Adoption is the best option

 

 

 

Our residents come in all shapes and sizes. They are small and large, friendly and shy, young and old  and all are deserving of a home and family that loves them and keeps them safe. The road to adoption can be short or long; infants and well socialized adults are adopted quickly, but what about the others? The high energy dogs, senior animals or ones with behavioural issues, don't they deserve the same bright future as that cuddly kitten? We believe so.  
Take Slim and Mae, who we first met at 2 months of age. They were quickly adopted out to homes as puppies often are. They returned to our care coincidentally within a few days of each other at 11 months of age. We soon discovered that these two cute puppies had grown into very high strung, energetic adolescents. They were long legged gangly dogs who barked, pulled and bounced more than they walked and regular walks didn't seem enough to expend their pent up energy. Slim and Mae played together well, thrilled to have another dog that matched them in play style and energy level.


Mae 

Mae was adopted and Slim was left behind on his own so we worked hard at trying to find ways to burn off some of his energy. He joined our Hiking with Hounds group for its inaugural trek in the spring, and he bounced and barked his way to Troll Falls and back. We joked that he woke up all the bears in the area as the next day there were bear sightings in adjacent areas to Troll Falls. Slim was also fortunate to go kayaking and paddle boarding with volunteers. It turns out the middle of a lake is just what is needed to contain him and he had a very enjoyable day on the water. Slim's exuberance was a bit daunting for the average adopter until....a young man from Golden happened upon the shelter and decided that Slim was just what he was looking for to complete his active outdoor lifestyle. He sent his girlfriend a picture and loaded Slim up in his tiny right hand drive car. There was joy as we watched Slim drive off, but a bit of trepidation as well as he bounced around the car. Shortly after Slim’s people contacted us to say Slim was settling in nicely and to ask if his sister was still available?  No, she had been adopted. But then Mae came back. Her new family made the difficult decision to return her when they realized that she was too much for their lifestyle. 

Slim

Weeks later one of our adoption staff was spending a day in Banff kayaking and spotted Slim with his family walking the pathway by the water. She paddled over to let them know that Mae was once again at the shelter if they were still interested. They were. The very next day they came in, Slim in tow, to meet Mae. An hour later Mae left the shelter again, this time with her brother. They drove off; two people, two crazy gangly dogs sticking their heads out of both sides of a tiny car. Together again!
Our adoption specialists work hard to give all of our residents the best opportunity for a good life. Sometimes that takes a long time. Sometimes it takes a paddle across the water in Banff.

Meant to be!