HAPPY TALES Here are a few of our dogs and cats who have found great homes!
	Jake's Happy Tale I adopted my Jake (2 year old Boxer) from CARA on April 21, 2008 ! HE IS THE PERFECT DOG ! My son and I love him so much and we shower him with loads and loads of belly rubs, daily car rides, beach runs, dog parks, and plenty of attention. He protects us from those he is not sure of and when I say "It's ok Jake" he relaxes with ease. When we go to the park he is known as "Jake the peace maker" because he is the only dog that makes sure no other dogs get out of line and because of this, he forever gets bones and biscuits from other dog owners. Jake adjusted very well when we he first arrived and it's been a pleasure to have him ever since. I want to thank CARA for allowing my son and I to love Jake and provide him with the loving home that he has. Sincerely, Nia, JJ and Jake
	Winston's Happy Tale Kauai (formerly Winston) has reached a milestone. He now weighs 10 lbs! He's getting huge - still a lanky boy but tall and very very long! And still as cute as can be. He still enjoys running around the house like a crazy boy, carrying feathery objects around the house, howling at the top of his lungs when a door is closed, and wrestling with his brother. When he's not causing trouble and knocking stuff over, he enjoys sleeping contentedly on top of my dresser, in the papasan chair, or on the kitty tower. :) Attached are some photos. Erica
	Sorbet and Pier's Happy Tale I adopted Tiger and Pierre (formerly Sorbet and Piers) from CARA in Dec. of 2007. I initially only had an interest in adopting Pierre but when I went to visit him in his foster home, Tiger was so super affectionate that I couldn't resist and decided to adopt him as well. Not to mention I previously had an orange tabby (Tiger the first) who left a soft spot for them in my heart. And what a great decision that was since they love each other's company. It's such a treat to watch them play together. While Tiger loves to snuggle with me and be petted, Pierre prefers to just hang out nearby. But both of these friendly guys will come running to play with me if they hear me ring the bell that's attached to their favorite toy. These kitties have brought me so much joy and have done a great job of making my house feel whole. I absolutely love my new family members. Thank you for all the work you do to help homeless animals! Ranjini Iyengar
	Nugget's Happy Tale I adopted Mr. Weasley (formerly known as Nugget) from CARA back in September of 2005, and I could not have asked for a more perfect, loving cat. He's the cutest, sweetest boy in the world! Every day when I come home from work, he runs to the door to greet me (if he's not already sitting there, waiting), and every night when I go to sleep, he's curled up on my bed purring. He loves it when I scoop him up in my arms like a baby and kiss his nose. He's definitely a "mama's boy"! After meeting him, one of my friends who has "never liked cats much", completely changed his opinion and decided that cats are so great that he wants to adopt one too! Back when I adopted him, he was a shy little kitty who was rather unsure of himself, and it warms my heart to see how much he's come out of his shell and how trusting he's become. He's a bundle of pure love, and he brings me so much joy. This past March I agreed to foster a kitty named Molly, because I thought it would be good for him to have a companion. Little did I know, these two would fall in love! Within a few short weeks, after seeing them cuddle, "make out", and chase each other around the apartment, I knew I'd never be able to split those two up and I decided to adopt her. Mr. Weasley was named after the Harry Potter character and, ironically, in the Harry Potter books, MRS. Weasley's first name is Molly! It was meant to be. I just put up my Christmas tree the other night, and Wease has been very well behaved with it! Molly... well, that's a different story! Wease likes to camp out under the tree - I think it makes him feel Christmasy. He's very happy and healthy, and is looking forward to spending his third Christmas with his mom. Laura Myers
	Sasha's Happy Tale
	Isis's Happy Tale We had a boxer for three years and, when she died, our home seemed so empty. We were not sure we wanted to open our hearts again, but after a few months we realized the time was right and we began our search. As soon as we saw Kelsey's (formerly Isis) picture, we knew we had to meet her and we arranged a visit with her foster family. Kelsey was so happy and active and it was obvious that her foster family was providing excellent care. We immediately began the adoption process and Kelsey has now been with us for about seven wonderful months. We would absolutely recommend CARA for anyone looking to adopt a pet, and we are so thankful that they brought Kelsey into our lives. The Bechtold Family
	Jimmy and Marlon's Happy Tale We adopted Marlon Brando and Jimmy Stewart almost a year ago. Since then, they have taken over the house. They are the most playful and cuddly cat/kittens. And they are rascals -- of course. They get along great with our miniature schnauzer, Kasim, and our other cats Homer and Bear. However, they de-throned Bear as the alpha cat and he is still upset about that. Marlon and Jimmy have an interesting fascination with water (we are always running the tub water so they can watch it) and Jimmy has a thing for shiny objects reflecting on the ceiling -- we call him our little Galileo. We are very glad that we brought these boys home. They are true sweeties and very loving. Being litter-mates, they still snuggle everyday and groom each other. We were very much afraid of what they would do to our Christmas tree -- but they were actually little angels (except for the two ornaments they broke!) Attached are some recent photos. Marlon and Jimmy's mommies -- Diane and Linda
	Houdini and LFG's Happy Tale (Now named Shadow and Yum Yum) Just wanted to share with you a photo of our two beautiful new babies...who don't look much like babies anymore. They are becoming more a part of our home everyday and Lovey is a wonderful and loving surrogate mom...even though they are both bigger than she is and still growing! Carolyn
	Hemingway and Tatiana's Happy Tale Chester and Rosie (formerly Hemingway and Tatiana) had a fun filled Halloween, and they both wanted to say hi. They wanted to send you this photo to show you how happy they are. They are both doing very well and they are both in good health. Chester even had his teeth cleaned a couple months ago! Thanks again for letting us adopt them and give them a home. Regards, Ben, Kaiya, Chester, and Rosie
	Bowser's Happy Tale We just wanted to let you know that Bowser is doing great. We bought him the Iams puppy, what an enthusiastic eater! He is having fun playing with our other dogs and the cats seem to be in love. We knew that would happen, they love dogs. Bowser is very gentle with our four year old daughter, Karey. We are going to name him Porter, after a Pittsburgh Steelers player; just like all our other pets. He seems to be adjusting well, no barking or crying through the nights. He is also a good watch dog, he barked at noises but stopped when we told him "good boy". We gave him a really long leash and did some "verbal leash" training, he listened very well and came back to us at our command. Needless to say, we are very happy to have him in the family. I really appreciate the care that is given to all the dogs. That is, I'm sure, what makes him such a well mannered boy at such a young age. Thank you and your organization for all you do for all homeless pets. The Ruchaks
	Larry & Lydia's Happy Tale Since I adopted Simon (formerly Larry) and Halle (formerly Lydia) from CARA in August, there have been few dull or lonely moments in my house. I lost two elderly beloved cats this year and Simon and Halle have been a huge source of source of comfort and joy. Both kittens (now about 9 months old) are sweet and spunky and absolutely stunning. Simon is a handsome silver spotted tabby with green eyes who announces his presence with croons and coos. He kneads softly to show his affection. My older cat Marshall (the white cat seen in these pictures) grooms him on a regular basis and it is a joy to watch. Even though he is only a kitten, he has a distinguished presence and quietly dominates my cat household. Halle is a beautiful medium-haired calico with green eyes ringed in gold. People say calicos can be skittish, but Halle purrs and coos the moment you pick her up and quietly searches your face before giving a kiss. She flounces around with femininity and style. Yet she holds her own with her brother in wrestling matches and chases around the house. She is the perfect girl. I can't imagine life without Simon and Halle and thank CARA for rescuing them. Simon and Halle's pet human, Lenore
	Allie's Happy Tale I thought you might like to see a couple of pictures showing how Allie has adjusted to her new home. Basically, she has taken over and makes her self comfortable wherever she wants! Her adopter John L.
	Cutter's Happy Tale I would like to tell you that everything is going very well with Cutter. She seems now to have definitely moved in! She feels more comfortable and follows me everywhere I go, even upstairs. Just this week she started sleeping with us on the bed. She is very sweet and has gained the attention and love of the whole family. Even my father and mother-in-law sometimes come to visit HER not us, they make it clear :-) Marcia and family
	St. Patrick's Happy Tale St. Patrick was a Hurricane Katrina dog who was fostered for another rescue group by one of our volunteers. St. Patrick now has a wonderful family with three children, who are featured in the photo with Santa, Santa's helper, and of course St. Patrick. Naturally St. Patrick was the tough one to photograph because he is black. He was spotted at his first adoption show by the childrens' grandmother, who noticed how calm he is with all the people and other dogs at the show. She was so impressed that she called the family to come over and meet him. Carrie (Mom) writes: Things are going pretty well with St. Patrick. We are having fun taking him for walks and playing with him. My favorite part is when I am busy at work and he just peacefully sits near me. Carrie, Jimmy, and the kids, Javin, 9, Nicole, 5, and Tori, 3
	Crunch and Peanut's Happy Tale It appears as though Peanut is the lap cat. She's taken to relaxing herself in my lap while the TV is on. Crunchy is never far away, usually sitting in the next chair or hiding underneath it. Yesterday they made their first venture to the sunporch where Peanut really enjoys the indoor/outdoor carpet by sharpening her claws, which is awesome since it's old and will ultimately be replaced. The space out there is great since they can both stretch and jump around unrestricted. They're both very playful when they're up, but they're not very active after 11pm. Today was the first day that I was greeted by a couple of quiet, patient faces when I awoke. They certainly do wind up during the day... and chase each other around. Other than that... they love to relax on me while I read or watch tv. Their adopter James
	Scribbles's Happy Tale Gabby Girl (nee Scribbles) is fantastic! She is a shining star! I love her so much already, she is already a part of my heart. She is still adjusting and I am gaining her trust, she is sleeping with me, and during the day from time to time she will come voluntarily on my lap and snooze awhile. I have never seen a more talkative cat! She always has something to say! We love it. She is everything that we could ask for and we are enjoying getting to know her and watching her blossom. Gabby Girl is a unique cat and I know that she was meant to be with us. I am sending you a few pictures of Gabby Girl. I don't have any of her playing yet (she has oodles of toys) but you will see what I meant by her sitting on me when I have my lap top. So I have a laptop computer and a lap cat! (plus a mouse on the side '-) You will see her laying in our bow front window in our kitchen. She is "Queen Kitty, mistress of all she surveys". The flowers you see are artificial and the greenery is pet grass that I got for her at PetSmart. She loves to look out that window in the morning, and this morning came face to face with a feral cat. That was interesting! She didn't back down and her tail didn't become bushy, no growling or sounds either. The other cat left after a 30 second stare down. I feel so lucky to have Gabby Girl. From GG's adopter Marti
	Carrie's Happy Tale This is the cute picture that the little girl who adopted Carrie drew for CARA. She came up to Carrie's foster mom and said "thank you for giving us Carrie. I love her so much! I always wanted a cat."
	Ty's Happy Tale hi this is me ty, formerly the artist known as button. actually my full name is tyrone button-nose seldon. soda (he used to be called bubba) and i have a new home together with mommabear. i'm the cute black and white guy and soda is the tabby in the pictures. she took me to work on friday! i checked out her office. made use of the make-shift litter box. talk about lack of privacy. harumph. i wound up sleeping most of the day on a pillow on mommabear's desk, right next to her. like the prince that i am. people came in all day to visit. MB tried to crate me but i would have none of it. when we got home, i got to see my boy soda. soda is fun. we chase each other and romp around, much to MBs delight. we like to check ourselves out in the mirror to make sure we are having good hair days. i always am. did i mention that i am cute? we let MB sleep on the bed. but we get most of it. soda even sleeps on the pillow. i've attached a few photos so you can see how adorable i am. oh yeah, soda is in a few of them too. from Ty and Soda's adopter Anna Seldon
	Sally's Happy Tale Attached is a picture of Sally, our sweet "Long Tall Sally", with her new sister Lily. Sally has adjusted so well with her new family the vet told them to get this puppy. And here's a pic of her in a Hawaiian shirt, all ready for the luau! From Sally's adopters Lizzie and Mike
	Tommy's Happy Tale Here is the latest picture of Screamer and Tommy to let you know how well they get along together :) From Tommy's adopters Fred and Jackie
	Spruce and Ivy's Happy Tale Here are some new photos of Wilson and Gracie (formerly Spruce and Ivy). They are doing great. Wilson is HUGE but Gracie holds her own. From their adopters Michael & Caity
	Pollux's Happy Tale Here's some recent pictures of Orion (formerly Pollux)! He is doing well and we love him to death! Everyone that meets him thinks he's wonderful! He is still very playful and can't meow. He tries really hard to though, especially if we take him in the car anywhere. He is getting really big so we think it's time to switch to cat food. Well I just wanted to say hello and show you a few pictures. He loves drinking out of people glasses so we can't leave them on the floor. In the second picture he's putting his foot in the glass. He just started that trick this past weekend and we thought it was really funny! From his adopter Kate
	Lucy's Happy Tale Just wanted to give you an update...Lucy is great and more beautiful than ever. She is now helping me look after two kittens. I rescued a pregnant cat and she had seven kittens in July. So far I've found homes for all except for two. One great family adopted the Mom and two kittens. I have sent a pic of Lucy. From her adopter Lisa
	Anthony's Happy Tale Hi, remember me? I adopted Anthony, one of the Home Depot litter, back in February. You may recall, I decided to rename Anthony as Hotsy. That's in honor of Hotsy Alperstein, whose photograph I happened to sit under while eating at Krupin's Deli after I had put my beloved Arf to sleep. Well!! I discovered that Mr. Alperstein was alive and kicking and owns a furniture store downtown. I sent him an email with Hotsy-cat's photo. And he called me! He wanted to meet his namesake! So Hotsy and I took a trip down to meet the original Hotsy. We're now all fast friends! Attached is a photo. Hotsy the human is a real sweetie, 88 years old and sharp as a tack. He was absolutely tickled to meet his feline counterpart. Hotsy the cat continues to be a real sweetie! We all love him endlessly. From his adopter Dru
	Mia and Cleo's Happy Tale After what must have been a very long time on the mean streets, we are very happy to report that Mia [bottom bed] has been welcomed by her special friends. They report that she is very grateful to have delicious food and clean water, on a daily basis. She sometimes makes little grunts in the mornings, to signal her excitement about feeding time. On occasion, the old gal even gets the energy to play with a catnip toy or two! Cleo, formerly known as Lauren Bacall [top bed], is such a mischievous one-year old that she is hard to contain. Unlike her mom, Mia, who relishes fine dining, Cleo is often so busy racing off for play-time on her screened in porch, that she doesn't have the time to fully consume a meal. She even learned, and has taught others, how to play the game of hide and seek. Hopefully, she won't teach others the laundry game. It involves stealing panties and socks from the clean laundry basket, and proudly carrying them all over the house! Both sedate mother and impish daughter have adjusted to their new home, new human companions and new cat siblings well. Truly a happy ending for all! From Linda and Lee, their adopters
	BooBoo and James Bond's Happy Tale What a great pair of kitties these are. Their adopter David says "All is going fine with the boys, they are quite the pair. I've never seen two cats so affectionate with each other. They are amazing.". The boys share their new home with David and his big black-and-white longhaired cat TC.
	Tanner's Happy Tale This is Tanner the cocker spaniel I adopted from your organization in August of last year. He is spoiled rotten and well traveled now. He is a walk next to you dog without a leash no matter where we go. He has recently attended his grandmother's funeral, where everyone thought he was a statue until they tried to move him and noticed that he actually moved on my command. (haha) Thanks for your help in the adoption. Sincerely, Sharon and Tanner
	Smitty's Happy Tale Here is Smitty's new play toy and best friend, Bernard, a St. Bernard/Border Collie pup. Smitty was adopted by a wonderful couple who fell in love with him on Petfinder. They and Bernard came all the way from New Jersey to Rockville to meet him! It was love all around. Bernard is a big sweet puppy (8 months old and 90 pounds!) who used to have a best kitty friend named Cheezy. The little stray cat followed Bernard home one day on a walk. Bernard played with the kitty outside, and would even bring him a huge piece of drift wood and drop it at Cheezy's feet to convince him to play. Cheezy would get up, rub on Bernard and Bernard would run around like a little kid at play. Very sadly, Cheezy had feline leukemia. So Bernard has a Happy Tale to tell as well.
	Kane's Happy Tale Here is Kane's new family. He's SO HAPPY that it took ten attempts to get a picture, because when the camera would click Kane would lick someone's face and throw the picture off!