EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is part of an ongoing series that features Burien CARES animal adoptees looking for loving homes.
This edition is sponsored by Sit ‘N Stay Pet Sitting:
By Cydney Moore
Meet Maura! This exuberant girl is a beautiful brown retriever-mix, just a little over a year old. She was brought in to CARES as a stray last summer, but unfortunately her new family surrendered her to another shelter. The folks at CARES claimed her and brought her back so they can ensure she finds the right home this time around. Staff informed me upon meeting her that Maura can be a bit weary towards strangers, and will bark if she doesn’t know you. When they let her out of her kennel to introduce us, that’s exactly what she did – until I gave her a cookie, which made us instant best friends! Just give this playful pooch a treat, and she immediately turns into a total sweetheart. I took her out for a walk, and as soon as we left the shelter she made it clear that she wanted to RUN. We jogged along for a bit, letting her get some of that pent up energy out, but she clearly had the stamina and desire to run for quite a ways. If you are looking for a good partner to keep up with you at cardio, Maura would be only too happy to join in. On our outing, Maura took note of every stranger and dog in the vicinity. When she’d spot someone down the street, she’d let out a bark towards them, but immediately quieted with a quick “No†from me. Her attentiveness and ability to quickly redirect when receiving reassurance that there is no threat makes her ideally suited to be a wonderfully protective family guard dog. Nobody will sneak up on you with Maura on watch! We spent some time out in the play yard at the shelter, where I discovered that Maura will play fetch forever, or at least until you call it quits. She understands basic commands, and knows what you want when you tell her to drop the ball, or wait (she is certainly eager to please if it means you will throw the ball again!). She still has a lot of the enthusiasm and energy of a puppy (she is, after all, just barely past that age), so she would do well with someone who has a nice yard for her to romp around in, or with someone who will make sure she gets out and about frequently for an abundance of daily exercise. This intelligent pup is also a complete cuddlebug. After our walk and time out in the yard, we went back to her kennel, where she was thrilled to get lots of scratches and pets (we alternated between her sitting on my lap getting love, and playing catch with her squeaky toy). She will snuggle up to you with ease, and will no doubt melt your heart with her happy doggy kisses. Overall, Maura is an amazingly lovable, smart and energetic canine. She is great with kids (she lived with children in her last home without issue), and so-so with other dogs (she is hit or miss, depending on the dog, so be sure to schedule a meet-up with her and any potential future pet siblings). She checked out fine at the vet, although she does occasionally have issues with one of her back legs, which they believe is due to an injury she sustained when she was young that wasn’t treated properly and didn’t heal right – but otherwise, she is in great health. She is spayed, flea treated, up to date on shots, and microchipped. Maura is tired of being cooped up. She is eager to get into a new home where she can run and play, and give all her affection to her new family. If you have room in your family for a pup like Maura, you’d be foolish not to welcome this precious pooch into your life. Come rescue her today!Maura
Amewthyst is a timid 9 year old kitty with a thick, soft coat that masks the frailty of her tiny frame. Brought in to CARES in August as a stray, it was immediately clear that this poor girl had experienced some severe trauma in her life. She is very sweet, but exceptionally shy, and scared. Staff say she was incredibly skinny when she first came to the shelter, and they have been struggling to get her to gain weight because she is hesitant to eat. They say she is making gradual improvements, and they have been able to get her to come out of hiding to eat and engage with much coaxing, but this cautious kitty will certainly need a family with a lot of patience, and a soft spot for critters who require a little extra love and support. When I first entered the play room where Amewthyst was being kept, I thought there was a mistake and she must still be in a kennel somewhere; I didn’t see a cat anywhere, and the room wasn’t really big enough for her to have much of a place to hide. As it turns out, Amewthyst was in the room – tucked away in the back corner, hidden completely underneath a blanket. Not really expecting to find anything, but figuring I should check just in case before I went to ask staff where she could be, I lifted up the blanket on the floor, only to find her huddled beneath it, wedged between her kitty bed and the wall. Upon being discovered and exposed, she immediately made a sprint to her little cat hutch, where she peered out at me apprehensively, clearly spooked and expecting a potential threat. Despite her fear, when I reached in slowly to let her sniff me and to try to pet her, she didn’t react in an aggressive or defensive manner. She stayed curled up as far back as she could go, flinching at my touch, but receptive enough that I was able to continue stroking her softly for a bit. She was skeptical, but eventually accepted a few kitty treats from me, and ever so slowly inched her way towards the opening of her hutch to poke her head out just slightly – enough to examine me better, and receive some ear scratches (which she definitely appreciated). I had to step out of the play room for a moment, and when I came back, Amewthyst had returned to her hiding place buried under her blanket. Beneath her reluctance and skittish ways, this pretty fur baby is just waiting for the right person to show her the love, and give her the security she needs, to feel safe. Although she shied away from contact, when she realized my only intention was to give her kindness, she was happy to get affection, responding tentatively but positively to gentle chin rubs and petting, a whisper of the joyous cat she could be peeking out behind her fearful exterior. Health-wise, overall Amewthyst is doing alright. Her teeth aren’t in the best condition, but that is typical for a cat her age who likely has never seen a vet before. She was initially checked for kidney disease, etc. to see if that was why she was so thin, but her blood work came back clean; they believe her condition was due to chronic malnutrition, neglect, and parasites (which she is now clear of). She is currently up-to-date on all of her shots, flea treated and de-wormed, spayed and microchipped. Beyond the surface of her trauma, this girl is a true beauty, inside and out. After whatever horrors and strife she has endured, this little miss deserves a nice, quiet home to settle down in, surrounded by people who will shower her with all the kindness and caring she has been denied in her life. If you think you have enough love to heal this broken kitty’s heart, go down to CARES and peek underneath the emerald blanket in the cat room, where Amewthyst will no doubt be waiting. To learn more about Maura or Amewthyst, or to find out how you can foster/adopt a pet, please contact Burien C.A.R.E.S. at (206) 812-2737 or stop by during business hours at 909 SW 151st Street.Burien C.A.R.E.S. is a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter serving the City of Burien; more info here: http://www.buriencares.org.Volunteers and donations are always welcome.ABOUT THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR:Amewthyst
]]>Sit ‘N Stay Pet Sitting, LLC Serving Burien, Normandy Park, and Des Moines Phone: 206.370.0169 Website: http://www.wesittheystay.com
