December 28, 2007 was a seasonably warm Friday afternoon by Cleveland Winter standards.  My wife and I had spent much of the week between the Holidays looking for our first pet and this day had started like any other.  We had left a voicemail with a dog rescuer about a particular dog, but had also seen a handsome border collie online that we wanted to meet, so we decided to visit the Cuyahoga County Kennel as well.  Little did we know that after hours of conversations with breeders, multiple kennel visits, and leafing through dog books in search of our first dog that that morning our dog would ultimately find us.  Devon was boarded in one of the last cages we saw at the CCAS.  Both our hearts jumped once we saw him, but my wife decided to walk through the rest of the kennel to give the other dogs a fair look.  I couldn’t.  This little border collie with floppy left ear had placed it’s right paw on top of my outstretched hand, cocked his little head off to one side, and winked at me.  I immediately thought this puppy was unlike all others.  We had connected. In a private room he proved to be shy and timid around the available variety of stuffed animals and tennis balls, but did like treats and being close to us.  He showed a tendency to sit on one of our feet and prop all his weight against our leg.  He demonstrated a need for companionship and freely licked our hands and cheeks in appreciation for our hugs.  We signed the adoption papers shortly afterward.  Because of the Holidays, he would have to stay at the kennel until after New Years.  That did not stop us from visiting him for a few hours each day up until we introduced him to our home.  With each visit he more quickly recognized us and looked more disappointed from his kennel whenever we had to leave.  We were all starting something wonderful. It has been eight months now.  The skinny and mat haired puppy has now grown into a vibrant adolescent.  He truly is a joy and he reminds us on a daily basis how blessed we are to have him in our lives.  He easily makes both canine and human friends wherever he goes – which makes each walk an adventure.  He is eager to greet people at the door yet is calm around small children (he still sneaks a quick lick to say hello, mind you).  His mannerisms continuously make us laugh and his intelligence (when not testing us) is amazing.  He has way too many toys and is never without food or affection.  I often think he is spoiled and treated better than any human.  But whenever I see him greet myself or my wife, I know it is truly us who are spoiled by him. Brian & Renee

My husband and I came to your shelter on April 12 to look at dogs. One of the wonderful people that volunteer pointed out Tulip to us - she stole our hearts as she is a complete class clown! She was listed as Daphne but when we got home, we decided that Tulip was more her style. She immediately made herself at home, decide that my chaise lounge was her favorite spot to hang out (as she can easily look out the front window while lounging in style). Since the day we brought her home (April 13) she has been simply a joy!  She is extremely well behaved, and only needed a few sessions with a trainer to fine tune her manners. I took my time looking for a dog because it needed to be the perfect fit for not just me, but also for my husband. I hate to put down my fifteen year old dog, Sammy, in December. My husband had NEVER had a pet, so I was sure that while he might play with the dog, I'd be the one walking her and taking care of her. That idea was shattered the first night when I walked into our living room to find my husband sprawled out on the floor wrestling in between getting kisses from Tulip. She adores him, and is always up for a game of rope tug with him! I even caught them curled up together (both under the covers, heads on pillows) for a nap not long ago! Tulip is one of the happiest, nicest dogs I have ever encountered. Every time she walks into a room, you are greeted with a happy face and a wagging tale. She always manages to cheer us up whenever one of us is having a less than stellar day. She's also managed to help whip us into shape - she can be quite the drill sergeant. She gets at least two walks a day, and has fun exploring the neighborhood. We had moved into our house about a year before Tulip came into our life, and we really hadn't met any of our neighbors. Since we started our walks, we've managed to become friends with several people in the neighborhood, as well as their children and dogs! Tulip has many friends in the neighborhood now. She comes along with us to my husband's Ultimate Frisbee games where she gets to hang out with one of her friends, a golden retriever. I barely pay attention to the game while watching them wrestle and share toys. We even had some team members bring along their kids to play with Tulip. I can't thank the shelter enough for saving this little girl that was found wandering around the West Side of Cleveland. We brought her home and took care of her mange and whip worm, and now you can't even tell because her coat is so shiny and soft. She has brought so much joy and fun into our house! We get to spend so much time together as a family, and she always is making us smile. Thank you, Nathan, Holly, and Tulip

We had to put our great dog Princess down after 13 good years. We did not want to get another dog right away. But one Sunday in May we were watching the morning news and saw a dog that melted our hearts. So my wife called and we made a trip down to the Kennel that day. The dog we saw was taken so we looked at some other dogs but nothing caught our eyes.Then Greg asked us to look at one more dog. She was the sister of the one on tv. She was so well behaved. We fell in love with her and adopted her. Now Callie has a nice new home. We go for walks every night and she loves them. We are so happy now. While she can not replace Princess, Callie has her own personalty. She's a great dog. Thank you at the kennel. Rob & Judy .  P.S. She is living the good life now.

Amigo: Looking for a friend… becoming a friend Amigo had been at the shelter for two months before we adopted him in April, 2008. He has blossomed since coming home. He’s learned his manners and put on a bit of weight. Amigo loves to meet people, to play with his friends at the Mutt Hutt, to go for walks and runs in the park, and to play fetch. He’s great at riding in the car and enjoyed a road trip to New England and New York this summer. We take him to do his favorite things and, in return, he gives us endless love and the pleasure of having a calm dog. He’s such a joyful being; you can’t help but smile when you’re with him. On Petfinder, his story was titled: Apollo-GREAT DOG. He’s more than a great dog; he’s a great friend. We wonder why he wasn’t adopted sooner, and figure he must have been waiting for us. -Barbara & Frank

I had my dog Charlie for 16 years, we had to put him down in 1993.  I could not bear the thought of having and losing another dog.  It took me 13 years to decide to get another dog.  I went to the Cuyahoga County Kennel and spoke to Matt DeSouza.  I told him what  kind of dog I wanted, he said he will keep me in mind if a dog comes in.  Matt called me within a week and told me about a dog that just came in.  He warned me that she was in pretty bad shape, she was all “matted” and full of burrs.  I was  not sure when I first saw her, but we went into a room and we played with her and fell in love. We brought her home and named her “Mattie” (after Matt DeSouza and because her fur was so matted and full of knots.)  She was house trained, great with children, well behaved around other dogs and every one who came to meet her. She is just PRECIOUS.  She loves going for walks, and everyone in the neighborhood knows Mattie.  When she is not walking she is sitting in the front bay window watching everything that goes on outside.  I can’t imagine not having Mattie in my life.  She greets me with so much love when I come home, she keeps me company at night when we are watching TV.  When I am working at my desk, she is under the desk, laying on my feet.   It is true what they say about a dog, it is unconditional love, and it just seems that she is so grateful to us for adopting her.  When we take her for walks, and meet other dogs along the way, many of the dogs we meet were also adopted and all the owners say that is the only way they would get another dog is through adoption.  They are all wonderful dogs!!!  I miss her when I am at work, and I am so happy to go home to her.  She has enriched my life, and I hope I have somehow shown her how much she is loved. -Mattie's Mom

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