Suzi Gets Adopted!

Another amazing happy ending!

In response to our October email newsletter, I received an email from Marcia S., a long-time supporter of the sanctuary who lives in Connecticut.  She wrote, "I am so excited that you have moved closer to us and I would love to adopt a handicapped or blind dog, particularly a Cocker spaniel." 

As luck would have it, at that point we had just agreed to take Suzi from the Michigan rescue group, so I wrote Marcia back and said, "We have a blind Cocker coming from Michigan in a couple of weeks named Suzi ... has had both eyes surgically removed because she was blind and in pain, but she’s doing fine now.  Very pretty little thing.  She’ll be here about mid-November, and you can check the blog then for news about her arrival."

On Wednesday, the day after I posted Suzi on the blog, Marcia emailed me to say, "I have fallen in love with Suzi!," and asked if she could adopt her.

Well, exactly one week after she arrived at the sanctuary, Suzi left today for her wonderful new home in Connecticut!  I took the photo this afternoon just before Marcia and Suzi hit the road for the trip back. 

Marcia volunteered for the service dog organization Guiding Eyes for the Blind for 10 years, raising and fostering dogs for them, and has three "retired" Labs from the organization, so you can see why she had a natural affinity for our little blind Cocker.  As she told us today, it will be interesting to see if any of her service dogs "pick up" on the fact that Suzi is blind and take to guiding her around!

And so one more angel has entered Suzi's life.  Wow. 

Marcia, thank you so much for bringing Suzi into your family ... and a special thanks again to Anne, who rescued her, and to Lisa, who paid for Suzi's transport from Michigan to New Hampshire. 

The only downside to this is blind Briggs was a bit dismayed that his new girlfriend was already leaving.  "What?!?  She just got here!," he moaned.  We assured him another girl would be coming soon, no doubt.  That's all he needed to hear.  (He's not picky.)

Here's another photo of Suzi we took yesterday ... I think our spring 2011 print newsletter's cover story may be "A Tale of Two Cockers" and their whirlwind visits to the sanctuary:

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Still 2nd place -- but it's close!

Please keep voting for the sanctuary in the Shelter Challenge -- the votes are adding up!  And remember, you can vote every day, so consider bookmarking the voting page to make it easy.

You can vote in the Shelter Challenge here.

Please note:  Use Rolling Dog Ranch for our name and NH for the state and our listing will come up.

 It was thanks to all of your amazing votes that we won the $20,000 Grand Prize in the final Shelter Challenge of 2009, and we came in fourth nationwide in the first Shelter Challenge earlier this year, winning $3,000.  So this is serious money and can really make a difference for our disabled animals!  Please help us win this round of the contest by voting every day, and by encouraging your family, friends and colleagues to vote every day, too.  Thank you!

Comments

[Barbara Crabtree]

You have been so busy with dogs coming and going that you must stand by the gate with a clipboard counting the comings and goings. I fell in love with the beautiful Suzi, and am glad she will have a new home, but I almost feel it is personal when one leaves. I am so happy there are people who are able and willing to give them a loving home.
Happy Holidays to all of you.

[Nina]

This is fantastic news.....Suzi gets a new home with Marcia and other furry siblings! Please keep us updated.

Thanks to all who made this new life for Suzi possible!

[Angela]

Suzi has struck gold with her beautiful new Mom. She looks so gentle sitting on her green pillow. I can't wait to hear about Suzi's new guide friends - will be fascinating. Big thanks during TG week to all concerned. You're all the best and RDR rocks! (I know I say that a lot but it's true - so is often my closing here :) Love and blessings.

[Kathleen Rivard]

Marcia, If your Suzi brings you just 1/2 the happiness my little Roo has brought to me and her canine and feline sisters and brother, you all will be "rolling" in Holiday blessings!! Roo also says it's especially blessed to be born a "natural" blonde! There is none so blind that cannot see the beauty of another. Briggs teaches us all that lesson. Hang in there, Buddy!....and work on those pick up lines.

[gayle]

FANTASTIC!

[Becky in Bedford NH]

Oh, I love a happy ending! Suzi is such a beautiful girl. Glad she found her forever home.

[Colleen & In Memory of Sweet Kitty Erin]

YAY!! I am doing a happy dance for Suzi. After what she has been thru I'm so glad she is going to her furever home!!! Thank you, Marcia & please keep us updated. It has a been a whirlwind of Cockers!!! Poor Briggs, oh well. with his charm, he'll find a new gal!!!

[SarahP]

Oh, I'm so glad someone else was able to see Suzi's true beauty! Poor thing must be terribly confused with all the moving around she's been through lately. I hope she and Marcia have a long, long life together. Thank you, Rolling Dog, for bringing these two soul mates together!

[Pat B.]

Love a happy ending!

[Lisa in CA]

Tears of joy!

[Chloe]

Yikes!

Thank you to everyone who was part of her rescue and adoption. I can't wait to hear about her adjustment to her new home.

Suzi sure is a beautiful girl. She looks so pretty and relaxed on the green pillow.

[Dee's Mom]

Love this news and picture of Marcia and Suzi. Maybe one future newsletter could feature pics and updates of many of your adoptions. It may sound silly but I feel like we are all one big family!

[Linda P.]

Great news. I look forward to hearing whether those service dogs pick up on her blindness.

One of my daughters had seizures. One of our dogs did, too, with the dog's seizures difficult to predict or control. We've heard of service dogs for people with epilepsy, dogs who pick up on an oncoming seizure and warn their companion. In our house, it worked the other way. My daughter could tell when the dog was going to have a seizure because she would feel her own aura coming on when the dog was about to have a seizure as well as when she was. Sounds too woo-woo to be true, but it is.

[Anne in Florida]

Congratulations Suzi!! Marcia, please keep us updated on Suzi. I was so looking forward to seeing her bloom into a happy, confident fun loving dog. I am glad she will have other dogs around her too. I think the thought of her having her own seeing eye dog is a hoot. I chucked about that one over and over again. Note to Briggs...It just wasnt meant to be sweetie, the right girl will come along soon. Hang in there. But thank you for the warm welcome you did give her, she needed it and you are great.

[Lynne Parker]

I believe there is a person for every pet in this country. That's why I support No Kill Nation.

It's all a matter of reaching the right people, as you have done with Marcia and Suzi. Before she came to you she was merely an oddity, a "freak show". Because your newsletter reaches the right "audience", Suzi found a loving home in a flash. It could and should be that way for all of them across the nation.

Kudos to everyone involved. And poor little Briggs. Give him an extra hug!

[Glenda]

So many angels, such a worthy recipient-love that Suzi finally has wonderful days ahead; and the tough days are behind her.
Happy heart, happy dance!!!

Now...if we just had a new girlfriend for Briggs.....

[Carla Polastro-Nigro]

I couldn't imagine a better way to start my week...:-)

The news of Suzi's adoption brought tears of joy to my eyes. The photo you took of Marcia holding her new precious furbaby says it all, doesn't it?:-)

I look forward to hearing more about Marcia, Suzi and the three Labs...

A huge hug to you all from Italy.

[Shirley * James/Portland, OR]

There is one more Cocker left at RDR for adoption (I believe)case anybody is interested!!

[Shirley * James/Portland, OR]

NEVER tire of adoption news!!! Yeah for Suzi and Marcia S. Thanks to all who made it possible!

burrrrr....Ovando!

[Ann]

What wonderful news! I had a feeling that Suzi wouldn't be at RDR very long before being snapped up. Thank you, Marcia for giving this sweet girl a new forever home and please send pictures that can be posted on here so we can keep up with how she's doing!

KEEP VOTING IN THE SHELTER CONTEST! THIRD PLACE IS CATCHING UP AGAIN!

[Janet in Cambridge]

Is this a new record for turnaround?

Suzi, you little squirt. I know you'll be happy in Connecticut with your brothers and new mom.

Obviously, being blind is no impediment to an adoption by those in the know.

[Bob]

Good news for Suzi, she's a pretty girl. Just tell Briggs he will have a little more time to work on his moves. Just don't make the mistake of telling him he has no moves. The little guy is doing all he can.

[Anne in Florida]

I love revolving doors and yours is the best of the best kind. The end of the line becomes the front door to a new life with a spin through RDR in the middle. It seems your move was meant to be, look at how much good has come from your move!!

[Jane]

Fantastic!! Much to be thankful for. Especially all of the special folks who made Suzi's rescue possible. A lucky girl she is.

Marcia - please keep us updated on her and how she gets on with the Labs. (Sorry Briggs - hope you were not too attached).

[Mariele]

Suzi and Marcia are having a wonderful Thanksgiving! Blessings on you both.

Just want Steve and Alayne to know thanks to you and RDR I went ahead with my adoption of a dog with a severe eye injury. Rocky had been bit in the eye, and while the swelling is going down, we still don't know how much vision he has in it.

The bite happened at the pound 15 minutes before I arrived to take him home. While informing me of the incident, the manager asked, "He may loose the eye, do you still want him?"

I smiled because I thought of you guys and said, "Want him? of course i still want him!" Thanks for your inspiration.

[Sarah W]

Wow! What happy news! You guys have had a string of lucky gals--it seems like a series of match making successes! I think it really shows that a blind dog is not necessarily unadoptable and that with some dogs it hardly holds them back! I've been inspired by you and your philosophy that blindness is not a destination or a definition, and I think these lucky ladies show that an adorable well mannered dog will make an awesome pet whether or not they are blind. My little dog is losing her sight and she is just as much of a bitch(forgive the language) as she always has been--taking the toys from other dogs even when she can hardly see them.

[Linda]

Awesome news! One happy ending after another.

Hang in there, Briggs. Better she left before you got TOO attached...

[Moon Rani]

What wonderful news to start the week! Suzi and Marcia are sure to have special thanks to give this Thursday. Congratulations to one and all involved in Suzi's happy ending.