Hello Homeagain Bancroft,

We have just celebrated our second year with Shiloh. She has adjusted well to our home in Georgetown. There are squirrels and rabbits to banish from the gardens and she enjoys her hikes on the many Bruce trail access points. We walk her in to our office every day and she has become a constant to our office and our clients. She has really become a part of our family!

All the best, Darlene Colwell

Home Again foster Barb Sawdon says,

“This is Charlie my second foster dog.  He came to me (Home Again) from the pound on Dec. 13, 2014.   We figured he was about 8 years old.  He failed his first adoption, came back and got re-adopted March 1, 2015 to a loving caring person. Charlie is almost blind and started having problems with his hips and legs so his new owner Joeann rented a wheelchair to see if she could make Charlie mobile again. This woman is amazing and shows just how much love she has for this gentle soul.  Thank you Joeann. Hugs.”

Home Again says,

“dog adoption is for better or worse, like parenthood.”

At the 24^th of May 2016 weekend, Home Again acquired a litter of 9 puppies.  Barb Sawdon fostered 6 of them.  Here is a comment from the new owner of puppy ‘Bowie’ now named Beau:

“Just wanted to say thank you so much to Home Again for giving my family this wonderful dog❤ he’s growing into such a sweet and snuggly boy, we couldn’t love him more!”   — Abbey Harford.

“I would like to wish my Home Again family Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Without you I would never have had the chance to foster these beautiful Furkids … If you have never fostered you really don’t know what you are missing.  My foster dog number 20 is a secret until he is ready for adoption.” — Barb Sawdon

Howard

Cindy Fuerth of Coe Hill fostered Howard and subsequently adopted him. He helps on the farm. Cindy says,

“We love him — he goes everywhere we do, has been on many vacations, he also helps keep goats in while we are feeding. Howard never leaves property or messes in the house. Thank you Home Again!”

The Beauregard family hikes, swims, surfs and snow skis together and include their black lab Eddie.

When they wanted a companion for Eddie, they chose Home Again puppy Domino, a blue tick/lab cross and adopted him at 9 weeks old. He is re-named Louie and his owner says:

“Just wanted to update you on Louie. He is an amazing little man, he makes us laugh and loves wrestling with his big brother Eddie!! We take him to the beach; he is getting more interested in the water. We hope he loves to swim one day. We have had a great summer so far, super HOT!!!”  – Colleen Beauregard, Port Elgin, August 2016

Louie is keeping busy and happy. The volunteers at Home Again thank the Beauregards for giving a good home to our puppy.

Louie at 4 months old. Keeping cool with his new companion Eddie.

French bulldog Willow was surrendered to Home Again by a breeder, along with Willow’s infant puppy Carter.  Willow was in foster care for only two weeks when Julia adopted her and she says:

“Hello everyone!  One year ago today (March 15, 2015) we adopted the most beautiful, funny, loving and entertaining dog you could ever ask for, Bella (formerly known as Willow). To say we got lucky is a huge understatement because she is literally the best dog we could ever ask for and brings us so much joy. Thank you for choosing us as her parents. We love her so much. I can assure you she is living a happy and very spoiled life.”  — Julia Ferreira

Two Australian Shepherds were surrendered by owner to Home Again at two months old in November 2015. Both were adopted after only two weeks fostering by Home Again. Bella’s new owner says this:

“Kona (formerly Bella) is such a special girl. Here she is at five months old, romping in the snow. Looks like she’ll be a medium sized dog. She is house trained, knows sit, lie down, paw, high five, twirl, and stay. She won’t take a toy or food from my hand until I say ‘okay’. She loves to run and explore in the woods and is the absolute perfect fit for my family. We love her to bits. Also, I teach music lessons from home and she greets every student, and then lies down in her bed like a perfect lady.”

Sprocket was adopted December 2015 and her new owner says: “Sprocket has adapted quickly to her new home in Ottawa. Bruno is delighted with his new “sister” – running together, wrestling and playing tug. Sprocket has also made friends with all of Bruno’s pals at the off-leash dog park. Thank you Home Again for this wonderful addition to my family – we love our happy girl!  …Dawn – Ottawa”

Bearded Collie Sprocket and her new ‘brother’. Home Again loves to see its pets paired up.

French bull dog Barley (formerly Carter) was adopted from Home Again April 6 2015 when he was a puppy.

Foster Barb Sawdon says,

“I was so blessed to foster this sweet baby boy. He just turned one year old and had a party in the park. This picture includes his best friend. LOL… He prefers bigger dogs over small ones.”

We’ve had Friday, now named Heidi, for almost two years now and she is the most amazing little girl.

She is my shadow and if I’m out of her sight for more than five seconds she comes and finds me.

She is so loving, cuddly and always by my side.  She does hog the bed sometimes because she needs to be close to me. I could not imagine my life without her.

She is such a joy every day and we love her so much.

Thanks again for bringing her into our hearts. A new picture of us relaxing on the couch. (signed, Nanci Johnson, Sept. 20, 2015)

Fostering is so gratifying, especially when there is positive feedback….

Dog foster Mary Freeman says, “I was privileged to foster this trio, the most beautiful litter I have ever seen.”  Waldo is far right, 7 weeks old.

Two years later, Waldo’s owners say:

“In September of 2013, we were on a search for the perfect companion dog, knowing our apartment would be a temporary home for all three of us. We spent two months searching, until Michael stumbled upon the Home Again website and we found a litter of puppies available. We drove two hours to find two of the CUTEST puppies we had ever seen, and there was Waldo.

We had a sleepless night the first night, because the little guy missed his sister, but from then on was smooth sailing.

We’ve had two amazing years with our little guy, and take him everywhere! He even has his own Instagram page! (@whereswaldothedog).

For being such a little dog, he has had quite the adventure of a life so far, from cottages to moving into his first home with a back yard!  Waldo is more than we could ever have asked for in a dog, and Home Again and their foster homes are wonderful. We have included some pictures of some of his adventures!

Thank you again for helping us give this little guy a home!” (signed, Melissa Champagne)

[Pictured here: Waldo at two years old, enjoying the cottage life]

Spring 2015 Home Again received a call from two ladies in Bancroft who were trying to keep a stray cat near Mr. Video alive by feeding her tunafish.

Since Cat was so skittish – feral! – they could not touch her and did not know the sex.  Long-haired, orange, matted, Cat was covered with sores.  Home Again’s secretary put out this question by email and on Facebook, “who is up for the challenge of fostering a feral cat?  I expected no takers — no one wants a cat who runs away from you!”  Home Again can take a stray cat into its quarantine room, but only if a foster is willing to take the cat after 10 days quarantine.

Melinda Ratcliffe, cat foster, volunteered.   Many people on Facebook say stray cats make the best pets. Is that because they are grateful for being rescued?

Amber had to be shaved because of matts. She turned into a gentle loving purring pet, not feral at all. She is definitely grateful to be rescued!

⇐ Amber, after rescue. Her long hair will grow back.

Milo, now named Henry, adopted a year ago from Home Again by Candice, is pictured here because “He is now a certified St. John Ambulance therapy dog.

We do weekly visits at a long term care facility in our neighborhood,” says Candice.

Congratulations Henry and thank you Candice for keeping us informed. Home Again adoptees are smart and valuable to society.

Ninja, in the red dress, and Robot walked with the bride and groom at their wedding.

Debra Eveleigh adopted Kate (now named Ninja), a Boston Terrier who had clearly been neglected in her former life before being rescued by Home Again, and had a number of issues with shyness, fear, etc. Debra’s fiancé John also has a Boston Terrier, Robot, so the two dogs participated in the wedding. Debra says, “In order to help support the important work Home Again does, John and I decided that in lieu of the traditional “clinking” of glasses to get the bride and groom to kiss, we asked our guests to donate money to get us to kiss at the wedding reception.

We are happy to advise that we have $195.00 to donate.” This could be the start of a new tradition of dogs as flower girls and ring bearers.

A stray Husky/Hound cross, about 2 years old, was taken in by a good Samaritan who then asked Home Again to find him a forever home.   His adopters have loved him for 2 months now, and they say this:

“We were both so surprised by how he took to the city. (Captain is a rural rescue animal.) Aside from the occasional huge truck rumbling by he seemed completely unfazed by the noise or the bustle, and now even that doesn’t make him blink. The meeting with the cats went smoothly and it’s clear that the smallest one out of the two is now the boss, and they all share the bed when the cats aren’t stealing his dog bed.

So far he’s been on a boat, in a pool, to 4 beaches (his favourite we think), for many hikes in the woods, on subways and city buses and to just about every park in the city. He’s a huge baby who always worms in for a cuddle and no matter if we’re out for an hour to run errands or a few more to see a movie, he always greets us like it’s been years.

After a lot of disinterest in many toys he finally took to a tennis ball and we’ve moved from that to the more durable, chewable type for dogs because he can take the normal kind (and a huge softball he once found) apart in minutes. He sleeps with the ball and carries it back from playing fetch in the park rather proudly. We have him off leash in the park and on the beach and he always sticks close unless it’s to meet another dog or investigate a smell, but he’ll stop and wait for us if he gets too far ahead.

So far he’s never met a person he doesn’t like and is disinterested in the dogs that run right up to him sticking their noses at him unabashed – he seems rather polite in that sense – and has made some friends he tears around with at the park. One is actually his age and nearly identical, except she’s a hound mix about half his size.

All in all he’s everything we could have ever wanted and a hundred times more. It’s been so fun getting to know him, figuring out all the ways he’s incredibly bright (but will hide it at appropriate times) and funny and laid back and just a loveable goofball. He was even described as “educated” by a man on the subway once and we definitely can’t take all the credit for that.

Thank you so much for letting us take Captain home, I really can’t imagine life without him.

Home Again volunteers were told Opie, a golden retriever cross, was being abused. He was only 7 months old when we rescued him. His adoptive family have renamed this puppy James and want to share his first birthday with Home Again….

Today June 1, 2014 our James turns 1! I cannot tell you how much this sweet, loving and super smart boy has enriched our lives! Right now he’s lying contently at my feet but soon the nose will nudge my arm and tell me it’s time to walk, or rather run, the fields next door. There we usually meet his best friend Diesel, a black lab, and then after an hour of running and playing, I try to get him into the car before he makes it to the creek which is now a mud hole! Sometimes I’m not successful but that’s ok, he LOVES being sprayed with the garden hose.

Scott and I often talk about how perfect James is for us, the three of us are well suited. Morning coffee time on our porch is so much better now with ball catching and retrieval time, and of course his new favourite thing….chasing brazen chipmunks!

And my family in Denbigh love him too. My 81-year-old dad will ride the lawn mower around their 3 acre yard for an hour and James makes a great game out of it. Dad says for every one time he goes around, James goes 3! Then he will snuggle on the couch with my mom who does not move about much…he makes everyone happy!

Here are some birthday pictures of James. I bought him a dog biscuit cupcake and he’s not sure what to do with it, so rolling on it seemed like a good idea! Gotta run, am getting the nose, thanks again for allowing us to have James!
~Joanne~

Why would anyone abandon their small boston terrier at the dog pound on the coldest night of the year?  This is how Home Again acquired a dog we named Maeve in February 2014.  Maeve’s adopter sent us these comments:

Hi Home Again!

I just want to say thanks for saving the wonderful little Boston Terrier Maeve I adopted on May 3, 2014. My first meeting with her was incredible.  I walked into the foster parents’ home and bent down for a slow greeting and this little bundle of love came running full force to me like she knew and missed me.   She was so excited to see me.  Her foster family were also surprised at her greeting.  My daughter received the same greeting, and then it was time for my Boston Midge to meet Maeve. 

They seemed to know that it was all good — outside for a play and greet, and then the four of us headed for the 1 1/2 hour drive home.  The dogs have become best friends in the month that I have had my new dog.  Where one is, the other is not far behind.  Maeve has taken on the job of best friend and protector of Midge and I.   She is a very sweet and loveable girl.  She tried kayaking on the weekend with us.  She has made everything so much more fun in our home.

Thanks again for picking us to love and forever care for this amazing girl.
Valerie Thurston – Orillia