Sophie

Sophie was a stray five-year-old Sheltie/Collie who came into the shelter in May 1998. She was very thin, shy and scared and spent more time in the outside kennel than inside where she could meet potential adopters. I started making friends with her and as she came out of her shell, she became a favorite of the entire staff. When she was adopted and the adopters changed their mind about taking her, the staff asked if we could adopt her as a shelter mascot. I had her spayed and we adopted her and she moved from the kennels into the front office. Since she didn’t like to spend her nights alone at the shelter, I began bringing her home at night and she fit right in with out other dogs. She quickly adapted to her “dual” life of shelter mascot by day and pet by night. She went with me to speaking engagements at a number of schools and the children all loved Sophie and she enjoyed visiting with them. During her days at the shelter, she routinely made rounds to different members of the staff and greeted the public, but she never wanted to leave the office area and go back into the kennels. The staff taught her to “sit pretty” and rewarded her with treats and it soon became evident that she was also sharing lunches with staff members because the once rail thin dog had become quite round. The staff had to use restraint to not succumb to her begging and soulful eyes, so she could regain her girlish figure. Even though she was quite comfortable being a shelter mascot, she considered herself my dog, so John and I adopted her in early 2000 and she is now twelve years old and leads a leisurely life at home with the other dogs.

Carol Stubbs

Back | Return to Index | Next