Hope

In March 2011, the Nelson County Humane Society contacted Animal Control to investigate an address in Nellysford, Virginia, where animals were found to be living in very poor conditions. A search warrant was executed by the Nelson County Sheriff’s Department wherein they found emaciated dogs living in filthy conditions along with three dead animals and canine body parts. The seven dogs that were still alive were taken to the Lovingston Veterinary Hospital. Hope and her 3 six month old puppies were among the 7 dogs seized from the abandoned house which was filled with feces. Apparently Hope and her puppies were not allowed outside, nor were they fed on a regular basis. Hope was a very sweet, but shy dog and had beautiful brown eyes and a pretty golden red coat. Hope was placed in a foster home for 3 months with her puppies, where she was observed to be a really good mother. After her puppies were adopted, her foster home devoted a lot of one on one time with her so she could be social enough for the Almost Home shelter, or better yet - her forever home. Hope's tail seemed to be broken, but she could still wag it. Instead of curling over her back, it would curl to the side. She was missing the tip of one of her ears. Even though the vet seemed to think she was between 3 and 4 years old, she was missing some teeth and a few of them were broken. This was probably caused by trying to chew her way out of the filthy house she was kept in. After some time in foster care, Hope was still reserved, not ready to trust 100%, yet you could still see happiness behind her pretty eyes. She was finally safe, being fed everyday, and being genuinely loved. All those that had met Hope knew she would eventually come around. On February 1, 2012, Hope was finally adopted into her new forever home in Charlotte Court House, Virginia. On February 2, 2012, one of our volunteers spoke with Hope's new family. They absolutely love Hope. Even their four other rescue dogs loved her right away. Actually, one of them wanted to be Hope's boyfriend, but she was not interested in that kind of love just yet. She is now sleeping in her own soft dog bed in their bedroom where all of the dogs sleep in their own beds. She is beginning to walk around inside the house with her tail hanging straight down in a relaxed way. She sometimes already feels comfortable, though a house-hold noise can sometimes send her to her safe place in the bedroom. The final picture is Hope sleeping in her own bed. Each evening her new mom holds her in her lap in the recliner for an hour. Hope's body slowly relaxes enough that her new mom can rub her belly a little bit. Hope didn't eat for the first two days, but she did drink water and is beginning to eat now. Hope’s new mom and dad were told NOT to look at her, or she wouldn’t eat. But in time, she'll be just fine. Though Hope is a neighborhood celebrity, her parents are keeping her world small for now. They are very dog smart people and Hope has really opened their hearts and hopped right in. No accidents in the house either. So all is well for now with Hope and her new forever family. No matter what, her family is 100% committed to keeping her. They were so touched by her story and they just KNOW they can enable her to thrive. We feel they can too. Another happy beginning...

Aura Lee

Aura Lee is shown here with LeeAnn and Daniel at the recent Tuckahoe Antique Mall Adoption Event where she was a big hit with the children. Laura Lee is on her way north to be adopted. NEWS UPDATE: Laura Lee has been adopted!

Mako

Mako and sister Bubbles were adopted by Addison at the Tuckahoe Antique Mall Adoption Event in October 2011.

Dianne (PSP)

Dixie, a skinny brindle pit mix came into our lives suddenly and unexpectedly. Well, that was about a year ago. At that point in time we were not thinking about getting another dog, as we had just lost our beloved American Staffordshire terrier, Sugar, after her prolonged battle with cancer. Sugar had been a member of our family and an important part of our lives for the past twelve years. I didn’t know how I would get over the loss of my wonderful buddy. Her illness had cost us thousands and loosing her was a gut wrenching experience. Dixie had been discovered left outside a small cluster of shops, and spent her early months making the rounds of vet’s offices and Nelson County Humane society members’ homes as they tried to restore her health and find her a permanent “address”. She was introduced to me as “a great dog in need of a good home,” so I gave her a try. My husband and I agreed to take our time to be fair and try and make the right decision. The biggest test was how she would get along with my daughter’s newborn baby and how she would behave in her house. The puppy passed her audition at my daughter’s and was given thumbs up by my daughter and her husband. They felt confident with the dog around the baby. Now came the time for us to make our decision whether we were really ready to take on the responsibilities of another dog. We decided we should take the time to see how we felt and reach our conclusion without Dixie’s brown eyes in our home, so we returned her to foster care while we deliberated. One night was all it took. Next day we drove the snow covered country roads to get her back. She was happy to see us again, and I was told she missed us. The reunion was fun and felt right. It was clear immediately that Dixie loved all and aimed to please. Not a mean bone in her body. At times we actually wish she were a little more protective. She exuded Southern Hospitality, so the name “Dixie” seemed a good fit. Dixie is our constant companion now and goes everywhere we go, including trips to the Outer Banks, NC. Her doggie enthusiasm, and the comfort of sharing our home with her, has helped us get through the grief of losing our old friend “Sugar”. She has brought fun into our lives. Dixie’s greatest joy is to make friends with all people and animals. My grand daughter looks forward to Dixie’s visits and it’s rewarding to watch them interact as we carefully supervise. I know that Dixie thinks that she is our ‘baby’ and of course to us “she is.”

Honey

Honey, a beautiful Cocker spaniel, was found at a dumpster in Nelson County and brought to Almost Home. She was hungry and pregnant, but despite this, her friendly, affectionate personality was always evident. She delivered pups shortly thereafter, and lived in a volunteer foster home until her pups were weaned. (The pups were then transported to the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, MA where they were all adopted within a week of arrival.) While in the foster home, Honey met Sylvia and Paul Shirey of Staunton, Va. It was love at first sight. Now she spends her days with her "Daddy" who is retired, helping with projects, chasing squirrels, and playing with Shotsy, the male cocker and 2 adopted cats that the Shireys also have. She loves to cuddle with her "Mommy" and loves the toys that her Mommy buys for her, including the occasional dress-up hat. Honey has come a long way...