Despite disabilities, animals are adopted

A tiny little black ball of fur arrived at the Haven Human Society animal shelter, a stray with one eye damaged beyond repair and a dirty and miserably matted coat.

"It's an old story, one of many and it won't be the last unless everyone becomes more responsible for their pets," said Raymond John, chief executive officer for the shelter.

Ollie wasn't a typical shelter dog. He had some interesting breeding, a black Pug-Cavalier King-Charles Spaniel mix by visual description, but the Cavalier seemed to dominate his appearance.

On any given day, the shelter staff seems to see it all, unwanted pets that end up cast off in society for a host of reasons, John explained.

"We get the injured, the unwanted, sometimes pathetic-looking creatures that didn't deserve to be ignored, neglected or abused," he said.

He said, however, many people probably don't realize that even pets with worse disabilities than Ollie's may spend days and weeks at Haven's shelter, but eventually end up in the perfect home.

"There is a misconception about shelter animals and this story is only one of many, extra special, successful adoptions," John said.

Once Ollie's intake papers were completed, Haven Spay & Neuter Clinic lead veterinarian Cyanna Brauning, D.V.M., attended to the dog's eye that had to be surgically removed. Haven's volunteer groomers washed, trimmed and brushed out his matted coat and gave him a new neckerchief as he recuperated at the shelter waiting for the right family to come adopt him and take him home.

That day finally came when a Redding couple looking for a companion pet visited Haven's shelter and spotted Ollie, who wasn't aware his life was about to change.

Wes and Sandy Mahling didn't mind Ollie's disability.

"We first saw Ollie at PetSmart (Haven's satellite adoption site)," Sandy Mahling said, adding that the couple already had a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel plus a liver-spotted Dalmation and had been talking about getting another small dog.

"The Cavalier dogs are basically lap dogs, and Ollie is the sweetest little guy," she said.

The one eye missing didn't bother either one of the adopters, she added.

Ollie got his stitches out from the surgery a couple days before going home with the Mahlings.

Looking back at the adoption, Mahling said, "There was something about the little guy that pulled at our hearts. I think other people probably passed him up because he was missing an eye, but all I can say to them is thank you."

Ollie came in a thin 7 1/2 pounds, but he is now up to 10 pounds and looking more and more healthy.

John said stories like Ollie's deserve to be told because heartwarming, successful adoptions like his continue to occur on a regular basis at Haven's shelter.

He said Haven is dedicated to the relief of animal suffering and staff members go to great lengths to ensure that each animal has a second chance for a quality home.

"Our special programs give animals those chances," said John, who added that the Star Volunteer program helps shelter dogs become even more adoptable.

"These special volunteers are trained to handle shelter dogs, teaching them things like walking on a leash and the proper response for commands such as "Sit," "Off" and other basic obedience commands that make a dog a more desirable pet," John said.

He said volunteers exercise the dogs on the walking path at the shelter on a regular basis.

"Our facility is cleaned and sanitized daily to ensure the best possible environment for pets during their temporary stay," John said.