Nearly four months ago Bobo stumbled across Carrie while with his pregnant mom, Hazel.

They were street dogs. The pads of their paws and claws were wore down. They were tired and hungry. They were dirty and infested with fleas and even had worms. It was sad to know the truth of their sickened state because they didn’t show it at all – not one bit.

If you extended a hand, Bobo or Hazel would lick it. If you weren’t careful, though, the pair would cower thinking you might be winding up to strike them. It was devastating to see. They came from a place where humans were neglectful and hurtful. They didn’t lose faith in us, though.

Hazel gave birth to four puppies two days after we found her and Bobo. They were in our backyard. When born, the puppies instantly catapulted into the limelight leaving Bobo in the shadows, but not forgotten. One puppy was adopted immediately, while the other three are still in need of homes, including Dixie – our current foster dog.

Hazel disowned Bobo when the puppies were born. Days after treating Bobo like a prince, she kicked him out. This is one of nature’s tough truths. He stayed at another home for a while trying to adjust.

Bobo is simple. He is what we envision as a handicapped human. Basic thoughts and feelings dominate Bobo. He knows right from wrong and dealt with them in extremes, either by being overly excited or completely distraught. He was grateful and loving, too, and maintains a simple, happy outlook.

It didn’t take us long before we realized where Bobo would live the most fulfilling, happy life. He could do this while making ours better. He needed to stay with us. He needed to have a home with us and become our dog.

Bobo was officially adopted more than two months ago. He is Carrie and I’s dog and he is thriving. Did you know he can smile? It can make him sneeze, but it’s still a smile. When we come home from work or even just emerge from the bathroom, Bobo is there to greet you with a smile, a sneeze and a wagging tail. He loves attention and he loves his home.

He and his sister, Stevie, are the best of friends and true companions. Where you find one you will find the other. They are similar in size, color and both mixed breeds. At first glance, they look just like brother and sister. Now, they truly are.

Together they bring even more fulfillment to our lives. Bobo is a happy dog who has a home. He eats well, plays hard and loves without worry.

We gave Bobo the chance he didn’t even know he was looking for and we found a companion we didn’t know we were looking for; it’s a match.

His half sisters, Dixie and Samantha, half brother, Finley, and mother, Hazel, all still need homes, too. Don’t forget them and see if they can be the right fit for you.

Dixie is a sweet girl who is actively being potty and crate trained. She is also tackling simple manners such as sit and she is doing very well on all fronts. Dixie is listed on Petfinder.com under the Noah’s Ark Society in Nashville. She will also be making appearances at My Sister’s Closet consignment store in Nashville for those of you that want to meet her in person.

If you would like to schedule a visit, simply contact us. She is still a puppy but is learning how to be a well-mannered young lady quickly. Please consider this sweet girl to join your family. She needs her forever home.

Dolly, the brindle, was adopted about a week ago. Her two sisters and brother need forever homes. The runt of the litter, Samantha, has found a temporary foster home. We are hoping that Finley and Dixie can be adopted or find a foster home for one of them in the very near future. We will foster one of the pups if they can’t be placed but both will be a bit much!

Finley is a growing boy. He continues to fill out and his energetic personality allows him to keep up with our big dogs. He likes to pretend he’s just like them despite being a quarter their size.

Dolly is an extra sweet girl. She has been picked on lately by her brother so they aren’t hanging out as much as before but still get to play. A couple weeks ago, she held the top prize of being the biggest of the four pups but Finley has recently overtaken her.

Both puppies have already begun potty training.

Hazel is the momma. She is a pup herself. Her motherly instincts are still very active but this week we are beginning to build more structure in her life and prepare her for her own forever home. She will be spayed in about a week to further be ready. Hazel has a wonderful personality and we are working on her somewhat raw manners. She is getting better and is already big on sitting for treats. Hazel is also in the process of getting crate trained.

Keep us in mind if you are looking for a puppy or a young dog to adopt and care for. They will make excellent pets and need homes!

I knew today was going to be different than any other rainy day because I got to go for a car ride! I remember meeting some new people a few days ago and they said I could come visit them at their home! How cool is that? I’d been counting down to be truthful. I’d love to find my forever home! Maybe this is it…

Around the second time I usually have to go to the bathroom each day my foster daddy and I loaded up for a car ride. I love car rides. His car always has something new to smell also. There were smelly sneakers this time! I have to admit, I’m not the best balancer when the car, but I like making nose prints on the windows and sniffing the air through a crack in the window. There are always so many smells, too. I like car rides.

I had never been to anyone else’s home before, so I was nervous at first. We went up some stairs with carpet and down a long hallway. I recognized my new friend right away when she answered the door. She was extra happy to see me, too, so I couldn’t contain myself of course! I didn’t see her friend, but she said he will be there tomorrow!

She let me in and I got to explore the place with no boundaries! I sniffed the perimeter immediately. I checked all the doors, jumped on the couch and on their bed. I’m not sure what I was looking for, but I would have found it if it was there. I saw a dog like me in a funny window. My new friend said it was a “reflection.” Whatever it that is, it looked pretty darn good if I must say.

After we left, my foster daddy said I was such a good boy we stopped at that one talking box that smells good from the car. I like that place because after the squawky person talks, I get to eat a cheeseburger! Now those are good! It was just my second one ever, but I sure like them! I could talk about them all day, but I have to get back on track!

I liked the place I visited today. I liked it a lot! And trust me, I found the food box after about three sniffs. If there’s food, I can live anywhere! It was cozy here, though, so I really liked it. I think I’d be a good guard dog here, too, like how my foster sissy taught me. You know, give a couple warning barks when someone comes to the door or if you hear footsteps at night. I can do that pretty easy.

My foster parents say I get to go back tomorrow – for a few days! I’m going to pack up some of my favorite toys, some food of course and maybe a blanky and stay for a while! This might be my new home I’ve been waiting for! Wish me luck over the weekend! I’m going to be myself and offer plenty of love and kisses to my new friends! I hope they want to keep me after this!

I think it’s going to be neat to be the only one with four legs in the house! I like furry friends, too, but this will be a extra fun experience!

Two yips and a woof,

Cleveland.

Shindig, a 15-year-old black Chow, was lost in the street. Carrie noticed him right away and scooped the confused dog out of the street as a car quickly approached on Shelby Avenue in East Nashville two days ago. His age shows. He can’t see or hear very well, or at all for that matter. Being alone next to a road could have ended in disaster.

It was an accident Shindig wandered away. He isn’t used to his new digs yet. He has a forever home and his parents had just moved to the area, only blocks away from our house. With no fence, he simple walked off.

Enter Carrie.

The first thing we do is check for tags. Shindig had some. They were old, but led his parents to us.

The importance of collars and tags can’t be stressed enough for pets. Each of our dogs and foster dogs have tags on their collars. It doesn’t take much to get them and add a phone number. Shindig’s tag had his name and number. The phone number was old, but his owners tracked it down. Shindig went home after spending the night with us.

Bobo is a loving youngster less than a year old. After being Hazel’s center of attention, he was pushed to the back of the line, but took the move in stride. Like his mom, Bobo would make an incredible addition to any home. He is very well-behaved and has a loving demeanor.

Bobo is now part of the Noah’s Ark Society and gets to see Hazel occasionally. Mom still misses him. When she first arrived at her new home, Hazel was looking for Bobo. Bobo stayed an extra day with us and gets along well with other dogs. He loves to play and was recently neutered. He’s a healthy, stocky little guy that loves a good belly rub.

Bobo and Hazel were found in East Nashville more than a week ago. Follow us here for more information on Bobo, Hazel and the puppies as it becomes available.

Everyone seems healthy and active and we’re pretty certain that this isn’t the mom’s first litter. The younger dog – estimated to be 9-12 months – acts as a pup from a previous litter. Note the vet thought the mom was about two years old. The stout little fella seems pretty lost now since mom is completely engulfed with the new puppies, but that’s to be expected. He’ll make it and is genuinely happy when distracted.

We will post photos eventually, but the mom dog and her older son need to be described by their owners if they are simply lost from home. A picture opens the door for anyone to simply take them so we are trying to be careful. The dogs are posted with some information at various sites, including Craigslist. They are both tan-colored and seemed very well fed. We hope their family can find them if they have one. They seem very well behaved. If not, they should be scooped up immediately because of their good manors!

Until then, an organization called Noah’s Ark will most likely take over puppy-sitting duties for us in the near future.

The four pups are very active and spent the night comfortable with mom. Three are darker with white marks and one is peppered in colored. They are adorable. Mom knows what she is doing and is protective to a point, but she lets us try to help. We have been feeding and watering her right in her puppy nest so she doesn’t have to move.

Wish us luck and we’ll keep you posted on further happenings and what comes of the four new-born puppies and the two possible strays we found several days ago.

Wish us luck!

Cleveland is a “East Nashville purebred.” Yep, he’s mix with mainly lab and pit bull stirred in. Cleveland was found on Cleveland Street in East Nashville and has been a foster pet at our house for almost two months. He’s seven months old and has finally began putting on some weight.

When he was found, Cleveland was underweight, scared and tired after growing up on the streets. Despite the harsh background, in the time at our house, he has developed into a sweet boy ready for the right home. He gets along with the rest of our zoo of pets and is an excellent companion when alone. He loves to cuddle and craves loving attention. He’s playful and energetic but is learning to not jump on people and stay calm when it’s dinner time. We think his lack of food as a true pup makes him eat like each meal could be his last. This has been getting better with routine.

Cleveland is house and crate trained and really has been accident-free, adjusting to a schedule quickly. He loves going on walks or just hanging outside on his own. He started his walks by trailing you like a starving animal in search of food. His skittish behavior has been replaced with a happy demeanor and thankfulness for everything from a walk to a simple belly rub.

Check out more information on Cleveland on Petfinder and become a fan of his Facebook page here. Contact us if you have any questions or would like to arrange a meeting with the playful pup.

Throughout Nashville and throughout the United States, animals consistently face abuse everyday with no real way of recording and monitoring national statistics. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates that somewhere between five million and seven million animals enter animal shelters each year in the US and approximately three to four million are euthanized. The ASPCA also says that the number of pets entering shelters is about even between pickups by animal control and surrenders by owners. I find it alarming to see so many pets given up because of various reasons. Most simply don’t understand the commitment to take on an animal.

A variety of statistics that better show the trends of animal neglect and facts in the US can be found at this ASPCA page.

Our part may be small, but every animal at our house is a rescue. A true passion for helping animals can be found here, anchored by Carrie.

Stevie is one of the more unique and extraordinary saves. She is a lab mix found in Nashville when she was just a pup. Her bouts with mange and parvo are among the worst seen by local veterinarians. She was quarantined for weeks while being nursed back to a comfortable living state by Carrie. Nearly two years later and she is a happy, healthy pet loved by all who come across her.

Carrie also adopted, Mr. Britches, a 14-year-old Pomeranian, Rain, the first cat of the household and two bunnies, June and Bruce. I contributed two shelter cats from Montana who have road-tripped with me from Missoula to Denver to Sioux Falls, S.D., to Nashville.

Less than two months ago, we added Cleveland, a lab and pit bull mix found in East Nashville. Cleveland is our first foster animal. Hopefully he will be the first of many success stories to come through our home. Cleveland is about seven months old and quite the cuddler when given the opportunity.

Please come back and check up on this site to follow how our pets are doing and what we do to manage them. Two days ago, we picked up a pair of dogs that were lost near Glenn Enhanced Elementary here in Nashville. We are searching for their home right now. I guess, you never know when we will volunteer our time and money to help animals in need.