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Happy Tails

happy-dogThe lovely dog to the left is Serena, a former long-term resident at OAS, who is now happily in a home with a Dad and Mom who love her! Isn’t it obvious?

Have you adopted a pet from Oakland Animal Services?

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  1. We adopted a sweet little dog Thursday. He was named “Skippy” by the volunteers. He had cherry eye which was operated on. We took him to our vet Friday morning and he was given an antibiotic eye ointment and treated for Giardia. We are housebreaking him now and also, he gets along with our 3 other dogs. He is so sweet and the littlest dog we’ve ever had. My heart just went out to him with his infected cherry eyes and sad look. I want to comment on the Oakland shelter. It was such a wonderful experience going there. Everyone was so nice and helpful and you knew the animals were of the utmost importance. Thanks to everyone who helped us, we truly appreciate you. He is now named Stinky and is part of our family…:)

  2. I fostered and then adopted Shakira and her puppies this September. Cilantro went to live in Idaho with my grand daughter while Charo and Winkie stayed with me. Thank you to David Cronin and the staff of OAS who facilitated this new family for me. They are just what my heart needed to be made whole.

  3. We adopted Snoopy in June of 2012. We believe he thinks he is a cat, because he just wants to lay on you and get loved! He is an awesome addition to our family, and great with our 7 year old boy. He recently took a road trip to Yosemite with us, and had a blast!

  4. Hi! I am thankful for your shelter even though I didn’t adopt from you directly. I adopted one of the little Chihuahuas that you sent up to Panhandle Animal Shelter in north Idaho in September. Lydia is now living life on easy street here in northeast Washington…and we LOVE her! 🙂

  5. I adopted Percy from OAS in September of this year. He has already brought me so much joy and laughter. He is also really popular with my neighbors. They love to stop to say Hi and talk to him as he suns himself the in front window.

    Thank you to OAS for connecting me with Percy (a.k.a. Larry)!

  6. My family and I adopted a 3 month old kitten from OAS on November 2nd. She had the sweetest face and the softest kitty fur, we knew we had to play with her! The OAS volunteers let us spend some one on one time in one of their rooms and we were instantly in love! Not only is she one sweet cuddle-bug, she has a rambunctious, playful side to her too, which we absolutely adored! We decided to adopt her and we picked her up just a few days later!
    Since just a week ago, little Xena (who we renamed Kerrigan), has settled into our family like a piece of a puzzle! She loves to snuggle with us at night for bedtime and play with her toys all throughout the day. She is very curious & loves to explore every nook and cranny she can. Not to mention, she is a very happily spoiled kitty too…with a new cat-tree to climb, little toy mice, and lots of jingling balls to bat around all day long! Kerrigan has the absolute sweetest personality and we could not be more happy with our newest little furball! 🙂

  7. We adopted this scruffy guy, Huxley, on March 10, 2012 from OAS and he is absolutely the sweetest/best dog ever. Sorry everyone else, we got the best one. 🙂

    At the time, his OAS-given name was Marcus. His brother was at the shelter too – his name was Mr. Macintosh (“Mr. Mac” for short). I’m still kicking myself a year later for not leaving my contact information at OAS to be passed on to whatever lucky person adopted Mr. Macintosh. If you adopted Mr. Mac, or if you know who did, please do contact me at greenpoff@gmail.com! I would love to reunite Huxley with his long lost scruffy brother.

    Fingers are crossed!

  8. I adopted a scared little poodle cross through “Thank Dog I am Out” on September 13 and after only 7 weeks in her new home in Vancouver, BC with me. She is a confident happy,healthy & loving little bundle of joy named Gigi. Again I wish to thank all of you at OAS for saving this lovely little dog for me. Here is “GIGI”.

    Gigi’s MOM

  9. On December 13th 2012 I adopted two 8 week old kittens who just happened to be brothers from The OAS, At the time of adoption their names were Prius & Mustang. When I spotted them it was love at first sight, I was put into a room so the kittens & I could have some one on one time. When I saw them playing with the toys that were inside the room & chasing eachother I knew in my heart that these were the kittens I’d want to give a forever home to, After the adoption process was over I brought them home & renamed them Figaro & Felix. These two are inseperable it warms my heart to see the amount of love they have for one another, They even sleep with their arms around eachother which happens to be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. This December will be a year that they’ve been living in their forever home, Adopting these two was the best decision I’ve ever made, My love for them is unconditional.

  10. In October 2013 my mom felt a great urgency to get a cat. She came to Oakland Animal services and I grabbed her hand as she walked right by my cage. Not very long after that I was put in a box and carried to a car, but it didn’t take me long at all to climb out of that box. Luckily mom & dad drive a big mini-van and I could run around and explore before settling in dad’s lap while driving home.

    I have not one, but two large Cat TV’s! (fishtanks), and I can view from all sides or from on top through the see through Cat TV roof. Sometimes I kind of miss the edge when I jump up, and my feet get wet. It’s a lot of fun.

    I also have a big brother Darth who is a Malamute. What a goofball. He doesn’t really want to play with me, says he’s too old or something, but he sits with me and watches when I play. Mom sometimes puts me on a leash to walk outside, but I don’t like that, I like playing outside freely, and getting stronger and learning to jump higher and further. Our neighbor has a fig-tree, so we have a lot of squirrels to make my life very interesting. My claws are not exactly strong enough yet for me to jump from branch to branch, but I’m learning and getting stronger every day. you should see me balance on the fence already, I am quite the acrobat!

    There are a Lot of toys for Darth and me to play with, and since mom works from home we get a Lot of attention and play-time every day. I wonder where mom and Darth go few times a day, I hope one day I can go too, but I don’t like my leash one bit, so for now I stay home while they go out. They always come back and then Darth is so happy.

    Thank you OAS for keeping me safe until mom & dad & Darth could come to bring me home. You are all amazing and I was lucky that you kept me safe.

    I’m very happy being Kali (I was Kuala at OAS).

  11. We went to the shelter on September 3rd to “just take a look and meet some dogs”. This little guy was in the front row and immediately caught our eye. His sign read “spaniel/terrier, 3-4 months old, surrendered to shelter July 9”. There was a blank where it said NAME: ________/ #12178. A volunteer let us visit with the puppy for a few minutes. We put him back in his cage and paid a visit to two other adorable dogs. About 30 minutes had passed, and we returned to see the little no-name puppy. Unbeknownst to us, a shelter volunteer had named the puppy while we were away. In big black letters it said “Captain Jack”. My husband turned to me, and said “Now, if that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is!” My husband’s name, by the way, is Jake. And he is a boat captain. He doesn’t believe in signs but I sure am glad he did the day we visited the Oakland Animal Shelter! It’s been two months now and both Captain Jack AND Captain Jake are doing great! I don’t know why we waited 13 years before finally getting a dog! We have a lot of catching up to do! If anybody at the shelter knows who or why they named our puppy, Captain Jack, please give a shout out and let us know. If it hadn’t been for you, we might not have ever chosen this little guy. Thank you so much!

  12. Archer (formerly Andy) was a HYPER little puppy when we adopted him in July. He was 3 months old, cute, and had a lot of training to do. We were a little overwhelmed the first 2 weeks, but I’m happy to report that 3 months later, he is settling in beautifully. We started with training right away and he calmed down a lot once we got him on a schedule in his new home. He’s a great trail pup, takes pretty well to training, and mostly ignores our much loved cat.

    We were also excited to run into his former neighbor (Hudson) on the trails of the Oakland Hills. Two happy stories!

  13. We spotted Squidge (formerly Ilona) 3 years ago on the OAS web site. There were a lot of cute kittens available, but I knew from the video that this 2 year old kitty was affectionate and a people cat. She has been the best cat. Came home, used her litter box and the scratching post right away. She is a total cuddle bug and an important part of the family. I highly recommend adopting an adult cat!

  14. I’ve had Jitterbug for 6 months now. We recently moved out of Oakland to the country and now he has plenty of room to run and play with his dog sister Titi! I’ve seen him change so much since I first brought home that wary little bundle. Friends comment on how confident he is now! But hes still the same old boy that always comes when called and is constantly requesting a lap to sleep in.

  15. I love this little guy! He is the formerly popular Kevin, (now Bogie) who is quite a rascal. He really has attitude and I can see how the ragdoll has the Turkish angora parentage like this one. Their antics are so goofy, he really is fun to have around. Have had him more than year now and I’m so happy, and happy to share updates! He is beautiful and so cute, I can’t get mad at him for his little quirks. He plays well with our 2 big dogs and 2 other cats and is very energetic. Thank you!

  16. I adopted Nellie from OAS two years ago. Nellie was approximately 6 months old. She’s developing into a beautiful, mild tempered cat. She can certainly be willful and feisty, but I expected that from a calico.

    Last November I renovated my apartment. It never occurred to me that this would cause enough stress for her that it would change her relationship with the apartment and she began urinating on my bed.

    I decided to put in the time and effort to figuring out what was going on with her, and I am pleased to say that we have broken the habit and are now back to living happily ever after.

    The reason I post this is because when I adopted Nellie it was a “for better or worse” promise. We had a bump in the road, but it’s going to be a long rewarding road that I am really looking forward to sharing with her.

  17. I adopted Roo (formally Cameron) from OAS after the Maddie’s fund last year. She has been a happy addition to my family. Her lightheartedness has been great for my other very serious dog Pig. They cuddle, play, and love each other most of the time. Thanks for saving Roo.

  18. This is long over due. We adopted Lyla (formerly known as Josie at OAS) on April 13, 2013 and she has been an amazing addition to the family. She is the sweetest dog ever and loves to spend time with us, even if it is just sitting in front of the TV lounging.

    She has gained a little weight since coming home with us because we just can’t ignore those puppy eyes! She has been house trained already when we first adopted her, and she knows how to Sit, Stay, Shake and even know “Get Your Toy!” The big old red kong in the picture is her favorite and she even carries it out with her when she goes on potty breaks.

    She is one silly girl and we love her to pieces. Thank you OAS for this wonderful family member!

  19. Here’s Gigi, with her new Mom, Elizabeth in Vancouver, BC, Canada! Gigi was adopted via Susan Patterson & Thank Dog I Am Out Dog Rescue, and was one of the first international adoptions that OAS has completed with an international rescue partner!

    Thanks OAS for taking care of Gigi and getting her up to her new Mom so that she could have a 2nd chance at happiness and ever lasting love!

  20. Hi ! I adopted my new little angel from you through Susan Patterson of Thank Dog I Am Out last night Sept. 13 My beloved Bichon got sick suddenly almost three months and had to send him to the Angels. My broken heart would not mend. I contacted Susan and she and her wonderful volunteers, you & many others found me my little GIGI (I named her) she is a 5 yrs old Mini Poodle who has had a terrible life. SHe is mine now in Vancouver, BC. Loves me a lot but I love her more ! Gigi & I thank you so much for everything you did for us and many, many others. I will try & insert a photo – I thing Cindy or Susan will be sending you some too soon (maybe on your Facebook page) God Bless All Of You. Gigi’s new Mom, Elizabeth

  21. We adopted Alf in July 2012 and we’ve loved him every day since! He has such a sweet personality with just enough mischief to keep us on our toes. We love our Alfie and we’re very thankful we could adopt him from OAS!

  22. There are no words to describe what a pleasure Pilar (formally Ella) has been in my life. I visited OAS several times looking for the perfect kitty, and when I saw Pilar I knew she was the one. I took her home on Superbowl Sunday and said I would name her Catpernick if the 49ers won the Superbowl. She was instantly right at home. Pilar has a wonderful relationship with my Guatemalan Street Dog named Alma. The two rascals constantly play fight unless they’re too busy snuggling in my bed or on the couch. I am so thankful to OAS for taking such great care of their animals.

  23. I adopted the former Fluffcake from OAS last August. I renamed her Miranda because unlike the other dogs she was exercising her right to remain silent, alone in a cage. I fell in love as soon as she crawled into my lap during our one on one time. Once withdrawn and depressed, she has blossomed into the happiest, lovey-est dog in the world. She charms every person she meets! I tell everyone who asks (and many who don’t) to check out OAS, and not to disregard the “shy” sad dogs.

  24. We are lucky to be loved by three creatures from OAS: Roo (formerly a no-name kitten adopted October 2009), Samson (a chihuahua mutt formerly named Samoa, adopted in March 2011), and Sadie Mae (a pit bull formerly named Happy, adopted June 2013). It took us a while to find each of them, since we really wanted the right personality and animal-people connection, and we struck pure gold each time. They bring so much joy to our lives and have the best personalities.

    Both of the dogs learned recall ridiculously fast because they love us so much–they check in all the time when we are at Pt Isabel (even when we’re not actively treat-training them) because we’re a pack. They constantly charm children in the Grand-Lake neighborhood and frequently give lessons on size differences (little vs big), how to interact with new/strange dogs, and how looks can be deceiving (at 7 years, Sam is often older than the kids who are convinced he’s a puppy). As a strictly indoor cat Roo hates to see the pups leave our apartment, and loudly yowls her opinions about our departure and return from the windows.

    OAS has always been great, and it’s been so nice to see the increased dog socialization and other improvements even with the never-ending work. Keep it up!

  25. My husband and I adopted Lucy (formerly China) and Snoopy (formerly Alana) in July this year.
    They are such fun and loving little kitties.
    We love them so much and are so happy that we found them at OAS.
    Thank you for bringing those two sweethearts into our lives!

  28. I adopted my beautiful tabby cat Zazie during Maddie’s Fund weekend. He is a curious, energetic, intelligent, and lovable kitty! He goes from running around the house and climbing anything and everything to cuddling up to me after dinner.

    He is such a joy and a gem, and I can’t thank OAS enough for bringing this perfect companion into my life!

    – Erica

  29. We adopted Sherman in 2012 from the Solano SPCA but we met him (aka benicio) at OAS. =) Gus, our english bulldog wasn’t up to date on his rabies shot so we couldn’t do a meet and greet. we went back 3 days later and found out that Sherman was selected and transferred to the Solano SPCA. We went, fell in love and was put on the waiting list. Obviously we weren’t the only ones who was smitten!! Now he spends his days with his Brother Gus, Jack and Ollie lounging around being spoiled. Here is Sherman with Gus at Point Isabelle, one of his favorite places to be!

  30. I adopted Jack(orange tabby- AKA jr ) and Ollie( grey and white tabby aka OWL)about 6 years ago, not at the same time. They are both lounging around either in their cat trees or in Jack’s case has taken over the spare bedroom as his own. The are both getting used to their other brother Sherman ( aka Benicio) who was technically adopted from the Solano SPCA but only because he was transferred there before we could adopt him from oakland animal services. I will post up Shermans pic too. =) thank you OAS for everything.

  31. I first met Mabel (aka Diamond) at OAK in 2010 with Marthina McClay. It was love at first site and we knew with her leg issue she would be hard one to place. Thank god for friends of OAS and Our Pack, we were able to bring her into our home on November 5, 2010 and officially adopt her on February 9, 2010. We LOVE our Mabel and we are pretty sure she is relaxed and loving us. 🙂

  32. Louie Toller – six years and the best friend anyone could ever want. He was Dog of the Month and I personally think he is dog of the century. He was joined last year by his rescued black Lab sister Lexie. Thank you for all that you are trying to do for the dogs in Oakland. Special thanks to Dave Cronin and all of your efforts – especially in trying to bring to justice animal abusers. Please keep up the good work despite all of the challenges that you encounter. Thank you again OAS

  33. I adopted Tillie in June 2010 during the Maddie’s Pet Adoption Days at OAS. Tillie makes me laugh everyday. She is so sweet and just loves to be next to me for cuddles. She is a great dog! Thanks for bringing us together OAS!!

  35. My husband and I adopted our dog Penny (she was called Mina while at OAS)a little over six months ago, and we could not be more in love with her (I mean, look at that happy little face!). She is sweet, silly, affectionate, and adores EVERYONE. We could not have asked for a better pup, and are so excited to have her forever as a part of our family. Thank you so much for doing what you do and letting us adopt her, Oakland Animal Shelter!

  36. We want you to know that Rufus (formerly Ace) has settled into his forever home. He is a lovely dog and we love him. As you can see he gets along very well with his sister Lucy! They play, run and chase squirrels in the back yard all day long. They have a dog walker that takes them on a daily afternoon walk and they both love going to the small dog park and Pt. Isabel! Rufus runs with the big dogs when he is at Pt. Isabel. Everyone smiles when they see him zooming by. He also gained 1 1/2 pounds.

    Thank you for your efforts with all the dogs at the Oakland shelter.

  37. Second update on our little Rosie, it’s been about nine months, and we still can’t believe how perfect she is for our home. Thank you!

  39. Hi, I adopted Merlot, now Basil from you guys 2 years ago and it was the best day of my life> Basil is the sweetest, smartest, prettiest, girl in the world and I can’t imagine life without her! I will be headed your way again to find her a new little brother as we recently lost our Clover

  40. Molly Mastiff. Too big for a dog bed she also has her own pillow and comforter!

  41. We adopted Elizabeth the Bullmastiff at Maddies Day. She has now been with us over a month and we love her! We named her Molly and she enjoys long walks and playful romps with our Boxer. She loves to play ball and loves her stuffed animals. She is a total sweetheart and we are blessed to have her!

  42. We just adopted our 2nd dog from OAS (Dexter, formerly Rocco), a black and tan Miniature Pinscher. He is intelligent, loving and obedient (mostly!). We were told that he had been with OAS for 6 weeks, including the free adoption weekend. We simply can’t believe that no one took him, because he is just a great dog. He has bonded strongly with our 1st OAS dog (Maybelle), who has also been a huge success in our family. We have had great experiences with OAS, especially the folks who show the dogs to the public. Keep up the good work!

  45. We adopted Timon (now Jake)about six weeks ago and now we cant imagine life without him. He plays all morning with our 14 year old dog Finn (yes they are Finn and Jake !)and then they sleep all afternoon in the sun while I work on the computer. They describe a Basenji as a cat in a dogs body, and its easy to see why. He does know his name, but he will only come if he wants to, he is very affectionate, but also needs lots of attention and admiration. Too much silence and we know there is trouble.
    My son and husband went to the shelter after getting stuck in traffic and missing their gym class. When they came home and said they had seen the most beautiful and intelligent puppy ever I suspected over sell – but they were right. Thank you to all the staff at the shelter for caring for our little boy and making the whole process of bringing him home to our family easy and stress free. I recommend the shelter to everyone looking for a new dog.

  46. I adopted Frasier about a month ago. Initially, I was just looking online to see what dogs were available, but once I saw Frasier on OAS’s website, I fell in love. A week later, I went to visit him at the shelter, and brought him home that day.
    This little guy is easily one of the sweetest puppies out there. Within two days he learned how to sit and where to go to the bathroom (though we’re still working on fully potty-training him). I’m in college, and he loves coming to school with me. Everyone at school loves having him there, too, and Frasier has quickly gone from a shy little guy to a bouncy, happy people-lover.
    I was looking for a puppy to keep me company, and this guy definitely fits the bill. He is happiest when he is with me, and even though other people had their doubts about me getting a dog while still in school, I have to say I have no regrets- Frasier has been worth the time.

  47. We adopted Roo a year ago (formally Cameron). She became best friends with my older dog Roo. They play, cuddle, and groom each other. They have many adventures together.

  48. I adopted Bea (now Mabel) over Memorial Day weekend, and she is already right at home. She has already learned her house training, how to sit and stand, and her new name. She’s such a smart little pup! She is full of energy and joy.

    Everyone at OAS was so helpful and kind to us, and I could not be more thrilled to have Mabel as part of my family. Thank you OAS!

  49. Titi and I adopted Jitterbug (Now Gaius Baltar) a couple months ago and he has completely won us over with his gentle and sweet spirit! He is a great road trip buddy and when he cuddles he seems more like memory foam than a dog. My other dog Titi now acts half her age and often wont let Gaius stop playing! He has won my heart and the hearts of my friends and family. Thank you so much OAS for uniting me and this amazing dog!

  50. It will be six months ago next week that I adopted Ernesto from the OAS, and I have not regretted the decision to get him even one day. Yes he chews on everything he sees, and yes his energy level is off the chart. However, in 20+ years as a certified professional dog trainer, I have not seen many dogs that learn as fast as he does, is as compliant, and has learned so many tricks as he has in just 6 months. His manners with people and other dogs is impeccable and admired by other dog owners.

    I knew when I saw him on the OAS website he was the dog for me. I wanted a companion for my dog Pepper, and he got a brother and a best friend.

    Thank you OAS for bringing this bundle of joy and energy into Pepper’s, Bohdi’s(my other dogs), and my life.

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