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Maggie Moo is such a great dog! We’ve been working with her on jumping up and biting and she’s doing so good.
Maggie’s a great addition to our home. She and Bessie get along great. They seem like long lost sisters who have found each other.
Maggie was a little sick the other day because she eats everything she can reach. She just threw up a rubber band which we didn’t even know we
had around the house. Troy stayed home to make sure she was fine.
He wouldn’t let her out of his site. I think it’s safe to say she’s worked her way into our hearts!
Thank you so much for her. We’ll bring her by soon for you to see her.
Hello!
Wanted to send an update on Pepsi. We love having her. We have renamed her Fergie, for her reddish coat.
She has adjusted well to her new home with an older sister and two cats to make piece with.
She loves playing in the backyard with her older sister, Roxie. We got a ball launcher for Christmas and she loves it.
She's a sweetheart and is growing up fast. The puppy inside her still gets into mischief, that's for sure.
I'm sending you some pictures to see how big she's gotten and how well she's doing.
Thanks for fostering her and making it possible to add her to our family.
Aileen, Greg, Roxie and Fergie Jones :-)
Hello Shelly and Rick,
I wanted to thank you again for saving Louis / Spooky for us. I can’t begin to tell you what a great addition he has been to our family.
We had the whole family over for Thanksgiving (including our 5, 4 and 2 year old grandchildren) and he was the hit of the day. The picture below (and attached) is a photo of Louis running in the backyard chasing balls with the little grandchildren – they absolutely loved him (and he loved them).
We took Louis to Midlothian Animal Clinic last Tuesday and they found him to be in perfect health. The vet reviewed his AARF records and they recommended two more inoculations. We also now have the medications to continue him on Heartguard and flea and tick control. We also had them inject an AKC identity chip, per your suggestion.
Just an FYI - I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Midlothian Animal did not charge for Louis check up when they saw his AARF adoption papers.
Hi Shelley and Rick,
I was surfing the AARF website and saw Dexter's "Adopted" status still listed and thought you might like to know how he's doing.
It turns out that he has a mild form of Epilepsy and takes Phenobarbital twice daily for it. The vet can't tell us why, just that some beagles have it.
He has done really well with the electric fence and has run of the yard (3/4 acre) pretty much 24/7, but does sleep in my room at night.
He also has taken up squirrel hunting and has caught several that I know of. EEWW! He does still enjoy vegetables and I slip him some when making a salad.
One of his funniest habits is to raid the firewood pile and drag logs around front. He also snatches peices of cut wood when my husband is working in the shed.
We have found very few toys that he doesn't destroy. He is a large dog in a medium sized body.
He is also the sweetheart of the street and several of our neighbors really love him. He stands in the front yard and barks until they come to visit him.
Hope all is well with you. Thanks for fostering Dexter.
Kathy Theado
Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you.
Meeko has settled in nicely and even did (pretty good) when the trick or treaters came around last night.
Terry took him on a car ride to go pick up his son so Meeko missed most of the action.
The one really cute thing was when Terry was getting ready to leave with Meeko in the back of his car,
this group of kids was coming up to the door and I heard one of them say "Look! There's a mummy in the back of the car!"
I told them it was not a mummy, it was a doggie.They were REALLY impressed when they found that out!
Attached are some pics of Meeko being....well, Meeko.
He does seem to like being on his back more than anything! I can't believe how lucky we got with getting such a sweet dog!!
I don't know if all white Huskies are like him or not, but this one is a SAINT!!!
He hasn't met a stranger yet. Everyone who sees him is scared until about 2 seconds later when he licks them and then shows his belly.
I LOVE THIS DOG!!!! He spends half his day with Terry (working from home) and half his day with me (I've been on medical leave for the past 6 weeks).
I'm almost wishing I didn't have to go back to work!! I'm going to miss him some kinda fierce!!
Thank you again for allowing us the opportunity to have him in our house!!He is the BEST dog EVER!!!
And he "sings" a whole lot better than my other dogs did when the sirens come by.....the other two couldn't carry a tune :)
Shockey (formerly Socks)
Dear AARF,
Eric and I adopted Socks (now known as Shockey) last October. Shockey is the perfect companion for us - he is protective and snuggly! He loves children, which is evident when our nieces and nephews visit. His favorite is our 20 month old niece Elizabeth. She calls him "Hockey" and thinks he rules the world! He, in turn, is very careful around her and protects her against our cats!
Shockey is amazing! We adore him so much, and can't imagine life without him. We are very thankful to Jeff and Ginny for training him in all the right ways! Shockey sleeps with us and has his own couch in our den! Shockey is the best dog in the whole world and we love him more than words can say.
Eric and Sarah Froden
PS - the attached picture is Shockey with our young niece Elizabeth.
Brandon
Just wanted to let you see how happy Brandon is with us!
It's been a year since we adopted him from AARF. He was very shy and didn't like my husband really but he tooked to me and my two girls. He's now very loving to my husband (Jim) and licks on both of us in the mornings when the alarm goes off. He very friendly and loves to meet new people and animals. He loves to play and we recently bought him Thumper (stuffed rabbit) to play with since he chewed up the last one. Thanks for all the hard work that AARF does.
Sue, Jim, Danielle, & Rachael Buck
Mattie
Hello AARF –
Just wanted to write a quick note to say thank you for rescuing Mattie (formerly Maxie). We adopted her in July of 2003 and she has been a true joy. She had been abused by her previous owners and her foster mom Caroline showed her what it was like to be loved and cared for by humans. We simply took it from there and have enjoyed every minute we have had with her. Mattie has an amazing personality and is simply one of the smartest dogs I have ever known. She LOVES her squeaky toys and usually brings at least 2 of them to bed every night (she sleeps with us so things can get a bit crowded!). We moved to Asheville, NC in July of 2004 and she has become a true mountain dog. She loves hiking and getting in the river to chase after her ball. Like any good southern dog, her favorite past time is sitting on the front porch looking over the neighborhood. She also loves the doggie park and has made many new friends.
Thank you so very much for rescuing Mattie. We love her so much and she gives that love right back. I cannot imagine our lives without her. I have attached a picture of her sleeping on her favorite stuffed bear, Daisy.
Again, thank you for the amazing work that you do.
Tanya, Mark and Mattie (woof! woof!) Burdette
Pepper
Hello AARF,
We wanted to share a picture of our sweet girl “Pepper” that we adopted from you in October 1994 at 9 weeks old, at the Petsmart on Broad Street (located then at Merchant’s Walk). In that year we were talking about getting a new friend....either a Black Lab or a Dalmatian. To our surprise we found both, in one, from you guys. This picture was taken this year on vacation. As you can see, Pepper is relaxing around the pool. She has always traveled with us. We’ve had to leave her behind twice in the 13 years she’s been with us. Her favorite things are snuggling with her daddy (Billy) on the floor, her stuffed tiger, chasing tennis balls (or actually us chasing her with a tennis ball), and Milk Bone cookies! Pepper has been very nice to our other furry friends and even accepted Winston, our new kitty, when he would do flips off of her nose. Pepper turned 13 on August 6, 2007. She’s now feeling her age and we fear our days may be numbered with her, but oh what a great 13 years she has given us! She is an absolute wonderful friend! She will do anything to please us. We love her so very much! Thank you for all that you do to help find homes for these animals.
Billy & Sherry Carper
Callie (Nikita)
I wanted to give an update on a dog formerly known as Nikita that was fostered by Sarah Stanton. My girlfriend and I adopted her five months ago and quickly decided to change her name to Callie because she responded better to it, and her color reminded us of a calico cat. She has been a wonderful addition to our house, and we love her very much. Although she likes to chew, she almost always does it with a dog toy. Occasionally I will leave my shoes out, and she likes to pull the soles out! Fortunately when she does this, she seems to know better than to destroy the shoe in the process.
She has no complaints about letting Emily (my other dog) be the alpha. Callie wakes me up every morning at six with such regularity that I have stopped setting the alarm clock. Callie did manage to get out of the yard a couple of times, however she doesn't go far and always comes back when I call. I take her and Emily to run in a field up the street a couple of times a week and she really loves it. Callie stays close to Emily, and never runs away. I tried to put her in a crate the first night that I had her, and she was not happy about it. I decided to let her have free run of the house with Emily during the day. I was reluctant at first, however I never used the crate again, and had no accidents or problems. Callie gets along wonderfully with all of the dogs we get together with ( family and friends). Thanks so much for bringing her to us. I have attached some photos. Please make sure that Sarah, and all parties involved get this update! Thanks for your time. _Jesse
Ginger(Miss Piggy)
We adopted her in early 2007. She was one of the 11 St. Bernard mix puppies.
She is growing like a weed and has hidden her St. Bernard roots very well.
She loves her older brother, Lucky, and is slowly learning her manners (she has a mind of her own).
She is our second AARF dog, Sophie our first is 13 yrs old and going strong.
Thank you so much for having her at the right time so we could adopt her.
I always know that when our family needs a new furbaby, I can always count on you to have just the right one.
Here she is at 6 months with her brother. Add about 40 lbs and and a good 6 inches of height.
Thanks again, Susan
Hi AARF,
In the summer of 1997, I was looking for a companion for my black Lab, Bailey. I wanted some kind of Shepherd mix who might be a little more protective than my Lab. I was quickly approved by one of the volunteers and on my first visit to the Adoption Stand, I met Hatcher. Hatcher looked to be a German Shepherd/Collie mix and was about 8 weeks old. A Good Samaritan had found him at the Salvage Yard over on Hatcher Street, thank goodness!
Hatcher is 10 years old this month and he's doing well.
He lost his buddy, Bailey, back in 11/05 but still has 3 other canine friends to spend his time with.
Hatcher is a wonderful dog, he still cracks me up with his silly ways. He's probably got some Golden in him, too, because he loves to swim.
It's the only time he'll retrieve anything, though.
Thank you, AARF, for rescuing Hatcher and then allowing me to adopt him.
Amy and the crew
 I wanted to email you and send you this picture of our dogs. I adopted Peabody from your organization in 1999 and we adopted Tikki (now Tilly) in 2003.
As you can see, they rule the roost. We have loved these dogs more than life itself and wanted you to see that they are loving life as well. Thanks for giving all the dogs a second chance at life!!!
Cheers
Jane and Peter Tindell
 Just wanted to let you guys know that Mr Owen is doing great! Right now he his standing beside me looking at the scanner wonder what all that noise is. I tried explaining to him that I was scanning in his picture so I could email it to you. Just like a man never listens! No kidding aside he is wonderful and really has adjusted great. I have had no problems with him what so ever, except the kissing bath he give me when I get home from work each day. He really is a joy and I thank you so much for letting him come and live with me. Here are a few pictures I thought you might like to see of my little boy.
Shelly,
Just wanted to let you know that Bingo is Texas bound.
We are relocating to the Dallas area.
While house hunting we were quite mindful of Bingo’s needs. They say
everything is bigger in Texas. I’ve learned, everything is bigger except the
houses and backyards.
We found a fixer-up with a back yard big enough that Bingo can have his
morning fetch time. There is a community park within walking distance for
evening strolls.
Once a month we will go down to the ranch where he will learn, quite quickly
I am sure, to respect skunks, snakes and other creepy crawly things.
Needless to say Mr. B is spoiled rotten. He is quite the gentleman and
everyone who meets him adores him. Even my 97year old grandmother allows him
in her house.
If you have time and would like to say goodbye we can meet at Barker Field
in Byrd Park this Sunday morning. Just let me know if you are interested.
Thank you so much for bringing Bingo into our life’s.
Respectfully,
The Three Musketeers ( Kathy, Mary and Bingo)
 Hi,
We have just now gotten around to sending some photos of Josie. We adopted her from AARF in February, and she has become a loving member of our family. We now have 2 dogs and 2 cats. Pictured here with Josie is her sister, Milli. We love them both very much.
Howard and Rachel Smith
 Just wanted to send you a note and let you know how Misty is doing. What a wonderful dog. We adopted in late April and she is just more than we could have ever asked for. She loves people and other dogs. We live in an over 55 neighborhood, and we love to go for walks. Well she just loves her walk, she greets and meets everyone. She has a basset hound next door and she loves to go on walks with him. I have attached 2 pictures - one of Misty in our back yard and the other is from this months Richmond magazine. They were out doing pictures of older and active people. Look in the background. There is Misty and my husband Jack. I always new Misty would be famous. Thanks again for letting us adopt her she truly is loved and adored.
 Hello AARF,
I just wanted to let you know that you helped me find a wonderful home. Fay adopted me in April 2004...3 months after she lost her beloved sheltie/beagle named Shelby. She loved Shelby very much, and her heart ached with her passing. But then she decided that she also missed the love and company of a furry doggie companion.
Luckily she saw my cute face on the AARF website, and the rest is blissful history.
I am spoiled rotten. I have lots of fun toys, tasty food to eat, and two comfy doggie beds. But, actually, I get to sleep wherever I please.
We go visiting my doggie friends quite often. And I've even been to the beach. (Those seagulls are just IMPOSSIBLE to catch...and you KNOW that the cocker spaniel in me really does wants to catch one of those guys!) Plus, we take lots and lots of walks.
I've asked her to attach a picture or two of me. Hopefully my foster mom will see this letter and know that I am as happy as can be...I even like to play with that pesky kitty who lives in the house with us.
Love,
Haley
 Hello!I just wanted to say hi, and thank you for continuing your excellent work saving all the lonely, neglected and forgotten souls that are out there. I adopted 2 of those souls about 5 years ago(see attached pictures), and am so happy with my babies(see attached pics). Angus (who was formerly named 'Raleigh') is social, outgoing, and very food-motivated. Dodger is still shy, but very sweet and, so we found out, loves to ride in the car. They get along famously and are just loves!! I continue to visit your website, and I frequent the adoption centers, to say 'hello' and pass out treats. I always recommend AARF to folks who are looking to add a pet to their family, and hope in the future to adopt others from you. Bless you all for your selflesness, and kindness toward animals in need.
Susan Lanni
Just
a quick update on Snuggles and Peewee. They are both
doing wonderful. For very small dogs they have become
a big part of our family. Snuggles is still a snuggler
and Peewee is as cute as can be. They both got to go
on a trip to the pet store for some winter clothes.
It was amazing to find out that it cost as much to cloth
my pups as it did to cloth my kids. At least they will
be very warm this winter. They have both gained approx
4 lbs each and they look great. The vet that saw them
when we first adopted them saw them again and was amazed
at the change. Snuggles has a new lease on life and
she acts just like a puppy. She never walks anywhere
because she doesn't have to. She gets carried around
just like a child. She is definitely my dog. They say
her breed does pick one person and tolorate everyone
else. Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
I know Snuggles and Peewee will have a great Christmas
this year and hopefully for many more. Take care Andrea
 Dear
AARF, I have been meaning to write for quite sometime.
My husband and I adopted McKenzie a little over four
years ago. We adopted her at 6 months and she will be
5 on Sept 1, 2003. I just wanted to let you know that
she is doing great and we love her very much. She gets
along with her sister Bailey who is 8 years old. There
are very spoiled, they go for 3 walks a day, 1-2 times
a week to the doggie park and swim daily in season.
McKenzie is full of energy, love and is a sweetheart.
Thanks for letting us take her into our home and hearts.
Signed, Krista and Pete Scott
 Dear
AARF, I just received my first AARF mailing and was
so pleased to read about all the amazing things that
you do. I really enjoyed reading the adoption stories
and thought that I would share mine too!
I
was reading the newspaper a few months ago and came
across all the dogs and puppies in the back section
that were in need of homes and it just broke my heart.
I am a widow with two girls (ages 6 and 2 1/2) and we
already have a 7 year old yellow lab - Gator. I decided
that I had to do something to help. I knew that I had
the room in my home and my heart to bring another dog
into our home.
The
next day (Saturday) my girls and I went to the Pet Smart
in Merchants Walk. We were looking around and it was
a hectic scene as everyone arrived to unload the dogs
and puppies. While we were looking a sweet hound mix
came trotting by with his foster mom Debi. My oldest
daughter, Izabel, fell in love with him. His name was
Sparky and we decided that he was the one for us. After
talking with Debi for a bit we filled out our application
and then proceeded into PetSmart to get our extra dog
supplies. We emerged with a new bed, collar and treats.
We made arrangements for Sparky to come visit us and
meet Gator that Monday. (Izabel cried all the way home
because we couldn't bring him with us).
The
rest is history. We met Sparky and he and Gator got
along great! Sparky is now very spoiled and loved dearly.
He has his own monogrammed extra cushioned bed - just
like Gator's, but he keeps sneaking naps on Gator's
bed! He gets tons of love and treats and is very protective
of us. His favorite place to be is anywhere that we
are but he also likes to sleep on a stuffed alligator
that we have in our den.
Thanks
AARF for bringing Sparky and us together! Stacey, Izabel
and Phoebe Nelson
 We
adopted Gabriel on March 4, 2001. We changed her name
to Sequoya and she is the greatest pet, of course all
pet lovers think that their pet is the greatest. Words
cannot express the joy that Sequoya has bought into
our lives.But Sequoya is truly special. She loves our
children and grandchildren. She is so friendly and loving.
She greets all of our family and friends with tail wagging
and lots of kisses. The grandchildren call her Tailwagger
and Girlfriend. She watches over the little ones when
they are out in the yard and keeps them in line and
takes naps with them. Many thanks to Lynette Clements
for the special care that she gave Sequoya in her early
months. We know that Lynette and her family's loving
care helped Sequoya greatly. Also many thanks to AARF
for allowing us to adopt Sequoya. Sequoya and I went
to RDOC and boy did I get some training about rearing
a pet. Also I cannot go without saying many thanks to
Ron Smith at RDOC for his many special tips in training
me to be a better owner. Sequoya goes to the pet store
and picks out her treats and everybody just falls in
love with her. Our next project is to take her to nursing
homes to share her love with the animal lovers there.
- Beverly
Hutson-Bryan
 I
wanted to let you all know that Priscilla (You have
her listed as "Betty Lou" on the website) has been adopted.
If you could, please show that she's been placed in
a home that completely loves her to death! I'd also
like to report that she's doing well and loves her new
home and parents- Sue Coral and Howard Moss. She's busy
toting her favorite toy- a stuffed pig that grunts aptly
named "Piggy"- around w/ her and playing in her big
back yard w/ the neighborhood kids. Cilla, as we've
been calling her, has been a true joy in our lives and
we're soooo happy that I came across her picture on
the Pet listing website. She's been the best buddy we've
been looking for. Please share our story, so other folks
know what a wonderful experience adopting and loving
an AARF pet is! Thanks. Sue Coral
 Just
wanted to provide an update on Flash, now called Harley!
We found that Stoli is much quicker than Harley and
as we got to know this little TUGBOAT, we found his
stout build and ability to become a lead weight when
confronted with a "No, No", HARLEY was a much more appropriate
name for our little haas! He is absolutely wonderful!
He has had a few potty issues, but on the whole is a
wonderful addition to our family! He and Stoli are the
best of friends and are sometimes even partners in crime!
The other day, we came home from work and found two
old doggy beds shredded (and I mean SHREDDED) all over
the back yard! Messy, but quite amusing! Thought we
would send some pics to show just how well these two
get along! (The pics were taken about 3 days after Harley's
arrival!) Happy
Holidays! Casey, Joey, Stoli & Harley Speas
Hi
there! I was just visiting the website and thought I
would update you on "Minnie", whose name is now Lexi.
I got her from you over the summer as a playmate for
my male kitten, Otis. It was a rough start and I wasn't
sure the sibling rivalry would ever end, but lo and
behold....they are great buddies. They love to get into
mischief together and tear around the house. They both
sleep with their mama (me) in a big bed in a feather
comforter. Lexi is the princess of the house who loves
the computer and thinks it is great when mom turns on
the aquarium screen saver for her. She so wishes she
could figure out how to get those fish out of the screen!
She is a joy and I thank you for the great work you
do and for bringing this sweet creature into our lives!
Sincerely, Melissa Ahrens (and Jen, Otis and Lexi)
 Hey
guys! Mom got your newsletter today and pulled up your
website for the first time. Is that me on the Adoption
homepage? Looks like me on the bottom row, last picture
on the right. I feel like a star! I'll bet it IS me!
I was in foster care FOREVER -- you called me Soushie
but my new name is Wallis Simpson Barnett, and tomorrow
is my six month aniversary in my new home (and I am
living large!) I've made lots of friends in the neighborhood.
My favorites are two greyhounds, a shepard mix and this
wacky bull mastiff -- he weighs 150lbs but I let him
know I'm alpha so he lies down everytime he meets me.
I still go to the nice vet at countryside and I see
my picture on the AARF poster with the word ADOPTED
in red letters. Those red letters sure make me feel
better. I saw Grace -- my foster mom -- at the vet a
couple months ago. Boy, was I happy to see her again.
She really took good care of me til I finally picked
my new home. If you see her tell her I'm great. I like
it here so much that I never chew on anything and I
only bark in the house if I think something's wrong,
and I hardly ever poop inside anymore (Hey, it's a power
thing and it's all I've got!) Well, I'd love to stay
and chat, but I've got this new booda bone... Sincerely,
Wallis Simpson Barnett the former Soushie
Sending
you a note to update AARF on JASMINE (aka at our house
as "Snazzy Jazzy!" She is a WONDERFUL kitty. Her first
visit to my vet for follow-up vaccination, de-worming
and intro exam was entertaining. Everyone there (Midlothian
Animal Clinic) fell in love with her. She purred and
looked ever so cute. Such a doll-baby. We are enjoying
her so much. Samantha, our other kitty (13 yrs.,) is
adjusting slowly to having this young upstart in her
midst. Only a few tussles ... but we'll get over it.
Suzanne
 Dear
AARF- My name is Penny Wilson (formerly Kenzie) and
I'm writing to tell you about my new home. In November
of 2000 I was adopted by a couple in Charlottesville,
Virginia after a very nice foster stay with Heather
& Eric Racer (AARF volunteers who deserve special kudos
for fostering Penny). Now I live in a townhouse near
a park, take long runs through the woods nearby, and
also like to jump in the Pen River and swim when it
is warm enough. I like living in the "country" and it
seems to be agreeing with me - I've gained weight and
will be starting obedience classes this spring. I'm
pretty good at playing fetch and would really like to
catch a squirrel one of these days... Also, I'm really
looking forward to going to the beach house in Outer
Banks, NC this June. My mom and dad say I can swim in
the ocean - oh boy!!! Please let Heather & Eric know
that I'm very happy here - in my picture, I am hanging
out in my bed while mom and dad try out their new digital
camera... Love, Penny Wilson
 My
husband and I received Jasper a few weeks ago. He has
brought so much joy to the two of us. Thank you for
saving his precious live and introducing him to our
family. He is growing so fast; and every day is a wonderful
experience. He has such a loving personality that brings
warmth and a smile to everyone that comes in contact
with him. He loves to give kisses. Cuddling is my favorite;
but my husband seems to like fetch. Here is a recent
photograph of him. THANK YOU AARF FOR OUR NEW PUPPY
- MERIDETH & CORY
 Dear
AARF - Hi, my name is Jake. I was born in Dec., 1998.
My mom is a white shepard and my dad is a lab. I have
2 brothers and 1 sister. They are all black and look
like labs too. In Jan., 1999 I went to live with a very
nice family. My new family is Tom, Patty & Alex. They
taught me how to sit and shake right away. They say
I'm very, very smart and the best friend they could
ever have. They also think I look like I'm smiling all
the time. (That's 'cause I'm so happy!) I travel with
them every where. I even go to work with Tom & Patty.
We recently went to Nags Head and I saw the beach for
the first time. I liked chasing the tiny crabs on the
beach and I nearly went bonkers over the sea gulls.
I also got to sniff my 1st ocean fish. I've had some
other adventures also. I've been to Bridgewater College
to see Tom's brother graduate. And, my most recent trip
was to Pocahontas State Park. I went out in a row boat
and then learned how to fetch a stick from the lake.
Boy, what a day of fun that was. I like that more than
going to doggie day care. I have friends at doggie day
care, but I like my family the best. Alex is a great
playmate for me. He and I play "go get the ball" every
day when he comes home from school. Sometimes I even
get to sleep on Alex's bed with him. I'm glad I was
chosen to live at Tom, Patty & Alex's house. I'm very
happy here and they love me very much. I hope all the
other cute dogs and cats can find families who love
them as much as mine loves me.
'Til the next adventure - JAKE.
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