Happy Tails

He came to the shelter in July of 2011 and was only recently adopted after spending a whopping 589 DAYS (over 1.5 years) kenneled there. Snickers started out as a very smart, driven, energetic dog who slowly grew sad and tubby in his kennel despite everyone's best efforts to keep him happy and healthy, but it was well past time for him to get out of the shelter when his adopters found him! Carlous and Juanita P. fell in love with our boy, and this is what they have to say now:

"Snickers has behaved beautifully so far....well beyond our expectations. He seems to very smart and picks up on things quickly. We found out on the first day that he loves to ride in a car. He loves to go for a walk and he is an "easy" walk for the most part. We put his crate in our bedroom for the first couple nights and he has been sleeping through the night with no problem. Snickers follows voice commands pretty good for the most part. He has attached himself to my wife Juanita and follows behind her everywhere. He is very affectionate and love to lick you.

One thing Snickers did have to learn was how to walk up and down stairs, but he picked it up after the first couple attempts. It's truly hard to believe that he has been locked away in a shelter for most of his life. As I am putting together this email Snickers is stretched out on the floor next to my desk, while my wife's church choir practices down stairs (he is attentively listening). Please let everyone at the shelter know that Snickers is doing fine and loves his new home."

He was at the shelter for almost two months and the cat volunteers loved him for his big fangy front teeth and extra-sweet disposition. Fellow volunteer Regina A. also thought he was adorable, and decided to take him home :) He's been with her for a few weeks now, and this is what she says: "Thumper is doing great. He is very affectionate and loves to sit on laps while we watch TV or sit at the computer. He is exploring the house more and is very curious. He is feeling much better since his loose tooth was taken care of and shows his appreciation by snuggling with us (and our dogs) every night. He loves to play with his feather toy and strings. Thanks for featuring him on a video so I was able to see what an awesome cat he would be for us!"

After a high-intake weekend at BCAS, rescues including BCAA were called upon to help the shelter handle the cat and kitten overload. BCAA fosters pulled ten kittens that day, and one of them was this cute little tuxedo boy. Due to his crazy antics in his foster home, he was appropriately named Tony Stark. 2 months later, BCAA found Tony his loving forever home! His new mom sends these pictures and says: "He was playing in the cushions it was very cute. Our house has been re-energized with this high voltage bundle of joy. Couldn't be more thrilled to have such an wonderful addition to our gang! Completely in love."

The 1yo Fila Brasiliero girl I've been nagging you all so much about lately, has finally left BCAS and has made it to Crown Ridge Rescue in Tennessee, 1000 miles away! Alexis came to the shelter after her owner's house burnt down, and due to her breed she is not a great fan of strangers, so BCAS decided Alexis could only safely go to a Fila-smart rescue. And so she did! Lisa told me that Alexis adjusted pretty much instantly to her new home, including her new "mom" and "dad" and her new doggy buddies :)

The three-legged kitty came to BCAS a while back with a severely injured hind leg, so bad the bone was actually visible. The shelter is not equipped to deal with urgent medical issues, so Sweet Potato was rushed off to the Willingboro Vet's (Editor's note: Actually, I transported him! I remember that now, hehe.), where his leg sadly had to be amputated. BCAA took Sweet Potato from there, where he was waiting patiently in a foster home for quite some time. Finally, finally, Sweet Potato was adopted into his loving forever home, and now we get to see pictures and hear how much they love him there: "Here are the pictures of my tater <3 thank="" you="" so="" much="" for="" all="" your="" help="" i="" m="" thankful="" that="" he="" was="" given="" another="" chance="" at="" life="" :="" p="">

He was finally adopted after TEN months at the shelter into a wonderful home. His new owners say: "Junior is doing great. He's turning out to be a great addition to the family. We're so happy that we were able to give him a second chance. It's really hard to fathom that nobody adopted him before we did - approx 10 months since he first arrived at the Burlington County Animal Shelter. Thanks again for taking care of Junior so we could give him a home. He's only been here for 3 weeks or so, but it feels like he's been part of our family for years."

Sunshine and Thunder (now Puma) were two kitties who were recently adopted by the friend of a fellow volunteer. Sunshine (9 years old) was at the shelter for 5 months, and Thunder (2 yrs) for 3, and both of them were known for being a bit grumpy and difficult to handle-- Sunshine's former owner even said she's not good with kids or any animals, but now they're both doing splendidly as barn cats, and they've even been caught sleeping together in the straw! Their new owners just love them, and say, "Sunshine is doing wonderful. She loves barn life! She has gotten so friendly already! Loves to be held now!". About Puma they say, "He is super friendly and hangs out with Sunshine!" I guess they just needed a little freedom to be happy :)

He adopted in April after 5 months at the shelter. Star's new family says, "Star has been really great since we adopted him. He seamlessly fit right in with our family. He is very patient with our 3 yr. old and is genuinely one of the people friendliest dogs you'll ever meet. We can't believe that anyone would leave him at the shelter, he is so sweet. All our neighbors love him already. When we tell them he was in the BCAS for so long, they say how lucky he is we found him;but we truly feel we are the lucky ones." Star was a Pooch with Perks, and Star's adoptive family was generous enough to give back the goodie bag and gift card they received as part of the promotion. Star's Perks are now being used to sponsor another dog, Sally! (Visit our website to learn more about our Pets with Perks programs: FriendsofBCAS.org/pets-with-perks.)

She came to our shelter in the beginning of March 2012 and was rescued by NJ Boxer Rescue at the end of the same month. You may remember Elsa as the sweet older gal who had a growth on her front leg. One of our volunteers recently asked the rescue who took Elsa how she was doing, and we got happy news! "A couple days after we moved Elsa to a foster home in Easton, PA, her owner tracked her down via PetFinder. She had been frantically searching for her. We contacted her owner's vet to be sure that it was a safe, loving home, and that she was well take care of, and she was. So, Elsa, whose name is really Ally, was reunited with her Mommy, and their vet is taking care of her and the growth. That's a wonderful result. Her foster Mommy really loved her. At least she got to spend a week in a warm, comfy home, and got to ride around with her foster Mommy in the car, which she enjoyed."

She was a 2-year-old super-petite little cutie who was adopted earlier this month. Her new family shared her pics on our Facebook page and also had this to say: "Dove came home with us today! Her new name is Kenzy. She is loving her new soft pink bed and all the attention she is getting! Kenzy meeting her new 'big brother' Buddy (shown in the pic). She preferred being under the table at first, but she is now resting comfy in front of the fireplace! :)"

"It's been 2 months since we adopted her from the BCAS. She's is such a great cat. Can't imagine our home without her. Hoping people read this and maybe they'll think twice about buying a cat, visit your local shelter and "meet" the cats and dogs. I know you'll find ATLEAST 1 you'll love!"

"I wanted to let everyone know that Duncan (aka Carson) is doing great. This is a picture of him on his ride to my house. We are still working on him staying calm, but he is much better on the leash. He starts school on Sunday and he will have his stitches out on Monday, so it's a big weekend for him. Thank you so much for all of the care and love that you gave him while he was at the shelter"

He was adopted in February of 2012. Marty's new owners say: "We adopted Marty 4 weeks ago and if feels like he's been in our family forever. He is the sweetest dog, he loves to play outside and with my 3 year old daughter. He is very protective of us too. Thank you so much for letting us have him. ?"

He was adopted earlier this year. Martini's new owner says: "Martini is doing great! His cold is all gone and he is playing with all his toys like it's his business and business is good! He doesn't let me hold him much. He's way too busy! I'm guessing as he matures, he'll get a little better. He hasn't let me catch him since I gave him his last pill. Uses the litter box like a champ and is very friendly with the dogs. Jorge (the older cat) isn't too crazy about him yet--tends to avoid him, but I'm sure he'll adjust as well. Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to adopt him. He's such a beautiful boy!"

He was adopted in March 2012 after almost 5 months at the shelter. Joey's new ower says: "Brought Joey home from the shelter last week and he is just a joy. He's having a ball running up and down the steps, exploring every nook and cranny of the house and sitting in the window and on my lap. Here he is just chillin' with his new brother Ralphie!"

He was adopted in March 2012 after BCAA took him in and placed him in a local store's adoption cage. Arthur's new owner says: "We entitled the picture "King Arthur sitting on Queen Ann's chair". He is such a love!!! Very loving and enjoys being loved. He is adapting very well. Still investigating everything. He slept well, mainly with me, I think he felt safe, due to the fact that he can slip under the bed if he has to. The boys are so cute, the first thing Aidan said this morning "Arthur where are you". They want to pet him, but I think Arthur still a little timid. He loves to come up to you and meows to pet him, and announce when he comes into the room. It will take time, but I really think that he and the boys will become best friends!"

He was adopted by the family of one of our volunteers, Bernie, in March 2012. Bernie says: "We are so grateful to the shelter for allowing Logan and the family to have Shaggy. He is truly a loving dog who will not be without the family. He is our grandpuppy. He lays his head in Logan's lap so Logan can pet him. He meets Reagan when she comes home from school. He is still in the crying stage when everyone leaves him to go to bed. He has his own bed in the kitchen. They leave a light on for him. He loves being with Glenn, Logan's dad, when he is home. Funny story: I was watching the kids at the house and the sitter came unannounced. When she open the back door, Shaggy let out two big barks and ran away from her. He is a great watch dog. We all laughed."

He was rescued by Delaware Valley Second Chance in January 2012. They moved him to the Delran Petsmart where they have cages with cats for adoption, and he hung out there for a few days before being spotted by a guy who had just lost his own polydactyl kitty (extra-toes kitty). The man was thrilled to find another poly cat, and snatched him up right away!

She was rescued by Atlantic County Canines in December 2011, and Claudine of ACC has this to say about her: "Just wanted to let you know that Bella the older overweight min pin is doing better and was adopted by a VET! When we got her and the male she was very, very sick, in bad shape; at one point we had her at the vet to be put down. After a few months in a foster and a ton of people at the vet's office and 3 rescue groups chipping in for her vet care, she recover pretty well and was adopted out. We did have to separate the min pin pair because the male was okay but she was very ill, but they are both doing excellent and you can't beat a vet adopting her!"

She was adopted in 2011 after 4 months at the shelter. Lexie's new mom said this when she first knew she wanted Lexie: "She is so sweet! We wanted to adopt/save another one since we have to put Reese, our elderly cat, down. Figure its the best we can do to bring some good out of a bad situation. Can't wait to bring her home!! As soon as I picked her up I knew she had to come home. She will also have her own bedroom and live like a queen."

She was adopted in 2011. Her new home says: "Hi! I looked on the website to post an update on a dog I adopted, but couldn't find a spot. I adopted a staff/lab mix in may 2011. Her name is Biscuit and she is so happy to be in her forever home. I wanted to thank the staff in helping my kids and I find the right dog. She's doing well. Thanks again for making the adoption of our first dog, simple and stress free. Enclosed are some pictures of her."

"It’s me, Peanut! I just wanted to let you know how much I am loving my forever home! My mommy and I have so much fun together, she tells me all the time that she loves me so much and that she is so happy she found me! I have made lots of new friends in my neighborhood, I especially like the big dogs! Thank you so much for taking such good care of me while I was there and for helping me find my home! "

She was adopted by a family in February 2012 after 3 months at the shelter. Mama's new owners wrote: "THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! We brought Mama (now named Bella) home today & as you can see Brianna is sooo extremely happy! And Bella hasnt stopped purring so I think its safe to say shes pretty happy too! Bella hasnt left our sides! Brianna & I are sitting on the couch & she is laying between us purring away!! We love her so much already!"

These two half-feral kitten sisters that were rescued and fostered last-minute in 2012 by our volunteer Andrea. She worked with them and finally found them a home earlier this year, and she says: "Got some pictures of Dandelion and Daffodil sleeping with their new kid. Haha! The girls are now named Izzy and Tiger. They are both being well spoiled. Dandelion (Tiger) likes to be with the kids in the home where as Daffodil (Izzy) likes the adults more. They both like sleeping in their new owners' beds and seem to be warming up a lot quicker than they did with me. They have changed these dog lovers into cat lovers in less than a week."

He was rescued by AC Canines earlier this year. He's now renamed Lewis and his foster mom, Claudine, says: "Here are a few pictures of Lumpy aka Lewis. Great dog! He really likes my other new foster dog Stevie who is in the picture."

This kitty, now called "Cricket", was adopted in Feb. 2012 by a BCAA volunteer's family's family! They recently lost their beloved cat Sammie and decided it was time to find a new furry buddy. "We looked at Petsmart, and the Hamilton shelter but I didn't connect with any of the cats there. So we drove down to the Burlington Animal Shelter and found this girl. She didn't have a name on her cage yet. They said her owner turned her in, they couldn't take care of her anymore. Instant bond!!!!! There were 2 other people looking at adopting her and didn't, what a mistake they made! She's super friendly, sweet, totally relaxed and laid back attitude just like my Sammie. (She's also got a great super fluffy tail like Sammie) She reminds me of him, just a different color. We filled out the app to adopt her on Monday and they called us to pick her up on Friday after her spay operation. I could not believe the number of animals they have there for adoption! I can say that this cat WILL NOT be an outside cat. She will be inside 100% of the time. Here are some pics of her."

Willie was rescued by AC Canines in December 2011. His foster mom says: "Willie is doing great. He has gained a few pounds so far and is filling out nicely. His coat looks shinier and his skin is improving also. His eyes look brighter too. He has some minor hip issues and we are giving him glucosamine to see if that improves. He loves to fetch a ball and is well trained in that. We limit the distance and time on that so he doesn't get too sore or stiff. All in all he is doing well and showing improvement all the way around. He is a doll and a pleasure."

This sweet, extra-cuddly tortoiseshell girl with the funny walk was adopted in December 2011 after doing much of her growing-up from kitten to adult cat at the shelter. The family who adopted Cassie just loves her. They donated their gift card back to us, so we can sponsor another cat.

This hyper, happy dog was finally adopted in November 2011 after 5 months of languishing in our shelter. No dog this bouncy was meant to be caged for so long! Jet is doing great in his new home. Jet (now known as Otis) and his housemate Max (a little Pug) disagree sometimes, but don't we all have spats with our siblings? The owner said he runs around so fast in the back yard and still jumps up and down when he gets overly excited... that's our Jet!

The perky, lovable calico/tabby girl was adopted in 2011. Her name is now Penny, and her new owner wrote to us on Facebook: "She's a total lovebug :) She is the best Christmas present, and I swear she smiles".

These two black cats adopted mid-2011 together, though they came to the shelter separately: Their new owner says: "Diego and Adele are doing very well. Diego never stops talking. Adele is growing nicely. They are learning to live with each other, and are constantly vying for my attention. I'm pretty sure they're happy. They definitely eat well!!

These two 1-year-old tortoiseshell kitty sisters who found themselves at the shelter last year. They were adopted together, and recently, fellow cat volunteer Katrina (who remembered Tom & Jerry) ran into their owner who says she's really happy with her kitties and wouldn't want to be without them. Jerry has been renamed "Tippy" for her white-tipped tail.

The senior beagle was adopted last year on Christmas Eve. Noelle's adoptive family has this to say: "My wife and I just wanted to let you know that the dog that we adopted on Christmas Eve is doing well. Our new Beagle, Noel, has adjusted to her new life in a fine manner. Shadow, our other Beagle, has accepted her faster than we ever could have expected. Noel eats well, sleeps well, and seems to be house broken. She chases squirrels in the yard, and spends time every day looking for deer in the woods on the other side of the fence. She is a perfect dog for us, and we are thankful to have found her. Thanks to all of the staff at the shelter for helping us find her.