our curved staircase. LOL She had her first vet visit last week, when she got another de-worming treatment, shots and micro-chipped. We just wanted to thank you for letting us have Mousse! She has brought us so much joy. Very best regards, |
![]() Mousse |
Thanks for the opportunity to adopt a puppy from your shelter. Leo is doing great and is up-to-date on his vaccinations etc. Here is a message from my son, Shubhankar: The Singh family has had a nice experience with acquainting the new member of the family, Leo. Our family loves to pet him, play fetch and experiment in teaching him new tricks. So far he has learned how to sit, lie down, stay, up and he is close to being housebroken. Not only does he know his basic obedience but he can fetch and is almost able to spin on queue. With a dog comes responsibility, but in return you get a loving companion. All in all, Leo is a wonderful addition to the family. Thanks! |
![]() Leo |
I’ve been meaning to write to you! Dolly is our little sweetie. She still has a mohawk. Her favorite thing to do is race around the yard with our other dog, her second favorite thing to do is get pets from us, and her third favorite is to splash around in her kiddy pool. She is a little whirling dervish but we enjoy her puppy ways since we never had our other dog as a puppy. She does tend to get car sick, if we take her on drives longer than 20 minutes. We did get her potty trained too. |
![]() Dolly |
Stella has just celebrated her first birthday! We had a big party for her!!! |
![]() Stella |
Puss is so happy now ! A tale of woe for one feline family in Yakima. A stray mother cat had a litter under the pool furniture storage shed in our condo complex last fall. My indoor cat, Puss, would go ballistic every time she saw them playing in the courtyard. The neighbors kept saying we needed to do something, but through the fall and winter and early spring, no one did. Two of the kittens and the mother cat didn’t survive, but one hardy cat did. I called the Pet Rescue for HELP and Tambra helped us to get a feral cat trap and the cat food to bait it, and showed me how to use it. Cindy found a home for the stray cat as a barn cat and we paid for the $40 discounted neuter fee which the Selah Animal Clinic generously accepts through YVPR to help reduce the unwanted cat population in our valley. Thanks so much to the Yakima Valley Pet Rescue for your gracious volunteers and your assistance to so many in our community who want to take care of our cat population, loved and unloved as well. Danielle |
![]() Puss |
Just letting you know that all is well with our little Calli (formerly Lily). I think we were her second adoption. First to Olympia and then all the way over to Clarkston. She and our dog, Daisy, are the best of friends. Calli just plopped down on daisy's bed and declared herself a buddy and Daisy thought that would be fine. We also foster dogs and Calli is our resident playmate. She loves to play with all the new dogs. My husband takes her bird hunting and after a slow start she turned in to a real pro by the end of last season. Quite remarkable, actually! She's a real snuggle bug and has convinced my husband to allow her on his lap while he watches TV. We love her and daisy does too! Thanks for finding our Calli. She is a fabulous part of our family. Jennifer
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Thank you so much for holding Honey for me! That really was not expected and I truly appreciate it!!! The volunteers at the event were super helpful and knew exactly who I was and what to do .... She is a DOLL ... So eager to please and very responsive to corrections :) Her name is now Roxy (the fiance was a little weirded out that he would need to call out Honey at the dog park lol). Check out how this little lady fell asleep while I was watching a training video :) so CUTE! I just can't get enough of her! Thank you for everything that you do for these animals! Chantal Stevens |
![]() Honey |
We were so happy when we brought Whiskey home from YVPR the last weekend of January and we didn't think life could get much better-until we adopted Rye just in time for St. Paddy's Day. We weren't planning on bringing another dog home so soon but, when we saw him he instantly melted our hearts and we knew he would be the perfect addition to our little family. Luckily, when Whiskey met him she sealed the deal with love at first sight. They snuggled together in the backseat and shared a bone as we drove back to Seattle. Rye and Whiskey get a long marvelously, it seemed as though they were old friends and so excited to be able to run and play together. They know that they are so stinkin' cute and enjoy getting lots of love and attention from everyone when we go out. When they aren't busy romping around in the backyard or making strangers swoon they can be found piled on top of each other enjoying a quick nap on the couch. We are so thankful to YVPR for rescuing these two amazing fur babies and bringing them into our lives. They are best buddies and completely inseparable. We couldn't be happier. Thank you for everything! Andi, Richard, Whiskey and Rye |
![]() Whiskey |
| Vote for adoption!
Andrew(candidate for congress) and Heidi Hughs did! Andrew and Heidi Hughs |
![]() Angus |
| Recent photo of Rocky - he loves his kitten! Mike and Linda |
![]() Rocky |
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I just wanted to send a little update on Moxie (now known as Whiskey). Shes so funny, she really enjoys people and furry friends of all variety. Even when little bitty chihuahuas get a little feisty, growl and snap at her she just looks at them with her head cocked to one side, still wagging her tail like "what's the matter, don't you wanna play with me??" We are so happy to have her and are hoping to maybe get a second rescue pup this summer so she will have a playmate. We look forward to adopting from you guys again in the future! We loooove Whiskey! Shes just a sweetheart, she's so mellow when we are inside and just wants to snuggle up together all day but then once we are outside shes super energetic and playful and can play fetch for hours. I think it's so funny how she can go from mellow to wild so easily and knows how to stay calm in the house. She's already learned how to ring the bells hanging on the back door when she wants to go out- she loves to drag her stuffed duck outside and proudly shows it to the boy next door thru the fence. She loves children, our friends son Max came over the other day- hes 5 years old and was eating a donut. He was very impressed that Whiskey didn't try to snatch it away from him but instead kept dropping her ball at his feet and pushing it towards him with her nose- wanting him to play. So cute! We will keep an eye out for any more big dogs that you may have available for adoption this late spring/summer. We would like something as big as her or bigger and with short hair because I am a leukemia survivor- as little dust/pet hair/irritants as possible is best for my immune system. We are so thankful for you guys and the guy who found her! Thanks again for everything you do! Love and puppy kisses, Andi, Richard and Whiskey |
![]() Whiskey |
Since we've had Knickers (renamed to Miles) just over a week, I thought I'd send you a quick update to let you know how he's doing. Miles has been fabulous so far! He was perfect in the car on the 3.5 hour drive home, and with the exception of getting carsick once, he slept quietly the entire drive home. He met our cat and though our cat (Martin) was a little unsure of the rambunctious puppy at first, they quickly made friends and are constantly chasing each other around the house.
I'm very happy with him, and am so glad that you let us adopt him! Thank you, Chelsea |
![]() Miles |
Bandit is doing great! Although I changed his name to Suds (something I've wanted to name my dog for some time) He's getting pretty big too, he's already just about 70lbs! I wanna say he's a Shepherd/Lab mix with maybe some Sharpei in there as well, just because he's got that wrinkley face and lots of extra skin around his neck still. Thanks again, he's made everyone very happy! |
![]() Suds |
As we come up on her first birthday, I want you all to now what a great dog Ursula is. She loves every living thing and most of the inanimate ones as well. Happy Holidays to all of you and all the animals too. Don |
![]() Ursula |
We wanted to send you an update on our little success story, Olive. We picked her up at eight tiny weeks in November, 2010, when she was still called Bess by her foster mom, Claire. We had lost our beloved boy five months prior, and our surviving dog, Indigo, would lie on her bed and moan all day, every day for those five months. And then came Olive. Olive and Indigo became fast friends, cuddling together as soon as Olive came home. She’s a hilarious ball of energy. She turned out to be a Jack Russell mix—not what we expected, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Her 29 lbs. just make her more pick-up-able and cuddle-able. She’s incredibly smart, agile, and loyal. Her funniest trick is the “Oprah”, an enthusiastic two-pawed handshake. We absolutely love our little Olive, and we think she’s happy with us, too. We still aren’t sure who rescued whom. Thank you for all you do, and thank you for bringing Olive into our lives. Rod, Lisa, and Indigo |
![]() Olive |
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Just wanted to let you all know Teddie has settled in well and has finally quit peeing on the carpet-takes herself out to the back yard through the doggy door. Bought her a set of doggy steps so she can climb on the sofa by herself, and it didn't take long for her to figure those out. Teddie follows me around all of the time, and doesn't like me to get out of her sight. She comes to work with me the three days I work and she is such a good little girl while in the office. Also, bought her a doggy car-seat so she can see out as we roll down the roads. So glad I am able to provide her with a warm, loving home. Happy holidays! Nancy Sjoberg |
![]() Teddie |
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| So sorry we haven't contacted you yet...I kept meaning to do it! We've been very busy. We named 'George' Oliver! It fits him very well. He has been an absolutely perfect addition to our family. We couldn't have asked for a better puppy. Of course he had a few little mishaps, like chewing, but he seems to have already grown out of that...beside the fact that shoes still need to be kept out of sight! :) He is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever come across. Him and our pug, Bella, and our cat, Moxie, all get along VERY well, especially him and Bella. They have become best friends. I have included a picture of them all sharing the sofa during their daily nap time. As well as him and Bella playing outside the first day we brought him home! He is growing at an astonishing rate, the pictures definitely don't do that justice. He eats A LOT and has gained quite a bit of weight. We took him to the vet for his next set of shots a couple weeks ago and he was given a clean bill of health. He's still very clumsy and falls over his big feet all the time. He keeps himself pretty well occupied by chasing a ball around and pouncing on it also! He is quite the character, as well as very intelligent, and we definitely love him! Myranda and Nathan |
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We adopted Ozzie (formerly George) at Woofstock this year, 2011. When we adopted him the paperwork said he was 5 years old, but when I took him to his first vet appt. they said he couldn't be more than 2 at the most! So lucky us, we have a lot more time with him:) |
![]() Ozzie |
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I wanted to update Stella's foster mom on how she's doing. She had just recently had her spayed, so she's been extra babied! She is doing very well and we can’t wait until she can get her stitches out. She has such an "I'm the boss" attitude, that she doesn’t enjoy her stitches very much lol! Here are some new pix of her. She is currently 6 months old.
This is Me, Stella (making a silly face), my boyfriend Sylvester, and my grandma's dog Snoop. He and Stella are best friends! The bottom one is her first snow fall. She loves the snow!
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![]() Stella
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Just wanted to share with you and your team, that Bear is good, happy and healthy! and has become a family member 100% - he has many friends human and lot's of four legged ones too! And honestly, I love this boy to pieces!!! I was given a birthday gift from my 'crew' for photos of Bear! and I had to share :): thanks Pennie |
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We adopted one of the 6 older puppies you had that were Bassett/Airedale mixes. I promised I would send you an email to let you know how he was doing, so here it is! We named him Grizzly, or more commonly Grizzly Bear. This turned out to be a fitting name as he grows older. He now weighs about 65 pounds, is 26" to the top of his shoulders and 35" long, but in a full stretch he is 65" from paws to the end of his tail. His hair never fully grew back on his nose but it all adds to his character and overwhelming cuteness. When we tell people his name is Grizzly, everyone says, "that makes sense." :) His beard is bright red and he's got more white hairs every day. We aren't quite sure what he'll look like at the end of each week. He has impressed us over and over from the minute we got him home. He had a hard task in front of him with an 8 story elevator ride to the nearest patch of grass but within a week, he never again had any accidents. He's never chewed on anything but his toys and he even waits patiently until his food is all ready. He is super friendly to everyone and every dog, no matter what size. He gets extra excited around little kids. He graduated obedience class with flying colors and was even invited back for agility classes because he was such a quick learner! He loves hiking, though we haven't been able to convince him to jump in any water yet. How is the rest of his pack? We hope you were able to adopt all of them out. Grizzly has been an amazing addition to the family in all ways. Thanks again so much, Zane and Jessica |
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Rescue Community Comes Together to This past June, 2011, Yakima Valley Pet Rescue received a desperate call requesting help to save 8 Alaskan Malamutes, 2 mixed breed dogs, several cats and 3 horses in imminent danger of being shot by an irate and frustrated neighbor. On a Wednesday, a homeowner’s nephew contacted YVPR and told a volunteer that his uncle had recently been diagnosed with cancer and left for Seattle to seek immediate treatment leaving his pets behind with limited resources. Evidently the dogs had a history of barking which was an irritant to this neighbor, but his solution was to dig a large hole with a backhoe (which he had already done) and dump them in it while the owner was away. The frantic family member stated “The neighbor has given us until Friday to find a place for the animals or he is going to shoot them.” Phone calls and emails started flying and the next day Board Members Shelley Cort and Bev Mitchell, along with longtime YVPR volunteers, Mike and Marian Flory arrived to evaluate the animals as well as assess the situation to see how best to go about getting help for these animals…quickly. All 10 dogs were living outside in separate pens, the cats had overrun the house and the horses were in a neglected pasture. It was apparent that the owner cared deeply for his animals, but had obviously become overwhelmed with his own health issues, the living conditions had deteriorated badly in recent weeks for these loved but neglected animals. Assessment of the Malamutes was daunting as these 8 dogs rarely came into contact with strangers nor had they ever interacted with each other, therefore some were very territorial. Only the mixed breed dogs, a very old looking Rottweiler mix and a white shepherd mix, were kenneled together. The largest male was over 100 pounds, none of the dogs were spayed or neutered and the ones who weren’t territorial displayed fear of strangers, hiding in their dog houses. These factors made assessments of these dogs potentially dangerous to the YVPR volunteers. Photographs were taken to email in order to send to other rescue groups as part of the effort to locate available foster homes. Assessment of the disposition of each dog began starting with the most timid. Dog houses were upended so they couldn’t hide, and one by one each dog was leashed and handled until the volunteers got to the last three, the largest male and the two mixed breed dogs. Initial assessment of these three didn’t look promising, they were frightened and confused at their recent abandonment as well as nervous of all the activity and attention from strangers. The last three dogs showed territorial dominance and what appeared to be fear aggression; the volunteers would have to move slow and be patient in gaining their trust. After a few hours, the volunteers were rewarded for their patience, and gained the trust of the last three dogs proving them to be salvageable and deserving of rescue. An agreement was made with the neighbor to give YVPR at least a week to find a place for the animals. On Saturday, WAMAL (Washington Alaskan Malamute Adoption League) had several people drive to the Yakima area to meet YVPR volunteers at the property to further assess and evaluate the Malamutes. WAMAL agreed to pay for kennel services if the remaining dogs could be in Kent, WA by 6:00 PM that same evening. So began a race with the clock. At 1:00 PM, Mike Flory arrived with his horse trailer, and Marian and Bev met him shortly after that, bringing extra-large crates from the YVPR office to transport the dogs in. With a deadline of 6:00 PM, Mike took off with assurances from Marion that she would get directions to the kennel and send them to him while on the road. Lynn Paquette helped out once again, meeting Mike in Kent to help unload the Malamutes. The owner, his daughter and her husband as well as the nephew, all assisted with preparing the animals for transport. It was extremely hard for the owner to let go of his pets, especially his Malamutes, but he agreed, knowing it was the best thing for all of concerned. After meeting all the rescue folks, he was reassured that his dogs would be well cared for and they would be transported safely. On Sunday, Mike drove his tractor to the property and filled the hole the neighbor had dug. Marian and Mike brought home the remaining two mixed breed dogs to be fostered. This left only the three horses to be rescued. A local horse rescuer was contacted and came daily to work with the horses, getting them gentled and prepared to transport. Several local cat rescuers also arrived and began gathering the cats and kittens. During one brief weekend in June, many hands came together to save these animals. A person was prevented from unnecessarily shooting the animals and we hope has a better understanding of what animal rescue can accomplish. An owner can now focus on his health, cancer treatments and family. And all of the animals have been adopted or are safe in foster homes. The old Rottweiler mix was accepted into Old Dog Haven Rescue and was adopted by 2 wonderful people from Rottweiler Rescue. The white shepherd mix was transferred to K9 Rescue and Rehabilitation in Redmond and found a forever home with a loving couple in Seattle. The rescue community is an amazing group of dedicated volunteers who unselfishly spend their hard earned money and time saving animals. The family of the owner wishes to extend their sincere and heartfelt thanks to all the people who helped in this rescue effort. |
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We recently adopted Juno, and wanted to thank you for bringing her into our lives. She has quickly integrated into our family and lives, and we could not be happier with her. She is a real sweet heart and incredibly well adjusted and confident. She loves her new dog pals, the dog park and spent a fun-filled week end at our beach house. |
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Doesn’t he look innocent? We adopted Tucker from you one year ago today. At that time his name was Diesel. Thank you for choosing us to be his forever family. He has had many adventures during his year with us. He has been to the dog park and met new friends. He has also been camping and loved every minute of it. He goes on daily walks with his sister Talley. We have 40-50 acres behind our house that started out to be a housing development but was never finished. It's a perfect place to walk dogs!! There is one story I would like to share with you on our year with Tucker. One Tuesday night we paid our caregiver $50 for watching our boys. Later that night she called and said she couldn't find her money. She was wondering if she left it on the kitchen table, kitchen counter or did it fall out in the driveway. We looked and looked and no money. On Thursday morning when I was walking Tucker and Talley, Tucker needed to stop and go to the bathroom. While he was doing that I thought I would send my husband a text message. I happened to look up and thought to myself "What just came out of Tucker"!! I walked over after he was finished and saw our caregivers $50!! I started laughing so hard I couldn't stand up. The look on Tuckers face was priceless. I called our caregiver and asked her if she ever found her $50. She said no. I told her I believe Tucker ate it!! We offered her the choice of another repayment of $50 or she could have Tucker. Thankfully she took the repayment of $50. We just couldn't imagine our lives without him. He has brought us so much joy and laughter. Thank you again for choosing us to be his forever family. He is truly a loved and cherished member. Sincerely, Sean, Shelly, Tate, Tanner, Talley and Tucker Murray |
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Just wanted to thank you, YVPR and the kind woman who actually rescued "Betty". My mother has now named Betty "Sadie". As you can see, Sadie is well on her way to a long and happy life. Thank You! Meshell |
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Thank you for such a wonderful dog. I love Mattie so much, he goes everywhere with me, loves being on the go. But sometimes I say let’s go and he will turn around and go outside on the deck and lay down, so that means he wishes to stay home. But it is wonderful to return and Mattie greats me at the door wagging his tail so happily. I bend over to give Mattie a kiss and he licks my cheek. |
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Lexie totally loved the coast from the very beginning. I'm only sorry my camera’s not great at capturing her in motion -- most of the time she was moving so quickly trying to smell and investigate everything. She was a little sad to be back home I think but we're trying hard to give her lots of extra walks. This morning she did a fast 4 miles with me & my walking group. They of course loved meeting her. You would not believe how quickly this dog now JUMPS into the back of the car! We just open the back door & don't even get a chance to give her a command; she just jumps in, ready to go on the next adventure! Thank you YVPR so much for making it possible for Lexie to bring so much joy into our lives! |
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Edgar (now Bodie-- Edgar seemed to formal for him!) is doing so great! He's only been home less than 24 hours and he has already settled in as one of the family. He immediately bonded with my 3 legged, 9 month old Taiwan Street dog and they are soul mates! They have been running around exploring and playing from the minute he got out of the car. Bodie is such a love and I'm so happy to have adopted him. I have included some pictures I took of him yesterday. One of him and Ruby playing, another of them taking a hard nap after the playing (with their toys all around them), and another of him making himself right at home! :) Thank you for all that you do, you do make a difference! Wendy Carpenter |
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Here is a picture of "Bo" when you put him on Petfinder and then transferred him to Homeward Pet we fostered/adopted him and changed his name to "Baloo." He is calm, well-adjusted (even around active toddlers), and full of love. He loves everyone and everything (well except squirrels he likes chasing those). I wanted to send a before and after picture of him. The 2nd picture he just got done playing at a big dog park on Lake Washington and his happily tired. |
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Thought you guys would like to see this video uploaded of our precious dog Monkey that we got from YOU guys!!!! (her name was Tiffany when you had her) The video is also on my blog with a mention and link to Yakima Valley Pet Rescue: http://robinlayton.blogspot.com We are so in love with her and are so grateful! She is beyond spoiled and we are proud of it! All my best, Robin |
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Sam and Oliver had their first bath yesterday and are all clean and fluffy. They are doing well and we are having fun with them. They are very sweet little boys. They had their visit to the vet Friday. Ollie had an ear infection, which we are treating, and he is also scheduled to have his teeth cleaned in a couple of weeks as they really needed it. They also got micro chipped. They are getting used to their new surroundings and are doing well with their housetraining. They are continuing to get used to their leashes, but there is still more training needed. They get two walks every day and enjoy doing lots of sniffing around. All in all, we are happy with our two little new doggie boys and they seem to be happy with us, too. Elaine/mom |
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Noli (was Comet) is very much a part of our family! Those eyes melt my heart every day. |
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Molly is doing GREAT; she is smart as a whip. She is picking up commands almost as fast as I can give them to her. Today is a great spring day here, and Molly is sunning herself on the deck. She just loves the back yard. I take her for a walk at least once a day. We walk around 5 to 6 blocks and she is getting to know the proper way of walking. As you would expect for a puppy she is into everything. I am talking her for rides almost every day, getting her used to being with me in the SUV. All I can say is she has already ingrained herself into the family unit and we are so happy to have her with us. Talk to you soon (she is too quite so she must be into something she is not supposed to be) Bob & Jan Update on Molly, she is now a very healthy 60 lb’er and cherished by her ‘mom and dad’. |
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I just have to reiterate how much we love Ms. Haley. She is definitely coming out of her shell, she played big time with a French bulldog today at the park. And she and Max(our other newly adopted GSP) play often at home and at the park, he just tries to be a little more dominant, although, as our trainer says, she has a voice, and she exercises it very often with Max! They get along very well. She runs like the wind and often goes airborne, she’s so delightful to watch, and many people have commented on it. As Lisa said, agility for sure! She sleeps peacefully by my head every night, although sometimes she snores (very lightly, I might add). Editor’s note, read the tragic story to what led Lisa and Nancy to want to adopt a dog and learn of an awful problem with our infrastructure that is killing pets around the country. http://sammysbigheart.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/goodbye-sammy/ |
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Janis, Buddy and I ran in the See Spot Run on Sunday. Janis ran with a shelter dog. Buddy and I came in second in the men’s with dog division. We had a great time, for a great cause. Later, Jack |
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I'm in LOVE again! Bear aka Houdini, had his big bath & brush on Sunday, saw his new vet today, and everybody is very happy! Especially ME and I think he is very happy too! He is a very sweet & lovely dog…I'll keep you posted, thanks Pennie |
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THANK YOU FOR OUR BUDDY! We just wanted to thank YVPR and Lori for bringing Buddy into our lives. He is such an awesome dog and we love him so much!! He did great on the drive home to Puyallup and loves going to the baseball games!! He is getting lots of attention from all of us and loves the long walks. We are so blessed to have him in our family. Thank You!! Holmes Family |
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We are so happy to have adopted "Cal" from you guys! He has been named Jake Fisher Phillips. We call him Jake. He has adjusted pretty darn well. He sleeps in a crate at night and for the last two nights all my husband had to say was "Quiet down.. time for bed" and he was out and slept for 7 hours. So we find ourselves very lucky to have him. And he is amazing with the kids. He took right away with my daughter and me! My son is working very well with a relationship with him but he sure does like the woman in our family! If you could pass along "Thanks yous" to Beth his Foster.. She has done an amazing job with him. He is pretty calm for a puppy! But also can light it up when he is playing!!! We are so happy with him! Thank you! Thank you for everything. We will post pictures when we can. "Jake" is lying by my feet right now sleeping calmly. |
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I want to share and thank you for allowing us to have Scarlett in our lives and a part of our family. We love her so much. She walks the kids to and from school each day where she loves seeing all the children. As well as exploring our 1 acre yard. Scarlett has been around us 24/7 since she arrived last week. She is eating well and getting lots of exercise. I am able to give her Reiki healing treatments to assist in her earlier trauma. Even though it has been less than a week, I cannot image life without her. |
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Here are some pictures and an extremely funny account of the rescue of the little canal dog I got today... Only reason I'm passing it on to y'all is cuz we have ALL been there, done that, at some point without a second thought... Just kinda funny getting someone else's take on it. :)
Desi This afternoon I received this email alert:
Mark: Luckily I happened to check the email around 4:00 and picked up on the need to respond to investigate. I grabbed a long rope, and my daughter Kali and my son Andrew went with me on two ATVs to search for the dog in the spillway. We located the dog, but he would not come to us and kept running down toward a steep drop-off area in the spillway. We retreated back up the spillway where I contacted Desi Verbrugge with Yakima Valley Pet Rescue to see if she had a cage trap that we could set in the canal to attempt to catch this little guy. No telling how many days this dog had been in the wet canal. Desi happened to be on her way home with her kids at the time, and in the general vicinity. She offered to meet me at the scene to figure out how we could capture the cold, wet and hungry little guy. When Desi arrived, we jumped on my ATV and went down the spillway access road. We located the dog which we observed just beginning to go over the dangerous down-slope of the spillway just before this Roza spillway goes under the Sunnyside irrigation canal. On this down-slope, there also is a waterfall half-way down the steep drop-off. This waterfall is where runoff from the Union gap canal skimmer is spilling a large amount of water into this Roza spillway and creating an increased and very dangerous water flow. Too many canals to understand here, but suffice us to say there was a lot of water just below where Desi chased the dog back up the spillway before he got into that deeper and dangerous water. Desi happened to grab a bag of pet treats out of her Toyota when she jumped on my ATV to go down to locate the dog. Desi discussed with me about her getting into the spillway and trying to catch the little guy. Before I could duck soup, Desi was lowering herself down the straight up and down sides of the spillway and there she was in about two inches of cold water. Desi kept squatting down and feeding this hungry little guy the doggie treats, but she just couldn't seem to grab his collar. He was just too frightened to come much closer, or be touched, but he sure wanted to eat. Desi could touch the dogs nose, but that was about as close as she could get. He kept walking north up the spillway away from the serious danger, and that was the best thing at the time. In the slimy water, the little dog kept turning around every little bit to get another piece of doggie treat, and Desi kept on following him. I suggested I go to my shop and bring back a fishing net to try to catch net the dog, but Desi said she was getting a little closer to being able to catch him and wanted to try this calmer approach first. Already, I could see she had much more patience than I would have had. I just kept walking up the side of the spillway with her in the water while I was trying to keep out of the dogs sight, and I continued to make silly comments and apologizing for getting her into this mess. She said that is what she is here for, and actually praised me for calling her. That's Desi. After a while, the spillway began a gradual slope upward and it became very difficult for Desi to negotiate the slick cement bottom on the increased slope. There was slick green moss growing on the bottom of this cement lined spillway. From my vantage point on the side of the spillway, just out of sight of the dog, I many times could see Desi's head, but she was skating backwards in the slime. She would grab the cement wall to keep from falling down. She could just barely reach the top of the wall with her fingertips. She kept on going like a duck would take to water and continued to laugh through it all. I don't know how she kept from falling down, it was so slick. If it had been me in there, I would be floating in the Yakima River, about down to Prosser by now. Desi ended up walking up that spillway at least a half mile before she got to dryer cement ,but she still couldn't grab the dog. My patience was long gone by now and I felt we needed to resort to force now, so I left my daughter Kali to be of assistance to Desi, and I took off on my ATV and went to my shop to bring back the large fish net on an aluminum pole. I also grabbed a can of wet cat food as well. When I arrived back at the scene, Desi had already gotten out of the spillway by an emergency escape ladder that was attached to the cement wall. Yep, there was the little dog still down in the spillway, standing in the water, looking up at Desi for more treats. Desi said she could go to Yakima and get the cage trap and we could set it, but it would be 9:00 before she could get back down here with that trap. I suggested Desi get back in the canal and offer the dog the can of wet food and while he was eating it, scoop him up in the net. IT WORKED! Within 40 seconds of Desi lowering herself back into the cold water of the spillway, Desi finely had the dog. Let's hear it for men with madness to their method. After exactly one hour and five minutes in the water and a half mile hike in the bottom of that wet, cold, slimy canal, Desi accomplished what she set out to do. Even though Desi was in nice tennis shoes, not very warm clothes for the windy, cold afternoon, and didn't have a coat, she did not hesitate one bit to jump in the water to do the right thing. This is the conclusion to the Canal Story He's doing well. Got him out of the net and into a crate without getting bit... He let me pet him quite a bit. So I'll get your net back to you. Thanks for the good idea and for calling me about this little guy... My toes are still numb though... Could be tough to play tennis. ;) haha Desi Caring people like Desi are people I am proud to work with in this community Block Watch program. It isn't all about tagging reports and gloom and doom reports about this bad thing and that bad thing happening to victims in this community. I really do like it when I get a chance to tell about good things people in this community do, just because it is the right thing to do. Oh yeah, while Desi was sliding backward in the bottom of the slimy spillway, holding on to the cement side, I asked her if she and her family would like to join my family in a roller or ice skating session this weekend. She smiled and said she is still practicing. I felt guilty that Desi did it all, and that I was the one who got her into this mess. It isn't the first time by far that I have called on Desi for assistance in taking a stray pet. This is the first rescue and probably not the last. Below are just a few of the many photos I took of the rescue today. I had nothing else to do but walk up the spillway road, so I used my cell phone camera to record this little piece of history. I didn't want to have to call a wrecker to get my fat body out of that spillway, so I didn't go in. Oh, believe me, I offered to get in...........under my breath. ☺ If we cannot find an owner, he will be adopted out. He is in good hands with Desi who represents Yakima Valley Pet Rescue. He didn't try to bite us after we caught him in the net either. He seemed to know that we were there to help him. He really is a good little guy. You could tell by how skinny he is that he hadn't eaten in a while. He must have been in the spill for quite some time. A big thanks also to Barb Dunn for her contact, or we may not have been able to save the dog in time. When we see something like this, where a pet is in danger, or suspicious subjects or whatever doesn't look right, we need to call someone to help right away. Thanks for taking time to read my rambling, Mark |
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Thanks so much for the work you do for the animals. We are totally infatuated with our new family member, Ursula, (formerly known as Sydney) and so is everyone she meets including all our friends, their dogs, and the vet's office. I don't know if you can detach these images but I can get my wife to forward them to me as attachments and send them to you if you like. Could you share this with your partners at YVPR? I enjoyed meeting all of you a lot. |
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I adopted one of the eight puppies you brought over in October 2006. He turned four on October 16th and is the apple of my eye. He is an agility superstar and loves it more than life itself. And he recently got his 15 minutes of fame in downtown Seattle. He also has his own agility channel on YouTube, I know how rescue can wear on the heart and soul at times, so please know that this pup is a huge success story! I've attached photos of the six month puppy reunion (with 6 of the 8 pups) and some of our agility photos. We now think he is primarily Catahoula Leopard Dog. |
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Having a new little one is time consuming, but oh so fun. She made the trip back like a trooper. She did get sick but it was just a short distance from the house. We have since been shopping for sweet little pink colors and leashes and lots of toys. Her favorite toy is my gone black and white cat who thinks it is great fun to have Daisy chase her. Daisy though has a counter attack with a squeaky toy. She is quite smart and is catching on to sit, potty outside, etc. I am forwarding some pics of her in the yard with her big doggy brother playing tug-of-war. Rachel |
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We love Pete!!!! He is very calm, mostly obedient (except when being called off from chasing birds and swimming) and tolerates all the close up love and affection from our boys and the neighborhood. He has been everywhere with us. This is partially due to necessity and partially because we love to take him. He has anxiety when away from us, especially me but this has improved. We are working on crate training and are still working out what to do with him when I have to go back to work part-time in September. He has started obedience training and is doing well. Thank you for all the love you gave him. The Anderson’s YVPR comment: We’re so glad he loves to swim and fetch! These were the two things we didn't know whether he was into or not and can see now how these things are important to your family. We’re thrilled that there is so much love between Pete and the Anderson's! Anxiety is not an uncommon problem but with the right guidance from a professional dog trainer he will settle into your September routine quickly. Thanks for caring enough to make sure he gets the right training..... |
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Dear Yakima Valley Pet Rescue, My husband and I adopted Petey on Oct. 17, 2009 from your organization after seeing his photo on your website. We cannot begin to tell you what a wonderful addition Petey has been to our family. His "brother" Otto has been a changed puppy since Petey came into our lives, and they both get along so well and Otto has become so much more obedient since Petey showed him how to have manners. Every morning Petey wakes up from the foot of our bed just the happiest guy on the planet. He gets to explore the woods next to our house with Otto, and they both play inside and out all day really well together. He goes camping and hunting with my husband and is the "star" of the show! He loves to snuggle with us and our guests and is a very friendly, mellow sweetheart. We cannot imagine our lives without him. We feel so blessed every day to have such a special guy in our lives. Thank you, The Smith's |
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| Mo and I have been so busy I have been meaning to send you some pics earlier. We are in the process of remodeling the whole house that I recently bought and it keeps us super busy. He loves to help me with all the moving and follows me everywhere. His favorite thing to help with is raking!!! He runs laps around the yard and even gets me doing it with him. Mo got fixed about 3 weeks ago now and he never slowed down for even a day. He was out and running around after we left the vet, so it didn’t seem to faze him much but worried me that he would rip his stitches. He is completely spoiled. He sleeps with me in the bed and takes up more room than I do!! He is the best snuggler even though I know it is not the best thing to let a dog sleep with you I wouldn’t have it any other way I feel so safe and if he jerks awake he wakes me up so I feel very protected. He has continued to be very social with other dogs and people. When I take him to work with me I even have patients ask to see him because they can see his head peaking out the window. (I do a lot of in home medical calls with my job) I can’t seem to keep toys around. He is always eating them even the ones that are said to be indestructible. The only one we have kept around for more than a week is the kong!! Great toy! Just thought I would give you an update on how he was doing and send you some pics of him. Hope all is well your way and thank you for such a great dog I love him so much!
Erin
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A little over 1 year ago, our beloved Boxer died. We were heartbroken and after a few months began looking to readopt. Yakima Valley Pet Rescue had posted a 10-month-old male boxer named "Sugar Ray" on the site. "Sugar Ray" along with a few other animals had been pulled from a local shelter. "Sugar Ray" was scheduled to be euthanized probably because of over crowding. This little boxer had kennel cough, worms and was seriously malnourished. In addition, he was skittish and shy of people. Your organization began treatment for Guinness and started him on the road to recovery. We adopted "Sugar Ray" now renamed "Guinness" and he is no longer the scrawny, skittish and shy little boy. Guinness has celebrated 1 year with our family and is doing great. He is such a healthy and handsome boy, full of life and bounce and people are amazed that he is a "rescued" dog! Here is a photo of Guinness today. He was very skittish at first and wouldn't come to us. If we moved too quickly or tried to get him to come, he would run away. We had to squat down to coax him over and then he would let us briefly touch him. It took about a month before we didn't have to be so careful with him. He also didn't like going outside by himself and we had to go out with him and take him on a leash and walk him around until he was willing to explore on his own. Now, he owns the yard as he sits on the lid of the hot tub "surveying his kingdom". He was so skinny and his coat sticky and flaky and he had kennel cough and worms. He wouldn't eat much at a meal so we fed him several times a day for the first 6 months, which caused our Weimeraner to chunk up because she wanted to eat too. Now, we can spell E-A-T and he goes vertical in a happy dance. Guinness LOVES food. It had been about 6-9 months when we realized we were making progress. One morning we found that he had quietly crawled up in our bed during the night and was at the foot end sleeping. Then, a few months later, he began to show up between us! We knew then, he trusted us and has decided we were "okay". Guinness is a typical boxer, silly, stubborn, energetic and sweet with a atypical start in life. We are glad Yakima Pet Rescue gave him a chance at a new beginning. |
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I just cannot thank everyone at Yakima Valley Pet Rescue enough for connecting us with “Apolo”. He is such a smart, sweet and mellow guy. He is not exactly the “Swiss Husky mix” that everyone thought that he was, in fact, the genetic profile says he is mostly English Fox hound, and a little less Husky, Malamute and long-haired Daschund, which makes us laugh (a lot). He is about 8 months now, long legged and pushing 70 pounds. When people ask what kind of dog he is I like to say “daschund mix” and laugh. He is super mellow and even eats and drinks frequently, while lying down. He LOVES the water and is becoming quite the swimmer, if only his shaking skills would improve. He stays soaking wet after a swim to the degree that one of is nickname is “PollyWog” or “the Wogster”. We could not have ordered a more perfect fit. |
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Smiley's new forever home…. Smiley has adjusted so very well. She was so frightened of everything at first. When people would come to the door she would go hide. Now she alerts me when they drive down the driveway and stands with her hackles raised barking seriously at them to stay away from me! She quiets immediately when I tell her to and just keeps an eye on them, usually from my side. Runt has done an excellent job of training her--well, maybe I had a little to do with that! The vet thinks I have done an amazing job with her. She heels when she is on a leash glancing up to be sure she is doing things correctly. As I am sure you figured, she is very much my dog and very, very attached to me and to Runt. I don't know what she is going to do when Runt goes.... She still has to go potty as soon as she gets out of my car, but she rides really well. She shares the back end of the car with Runt and loves to go for rides, looking around and having a great time! Now that it is too warm for them to go to town with me, I put them in a kennel I have in the open-to-the-air West side of the barn. They each get a Milkbone when they go in, so when I get ready to go to town and grab two bones, she races to the kennel and goes in and sits down to get her treat! I am so glad I let Runt pick her out!. She weighs 55 pounds now and the vet believes she will not be growing any more which is a relief! YVPR Comment: When these pups were picked up and taken to their foster they were ABSOLUTELY COVERED in ticks. |
![]() Smiley |
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Hi there, We have changed her name to Bella Rose Patrick. I have attached some pictures for you. She is doing great! We just love her and our other small dog (Jaslynn) is loving her as well, now she has a play mate, they are sleeping side by side right now. Our big dog (Tasha) is taking some time getting to know her, I think her nose is bent out of shape. My boys just love her and so do all the neighbor kids. She is doing great on the potty training, only one slip up today! She sleeps with us at night, Jaslynn likes to be under the covers and Bella likes to be out of the covers. Josh (my husband) is not to sure about 2 dogs in bed with us but he is getting use to it. :-) I will do my best to keep you up to date on her. She is just so great!!! Thank you and all the others for what you do!!!! Jody |
![]() Bella (on left) and Jaslynn |
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| I adopted Nikki, a shepherd/huskey mix, from you on July 14, 2010. I just wanted to let you know she is doing great! We went through kindergaten already & will be in jr high next month (dog training). Other then still chewing up the house everything else is great. I feel material items are replaceable, her love and devotion are what's important. She is the best friend and companion ever. Thank you so much! Thanks for a great addition to my family. Amy | ![]() Nikki |
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| After more than 7 years romping in my owners yard and being a very happy and loved girl, my (then) mom had health issues and had to move away, which meant I had to find a new home.In late Sept.2010 I was taken over to a giant parking lot at a Petsmart in Woodinville, WA where everyone was looking at the cute puppies or smaller dogs or at least thinner big dogs, but no one seemed to look my way. I was giving up hope, but then came along this nice lady that looked right in my eyes, ask if she could take me for a walk....then majic happened. I went home with her. She already had two other very active dogs and an older sick dog that I really liked. There was also a cat I suspected was really a dog. Long story short, we're all great pals now: we eat, sleep,play and make my new mom very happy together. THANK YOU YAKIMA VALLEY PET RESCUE ! Marsha | ![]() Santa Roxy |
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| Here is our story about our adoption from last year: We adopted Pete from YVPR on October 26, 2008 after seeing him on PetFinders. We live in Northern Idaho and drove 3 hours to get him. He was about 3 or 4 months old and Pete was a perfect name for him! We adopted him to be a buddy for our 4-month old Australian Shepard mix rescue dog, Patch. We had an older dog too and she just didn't have enough energy to keep up with a puppy. The two became fast friends and have been buddies ever since. Of course, with 2 puppies in the house our home is never quiet, but we like it that way! With a consistent schedule and regular positive feedback Pete has grown into such a good boy! He is a super mellow guy who loves other dogs, kids and really anyone who will feed him. He is a great advocate for Pit Bulls! Marci |
![]() Patch and Pete! |
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| I received your newsletter lately in the mail and it brought my mind back to when we opened our
hearts and home to Hannah. We adopted her from your organization after seeing a picture on
your website. She just had a face I could NOT refuse! Over the last year she has become a very
important part of our family and her quirks she displays multiple times during the day keep us
laughing and we fall in love with her all the more. Thank you so much for being there for our
family. When we were ready to adopt, your agency was the first we looked into and we have not
regretted it for one day! She has grown into a healthy happy girl and we are so blessed to have
her in our lives. I don't know what we did before her. Peace to all of you. The Cannons |
![]() Beautiful Hannah! |
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| Hi, We adopted Daisy, we call her Lizzy, at the Bothell event in the Fall of 2008. The first thing Lizzy did at our house was to scrounge under the furniture, being part terrier, and pull out all our bigger dog, Owen's, missing toys. This made Owen very happy. We go to the 40 acre Marymoor Park Off Leash Dog Area every day, where Lizzy's favorite game is to get other dogs to chase her. Very few dogs can catch her, she's FAST (she put on 3 pounds of muscle) and can turn 90 degrees at full speed. This leaves bigger dogs feeling foolish, wondering where she went. Lizzy is a wonderful addition to our family! She is a great little companion. Never far from my side, except when she has terrier business to do, exploring every tiny space for a rat, or toy, whatever. She is quiet, except when she is certain her breakfast, lunch or dinner is late, then I really get a scolding. At night she sleeps on our bed, keeping the covers tucked tightly to my back. We love her very much! Thank you, Holly K. | ![]() Lizzy enjoying the snow! |
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| About a year after my previous dog had to be put to sleep due to bone cancer, I finally started looking again for a new friend. I searched on Petfinder and found a litter of puppies that had been
tied in a bag in Yakima in the hot summer weather, left to die. I called the YVPR and picked
Hana up that weekend! Two years later, she is super spoiled. She sleeps on my bed, goes on
runs, attends dogie daycare, goes to dog parks, and goes camping and hiking with me! She just loves to snuggle and play fetch! I cannot imagine life without her. Valerie |
![]() Hana – such a good girl! |
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| Dear Yakima Valley Pet Rescue, I was reading a recent copy of “The Scoop!” about adopted pet Pal, and was inspired to let you know how much we appreciate your rescue. We are excited to update you on our adoption of
Tasha (we kept her name) from you a year ago last January. She is doing so well, having passed
beginner/puppy training with flying colors ; we are about to begin intermediate dog training. Tasha has become a beloved member of our family and fits right in with our other two cats. We are so happy to have her in our family and are thrilled to have her with us for the holidays this year! Thank you for the great work that you do! Please find a recent photo taken of my husband Fred with Tasha in the holiday spirit :-) The Miners |
![]() Tasha and her Secret Santa! |
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| My husband, Skip and I adopted Daisy (once named LuLu with her foster, YVPR board member
Cindy) on Sept. 23, 2009. Daisy has put on a little weight and has taken over the house. We bought her a huge dog house for when she wants to be outside this winter, but she didn't wait until we put it outside. I said we
weren't going to let her get on the furniture...that lasted about 2 days. She loves my
granddaughter Isabelle (Izzy) and Izzy loves her. Izzy cries every time she leaves (they live in
Wenatchee). I can't tell if Daisy was jealous of Izzy being with me or me being with Izzy.
Daisy just loves to be right in the middle of things and I don't know what I would do without her.
She sleeps with me and has "found her voice." I realized one morning when I was hugging her in
bed that she was making this sound with her throat. It sounds kind of like birds wings flapping
rapidly from deep inside her throat. It's really quite amazing. I also realized why she was doing it. When we wake up I roll over and put my head on her chest and wrap my arms around her and "coo" to her. I always say, "good morning sweet Daisy" and I make this humming sound while I scratch her tummy. And then one day....She started making this sound from her throat! It's incredible and just something she only shares with me at our "special time." Daisy is our little yellow angel and a blessing to our home. She's put life and laughter back into our lives. Thank you for keeping her for us until we could find her. Fern |
![]() An exhausted Daisy, after a day of entertaining her family! |
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| We adopted our Pal from you a year ago last June. He is a very important part of our family. He & our adopted pug, Buddy, are BFF and do everything together. Pal is so much stronger and healthier - our vet was surprised when he had his annual check-up. He isn't shy anymore, and no longer gets car sick. He will be happy when the weather cools and he can go with us in the car again. He is the sweetest dog I have ever known. Thanks for bringing him to our family. Shawna |
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