                                  
COMMUNITY
ANIMAL
RESCUE EFFORT
P.O. Box 1964
Evanston, Illinois 60204
C.A.R.E. Voicemail
(847) 705-2653
All
Contents Copyright © C.A.R.E. |
Happy Tails!
Please
enjoy these wonderful stories from adopters of our lovable animals!
If
you adopted from CARE and would like to share your story, please
send an email to:
CARE Stories
Ruffy and Cici
(C.A.R.E.
Names: Ruffian and Secretariat)
I
write to give an update on our wonderful cats that we adopted from CARE
in July of 2011. Their shelter names were Ruffian and
Secretariat, but we call them "Ruffy" and "Cici." I'm sending a
picture of the sisters in the bathtub (Cici is on the left) I grew up
with cats and have never had cats who enjoyed the bath as much as these
two! They are always getting in on their own accord, especially when
it's all wet after a shower.
They
also love relaxing on our radiator covers. They have a special
bond with each other and with us. Cici also loves to play fetch
and carries around her play mouse everywhere. We are so thankful
for having these cats in our life. They make us smile
everyday! Thank you for all that you do!
Elizabeth
Whoopi
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Whoopie Pie)
Whoopie Pie came into my life
on June 28, 2012, the evening I came back to adopt him at C.A.R.E. I
saw Whoopie Pie about one week earlier on the eve of an already
scheduled vacation. I learned on my initial visit that Whoopie Pie was
a Zucchini’s Gift Cat, a cat whose adoption fee had been subsidized by
a donor who wanted to help hard-to-adopt cats become more “adoptable.”
Because Whoopie Pie has the Feline Leukemia Virus, he is highly
infectious to other cats, he needed to be in a home without any other
cats or with other cats that also have this same virus. He also needed
to stay permanently indoors so he doesn’t infect other cats. This made
Whoopie Pie a hard to adopt cat even though he is an absolutely
beautiful, affectionate one year-old male cat. I also was cautioned
that Whoopie very likely would have a shorter life since he got this
autoimmune disease as a kitten and when he starts to fail, he likely
will go quickly. My vacation helped me to decide that if Whoopie Pie
was still at the shelter when I returned home, I would adopt him. I
thought we made a good match.
To read the rest of Whoopi's story, please click here.
Cleopatra
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Nina Simone)
We
adopted our beautiful Standard Poodle, Cleopatra, almost 9 years ago
now, when she was about 1 yr. old. She is one of the greatest joys of
our life; loving & sweet, smart and loyal.
She still runs like the wind in our back yard, loves to go for walks;
which we do every day. Has a lot of puppy left in her. She can identify
and retrieve all of her toys, of which there are too many to recount
here.
She is our 3rd 'daughter' and she too has made us proud parents. She
goes everywhere with us; on vacation, for rides; sleeps in the bed. We
won't board her, so that probably limits our travel, but it's ok with
us, as we wouldn't ever want to be without her.
Just thought you might like to hear of the life we've given her and the
constant smiles she has brought to us. She was formerly known as Nina
Simone, at C.A.R.E., but now, truly Cleopatra(sometimes Cleo, Cle).
She has given us our forever home :)
Chuck & Marlene
Shelby
(C.A.R.E.
Name: China)
I
just wanted to give a quick update on Shelby (CARE name China).
After week one at her forever home, she is getting along great with her
older sister Samantha and has been a great addition to our
family. Shelby is very well mannered, smart, extremely
affectionate and loves to play A LOT, which is just fine with
Sam. Thanks again to the staff at CARE for taking such great care
of Shelby until she was ready for adoption.
Ron & Val
(Samantha on the left, Shelby on the right)
 Locy
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Lucy)
I'm writing to give an update on Locy, formerly known as Lucy, a pit mix
that I adopted on May 23rd, 2011. I had visited Locy in the shelter
twice, even though I knew after our first meeting that she was the girl
for me. Everyone at the shelter warned me that she was very shy and
"not at all a people person," but as soon as she came hope with me she
really opened up. Locy comes to work with me at least a few times a
week and loves to curl up and take naps underneath my desk on an old
sleeping bag.
With weekly doggie playdates, meals cooked from scratch,
and a futon to call all her own, no doubt her current life is a real
step up compared to life on the streets of Evanston. As a geologist, I
go out of town fairly frequently and Locy is always in tow for these
exciting adventures. Recently we took 2 road trips out west and Locy
and I climbed Mt Grays, one of the 14,000+ft peaks in Colorado. The
companionship and loyalty that she has added to my life is both
indescribable and unquantifiable - she is just simply fantastic! I
can't thank the folks at C.A.R.E. enough for the wonderful work that
they do, keep it up!
I've attached some pictures of our recent adventures in Colorado.
Alexa
 Zeus
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Jabba)
When
our family was looking for a dog, we wanted a laid back dog who didn’t
bark, was pre-trained and was not high maintenance since we would
usually be gone most of the day. Everybody thought we were nuts when we
told them our expectations. When we came to the shelter as a family to
look for a dog back on a chilly day in November, they said they only
had one dog that seemed right for our family. All four of us thought
this was going to be a waste of time. But boy, were we wrong! We
instantly fell in love with “Jabba.” He would jump around for a few
minutes and then come up to you and nudge you to get you to snuggle
with him and pet him. We decided to get him. He loves belly rubs,
snuggling, treats and taking naps with you. We have had a great time
with him ever since that day back in November 2009. Not one minute have
we regretted getting him.
-The Grimsted Family
 Nanook
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Nanook)
We
adopted Nanook in September of 2008 after meeting him at CARE in
Evanston. He is a wonderful, handsome and easygoing dog who
eagerly looks forward to daily walks. He has also learned to
“fetch” a ball, which we think is unusual for a Siberian
Husky! Thank you for bringing us together with such a
treasured part of our family. We feel lucky to have him. 
 Brigh
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Ralph)
We adopted Super-Dog from C.A.R.E.
It's true. Super-Dog.
We
have never had a shelter dog before. We have had power breeds and
challenging, yet incredible dogs, before. After our last,
beautiful, Rhodesian Ridgeback passed away way too young, and taking
some time off for grieving, we decided to adopt a shelter dog. As
soon as Brigh, formerly known as Ralph, saw us he chose us; he looked
at us and said, “We are family.” He didn't sing it like Sly, but
he looked gently into our eyes, held his gaze and we knew what he
meant.
Why
Super-Dog? What dog can spend the first year of his life on the
street, the second year in a shelter, never have a home and family,
then move in to our home and behave like an angel? Super-Dog
can. What dog can live his life without the rules of a home, nice
furniture, newly refinished floors and plenty of things to chew, and
then treat his new space with love and respect like a well trained
disciple of Cesar Milan? Super-Dog can. No barking,
shredding, chewing, marking or destroying. He moved in, decided this
was his home, and treated it like he belonged.
Brigh
the Super-Dog is an all black mix of Pitbull and Labrador with gentle
eyes, a guarded heart and yet a loving disposition. He gave us
his heart and love from the beginning, so we took him in to our own
hearts. His inky black coat and Pitbull eyes and ears probably
kept him from being adopted for a long time, but to us he is a
beautiful boy who represents his Celtic name, “Brigh”, by carrying
himself everyday with the strength and nobility that the name means.
What
else does Super-Dog do? He treats little kids gently, restraining
his powerful super-powers. He goes for long runs with me, and
constantly looks back with a big Pit smile that says, “this is
awesome!” He dives into the lake and strokes those webbed Lab toes with
the power of an Olympian, and smiles again. He treats other dogs
on the street like long lost friends. He has taken trips to Iowa,
Wisconsin and Michigan, and stayed in family homes, as well as
B&B's and hotels, and treated everyplace with love and grace, and
no barking. What a dog!
He
certainly is super to us. His beginnings might have been
incredibly challenging, but it doesn't show now. There were
several other super dogs at C.A.R.E. in Evanston, but Brigh chose
us. If you need a Super-Dog to complete your family go take a
look and he or she will pick you.
Mark
 Zucchini
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Curtis)
Hello C.A.R.E., I
have thought about you so many times in the last several years. I'm
very happy that I finally tracked you down on the Internet so that I
can share a story about one of your former guests. Back in early
1992, you had a young red tabby visitor who went by the name of Curtis.
He came to you once, was adopted by a family, and then was brought back
to C.A.R.E. in March. At that time, I was a graduate student and missed
feline companionship, so I headed out to you in April and fell in love
with this orange boy the minute I saw that his cage had been marked
with a Post-It that read, "Super Nice!" It is about the truest
thing anyone has ever said about a cat. I took him home, renamed him
Zucchini, and gave him space to jump, run, and watch the birds in my
Chicago courtyard. Within a few days, Zucchini had settled in and
became the social center of attention of every gathering. Zucchini
adores people, loves rubbing up against them, watching them, playing
with them, and most of all, washing their hair. Today, nearly 19
years later, he has slowed down just a bit--only just. He still loves
to play with his catnip toys and to walk out on the deck of the house
where we now live in New York. He also still loves to bathe visitors,
especially ones with short hair. Thank you, C.A.R.E. for taking
a chance on Zucchini/Curtis (twice) and for keeping my super nice
companion healthy for me until I arrived. All my best, Andrew
 Daisley and Moze
(C.A.R.E.
Names: Callie and Little Panther)
In
April of 2008 we adopted the tortie in this picture, Daisley (you had
named her Callie). And this past summer, we adopted Moze (then
known as Little Panther).
As you can see, they are very happy
with each other. Daisley has become a very good big sister -
teaching Moze everything he needs to know - included how to play in the
bathtub, how to wrestle, when to leave their older sister alone.
And Moze has learned most every lesson exceedingly well - the only
thing he hasn't learned is how not to steal Daisley's food. :-)
Thank you CARE for taking care of our kitties until we could find them.
Paul and Rebekah
 Eastwood and Isabella
(C.A.R.E.
Names: Haley and Oscar)
Hello!! This year, my two new cats, Woody and Bella (brother and sister twins), begged to put together a holiday greeting for you (click here to see the greeting card).
So what the hey; since I've willingly relinquished control of my
household to them, why not let them tell you about their first few days
in their new dwelling? A couple of things they asked me to tell you: 1.
POOTAC stands for "Proud Owner Of Two Adorable Cats." While I do
agree with the "Adorable" descriptive, I'm not sure "Owner" well
describes my function—it's more like "Personal Assistant."
But they liked the sound of the acronym; I am powerless to do anything
about it. 2. For reasons of economy of size, Bella and Woody
decided not to present their story in the traditional format. You
will experience the wisdom of their decision when you open the
attachment. They do hope, however, that you will take a break
from the holiday rush and sing through their song "the right way." Have a happy… John P.S. Some have suggested that I have too much time on my hands. I believe I don't have enough...
 Shiloh Ray
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Buster)
Dear
C.A.R.E.,
This
update has been long overdue but never too late. My mom and I have
adopted many animals from CARE through out many years and they have
brought nothing but joy to our hearts. All of them have been
precious to us but our most precious gift from CARE is our Shiloh Ray
that we adopted back in 1997. In 1997, he was approximately three
years old, severely underweight and had either been beaten or attacked
by another dog to the point where he lost his eye. He sat for
months in the shelter cage with no luck of adoption and throughout that
time my mom fell in love & we put in for foster parents.
Unfortunately, we never really made good foster parents because once he
came home we knew he was never leaving. It is now 2010 and Shiloh Ray
is approximately 17 years old and still melting our hearts everyday.
He has
survived his many brothers and keeps his now 4 year old sister in line.
Shiloh Ray has a heart of gold and the spirit of a 6 month old
puppy, if it were not for his arthritis I do not know if anyone would
tell that he has surpassed a Lab/Shepherds life.
My mom
and I just wanted to send you are many thanks for all of our animals
and our superstar Shiloh Ray. It was until this year that he attended
every Strut for Strays but unfortunately his legs can not keep up with
his spirit. Shiloh wants you to know that he is very grateful for you
rescuing him and giving him the life he would of never had.
Carla
& Shiloh Ray
 Lou
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Redford)
I adopted Lou in the summer of 2002 from the CARE
shelter in
Evanston. He’s 8 years old now and still as feisty and full
of
personality and funny quirks as the day I brought him home. He
has been
my best friend, and we’ve been through several jobs, homes and
other life
changes together. One thing I can always count on is his big grin
and his
tail wagging when I walk in the door. Lou welcomed my husband a
couple
years ago, but he first made sure that he passed inspection. Now,
my
husband and I are having our first baby, and I know Lou will make the
best big
brother!
Grateful for what you do,
Kara,
proud owner and friend of “Feisty
Lou”
 Mario
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Enzio)
This past week mark's Mario's one year anniversary for his
Adoption Day, April 20, 2009. His adoption followed a tragic and
untimely loss of my cat, Monty. He and my dog, Phoebe, had
developed an amazing relationship. It was always a battle of the
wits between the two of them. I knew Phoebe missed him as well
as the company and stimulation he provided.
I didn't realize how much she had been grieving until she laid eyes on
Mario for the first time. The dog began to weep with
joy. At first Mario startled, then he approached the dog and
they touched noses through the baby gate. The rest has been
history. He has brought so much joy to my home, to me and to my
dog. I have my moments when I truly feel Monty handpicked this
fellow for us.
Mary Ann
|
| Remy receives his Dog
Obedience Group Diploma! |
Remy’s High-Tech Love Story
by Volunteer Janice Cha
An intercepted email, a YouTube video and a face-to-face meeting led
long-time kennel favorite Remy to his forever home with Jeremy Garchow
and Alyssa Scrofani.
Remy, a
distinctive 60-lb. chocolate-brown pit mix who’d lived at the
shelter for nearly a year, got his lucky break when Garchow noticed a
note on his email list-serv group suggesting a mutual friend acquire a
dog for safety. Another friend on the list—C.A.R.E. volunteer
Nicole Vernet—shared links to C.A.R.E.’s video clips of
available dogs, including Remy.
“We’d
been talking about getting a dog in theory some day, but hadn’t
decided on a breed,” recalls Garchow. “I have friends with
pit-mixes, so had been looking at pit bulls all day on the
internet– breeders, background, what it’s like to have
one...”
When
Garchow clicked on the C.A.R.E. Web link to Remy’s video, he was
instantly hooked. “Remy was sitting in the visiting room looking
around,” Garchow says. “His tail was going a million miles
an hour. He was excited, but not overexcited—his face had an
alert ‘what’s next?’ expression. He looked like he
wanted to hang out and do well.”
Scrofani,
who had envisioned adopting a smaller dog, was dubious at first.
“I thought we could at least go and meet Remy. But when we got
home that night [from visiting him at the shelter], I missed
him,” she says. “Remy had the right personality for us and
would be the perfect dog for Jeremy.”
The next
day they returned to C.A.R.E. and brought Remy home. Remy’s life
now is a considerable step up from his shelter days. He spends most of
his daytime hours with Garchow, who works within walking distance of
their Chicago home in a three-person office. In the evenings and on
weekends Remy lounges on the sofa, goes on walks with the couple, and
even on the occasional road trip. Remy is also continuing the Monday
night obedience classes he attended so many times with C.A.R.E.
volunteers. At night he sleeps on a soft dog bed next to his people.
The
muscular dog with the unique ears has found his forever home.
To see the Remy video and videos of C.A.R.E. animals for adoption,
visit www.youtube.com/CAREevanston.
 Lana and Minx
(C.A.R.E.
Names: Lana and Minx)
Hi.
I'm writing to let you know how Lana and Minx are doing since we
finalized their adoption in the beginning of March. They're both
settling in well. Minx often makes us laugh, dashing around with kitty
crazies. She's turned out to be a real attention seeker. Her favorite
place to sleep is on top of a person. Lana is a bit more subdued.
She'll jump up on the couch and curl up next to me, just settling in
for a snooze, without making much fuss.
They're
still feeling their way a bit with our older cat, Silly (adopted from
CARE in 1993, CARE name Sweetie). Silly's a bit cranky about keeping
her space her own, especially since she's not well. She has squamous
cell carcinoma and some arthritis. We've removed the worst of the
cancer lesions, and are treating the arthritis, so she's pretty
comfortable most of the time. Minx would like to be her friend, but
she's learning that friendship has about a 2-foot boundary right now.
Lana gets along especially well with our dog, Rhett (aka
the wonder beagle). He's an older boy who mainly likes his naps. Lana
will occasionally nap alongside him.
Thanks for bringing these two wonderful girls into our lives.
Joe & Martin
Precious
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Twinkle)
Greetings to the Evanston Animal Shelter! Twinkle aka
Precious is doing wonderful.
She is our little girl, and is warming up
wonderfully to both of us.
We adopted Precious on October 5, 2008
after
waiting a week before we could adopt our little baby. I was missing her
a lot during that week, and thankfully she was there waiting for us
after that long week.
 She
is eating well. I had her Ultra Mix cat food but she just didnt like it
too much, so we changed her food to good life recipe and she is loving
that a lot better.Precious
also loves to sit in my lap as we watch television, and loves to
get her fur brushed. I do it on a daily basis, and she loves it so much
when her mommy brushes her.
It took Precious a couple days to warm up to both of us, she would hide
underneath our green chair by the window. I would always have to go
there and call her to come out for her feeding! As the days went
by, I would just have to call her name and she would come running to me.
She is doing very well, and is very happy. Her first vet visit with us
is in November. She is a joy and we love our little princess dearly!
Beautiful
Joe
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Beautiful Joe)
Read the
heartbreaking story of Beautiful Joe's early life here.
We are very happy to share these photos of Joseph with CARE! He is doing really well and is a happy, settled dog who loves to take long walks, play chase and catch, and spend many nights sleeping in our bed with his head on a pillow! He has an older brother named Milo, and a new younger sister named Leila with whom he is quickly learning to get along. Joseph is one of the sweetest dogs we've ever known and we feel truly blessed to have him as part of our family.
Thank you to CARE for taking those important first steps and helping him through such a difficult start in his life.
The Garcia Family
Hurley
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Hurley)
I adopted Hurley in February of 2007. I saw him one day during the adoption segment of the afternoon WGN news. I told my dad I had to have him. He was just too cute not to love. I took the El up to Evanston and walked through the snow to meet him the following Monday. I was so nervous that he was already going to have been adopted because he was just so cute on tv. Luckily, he was still there. As soon as I saw him again, moseying around the visiting room, I knew he was the right cat for me.
We've had a great year. My whole family has fallen in love with him, and everyone that meets him thinks he's just the greatest. He's my buddy, keeping me company at home by meeting me at the door when I walk in and sleeping next to me in bed (although he does take up about half the bed!). Thanks for helping me find a great friend!
Attached is a recent photo of him my dad took while my parents were watching him for me. He definitely makes himself comfortable anywhere.
Sarah
Stella
(C.A.R.E. Name:
Starlette)
 I
adopted Starlette, now known as Stella, in June
of
2007. She came to
me as an exuberant,
good natured and playful puppy, thanks to the wonderful hands on work
at the
Evanston Animal Shelter, and continues to be an extraordinary companion. She has a zest for life,
great joie de vivre,
and is kind and sweet to all around her. Thank
you to everyone at the shelter. Kathy
P.S. Stella is Speck's sister
Speck
(C.A.R.E. Name:
Speck)
Hi to all at CARE,
We saw this beautiful, goofy boy's picture on the CARE website in June 2007 - he was much smaller then - and came in to interview as prospective parents.
Everyone at CARE was kind and generous with their time and worked hard to make sure that we were a good fit for Speck. We didn't change his CARE name - we think its a good name for our big boy - 70lbs now - 7 months later. We could go on and on about how much fun we have with him and the joy he has brought us (except for the toilette paper fetish) but we already drive our friends nuts with "Tales of Speck".
He has a yard to romp in, more toys that he can keep track of, and goes to
daycare a few days a week - to run off some of that big-boy energy and play
with his doggy friends.
Speck is sweet and good-natured and gives us more love that we could hope
for.
Many thanks for putting us together with Speck!
Kotlarski/Brown Family
Arthur
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Arthur)
In
June of 1999 I came to the shelter to just look at the cats that were
up for adoption. I was recently diagnosed with Ovarian cancer at the
time and was not sure that adopting another pet after losing my other
cat to cancer and dealing with chemotherapy myself was a very good
idea.
I
remember fondly finding this little blonde colored tabby and
finding out his name was Arthur. That name was also my father's name
whom passed away. I knew in my heart he was the right match for me and
I remember him sitting so patiently as I filled out the adoption
papers. Upon bringing him home he walked into the house as if he had
always lived here.
When
I came home from chemotherapy treatments Arthur was always right there
by the door waiting for me. I would take off my hat and lay on the
couch feeling so sick from the chemotherapy and my dear sweet Arthur
would jump up on the arm of the couch and ever so softly lick my bald
head as if to say "it's going to be ok. " Then he would come under the
blanket with me and take a nap in my arms.
In
between treatments Arthur and I would go to a nursing home to visit and
pass out little treat packages to the residents. Oh my what a hit he
was . He would let me dress him up in a witch costume to entertain all
the residents.
Arthur
has truly been a gift from God and without him I know I could never
have gotten through the last 8 years of doing chemotherapy.
He has given me a reason to live . I think he took his role as a
"caretaker" a little too serious as 2 1/2 years ago he was diagnosed
with a cancerous tumor. I am happy to report that he is doing fine. The
tumor was removed and he did not need any treatments.
Arthur
and I just love coming to the Christmas faire together to have his
photo taken with Santa. I am so grateful to the shelter for taking in
such a wonderful cat like Arthur and giving us both a reason to live.
And it amazes me that a lot of the volunteers still remember Arthur
when we come for the Christmas Fare. They are truly angels. And thank
you Polly for bringing us together .
Sharon
& Arthur
 Brutus
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Boris)
Dear CARE,
First and foremost, I want to express my
thanks for the work and devotion you provide to stray and unwanted
animals. Last year, our family experienced both human and
canine loss, and it was especially difficult for my uncle who
lost his wife, dog, and his dog "niece", Rusty (my dog).
Rusty was a Vizsla and was one of the most loving dogs I had ever
had. Her loss was truly heart-breaking.
I saw Boris online back in May,
and something kept bringing me back to looking at him on the
website. Those sad eyes, yet a smiling face. I
mentioned him to my family and thought he would be a great dog for my
Uncle John. Coincidentally, after I had told my uncle about
Boris, he was featured on WGN. We promptly came to the
shelter the following Tuesday and we were in love. Boris left
the shelter in a Mercedes and slept in a king size bed his first night
at home. I "babysat" for our new guy the first couple mornings
and afternoon as my uncle had to work his part-time job. It
has been almost 2 weeks now, and he has had no accidents, he listens,
gives paw, and is learning to walk on a leash better with each
day. He loves his fenced in yard and goes to PetSmart with
his daddy for essentials (even though I think it's really more for the
love and attention he gets from fellow shoppers!) Brutus is a
wonderful, loving, dog who has given my widowed uncle a companion and
my uncle has given him a home that couldn't be better. We of
course call him "Bruty" or "BrutyBaby" because he is such an
angel.
Thank you to everyone at CARE who took care of him and all the other
sweet animals who so desperately need homes. God bless you
all. Thank you especially to Sandy, our adoption counselor,
who was very nice and helpful.
With Sincere Thanks,
Mary on behalf of my Uncle John and Brutus
 Marguerite
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Paloma)
Dear
C.A.R.E.,
Greetings
from Arizona!
It’s
hard to believe it has been nearly a year since I adopted Marguerite
from the Evanston Animal Shelter - making this tribute much overdue. I told the
helpful staff volunteers I was looking for a cat, and they brought me
in a room with an adorable little white and black female. Marguerite
(a.k.a. Paloma) has brought our family so much joy.
She has quite a strong character to say the least (as do all cats)! After the
adoption, she had some problems eating, and adjusting to her new life.
There were some big changes! But nothing a little pan fried chicken
with butter couldn’t solve. It stirred her appetite. She now
eats well, and regularly. Just a few
of her favorites are the house plants, and geraniums. She likes to sun
herself on the back porch, and absolutely loves belly rubs. But her
favorite thing is music, especially in the form of whistling, or cell
phone rings. She begins to sing along (long high pitched meows). We all
say she was an opera singer in her past life.
Up
next for the pair of us is a trip to Austin, TX, where we will live
during graduate school. Marguerite is a lovable companion. She is so
special and I am so grateful to the Evanston Animal Shelter for
bringing us together. I love her so much!
Fiona
 Lady
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Lady)
Dear
CARE,
It
is hard to believe that two
years have gone by since we adopted Lady. We found her on the CARE
website January
2005 when we started looking for a dog to adopt. I will always remember
Lady’s
picture posted on the website; she was squatting in mid-pee because
that was
the only way to capture her being completely still according to the
staff at
CARE.
I
remember Steve’s
concern about letting Lady go as she had been adopted and returned
twice. So we
went through a two-month trial adoption at Steve’s urging.
All has worked
out and we have survived a couple of back yard escapes, a pit bull
attack, ear
infections and many carpet stains, but it has all been worth it. I am
happy to
report that Lady is happy, healthy and enjoying a good life in Rogers
Park.
As
we turn in to bed each night
we are reminded of how much joy this little dog has brought us as she
curls in
to a ball at the foot of our bed. We would like to thank Steve
Scheiberg and
CARE for all of your support.
Best
wishes, Jason & Marnie
 Tahiti
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Tahiti)
We
adopted Tahiti from your shelter in February of 1999. She was
9
months old at the time and had tested FIV positive. As soon
as we saw
her we fell in love with her and decided that we were willing to take a
chance on her, even though the staff at CARE and our vet warned us that
cats with FIV often do not live more than a few years. Well,
as you
can tell by this letter and by the picture I've attached, Tahiti is
still alive and doing very, very well! I don't know if she is a good
example of a cat with FIV because she hasn't been sick once in the 8
years since we've had her. People often comment on how
beautiful she
is and how lovely her fur is, and I must say I agree. I think
she's
one of the most beautiful cats I have ever seen. Furthermore
she has
been a loving, sweet cat ever since we brought her home. She
has
always been a bit shy with strangers but with us she is a complete
lover, always looking for a lap to crawl into or a hand to stroke
her.
We love her very much and are very grateful to the staff at CARE for
helping out with the adoption. Thank you so much!
 Clay
and
Sugar
We
adopted Clay 2 years ago. We got him when Clay Aiken was in
the
finals of American Idol and since we thought he should win, we decided
on that name... of course the red hair had nothing to do with it. Clay
is now getting use to his new sister and they love chasing each other.
He thinks he is a dog. His favorite place to lay is within
the
catnip. Here is a photo of Clay enjoying the catnip in the back yard.
 Sugar
was adopted last week and is getting used to the cat and her new home.
She gives us big french kisses and loves to fetch. She
immediately filled the void when we had to put our lovely "Lassie"
down. Lassie had a tumor on her heart that bled into her
heart
sack. She went so quickly. The same day we went to McCormick
Animal hospital to drop off some treats as a thank you and Dr. Crabbe
told us about Sugar and we went straight to the Shelter for a
visit. The following day we went back and began the
process. Here is a picture of Sugar on her first day home
with
us. As you can see she made herself at home and
looks very
happy.
Luis and
Roy
 Hannah
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Hannah)
I am
writing to share the story
of a girl (terrier- mix dog) who chose her owner. In December
of
2002 I filled out some paperwork to become a foster parent for C.A.R.E.
I very quickly recieved a phone call saying there were two little pups
that would need a home after Christmas for about 8-10 weeks.
The
day came for me to pick up the pups who I had named Hannah and
Luna. We went home and they, like 8 week old puppies, began
to
play and pee all over the house!
As the
first week progressed I
realised that something was not quite right with the less dominate of
the two pups, Hannah. She had real squinty eyes and developed
a
rash on her belly. Well, C.A.R.E. and McCormick Animal
hospital
did everything to find out what this rash was, treament after treatment
found no cure. Hannah's face, ears, tail and body
was
becoming thick with scabs. She was hard to look at and people
everywhere were afraid of what they might "catch" from her.
It
came time for Hannah and Luna
to be spayed and put up for adoption. I cried as I drove them
to
the vet as I had grown attached, especially to Hannah who loved to
cuddle and was so sickly with a face only a mother could
love!
When I arrived at the vet I was told Hannah must be weaned off of the
meds she was on before her surgery...this would take a month.
I
knew when she came back home with me that day there was NO
turning
back.
She
continued to be a well
behaved pup that had endless love for me. She cuddled when I
needed it, was house trained by 4 months old and had the run of the
house and didn't ruin a thing. She even weaseled her way into
my
bed. As the month passed and her meds wore off Hannah became
sicker and sicker. We landed at the "Dog Dermatologist" in
Buffalo Grove as a last resort. It was there that the answers
were finally given. Hannah has "DM," a disease that is common
in
shelties, which Hannah is not.
After
a little trial and error
and new meds 2-3x a day for the rest of her life, Hannah's condition is
now under control. She still has a face only a mother could
love
as the scabbing caused scaring where hair will never grow
back.
Hannah came from C.A.R.E. and chose me as her owner. C.A.R.E.
helped me to be able to keep Hannah by helping with the medical bills
since she was a foster pup at the time. We now live a happy
life
together going to the dog park, driving in the car with her head out
the window (we get many comments!) and riding on the boat, with her
sunscreen on the bald spots of course. CARE is great and
Hannah
and I have a love that I never knew I could have for a little ugly 40
pound dog who I now call my child!
We
both thank CARE for helping us find each other!
 Lucas
We're
writing to provide an update on Lucas, an adult adoption of a
liver-and-white Springer that we made from the Evanston Shelter on July
16, 2002.
Lucas probably was an outdoor dog until he came to the Evanston
Shelter. He didn't know too much about being a pet or a house dog when
we adopted him, but he tried very hard to learn everything about his
new role.
Lucas
quickly won the heart of everyone in our extended family. He is
attentive, gentle, and loves to be with people. He also loves his food,
maybe too much - but he had started to watch his weight and
is
now only a little too heavy. As an older dog, he has a few health
problems and has needed a few surgieries, but mostly he is happy and
healthy!
About a year after Lucas joined our pack, we relocated to San Diego CA.
The change to a warmer climate has made it easier on his joints than
the Chicago cold. Best of all, in San Diego Lucas can go to the park
everyday, and swim whenever he wants.
The other members of Lucas' pack include two humans and an
adopted Spaniel-Collie mix named Sojourner. While Sojourner is an
alpha-wannabe, Lucas is content to be an ever-faithful beta.
He
is about nine or ten years old now, with his brown eyes turning blue
and his hearing not quite as good as it once was; nonetheless he is a
happy, active boy who loves nothing better than a good long swim.
Thank you, Evanston Shelter and Springer Rescue for giving this
wonderful dog the chance for a full and active life, and for giving the
Demuth pack a faithful friend!
Ron and Sylvia DeMuth
 Katie
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Katie)
Here
is my
favorite former C.A.R.E. resident celebrating Valentine's
Day.
Thank you for all you do for the animals and the people who love them.
Cheri
 Sandburg
(C.A.R.E.
Name: Sable)
Just
wanted to let you know how grateful we are to the Evanston Animal
Shelter for allowing us to add Sandburg aka Sable to our family.
She
has adapted very quickly – and so has her BIG brother
Wrigley. I
have even caught Sandburg kissing Wrigley on his ears after a special
treat that my husband has them hooked on. Although there are still a
couple late night play fights that I believe Sandburg is instigating
both are getting along well! As you will find from the attached photos
Wrigley has even shared his perch a couple of times and both eat side
by side in their designated dishes.
I will most certainly recommend
your shelter to any family or friend in search a pet.
Thank you again!
Best regards,
Christina & Scott
 Galen
(CARE
name: Cookie)
Bonjour
from
Paris, where Cookie (we renamed her Galen) is now
living.
We adopted her in October 1999 and we lived for 6 happy years
in
Boystown/Lakeview, where she went on daily walks/jogs to the lake and
played with her dog friends. She was the sweetheart
of
Roscoe Street and enjoyed oohs and aahs and daily treats from
neighbors and staff from local bars and businesses - quite a
nice
life, I'd say. This summer, we moved to Paris for work, and
while Galen still barks with an American accent, she is
adjusting
to beautiful Paris quite well. She enjoys long
walks and
goes over the Seine river to the Rive Gauche via the
Austerlitz
Bridge. And she has learned to peer over the bridge
and
gaze at the flying buttresses of Notre Dame in the distance
(okay, so I am the one who looks at Notre Dame but Galen does
put
her front paws on the stone railing and peers over the
bridge). And she recently came down to the French
Riviera
with us and spent two weeks in sunny, lovely Villefranche-sur- Mer,
where her dad Steve was taking a French immersion course.
While
Steve was in class, we worked up a daily sweat going up the hill
and enjoying a stunning view from an old fort. The
picture
below shows a bit of the scenery. Galen even got to
visit
San Remo, Italy, with us - people there kept stopping us to
pet
her and admire her. She says bonjour to everyone at
Care
and sends a big merci for taking care of her and letting us
adopt
her. She is a loving, smart, and beautiful dog and
we are
lucky to have her.
Sapna and Steve
 Sonny
(CARE
name: Chewie)
I
adopted Sonny,
a two-year-old chow golden retriever mix, from CARE on August 23, 2005.
I hadn’t planned to take a dog home that night, but when I
met
Sonny, he immediately placed his front paws on my shoulders and began
licking my face. When I brought him to my apartment, I was really
overwhelmed, and though he slept with me in my bed the first night, I
think both of us were pretty nervous.
Soon
however,
Sonny and I developed a rhythm. In general, he is a very easygoing and
mellow boy. As a graduate student, I do a lot of work from home, and
Sonny is content to lie under my desk and keep my feet warm while I
write. Everyday we play with other dogs at the park, and he has
transformed from indifferent towards other dogs to friendly and
playful. Sonny especially likes girl dogs; he is very submissive to
them, and will immediately rollover on his back when playing with his
favorite girlfriends.
I
also see why
Sonny was named Chewie while at CARE: just give him a bone and he
won’t stop until he’s devoured it, usually in one
sitting!
And speaking of sitting, one of the cutest things Sonny does is that he
usually lies down like a frog, sticking his back legs out so that his
big belly can rest on the cool floor.
I
call Sonny my
“Sonny Bunny,” because he is so cuddly and fluffy
and
happy. I love waking up with him every morning, and coming home to him
at the end of a long day at school. Thank you CARE, and especially
Sandy, for bringing me and Sonny together!
Mary
 Hoagie
(CARE
name: Hoagie)
I'm
writing to
let you all know (any of you who would have been around 10+ years ago
that is) that Hoagie the Beagle is alive and kicking. We
adopted
him in late January or early February of 1995. Dr. Roberts
estimated his age then at 6, so we figure that he is at least 16
now. He is still spry, but has cataracts, and a few lumpy
bumpies
- growths related to old age.
Hoagie (his CARE
name, and name to this day) was found at the corner of Dempster and
Dodge in January of 1995 with no collar. He nearly had
frostbite
in his paws, tested positive for heartworm, and some cruel person had
cut notches in both of his beautiful beagle ears. Hoagie is a
lovely beagle you may recall had to be treated by Dr. Roberts for
heartworm 3 times before he came up clear. He lives in Silver
Spring , MD for the past 8 and 1/2 years, and is still a very happy
mellow guy. His current vet just loves him, and says that he
shows no signs of having problems related to either the heartworm or
the arsenic treatments at this time. He only recently
developed a
slight heart murmur, he thinks just related to old age, but the
cardiologist cleared him for anesthesia for his most recent
teeth-cleaning and so he is all groomed and handsome as ever.
We thought we
were going to lose him in September of 1999, when he got very sick, and
we took him to emergency, and they detected a very large spleenic
tumor. That is when we found his current doctor, who removed
it,
and to his surprise it was benign. He says he has done very
well
since then, it is his 6th anniversary of surviving that
ordeal.
His only problems now are old-age related, the small sebaceous growths
that the vet says is common in old beagles, and a little bit of urinary
"leaking". But he is such a good boy, or good old man I
should
say, and very well house trained, and does his best to always make it
outside. His favorite thing is to sleep on the futon, and beg
for
food like every beagle you ever knew. His big bug eyes still
make
him a favorite, and his quiet and sweet disposition make him friends
wherever he goes. We had a few things to learn
about
beagles, since he's our first, but we have loved having this sweet
spirit soul to nourish our lives. Thanks to Dr. Roberts and
all
at McCormick for helping spare his life. I think
Bill
Andrews (the Animal Warden) will remember him too, with his distinctive
ear notches.
Mara and Brian
 Peachfuzz
(CARE
name: Hi)
We've
had
Peachfuzz for over a year now and she's become a member of the family.
She was a shy girl at first, and in those first few days we found her
under the bed sheets when we'd arrive home from work, curled up in a
little ball. But, she is such a brave kitty, too, and she quickly
warmed up to us and our new home. Since then, she has been so
incredibly appreciative of our love and very affectionate and
loving in return. She's five now, but she loves to pitch around her
tiny toy mouse, and has a bit of a sweet tooth sometimes =). We would
like to encourage people thinking of adopting to take in an older cat
because they are so grateful for the home you will give them. We feel
truly blessed with our Peachy girl.
Serena and Andy
 Tybalt
(CARE
name: Tiger)
I
adopted Tybalt
in Fall of 1998, and he has been the best friend I could have hoped
for. His nickname is "The Mayor of Andersonville" because he
meets and greets so many people when we take him for a stroll into
town. The best representative for his breed. I've
since
gotten married, adopted two cats, and Tybalt has been there through it
all, thrilled with our growing family. Thank you again CARE
counselors, for introducing me to an awesome dog.
Fred
 Teena
(CARE
name: Valenteena)
My
husband and I
had just moved to downtown Chicago the summer of 2001 and thought our
job hunting season was the perfect time to adopt the dog we'd always
wanted.
We adopted Valenteena (which we shortened to Teena) that
July. We
were introduced to her at the shelter by a wonderful man who clearly
loved his job. Teena was matted and hairy but had sweet face
and
a keen interest in the ball we were throwing. We loved her
the
minute we met her. The nice man made us go to lunch and think
about it before he let us adopt her... we ate so quick I nearly
choked! We went, back, got our dog, and then realized we had
NO
dog accessories in the house. Luckily, the pet store across
the
street was big and open.
It was a very hot summer and she was a beautiful black chow/retriever
mix. The three of us walked all over Chicago that summer - to
the
Lake , to the museums, Michigan Ave. ... It took her a few weeks, but
she finally seemed happy to be with us. She didn't even seem
to
mind the shoebox apartment we lived in - I think it actually helped her
adjust!
It's been almost 4 years and we couldn't imagine life without
her. She is a terrific "big sis" to our 18 month old toddler
-
who plays with her, cuddles with her, throws balls for her and runs so
she can chase him.
We always say that Teena was meant to be our dog - it's why she was at
the shelter. I myself was adopted and believe that we're with
the
families we were meant to be with. Thank you, CARE, for being
a
great foster family for our beloved Teena.
 Rocky
(CARE
name: Rocky)
It
was on April
20, 2000 that I adopted Rocky. I can still remember vividly
how
you all explained that this dog 'Rocky" that you were going to
introduce me to was a little wary sometimes. He was a shy guy
because he had survived an abusive first home. Then, as soon
as
he walked in the room, this guy darted straight at me, jumped up on my
lap and licked me in the face. He was the first dog
I saw
and also the last. I knew had to take him home.
Rocky is doing very well! Since I adopted him I have been a
Residence Director at Loyola University and now at DePaul. He
has
LOVED living in the residence halls with me. He has hundreds
of
students to play with daily and they shower him with
affection. I
also think they sneak him treats when I'm not looking because he has
started to put on a little weight!
But anyway, I just wanted to give you an update and sincerely thank you
for what Rocky has added to my life. Whenever I talk about
him to
others, people think I am speaking about my son. He means
that
much to me. You all are wonderful and I have recommended you
to
every person I come in contact with who wants to adopt an
animal.
Keep up the great work!
 Mulligan
(CARE
name: Honda)
Kevin and I would just
like to send a very special “Thank You” to everyone
at C.A.R.E – especially Beth.
Mulligan
(Honda) has only been with us for a few days, but it seems like
he’s already feeling very much like part of the family. He
enjoys
going to work with Kevin and socializing with Kevin’s
colleagues
and clients. When he gets tired he has his own side of
Kevin’s
office where he can sleep.
He continually amazes us
with his curiosity and willingness to learn. We both feel really lucky
to have found such a loving pup.
We
plan to start obedience training after the holidays once things have
quieted down a bit. I’m attaching a picture for your
enjoyment.
 Kaluha
(CARE
name: GI Jane)
It
has been about 3 years since I adopted Kaluha (aka G.I. Jane) from the
Evanston CARE shelter. She is a 14-pound Maine Coon monster! When I
adopted her I was attending grad-school in Evanston, since then Kaluha
has moved with me to Tifton, Ga., Dothan, Ala., and now, Panama City,
Fla. She is a trooper and the best pet I have ever had. Everyone who
sees her, falls in love with her instantly. Her upbeat, playful
personality, not to mention her beautiful face is totally addicting! I
want to thank everyone at the Evanston shelter, especially Polly, who
helped my roommate and I decide on Kaluha.We went into the shelter
thinking we wanted a kitten and came out with a 1-year-old jewel.
 Cookie
(CARE
name: Panache)
Panache
was brought to the shelter by the Evanston Police, who were concerned
about her condition. It seemed that she had no eyes. After one of our
volunteers took her to the veterinarian immediately, it was determined
that she indeed did not have eyes. We're not sure if it was caused by a
bad infection, congenital defect or foul play, but the poor kitten was
definitely in need of help. Our volunteer Mitzie took her home to offer
her a quiet place to recuperate instead of the noisy, chaotic shelter.
Well, it didn't take Mitzie long to fall in love with the little kitty.
Panache has a new home and a new name: Cookie. She gets around very
well by sense of smell and hearing. Cats truly are amazing!
 Seamus
(CARE
name: Sir Speedy)
Sir
Speedy (left)
was truly a character at the shelter. He was happily adopted by Jean in
June of 2004. He is shown here with his big sis, Miranda (on the
right), who was adopted from CARE in September of 1989.
 Kopi
(CARE
name: Percival)
The photo above
was taken about two
weeks after Kopi came onboard. He's
in the foreground, Carbon in the rear. They look alike, they sleep
alike, fortunately they have enough physical difference for us to tell
them apart. And then, of course, there are their distinctive
personalities and Kopi's verbal fluency in Cat, Human and Swahili.
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