"In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance,
everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him."
- Dereke Bruce

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More BARL Success Stories
This is where you can read all about the many happy endings that are made possible because of BARL and our family of dedicated volunteers. Do you have your own success story to share? Please contact us and let us share it with our Web site visitors.

The Gainey children with their new BARL puppy, Maxie.

It’s clear that Zelda, now “Fila”, found her forever home with the Camerons! Sonja Cameron wrote, “Fila is an AMAZING dog! We all love her soooo much. Our days are so much better with her in our lives, and for that I thank you and all the wonderful people at BARL. Thank you all for making a difference.”
I wanted to give you a quick update on Who Dat. She's getting so loooong! SUCH a sweet puppy though. You must know a perfect match when you see one, because we are two peas in a pod. She still comes to work with me everyday, and has gotten used to napping and watching out the window while I get stuff done.

As you can see, one of them is her looking out the window (typical day from around 2-4 she checks things out), her taking a nap and looking quite comfy on my couch, her morning position (on my desk...she likes to type in all caps).

Anyway, she's doing great and we couldn't be happier!


I just wanted to tell you how much we are enjoying Bella and I think she's just as happy...lol. She has lots of toys and has learned to fetch and drag her frisbee. Every afternoon is time to play chase when I come home.

But I also wanted to tell you, please tell anyone looking at these puppies, they are so smart. Bella rarely ever has an accident on the floor. She barks when she needs to go out and will bring her leash to you if it's hanging on the door knob in the morning. This is the easiest dog I've ever seen to train to walk on a leash. And if you put in some time, house training really has been easy.

And of course, she's the sweetest little thing. But she's not so little any more. She's growing like a weed. You won't know her when you see her again.
Clifford was the biggest dog BARL has ever had the pleasure of knowing. His paw covered an entire C.D. He was adopted but returned due to his family's unfortunate circumstances. Sunday, December 14, 2008 a couple from Summit fell in love with Clifford and he has been given a second chance at his forever home.

Sunshine now lives in Wesson with her very own fenced in yard. The new family has another dog that loves to play so Sunshine will have a partner in crime.

Sugar Baby, a Dachshund mix, has been re-named Sheba…as in the Queen of Sheba! She gets to slumber with her new owner, Norman, who is confined to a wheelchair. He and his wife Elsie have an older Dachshund named Bandit who has now become Sheba’s “brother”. Sheba is the light brown one.
Here is Bertolli, Bert for short. We changed his name because he wasn't responding to Bobby. A commercial for Bertolli Mediterranean Meals was on the television and every time the Italian guy yelled Bertolli! Bert looked at the television. So we tried it out and he had a much better recall.

We had a problem with him escaping the fence and chasing cars, but with a few days of diverting his attention to a toy when a car would come by, he quit paying attention when they drove by. He's a very smart dog.

His favorite things to do would be herding me and the other dogs around the house. He pokes, it's quite funny. If I'm doing something and he feels we should change activity, he'll poke me with his nose until I move. The other dogs don't have the patience that I do. He loves to try herding the horses when they start running around. I think his most favorite thing to do though is collect things and put them in a pile in my yard. We live in the backwoods so he'll go into the surrounding woods, get a deer bone and put it in the pile of stuff he's created. He has rugs, shoes, bones, toys; he even stole my Weimaraner's collar from his neck and put it in 'his' pile.

 

He prefers the right side of the bed, or if he sleeps on the floor, it has to be right in front of the bathroom door. He won't eat until all the dogs are done. He'll watch over the cat, Annie, while she's eating as if he's making sure the other dogs don't bother her. His best friend is Butch, who is a bulldog. He's in the picture with Bert. He loves his little girl, Haley. Where she is, he's not far behind her. We'll just have to keep an eye on him when she starts running around, he likes to nip if poking doesn't produce the desired result. True to his breed, he has to be in control.

I hope this gives you and idea of how Bert is and his funny little quirks.

Nicole Waldrop
"Just wanted to send you an up date to let you know Waylon and Laverne (whose name was changed to Daisy) are doing great in their new homes. Waylon is laid back and happy while Daisy is full of energy and always ready to see what is next. She is the baby always playing with the big dogs while they try to be lazy. We love them both dearly and they have been the perfect companion to our lab, Brownie. They easily fit into our family since they came to live with us in April. I hope others will come see the animals at Brookhaven Animal Rescue. You won’t leave without a pet and if you’re like us you may leave with two new four legged friends! Thanks for all your help."
Roy Phillips, featured with constant companion Gypsy, celebrated his 82nd birthday by asking for dog food instead of gifts. He donated over 400 lbs of dog food to BARL. Mr. Phillips said he didn’t need anything, and wanted to do this for the animals. He lives in Wesson with his daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Mike McIntrye.
June 2007

Hi, everyone.

Just to let you know the Boss Kitty Kitty is doing just fine. She is a lot of fun and has to be with us every minute. She talks all the time. If we go out and when we come home, oh boy she has a lot to say. I’ve had a lot of cats through the years, but she is something else. Love her.

Anne and Chuck Jackson
On or about December 23, 2005, my mother, sister and I were visiting the church cemetery to place flowers on my grandparents' grave. We noticed two young, very friendly, obviously malnourished dogs hanging around one of the church gates--a blonde female and a black male, both lab mixes about the same age. We assumed they were brother and sister. At the time, my husband I were living in Georgia and in the process of building a house across from my parents' here in Brookhaven. We were still months away from finishing the house and not in a position to add to our family of two dogs and a cat, while trying to sell our house in Georgia and go back and forth. I couldn't bear the thought of the dogs hungry and out in the cold winter weather. So for the next few days while I was at my parents', I took food to them every day. They were always either right there at the cemetery gate or came running from nearby when my car stopped.
Before I returned to Georgia after Christmas, I made a promise to those dogs that if they weren't adopted, I would adopt them myself when I was able. My sister phoned BARL to tell him about the dogs and to see if BARL could take them. (My sister and my parents already had several dogs each, all former strays/rescues.) My understanding is that on January 2, 2006, Rusty and Beth Adcock came to the cemetery and picked the dogs up for BARL. I was glad to know they had been taken in by BARL but unhappy that I could not offer them a home myself at the time. Soon after BARL took them, my sister told me the dogs' pictures appeared in the Daily Leader. They had been named Bonnie and Clyde since they were "running buddies." I thought about them often and hoped they would find a good home together.
Sometime in the spring of 2006, when I was in the pet section of the Brookhaven WalMart, I noticed a BARL poster showing animals up for adoption. One of the dogs marked through as being adopted was Bonnie. Though I was very happy to see she'd been adopted, I was sad that she and Clyde had been separated. I was more determined than ever to get Clyde for myself if he was still there later in the year. My husband and I were doing alot of the finishing on the house ourselves, working six days a week. We finally finished the main part of the house and moved upstairs from the basement in September, though there was still work to be done in the house. In November I contacted Beth at BARL to see if Clyde was still available. (I'd been looking on the BARL website and seeing that he was still there.) Beth confirmed he was still there; so I started in earnest on Steve that we needed to build a fence so we could get Clyde. (Steve had hoped I'd forget Clyde eventually because Steve had a dream of getting himself a hunting dog when our older dog Bud dies.) Steve came to the conclusion that I was NOT going to forget about this dog; so we bought the materials and starting building a fenced area for Clyde, part of which is under the back deck of our house and part in the open. I got in contact with Beth and told her we'd be ready to get Clyde in a few days. Finally (I think it was December 14, 2006), the day after BARL moved to its new home, Steve and I went to pick up Clyde and bring him home. Our two dogs accepted him quite easily, as did the other dogs next door at my Mother's (2) and up the road at my sister's (4). Even our cat Graycie fell in love with him in short order.

Somehow, though, Steve and I could not get comfortable with calling him Clyde. We struggled to come up with the perfect name. A few days later as he was driving out of town, Steve called and suggested the name Boo. BARL's Clyde, therefore, became Boo Edge. He is now called anything from Boo to Booper to GaBoo (morphed from Good Boo). Boo has become an integral part of our family. Steve quickly was able to teach Boo some simple commands, such as Come and Sit. He is a smart dog and minds pretty well. Though Boo has a bum foot (which some of the BARL volunteers may remember), he runs like the wind. He gets a glucosamine chondroitin treat every night, along with our other dogs, to help with that.

Like the BARL Web site had said, Boo does indeed like treats, which he gets daily, and loves to ride in trucks and cars. He stands up the entire time and keeps his nose as close to the A/C vent as possible. His very favorite thing, though, is just running around in our nearby pastures and yard. No matter how bad our moods, it's impossible not to smile when you see Boo run.

After being strictly an outside dog and sleeping in his pen at night for the first several months, Boo became an "inside/outside" dog this summer. He now spends his nights inside with everybody else and spends his days in a combination of outside and in. I am happy to report that he has never raised his leg in the house (knock on wood!).

Boo is very loving and sweet and is just an all-around good dog. Though I'd found him and given him my heart months before, I really had no idea about his disposition. Somehow I'd been more drawn to him, though, than his sister. She was more outgoing and boisterous, while he was more shy and reserved.

Perhaps the sweetest part of all is that Boo seems to have regained the sister he lost, in that his "cousin" Lucy next door is his running buddy and even looks like his sister Bonnie. (Lucy is my sister's latest adoption from January 2007. She had also been abandoned in another nearby cemetery/church yard.) Boo and Lu, as we call them, run and play, hunt and explore in the pastures outside our house. After a little while, they'll each return to their respective home. They're near the same size and age and are wonderful playmates for each other.

We couldn't ask for a better addition to our family or brother for our other pets. Boo, like us, is nothing special to look at. With his bad foot and the fact he was just one of many black lab look-alikes waiting to be adopted, he probably wouldn't have been high on most potential pet owners' list. However, our experience with him just goes to show that some of our most special friends are waiting for us in the most unexpected places. They just need a chance.

Devastated after loosing our dog, Sheba, (also found on Petfinder), I decided to try again to find just the right dog for our family. It's hard explaining to my young son why Sheba wouldn't be coming home, so my husband told him that when Sheba found her mommy and daddy, she'd send a new friend to come live with us. That's when I came across Mandy's picture on Petfinder. Black fur, curious eyes, and a sweet smile on her face told me that I had found the right dog. When I looked a week later on Petfinder, it showed where Mandy was adopted!

Discouraged, my son and I took a trip to the local animal shelter, and as soon as we stepped through the doors, a black ball of fur came bounding around the corner and into my sons arms. "This is my black dog, mom. This is the one I want." I couldn't believe my eyes on the adoption papers. Written on the very top was the name "Mandy" and her puppy picture. Sheba did send her friend to live with us, with a little help from Petfinder.
Barney, whose new name is Orleans, came to us through Best Friends in Tylertown after Katrina in February 2006. His new owner says he is a good barker and protector. She said he was housebroken and leash trained when she got him so he obviously had had an owner. He now lives outside on tons of land and swims in a pond. She said he is now huge.

Here's Chico being held by his new best friend Peyton.

And this is Betty, our semi-crosseyed cat, whose new name is Kitty Kitty. She went to live in her new home in April, and seems to be very happy!

Here's Delta with her new mommy, Allie Reid.

ClaraBell with her new owner

Sweets with her new owner

Kaboodle’s new family came all the way from the Lone Start State to adopt her!

"Mac" Seeloff & Family

It is Mac's family in Indiana. We wanted to give you an update on how he is doing after being with us for almost 1 year and 3 months. I have to start with how much of a sweetheart he has been.

Yes, he has chewed up a few items, but he has definitely settled into our lives with three young boys very well. It has taken him a year to no longer be fearful of our 9 yr. old son, but he now gives him good night kisses!

He's been great with our 5 yr. old son as well and likes to follow him around. His favorite would be our 2 yr. old son! They are the best of buddies. We often find him sleeping on Spencer's bed and sometimes with Spencer lying there petting him.
Although things are going well, he still has some issues with loud noises and children playing outside. He is still very fearful of these things! But, we keep working on them on our two daily walks!

I have attached several photos of the two of them. Thank you for rescueing this fantastic and loving dog!

Sincerely,

Jen Seeloff
I got Samantha (now Dixie) from you back last February. I am now living in Maine and wanted to send you a picture of Dixie then and now. The picture of her laying on my chest is when I first got her from BARL and the 2nd one was taken last week. She has grown quite a bit. No one, not even the vet, can figure out what she is besides Jack Russell but her legs are too long for being just a Jack Russell. She has yet to experience snow and I am waiting to see how she reacts to it. Enjoy the pics and thanks again. She has quite the personality and is very smart. I have really enjoyed having her.
Rick Jackson and Dixie

 

Here's a heartwarming adoption story from Billy Mitchell & Cathy Casdorph.

Over the last few years, we have had to say painful good-byes to two beloved, very old dogs, who each shared 10+ years with us. Some of our friends empathized, “I know how you feel and I will never go through that pain again.” And so their homes are pet-less. And sort of empty.

Meet Jorja - a BARL hound. From the moment this red-headed, long-legged beauty saw us coming toward her kennel, her sweet eyes and wagging tail shouted , “ You NEED me.” It took only a minute to be convinced even though she wasn’t exactly the small dog we were looking for.


Jorja is indispensable around the house and takes her many jobs very seriously. No moles dig in our yard; squirrels do not tarry there. Although she may look like she is sleeping under the truck, one ear is always listening. At the beach, she helps herd the minnows toward my cast net though we have yet to successfully capture any. I’m sure you’ve heard of snow angels; Jorja’s specialty is making sand dogs.

She guards the truck, sacked out in the back seat so we can shop without worry. Jorja is a demanding personal fitness trainer, daily forcing me to walk those two miles, no “tired excuses.” Since she came into our lives, we smile, laugh, and play more (A dog grows you into a child again, a sort of four-legged fountain of youth.)

I suppose when the time comes, we’ll have to say good-bye, but the years we get to spend with Jorja are worth it. What wonderful memories we are making! So - Thank you, Annie, Belle, and Jorja. And Thank You BARL!

 

“Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Dr. Margaret Mead

BARL Home

The Brookhaven Animal Rescue League is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The League was incorporated July 29, 1981 as a no-profit organization for the prevention of cruelty to animals.
info@BARL.net