Buddy - Adopted 1/29/2010

Buddy was adopted by a woman who fell in love with his sweet-natured temperament. She's planning to focus her time on bonding and basic obedience work initially, but hopes to adopt a canine friend for Buddy in the not to distant future. Buddy was a sweet, goofy puppy and we're confident he will bring much love and entertainment to his new family. Good luck, O' Curly One!

Nova - Adopted 1/23/2010

Nova finally found her forever home!!

Nova was with us for over a year. She was a wonderful, sweet, loving girl, but she was also deaf. Apparently, that mattered to everyone except Nova. Finally, Nova found a family that was able overlook her hearing loss to see what a wonderful companinon she really was. We are so happy to see her finally find her forever home, though her foster dad sure is going to miss her.

Domino - Adopted 1/2/2009

Domino will be living on 20 acres in the woods with his adoptive parents and his caninine and feline brothers. We are sure going to miss our boy, but we wish him much happiness and love in his new home.

Will - Adopted 12/29/2009

Will was adopted by his foster family who fell in love with him and couldn't let him go. Will may have a flyball career in store for him, if he takes a liking to the sport.

Shay (Lilly) - Adopted 11/26/2009

(Puppy mill survivor)

Adopted by her former foster mom's sister-in-law who fell in lover with her during a Thanksgiving visit. Who could blame her. Shay was by far one of the sweetest girls we ever had in rescue. We are told that she is doing well in her new home and has become best buddies with her new border collie sister. A well-deserved happy ending!

Jett - Adopted 12/8/2009

(Puppy mill survivor)

Perhaps some competitive obedience in her future? But, first and foremost, a beloved pet and little "sister" to her canine siblings.

Robbie - Adopted 10/18/2009

Oreo - Adopted 9/15/2009

Lots of swimming and trips to the beach in his future!

Duke - Adopted 9/24/2009

Finn - Adopted 8/10/2009

Fynn (Prix) - Adopted 8/18/2009

Prix was adopted by the same wonderful couple who adopted Trik (iPod) below. Prix has an agility career in store for him.

Flash - Adopted 8/2/2009

Flash the day we brought him home after his first hip surgery. Flash received two operations to remove the ball from his femur bones. Flash has severe hip dysplasia and had developed bad arthritis in both hips. As a result, he had to take daily pain medicine. Flash's surgeries were very successful and he is able to run and jump and be as active as he wants to, all without needing pain medicine.

Flash was also treated for heartworms when he first came to us.

More photos of Flash . . .

Crissy (Chica) - Adopted 7/21/09

Sky - Adopted 7/12/09

Jake - Adopted 7/1/09

Devil Dog (D.D., Delilah) - Adopted 7/11/09

In Memoriam

Scrappy (right) - You deserved better, sweet puppy.

iPod (Trik) - Adopted 6/10/09

Future Agility Star and All Around Troublemaker!

Fivel (Pilot) - Adopted 5/31/09

Future Agility Star!

Tommi Lee (Jesse) - Adopted 6/5/09

Future Agility Star!

Jesse (Radar) - Adopted 5/3/09

Bonnie (Sasha) - Adopted 5/3/09

Boston ...

Boston was rescued from an Alabama shelter in August 2008. This poor guy spent nearly his entire life in the shelter. He had been at the shelter since he was 12 weeks old and he was about 17 months old when he came to us. He kept getting passed up by potential adopters because he had demodectic mange, which the shelter had trouble getting under control. Even though the shelter assured potential adopters that the mange would likely eventually resolve, no one wanted to take a chance on Boston. The shelter staff had become pretty attached to their long-term resident, though, and wanted him to have a chance to find a forever home. So, he came to rescue.

Boston had a little trouble adjusting to life outside the shelter at first. It was so new to him. He was a bit shy and anxious in the beginning, but quickly gained confidence once we got him into a routine of regular exercise and training. Boston experienced many new things while with us including the ocean, the pool, the park, and the Jolly Ball™! He found out that he really loved to swim in the pool and the ocean and loved it even more when he could do it while playing with his favorite Jolly Ball. Boston loved to leap off the side of the pool after a thrown ball or other toy. He was good, however, about staying out of the pool unless invited.

Boston also loved to play with other dogs, as long as they didn't bully him too much. He became very good buddies with several of the other foster dogs that passed through our home while he was with us. Besides playing with toys, swimming in the pool, and playing with the other dogs, Boston was over the moon if you would let him come snuggle on the couch with you.

Boston was adopted by a young couple who felt it was time to add a dog to their life. Boston's new guarding was looking for a dog that could pal around with him everywhere he went, and coincidentally, Boston was looking for the same thing. It was love at first sight for both Boston and his new "Dad." His new "Mom" took a little longer to fall in love, since she had lost her heart dog a few years earlier. But, she too was pretty smitten with him after just a few days. We couldn't be happier for Boston. His long-awaited dream of his very own forever home finally came true!

Scout ...

Scout was a 3 year-old blue merle, male border collie. He was surrendered to rescue by his owner after a fellow rescuer found him listed as "free" on an online classifieds board. His former owner had no business owning dogs. We'll leave it at that.

Scout was a relatively laid back border collie, but he did also enjoy running and was known to get the "zoomies" when he was outside. He was a very sweet dog and had wonderful house manners.

Scout was adopted by a local couple who already had a yellow lab. They were looking for another companion for both their dog and themselves. Scout seemed to have just the right temperament for their family and lifestyle. He is fitting right in with his new family and we continue to get nothing but good reports about him. Good boy, Scout.

Hazel ...

Hazel was a 5year-old purebred male border collie that was AKC-registered. He belonged to a woman who was breeding "show" border collies. When she began having health issues, she determined that she could no longer keep her dogs, so we offered to help.

Hazel was a very sweet girl and got along well with other dogs and cats. She would often try to get in on the play time with the other dogs in her foster home, but wasn't quite sure how to get in the game. Hazel was not a high energy border collie, though she did love to be active. Her foster mom also described her as a true snuggle bug.

The perfect life for Hazel was one where she could get lots of quality time hanging out with her best friend seemed like. So, that is the home that we found for her. Hazel was adopted by a young man who was looking for a nice, sweet, companion dog to share his life with. Though they had a bit of a rough start at first, they have both adjusted to their new life together and are enjoying each other's company. We wish them many years of happiness together.

"Cooper is just a big lover . We were both a little suprised at how well they got along. He really loves his new home."

Rowdy (Cooper) ...

Rowdy was a 4 year-old purebred male border collie that was AKC-registered. He belonged to a woman who was breeding "show" border collies. When she began having health issues, she determined that she could no longer keep her dogs, so we offered to help.

Rowdy was a very sweet, very patient and lovable guy. He got along fine with other dogs and cats, but prefered to be with people most of all. He was not a high energy border collie but he was known to get the "zoomies" every so often with a little help from his "cruise director" foster sister and Starfish BCR alumni, Zoe.

Rowdy, now Cooper, was adopted by a couple with another 3 year-old border collie, Lance, who was actively competing in agility. They had recently lost their 14 year-old border collie and were looking for a new companion. Cooper had just the temperament that they were looking for. Lance and Cooper hit it off right away and it seemed like the perfect fit for everyone. When it was time to go, Cooper jumped right into his new family's car as if he had been with them all his life.

"[Annie] and Lucky have become inseparable. We often find them lying side-by-side on the floor, playing with the same chew toy."

Annie ...

Annie was a 6 year old border collie that was surrendered to rescue by her owners. They felt that they could no longer provide her with a good home after the birth of their first child. Annie had been well taken care of her whole life. She had the best vet care, attended training classes, and even got to test her abilities on sheep. She was a very good dog and was an easy dog to live with.

Annie was adopted by a retired couple who had another rescue border collie, Lucky, the same age as Annie. They were looking for a new companion for Lucky and for themselves. Annie was just what they were looking for.

Annie now lives in rural south Georia. We are told that her good manners are starting to rub off on her new border collie brother and he is even learning from her example how to return the ball when playing fetch. Good luck in your new home, Annie. We hear that you are a much-loved new addition to the family.

Rudy (Brewski)...

Rudy was rescued from a Florida shelter where he had been turned in as a stray. It's hard to imagine Rudy being a stray because he's not the kind of dog that likes to wander. Instead, he prefers to stay pretty close to his people. From the moment that we brought him home, we knew that Rudy was a special dog. He had an awesome temperament. He loved all people and dogs that he met, and though he had plenty of energy to burn, he settled very well in the house. Rudy was also a total snuggle bug and would love to crash in your lap after a nice bit of exercise.

If I were looking to add another dog to the family, Rudy is just the type of dog I would be looking for. Since we are not looking to add another dog, though, I did the next best thing - introduced him to my sister and her husband. They were, of course, totally smitten with him and thrilled to have him join their family, which consisted of two other rescue dogs, one of which was also adopted from us (see Hops below). In keeping with the beer-themed names of their previous rescue dogs, Hops and Barely, they decided to change Rudy's name to Brewski. We are so happy for him and excited that we will be able to see him on a regular basis. Welcome to the family, Brewski!!

"I just wanted to drop you a quick email to let you know that 'Alfie' is a wonderful addition to our family. He and Bear are getting along very well and he is extremely well-behaved."

Thomas Spot (Alfie) ...

Thomas Spot was rescued from a shelter in Georgia. Thomas was a victim of cute puppy syndrome. He was adopted as a very young puppy from the shelter by a family that had obviously not thought about the fact that puppies grow up; they don't train them-selves; and dogs are a 12-15+ year commitment. The family that adopted Thomas Spot never took the time to train him or teach him any basic manners. They just left him in the back yard and had very little interaction with him. A year later, they had a bored, unruly young adult dog on their hands. They decided to return him to the shelter because he would jump on the kids.

When we met Thomas, it became clear that this boy was in desperate need of some structure and training. He didn't know what his boundaries were and had zero obedience training. He also needed to be house trained. By providing some structure and consistency in Thomas's life, we saw a dramatic improvement in his behavior. He learned how to sit patiently (well, sort of) to have his leash put on. He learned to sit at doors and wait to be released instead of just rushing past us to get to where he wanted to go. He alsolearned "down" and "stay."

Once Thomas knew the rules, he was a very well-behaved dog in the house. He was also very good off-leash when we took him to the park or the beach. Among his favorite things, Thomas loved to play Frisbee and chase the soccer ball. He also liked to have “discussions” with his back paws while lying on the tile and to bob for non-existent apples in the water bowl.

Thomas was adopted by a family with one teenage daughter at home and another in college. They also had another dog that they had rescued several years earlier, several birds, and a horse. Thomas, who was renamed Alfie, took to the young girl right away. He loved to lay on the floor and soak up all the pets and belly rubs that she was so willing to give out. Alfie also got along really well with their other dog, which was an important criteria for his adoption. We are so glad to see Alfie finially getting to have a family of his very own. This time, though, he is with a family that is glad to have him and willing to give him the love, attention, and time that he deserves.

"Just wanted to update you on Casey.He is doing really well, and we are all in love with him. He is the best dog and we feel very lucky to have him."

Casey ...

Casey was rescued from a rual Florida shelter. The shelter is very small and can only hold dogs for a few days because new dogs are coming in all of the time. Luckily, the shelter is very good about working with rescues to get as many dogs out as possible. Casey was picked up as a stray. He was running loose with another dog. Animal Control knew who his owner was, but the owner didn't want to pay the impound fee to get Casey back. That's just as well because his former owner was not a good dog owner. We are told that Casey was tied up outside and when he wasn't tied up, he was left to run loose. He was not doing anything wrong, but he was a nusiance loose dog and the neighbors called Animal Control.

Casey had a scar that went all the way around his neck. Our vet believes that it was likely caused by a rope tied around his neck. Casey was also malnourished; he had bad ear infections in both ears; the cartilage in his ears was permanently damaged from scratching them so much; and, Casey had heartworms. Because Casey was microchipped, we were able to find out where he came from. His former owner had adopted him from a local Humane Society just a little over a year before he came to us. How sad.

Well, Casey received all the necessary treatment for his ears and he received treatment to rid him of the heartworms. Just as he was finishing up his crate rest for his heartworm treatment, we received an application from a family that seemed like a good match for Casey. After visiting with them, we knew that Casey had found his forever home. Casey was the perfect temperament for them and they were impressed with just how sweet he was. We know that Casey has found his forever home and that he will never be neglected again. Good lucky, Casey, we will miss you.

"Just a quick note...We love Deja."

Deja ...

Deja was a 4-year old purebred female border collie. She was surrendered to rescue by her owner. Deja is an AKC-registered border collie that belonged to a woman who was breeding "show" border collies. When she began having health issues, she decided that she could no longer keep her dogs, so we offered to help.

Deja was a very submissive dog, but don't let that fool you. Get her out to the park or the beach and her confidence would grow 10-fold. She loved to run and play and was learning to catch the frisbee. What she loved most, though, was chasing other dogs.

Deja was adopted by a mother and her 17 year-old daughter. She now shares her home with 2 Pomeranians and 4 cats. We are told that she has become somewhat of a mother figure to the two young Pomeranians. Good luck, Deja!

Bruce (Fausto) ...

Bruce was rescued from a kill shelter near Atlanta, Georgia. He had run out of time at the shelter and was in immediate danger of being euthanized to make room for more "adoptable" dogs. After meeting Bruce, though, it's hard to believe that no one came looking for him and that people weren't lining up to try and adopt him. He's was a wonderful dog! He had it all - brains, beauty, energy, drive, good manners, some basic obedience, and focus.

Bruce was a tall border collie - around 23 inches at the shoulders - and was very athletic. He loved to chase tennis balls and soccer balls and he LOVED to go swimming. He wouldl leap off the side of a pool to retrieve a toy. For his adopters, this was the perfect combination! His new family - both the humans and the dogs - were also water-loving creatures.

Bruce, renamed Fausto, was adopted by a couple with three other border collies, so they were very familiar with the breed. They live on the water and have a pool that the dogs can swim in. What more could a dog like Fausto want?! They were thrilled to have Fausto join their already border-collie rich family. We are told that Fausto loves to play tug with his new brother, Truman, and they have managed to shred many rope toys together.

We truly believe that Fausto found the most perfect home for him. I think his new family feels the same way. We are so glad that so many people came together to rescue "Bruce" from his death row sentence. What a shame it would have been to loose a dog as wonderful as him. Good luck in your new life, Fausto. You deserve the best.

Gizmo ...

Gizmo was a 5-year old purebred female border collie surrendered to rescue by her owner. Gizmo was an AKC-registered border collie that belonged to a woman who was breeding "show" border collies. When she began having health issues, she determined that she could no longer keep her dogs, so we offered to help.

Gizmo was a very small border collie with a lot of fluffy coat. She was probably about 17 inches tall at the shoulders. Gizmo was a little princess. She was a velcro dog and loved to snuggle with her human. She was happiest when she was with her person, wherever that was. She could be a little timid when meeting new people, but she was friendly to everyone, especially once she got to know you.

Gizmo went to her new home where she will be an only dog and the center of attention. That's just the way she likes it. He new Mom was looking for a nice, sweet, friendly comanion dog that would keep her company and enjoyed being spoiled. Gizmo was more than ready to fill that role. We wish the little princess good luck and happiness in her new home.

Boone ...

Boone was a beautiful red merle Australian shepherd that was rescued from a west coast Florida shelter. We believe that he was likely around three years old. As you can see from his first picture, Boone was suffering from some sort of skin condition. At the shelter, prior to coming to us, he was tested and found to be heartworm positive. As soon as we got him out of the shelter, we took him to our vet. The skin condition was nothing more than a bad flea allergy with a secondary skin infection from all the scratching that he had been doing (likely for many, many months). Boone also had ear infections, was a little under-weight, and had a pretty nasty upper respiratory infection. We chose to wait a couple of weeks for Boone to get over his kennel cough and put on a little weight before starting his heartworm treatment.

Boone was a very, very sweet, submissive boy and he handled his 4-5 weeks of strict crate rest like a champ. After he finished his crate rest and began to spend more time loose in the house and accompanying us and the other dogs on outings, he really started to blossom. He started showing interest in toys and playing tug with the other dogs, and became the new best buddy to my youngest dog, Skittles.

At the beach, he loved to chase and play in the water. But, his favorite thing to do was steal my oldest dog's Frisbee any chance he could. He thought it was great fun to play keep away with "the old man." He also learned to catch the Frisbee and was becoming quite good at it.

Boone was pretty much the perfect all-around dog, and his new family agrees. They are thrilled to have him join their existing menagerie, which includes two dogs, a puppy (their college-aged son's dog), and a cat. We are told that Boone has become good friends with their cattle dog mix and loves to wrestle and play with their son's puppy. We will certainly miss him. He was one of those special dogs that will forever have a spot in our hearts.

O'Malley (Riley) ...

O’Malley was about 10 months old when he was adopted. He is a purebred border collie that was surrendered to rescue by his owner. He was a very sweet boy and got along well with our other dogs and all people. O’Malley loved to snuggle with us, but he definitely was not a couch potato. O'Malley needed to find a home with people who were willing to provide plenty of exercise, mental stimulation, and continued training.

He found that with his new family. O'Malley was adopted by a wonderful couple with another rescue border collie. They had recently lost their older, much-loved rescue border collie and were looking for a new companion to their younger border collie. They also just loved the breed and missed having two dogs in the house.

O'Malley now has a new brother and a wonderful yard to play fetch and chase. He also has a swimming pool to cool off in during the hot Florida summers. We're quite sure that O'Malley is going to be quite happy with his new life and family.

"Nik enjoys sleeping in bed with Nick every night. He is growing smarter and smarter everyday."

Nik ...

Nik was about 5 - 6 months old when he was adopted. He was rescued from the same high-kill shelter in Georgia as Pumpkin (below). The shelter has an 87% euthanasia rate!

Nik was a fun little puppy and loved to play with toys and with the other dogs. Nik tended to be quite vocal when playing or when he greeted us in the morning or after work. He half barked/half howled and it made us laugh every time he did it.

Nik was a great little puppy and he loved to learn new things. His new family was thrilled to have him. It took them a while to grieve the loss of their previous dog, but when they saw Nik, they knew that it was time to give a new dog a loving, forever home. The only real dilemma that his new family faces now is deciding who is going to have to change their name - Nick, their human son, or Nik, their new furry child!

Pumpkin ...

Pumpkin was about 7 weeks old when she was rescued from the same high-kill shelter in Georgia as Nik, above. We believe that she was a collie or Australian shepherd mix. Pumpkin was very sweet and very smart. She never stopped wagging her tail. In fact, she would sometimes wag it so fast that you couldn't even see it. You just saw a white-tipped blur at the end of her body!

Pumpkin was quite the little athlete and could already jump up on the couch at about 3 months old. She was also a bit of an escape artist and managed to break out of her crate on a couple of occasions. On her second break out, she managed to, um, "redecorate" her foster parent's office. Though I'm sure that Pumpkin was likely quite proud of herself, I don't think that her foster parents were quite as impressed - yikes!

Pumpkin was adopted by a wonderful couple who absolutely fell head over heels in love with her. Even though we warned them about Pumpkin's impish streak, they were not about to be discouraged. We hear that things are continuing to go well and they still think the world of her. She's definitely one lucky puppy!

Oreo (Murphy) ...

Oreo was a 5 and a half year-old purebred border collie that was surrendered to rescue by his owners. Oreo was being kept outside in a pen with some other dogs at his first home. He was rescued by a woman who had considered keeping him, but her husband didn't like Oreo to be in the house. So, he spent most of his time outside. If you've ever met Oreo, you would know that this is NOT where he would like to be. Oreo is very much a people dog. He wants nothing more than to be with his person. We were told that Oreo was able to scale an 8-foot high fence in an attempt to get to his people. We had him for about a month and a half and he never showed an ounce of interest in climbing our fence. He simply wanted to be with the family, whether the family was inside or outside at the time.

Oreo was adopted by a wonderful family in Connecticut. His new Mom is someone who I had known for a couple of years and someone I trusted to give him a good home. She had recently lost her sweet blue merle rescue border collie way too young and was hoping that having another merlie boy around might ease some of her heartache. Besides his new human family, Oreo shares his home with two other rescue dogs and several rescue cats.

Holly ...

Holly was rescued from a high kill shelter in north-central Florida. She was very young, not more than a year old, as evidenced by her perfectly white teeth. But, it was clear that she had recently had puppies. We don't know what became of her puppies.

Holly was a very sweet and submissive girl. She was likely a border collie mix. She was very low key, but did enjoy play time, too. Holly loved being with people most of all and spent most of her time curled up at her foster Mom's feet. Her foster Mom said that Holly was a lovely dog she thoroughly enjoyed having her around.

Holly was adopted by a family who was interested in getting a dog that they could possibly do some agility with just for fun. But, they did not want a high energy dog and were looking for a nice companion most of all. Holly fit that mold perfectly. Her new nick-name is Sweetie Pie.

"We are still so happy, he continues to make us smile everyday. Today Raegan said we should get fireworks with words that say,'Tater is the best dog in the world!' I think that sums it up."

Tater ...

Tater was rescued from a kill shelter in central Florida where he had been turned in as a stray. If only they realized what a treasure they were giving up when they turned him in!!

Tater was pretty sick when we first got him. He had a bad respiratory infection and was very lethargic and would not eat. After a few days with some strong antibiotics, Tater was feeling much better and finally started to eat. Tater's respiratory infection took two rounds of antibiotics to finally get it under control.

Tater was probably around 4 months old when we got him. He still had all of his puppy teeth, but started loosing them within a few days after we picked him up.

Tater was a very good puppy. He was playful but not too crazy (usually) and he was very good in the house. Tater was very easy to potty train and he would go immediately upon being brought out. He only had a few accidents in the house, but they were our fault, not his.

Tater loved to play with toys and loved to play with the other dogs, especially my year-old border collie mix, Skittles. By the time Tater was ready to be adopted, they had become good buddies and were always together.

Tater was a tough dog to give up for adoption. We had become VERY attached to him. There are some dogs that come through our rescue program that seem to worm their way right into our hearts, and Tater was one of those dogs. We even brought him with us on vacation when we went up north for Thanksgiving. Only really special foster dogs get to go on family vacations.

Tater was adopted by a wonderful family with two young children. They could not be happier with him and feel blessed to have him in their lives. We are told that he has become the young boy's shadow and sleeps with him at night. We couldn't have found a better family for Tater and they think that they couldn't have found a better dog. We will miss you forever, Tater, but you will ALWAYS be in our hearts!

Tess and Ceit ...

Tess and Ceit (pronounced Kate) were two border collie puppies that were surrendered to rescue by their owners. Unfortunately, their owners hadn't really done their research before getting two high-energy breed puppies.

Tess and Ceit were very sweet and LOVED any attention they were given. They had had almost no training and were a bit wild when we got them. But, they were very smart and learned quickly. They were both very high energy puppies and could get into trouble very quickly, if not kept busy! Ceit was a little more self-confident than Tess, who was more skittish about strange sounds and sites. But, she was pretty good about working through her fears. Tess had no idea how to walk on a leash when we got her, but after a week of practice, she was able to go for a long walk on a leash without any problems (other than pulling like a sled dog!).

Tess and Ceit were adopted around the same time. Tess went to a family on the west coast of Florida who already had another young border collie. Though her new older sister was not sure at first if she wanted to share her family with a young, ram-bunctious puppy, we are told that they have now become good friends. Ceit was adopted by a couple with an older rescue cocker spaniel mix on the east coast of Florida. Since they were recently retired, they felt that they now had the time to add a young border collie to their life. Her new Mom is hoping to train Ceit to be a search and rescue dog. We wish both dogs good luck in their new homes and look forward to hearing about their many adventures.

Molly ...

Molly was about 6 months old when she was surrendered to rescue by her owners. Though they loved Molly very much, they realized that a border collie was not the right breed for them. They wanted Molly to have the chance to go to a home where she would receive the kind of mental and physical exercise that a high energy dog like Molly needs. A lot of owners will just drop their dog off at the local shelter once they realize that it's not the right dog for their family. But, Molly's owners wanted to make sure that she went to a good home where she would be loved and cared for.

We are glad that they did. Molly had not yet been spayed and an unspayed pure bred dog with papers could so easily end up in the wrong hands and become a breeder dog for an unscrupulous breeder or puppy miller that is only interested in making money by breeding the dogs over and over again. That will never happen to Molly, though. We had her spayed and microchipped and worked to crate train her and teach her what proper behavior in the house was. She took to everything very quickly.

Molly loved romping with our other foster dog, Zoe (below), but we wanted her to learn to bond with people, too. So, we decided to send Molly to a foster home where she could get some one-on-one attention from her foster Mom. Well, it didn't take her foster Mom long to fall in love with Molly and so she decided to make her a permanent resident. Molly gets to go to the dog park every day and has started basic obedience classes. Molly, recently, even got to try her paw at herding sheep! It looks like Molly has found the forever home that everyone wanted for her. Good luck Molly and Amy!

"Zoe is a snuggle-bug! We're so in love!"

Zoe ...

Zoe was rescued from a high-kill south Florida shelter. She was turned in by her owner and was said to be aggressive towards men. Sometimes when owners turn in their dogs, they feel the need to make excuses for doing so. Unfortunately, labeling a dog as aggressive is a certain death sentence at most shelters. Because of this label, Zoe was not made available for adoption but was (thank goodness) still eligible to be pulled by a rescue.

Well, Zoe was about as far from aggressive as they come. She was sweet to everyone she met - men, women, children. She got along famously with all of our other dogs, other foster dogs, and friends' dogs. She was playful and loving and cute as a button. She had a wonderful temperament and a very fun personality. She was just a really wonderful dog.

Zoe was adopted by a wonderful couple who fell in love with her sweet face. Even though they already had several other dogs and also fostered dogs for their local rescue group, they couldn't stop thinking about Zoe. Once they met her, they knew that she would be their next dog. We hear that she is adjusting quite well in her new home and she has done a wonderful job in helping their under-socialized foster dog come out of his shell. Good luck Zoe. I'm so glad we decided to prove to the shelter that labeled you as aggressive wrong!

"We love him more everyday. Liesa and me took him for a bike ride today, and he did great."

Zeus (Spots) ...

Zeus was a 17 month old smooth coat border collie that was surrendered to rescue by his owners because they had some life changes and felt that they could no longer care for him. Zeus was not a high energy border collie. He was more of a couch potato. Zeus just loved attention and wanted nothing more than to find a family that just wanted a really great companion dog.

Well, he found that family. We think this home will be the perfect home for him. He will have his very own 11 year-old girl to love him and play with him. He even gets to sleep in the bedroom with her at night, which we KNOW he just loves! He is the perfect energy level for this family and their other dog (a very cute toy poodle) and we couldn't be happier about the adoption. The night they picked him up, he jumped right into the car without any hesitation like he knew that his forever family had finally come for him. We think Zeus is going to have a really wonderful life.

Tally ...

Tally was rescued from a kill shelter in Georgia. The shelter was crowded and she had run out of time. She was in danger of being euthanized at any time. We had space to take her here, but needed some help getting her out of the shelter where she would be safe until we could get her. A wonderful rescue organization (Ruffus Rescue) in the Atlanta area offered to pull her and hold her temporarily until we could get her. She was temporarily fostered by a wonderful couple who have a soft spot for dogs in need. She was pampered in her foster home and even got to sleep on the bed with her foster Mom and Dad! They fell in love with this sweet girl and wanted nothing but to see her go to a wonderful forever home.

Tally was adopted by a couple who have another rescue border collie. He and Tally hit it off immediately. They chased and played until both were exhausted. Then, they both cooled off in the water. We think that Tally may have finally found a dog that can keep up with her! We wish her good luck in her new home and look forward to seeing pictures and hearing stories of her.

Rocky ...

Oh boy, where do we start?! Rocky was rescued from the same high-kill shelter as Jenny, below. Rocky's chances of being adopted were nearly zero. He was in pretty bad shape. He was undernourished, had lost a lot of hair on his body due to having sarcoptic mange, was full of intestinal worms, and had infections in both ears. Once we brought him home, we also found out that he was heartworm positive. Rocky began receiving immediate medical attention for his skin and ear conditions,and treatments to rid him of the internal parasites and malnourishment. Within a couple of weeks, he was well enough to be neutered and begin his heartworm treatment.

You will never meet a happier dog than Rocky. Even when he was spending nearly 24 hours a day in his crate, he never complained and was always wagging his tail. Rocky was a fun little dog. We were not sure what his mix was, but his personality was part comedian, part snuggle bug, and part Tasmanian devil! He was a total hoot to have around. He just LOVED toys and would grab and shake the life out of any toy, sock, towel, pillow, or whatever else he could get a hold of. He was also quite a good lizard and frog hunter and even presented us a present in the form of a small box turtle (unharmed) that he had discovered in the back yard one day.

On Labor Day in 2007, Rocky went to his new forever home. Letting him go was one of the hardest things that we've ever done. He had certainly grown on us in the four and a half months that he was with us. Rescue can be tough sometimes and Rocky reminded us of just how hard it can be. He is one of a kind. Who knew that this hairless, skinny, stinky(!) boy that we pulled out of that rual Florida shelter would turn out to be such a treasure of a dog?! But, his new Mom is a wonderful woman who has promised to keep us updated on Rocky's new life. She is, of course, completely smitten with him and is already spoiling him rotten! Rocky, you will ALWAYS be in our hearts. We will love you forever!!

Connor (Rye) ...

Connor was found as a stray on the highway. A wonderful woman took him in and cared for him for several months. He was thin and had worms and an ear infection. His rescuer got him the medical attention that he needed and also had him neutered, tested for heartworm, and microchipped. Though she was also a rescuer, she asked us to help because she typically doesn't rescue border collies.

We were all too happy to help. Connor was a wonderful dog. He has one of the best temper-aments of any dog that we've fostered. We knew he wouldn't last long in rescue and we were right. Connor was with us for just a very short time before he was adopted by a wonderful couple who are training him for flyball. They have another border collie that already competes in flyball and loved the sport so much, they decided to add a second border collie to their family. Of course, they fell in love with Connor right away. Who wouldn't love this guy? He's a sweet, happy, smart, wonderful dog. Good luck Connor (now named Rye). We hope to see you out there competing alongside your sister one day!

Jenny ...

Jenny was rescued from a high-kill shelter in central Florida. The poor girl was absolutely terrified to be at the shelter and was paralyzed with fear when she was brought out of her kennel. We brought her home, cleaned her up, de-fleaed and de-ticked her, and got her some necessary medical attention. Within a day or two of leaving the shelter, Jenny was already feeling better and loved the much-deserved attention that she was now getting. She was about the sweetest dog we've ever met. She would just lay her head in your lap and wag her tail in total bliss.

Jenny was a very young dog - around 8 months old - but had already experienced so much hardship. With a lot of love an patience from her foster Mom, Jenny blossomed into a wonderful, happy little girl. In fact, her foster Mom struggled with her decision to Jenny go. She loved this special pup. But, Jenny went to a wonderful home where she is much loved by her new family. They feel like they have hit the jackpot with this sweet girl. They can't stop gushing over her. We are so happy that Jenny will never have to be terrified again. Her new family will make sure of that!

"I just can't thank you enough for this wonderful boy . . . ."

Owen ...

Owen was surrendered to rescue by his owners because they were moving and couldn't take him with them. Owen is a pure bred border collie and had spent most of his time in the backyard of his owner's home with his mother. Owen was about 7 months old when we got him and he was already overweight from lack of exercise. Despite being mostly isolated for the early part of his life, Owen had good social skills with both dogs and people.

When Owen first came to us, he was a bit withdrawn, as his life had just been turned upside down. He didn't know how to, or didn't want to, play with toys and he was absolutely obsessed with chasing the other dogs. Unfortunately, he was too rough with the other dogs to be allowed to play with them when he first arrived. He wasn't trying to hurt them; he just was a little too serious about wanting to control their movement. We worked hard to redirect Owen's passion to something less disruptive - THE BALL. Once we switched on his passion for chasing the ball, there was no looking back. Owen became a ball fanatic! He lived to play fetch and had awesome eye-to-mouth coordination.

Owen was adopted by a woman who was experienced with the high energy requirements of herding breeds like Owen. She had 3 Australian shepherds and a whippet. It was the whippet's job to keep the Aussies exercised because none of them could ever catch her. Owen's adopter loved her Aussies, but was looking to add a border collie to her family. She was already competing in obedience and other activities with her dogs, but she was interested in finding a dog that she could train for competition herding. We allowed her to have Owen instinct-tested on sheep and he passed with flying colors. We think that she was already in love with him and would have adopted him anyway, but we won't tell her that!

We are thrilled that this pudgy, undersocialized, scared guy is now living the life he deserves and is getting the chance to do exactly what he was born and bred to do - herd sheep! We wish him and his new Mom good luck and hope to see them competing in a herding trial one day.

Jet (Kamir) ...

Jet came from a kill shelter in Indiana. The shelter was going to euthanize him because "he wouldn't walk on a leash." Huh??!! Well, lucky for Jet, he had a guardian angel looking after him. The same wonderful woman who helped save our previous foster, Indy, also saved Jet. She wasn't going to let this beautiful boy die for such an absurd reason.

Jet was recently adopted by a local couple who have another border collie, Shade, that looks like she could be Jet's older (and wiser?) big sister. Jet gets to go to the dog park once or twice a day where he keeps himself busy by trying to round up all of the other dogs there.

Besides the fact that Jet was adopted by a wonderful couple, we are tickled to death that we will get to see Jet on a regular basis. Jet was definitely worth saving. He's going to bring so much fun and adventure into his new family's life and we could't be happier about that!! Good luck Jet. You're not a throw-away dog anymore.

Cosmo ...

Cosmo came from the same South Florida shelter as Miami Sam. Cosmo had no chance of getting out of the shelter alive. He was in a "resricted" area of the shelter that the general public doesn't get to see. When we pulled him, he literally had only hours left to live. Such a shame because he is a great dog!

Cosmo was placed in a restricted area of the shelter because he was injured. We don't know for sure what happened to him, but his injuries were not serious. He had about a 4-5 inch gash on his left hip and a broken bone in his right rear foot. Surely, no reason to throw a dog away! Indeed, within a month of being out of the shelter, Cosmo was fully recovered and ready to take on the world!

Cosmo was a tough dog to give up for adoption. Fun was his middle name. Cosmo has a huge heart and a thirst for adventure. We were lucky to find a family that would provide the forever home that Cosmo needed and deserved. He now has his very own little boy to love him and play with him every day. We couldn't be more thrilled. But, he will be missed. We love you, Cosmo. Have a wonderful life!!

T"The boy wonder does it again. We (Michael, Dash and I) went to a Blessing of the Pets held at St.George's Episcopal Church just down the street from my home today. Although apprehensive Dash did so well. He allowed Father Parker to bless him individually !!! "

Indy is a very special boy who has an amazing story. Indy was one of 8 border collies rescued from a bad situation where all the dogs were being starved and possibly abused. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of several caring people, all 8 dogs found foster or forever homes. We were lucky enough to become Indy's foster family.

Indy was with us for nearly 7 months, in which time he blossomed into a wonderful, sweet, fun-loving boy. We made the decision that Indy was ready to go to his very own forever home. We knew that his adopter would need to be a special person who would be patient with him and willing to give him time to adjust to his new life.

We think we found that person. Indy's new Mom is a wonderful woman who is willing to give Indy all the time he needs to get comfortable with his new life. She's not expecting anything from him other than love and companionship. Indy has a wonderful home in a quiet neighborhood with a yard "to die for!" His yard backs up to a golf course and we are told that Indy is fascinated with watching all the golfers on the other side of his fence. He also enjoys spending time on his comfy bed in the sun room and going for walks with his Mom.

Indy is a diamond in the rough and we will love him forever. Please read the special poem written for Indy by his foster Dad.

Miami Sam ...

Sam was rescued from an animal shelter in South Florida in December. If he had not been pulled by rescue, he would have been euthanized. He had lost fur all over his body due to a bad allergy (likely from fleas), which he was treated for. He was also treated for an ear infection.

On February 18th, Sam went to his new home on the west coast of Florida. His new family is very excited to have him join them. His new Mom is also a medical doctor and has assured us that she will be fully prepared to deal with any skin problems that Sam may have. But, we think that is all behind him now. He's been off all medicines for several weeks and we haven't seen any allergy flare-ups. His coat is also really starting to fill in. We wish Sam good luck in his new home, but we sure will miss him - especially Steve. They had become quite close.

Skittles ...

This little guy never even made it to adoption row! Skittles was rescued from a kill shelter in South Carolina. The shelter was run by a caring group of volunteers and they all loved Skittles. But, the bottom line is, a shelter is no place for a puppy and space is always limited. The rescues there were full but they were determined to get Skittles out. So, we offered to take Skittles into rescue here.

From the moment we brought him home, we knew he was special. He strutted into the house like he owned the place. He always has a smile on his face and a wag in his tail. Skittles is adventurous and fearless. Just the kind of guy we like! Though the resident dogs were quite jealous of the little heartbreaker at first, they have grown to love him as we have. He has become the constant companion and playmate of my younger border collie, Charlie. I think my older border collie is also grateful to have someone else help fill in the role as Charlie's playmate.

Though it was never our intention to keep Skittles, it was clear after just a few short days that he wasn't going to be going anywhere. Sometimes when you aren't even looking, the right dog just finds you.

Skittles will be following in his brother's footsteps and will hopefully have a fun and rewarding agility career when he is older. So, stay tuned for more on the exciting adventures of Skittles!!

Hops ...

One of our first adoptees, Hops, initially named Dylan, was rescued from the Humane Society in Cookeville, TN. Not much is known about his past, but clearly he had some fear issues when he was first rescued. He was afraid to even come into the house and he would cower if you moved toward him too quickly. He acted as though he had always been left outside and didn't know what it was like to be an "inside dog."

But, he was a sweetheart from the beginning and would thrive on any kind of attention and petting. He was quick to flip over and have any willing participant scratch his belly.

The original plan was to first save Hops from being put to sleep and then foster him until the perfect home could be found. He arrived close to Thanksgiving so he came along with me to visit my sister in Atlanta for the holidays. It was an opportunity for him to meet another dog that my sister had just adopted. Secretly, I was hoping my sister would fall in love with him and adopt him into her home.

But, his first interview didn't go so well, he promptly went the bathroom on the indoor plants and dining room floor. His potential brother didn't like him much either when Hops snapped at him on more than one occasion. So, he promptly headed back to Tennessee after Thanksgiving and the search continued for an adoptive family.

He went on another interview in TN, but it didn't go so well either when he tried to eat the prospective owner's cat! So, when no family was identified by Christmas, he made another road trip to Atlanta to spend a week again at my sister's for the holidays.

This time, his interview went much better! No more peeing on the plants or snapping at his potential brother, instead they played together constantly. When it was time to leave, there was no way my sister could separate the two of them, so he was welcomed into her home forever. His name was changed to Hops to coincide with his new brother, Barley.

Over time, Hops came out of his shell and has turned into an extraordinary dog. It all started with the introduction of a tennis ball and progressed to a wiggly giggly ball....now he cannot go a day without retrieving and playing with his green ball.

His ball obsession quickly progressed to a Frisbee obsession and just the mere mention of the word "Frisbee" sends him running for the dog door. He has learned many Frisbee tricks and continues to improve his skills. His attention and focus are unwavering and he has to be told to "take a break" as he will not stop on his own.

He loves any kind of toy that squeaks and although he can drive his new parents crazy with this obsession, he also is the center of much laughter and joy when he gets so excited by these toys that he jumps...or should I say HOPS, on his dog bed feverishly to show his enthusiasm.

His energy is contagious and his more laid-back brother has to work hard just to keep up. As a result, his energy keeps us all in shape and reminds about the importance of exercise.

In the past few years he was a content hiking companion to his adoptive dad and has logged close to 100 miles on the Appalachian Trail through the mountains of Georgia and North Carolina.

Once afraid to come into the house, he now sleeps upside down with hind legs spread right in the middle of the king-size bed! He is an incredibly loyal dog who will stay right by your feet and keep you company even when you are working on the computer into the wee hours of the morning.

Hops and Barley together are quite a pair...just like children, when they were first adopted, they got into EVERYTHING....including digging holes in the mud! But they always clean up nicely!

They enjoy car rides and hiking everyday in the woods with their adoptive dad, Brian. They love to find deer and squirrels on their hikes.

And, the best part of all is that I still get to see him regularly. They love to come visit me in Vero Beach, FL. Hops loves to go to the beach and catch his Frisbee in the waves.

Hops and Barley have recently moved to a new home on a lake so chasing ducks has now been added to their daily routine. A major "water dog", Hops loves to splash and swim and retrieve his tennis ball. He thinks he now is going to the park each day, when he is just going to his backyard.

He has successfully passed basic and intermediate obedience training with flying colors as he is one very smart dog! He loves any kind of project to do that stimulates his little brain. His new family is considering getting him involved in agility classes or even fly ball or herding.

Hops was a one year old active pup when he was first adopted. Now he is a thriving active 5 year old. With a little bit of attention and patience, this little guy with a few "issues" has turned into a life-long and loyal companion.

The moral of this story is don't give up after the first interview. With a little patience and perseverance, you too can find a life-long companion that will give more back to you than you ever imagined possible.