HEATH
ADOPTED DECEMBER 2018
Heath is a awesome addition to our family. Since we adopted Heath, we also adopted peanut the chihuahua from Cape Ann Animal Aid. We've also after that added to our family a 2 month old baby Rottweiler that is now 18 months old. Since last spring and summer Heath, Peanut and the Rottweiler who's name is Boston have turned into mallard ducks. I take them swimming every chance I get. You can't get Boston and Heath out of the water. They love to ride in my big truck. They love it at bed time cause my king size bed turns into the WWE wrestling ring. We are one big happy family with the 3 dogs 7 cats and all our fish and frogs. -Lisa C. |
KISMEL (NOW NADIA)
ADOPTED OCTOBER 2020
On a mid-afternoon in October my family and I picked up our little puppy from Cape Ann Animal Aid. At the time she was just four months. From the moment we saw her on our virtual meet and greet we were in love. She was 12 pounds when we brought her home and had the most beautiful markings. Entering her 8th month soon we wanted to share some updates. Healthy as can be, Nadia loves to play. She attended nursery school and loves to socialize with other dogs. She sits, knows how to lay down, gives paw and waits patiently (usually) at the door to let us know she needs to go to the bathroom. Toys don't last long with our little Nadia, who now stands at knee height and weighs over 25 pounds. We are told she won't grow much more, and that is fine with us because she is perfect. -Andrew A. |
STEVEN (NOW BUSTER BROWN)
ADOPTED FEBRUARY 2020
We had our previous fur baby for 16 yrs and had to put her down. We went to the local shelter to look for a puppy when we could see that our little Bling bling was not doing so good. We adopted buster and Bling bling loved him. I think Buster gave our Bling bling some great puppy happiness before she passed. We love Buster so much. Buster loves to wrestle with our large cat. The cat loves to wrestle ( kitty witty ) - I'm not sure if they realize one is cat and one is a dog. Lol. Buster also loves our guineas. He is so gentle. Best decision. Thank you Cape Ann Animal Aid. -Deanna B. |
PEPE (NOW CHEWY)
FRANKIE (NOW SCOUT)
ADOPTED MARCH 2019
When we went to Cape Ann Animal Aid I had Scout in mind from the beginning. We immediately scooped her up and drove 3 hours home. Although she was skittish at first you could tell she was curious and protective of her people. Once, at only three months old and the size of a nugget, she cornered two mailmen who she decided she didn’t like at my moms store! She quickly earned her name Scout after the little girl in To Kill A Mockingbird for her cleverness and courageousness. Since coming out of her shell, Scout has been an avid adventurer! She’s always accompanying us for some exploration, long hikes, and beach walks. Although she’s still cautious towards new people and dogs, she’s transformed into a fun loving goofball. She loves to learn just as much as I love to train and we bonded instantaneously, following my every move at my heel. Scout is my best friend and I wouldn’t know what to do without her! -Olivia M. |
JUNE (NOW ELLIE)
ADOPTED JULY 2017
Ellie replaced a beloved dog who had died the previous year. She was a challenge at first - and at second and third - the first truly stubborn dog I ever had. But she's blossomed in the past year and is now a fantastic companion. During the pandemic we've found joy together in our walks in and around Ipswich. Much to my delight you still show the photo of her and her siblings on your website donate page. She's the one in the back third from the right. Thank you for your wonderful work. -Nancy C. |
PEACHES (NOW WINNIE)
SANDRA (NOW GWEN)
LILY
ADOPTED MAY 2000
I had promised my 9 year old daughter Caroline that she could have a kitten for her birthday. When the day arrived, we headed for downtown Gloucester where Cape Ann Animal Aid used to be. She picked out a scrawny orange kitten of about 5 months old. I tried to steer her toward younger and cuter (in my opinion) kittens but she insisted this was the one she wanted, and named her Lily. That was 20 years ago. My 29 year old daughter now lives in Portland Oregon, and Lily lives with me in Lebanon Maine. She continues to be our number one barn cat, beating the odds as an outdoor cat by persisting for 20 plus years now! -Maureen M. |
GRACIE (NOW MIA)
ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 2020
We had been looking at adopting for a few years after our Cairn Terrier Buddy passed. Since we are both retired, we can now spend 100% of our time with our new addition. When I saw Gracie (Mia) on the Cape Ann Animal Aid website I immediately applied. She is PERFECT! She came from Puerto Rico and has such a sweet disposition. She’s loving, gentle and loves other dogs as well. I can’t thank you enough for the work you do and for bringing Gracie into our lives! -Nadine S. |
DIMITRI (NOW HENRY)
ADOPTED NOVEMBER 2020
I saw this sweet face and knew his home was with me! All of the cats that I have owned have been rescues, and all have had long and happy lives! Henry joined his 2 older feline brothers Simon and Joshua over 2 weeks ago. They are all getting along famously... Henry is active, funny, snugly and a complete love! Our lives have been so enriched by this sweet boy! |
YASHA (NOW LUNA)
ADOPTED OCTOBER 2020
We are retired and lost our last dog 2 years ago. We did not think we could take on the care that another dog would need, but both felt like our family was not complete. I started looking about a month before the Saturday morning I saw Luna on the Cape Ann Animal Aid website. We have not had many cats, and none in a long time. But Luna was so pretty and sweet from what the 2 foster families who had cared for her said. A zoom meeting was set up that weekend, and we fell in love. I ordered the basics we knew we needed, researched litter options, etc., and we picked her up a few days later. She has completed our family so fully, and is a total love bug about 90% of the time. She is also a "toddler" and has her moments of mischief, but it is all good, and we are so happy and appreciative of the kindness and care of her foster family and Cape Ann Animal Aid. Our vet says she is perfect! And we know she is perfect for us. -Alison E. |
LAGOON (NOW MAVIS)
ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 2020
After losing our 10 year old cat to heart disease, our whole family felt a void in our lives. We all agreed to wanting to invite a kitten into our lives. After applying for kittens and not getting any response from other shelters, I saw a beautiful diluted tortie kitten. I applied for her, thinking I wouldn't hear back, but the next day i received a phone call saying we could adopt Mavis! It's been two months, and she has been the GREATEST addition to our family. She loves to be held, cuddled and brushed. She's always talking, meowing, and following us around. She's so relaxed and we call her a "liquid kitty" because she molds into your body and can easily relax and fall through the cracks. We are very lucky to have found Mavis. She truly has softened all of our hearts and we love her immensely. -Courtney B. |
LILA (NOW WYNNIE)
ADOPTED OCTOBER 2020
We adopted a shy, scared kitten and the change in her in just a few weeks is remarkable! She has gone from timid to intrepid in no time and has doubled in size! She is a whirlwind, but when she slows down she turns right into a lap kitty. She’s a great addition to the family! -Julie F. |
JOEY (NOW WALLY)
ADOPTED OCTOBER 2020
We had been looking for a pup for a while and fell in love with Joeys photos. The litter he came in were all so cute, but when we saw Joey we knew he was the one. When we met it was love at first sight! Joey, now Wally, spent most of the first days cuddling on the couch with us, he was a sleepy pup! We've had him for almost a month now and are best friends. He loves to play and is a very fast learner already mastering 5 tricks! He loved playing in the snow for the first time, but does not like Halloween costumes. We went as Mickey, Minnie and Pluto so there was no costume needed for Wally! He still loves to cuddle in the mornings and we think he loves his new home as much as we love having him in it. -Kyle C. |
NACHO
ADOPTED OCTOBER 2020
I had just moved out on my own to start my career as a nurse at the end of the summer. In job limbo and spending most days by myself, the loneliness really started to set in. One night I went over all the logistics of adopting a cat and searched through all the local shelters. When I came across Nacho he immediately caught my “eye” because he had special needs. I was looking to give an older or special needs cat a forever home because I know how hard it is for them to get adopted. What really sold me was his bio that said he was a “LOVEBUG” and that’s exactly what he is! During this time it’s hard to get human hugs, but this guy gives the best kitty hugs and is never more happy than when he’s snuggling with you on the couch! He is such a sweet boy. I picked up a cat backpack and harness and have started training him to go on little adventures with me. I can’t wait for more adventures with my new favorite buddy! Thank you Cape Ann Animal Aid for everything you do for these animals! -Rylee M. |
PORCHY (NOW DAISY)
ADOPTED OCTOBER 2020
We had been trying for a month to adopt a furbaby (very tough with all that’s going on). We were getting no responses from anybody at any of the shelters. We saw her and fell in love with this girl. She looked like a perfect fit for our family. Cape Ann Animal Aid answered our application the day after we submitted it! We were so excited! She is awesome - so friendly & lovable! She loves her new name Daisy. She cuddles, watches movies with me, and loves to go on walks. So happy with this adorable girl. -Paula A. |
RANGER (NOW MICKEY)
ADOPTED AUGUST 2020
We got Mickey to keep our cat Sonny (formerly Batman) company, and oh boy was that an idea. They are referred to as "Double Trouble" now and they are so fun to watch! After they spend the day hanging out and playing they crawl onto bed at night and fall asleep watching TV. -Juliana A. |
WALNUT
ADOPTED NOVEMBER 2019
Hello! My name is Ruth and this is the story of “Walley Walnut”. It was a cold November day just before Thanksgiving when my father and I came to the shelter looking for a calm, cuddly senior cat for my elderly mother. We went to all the adorable cats and none really clicked. Meanwhile this one little kitten was pitching an absolute fit! He would not be ignored. That was my walnut and it was love at first sight! He was the complete opposite of what we wanted but we loved him immediately. After many adventures Walley has grown into a mellow, cuddly, gorgeous cat. He is also a bit mischievous but we love that about him. His favorite things are running around the house chasing mice, playing with the neighbors' West Highland terriers (his high energy made keeping him an inside cat impossible. He simply MUST blow off steam), and getting kisses on the head at night. He is our ambassador when company comes and everyone loves him. We are so very grateful to all of you for saving this little guy and taking care of him until we found him. Walnut is truly the best. Sincerely, Ruth-Anne Timmins and the Macaulay family . |
FOXY (NOW GINGER)
ADOPTED MARCH 2018
When adopting Ginger, I was in the final stages of recovering from a full quadricep repair and rotator cuff surgery. My wife Anne and I went to Cape Ann Animal Aid to donate but when Anne first saw Ginger it was literally “love at first sight.” Who adopted whom is not really discernable but, in reality, Ginger adopted us! Ginger was most likely thrown from a car prior to Hurricane Harvey’s arrival in the Houston area in Texas. Amazingly, she not only survived Harvey, the resultant flood, starvation, being shot with a tranquilizing dart by animal control to affect her capture, but after her arrival she delivered a liter of five beautiful puppies while still in foster care. Within two weeks of her adoption, she bolted from our car leaving us all in a state of shock, including our other dog, Daisy. She was hit by a train; she survived for a week with her injuries and was found by Keolis workers and animal control. Her injuries required amputation of her right front leg and the removal of a canine tooth. We dedicated our family room to her care. A wire crate was set up to be her temporary resting place. There would be no long walks, no steps, and lots of rest. Ginger could be carried outside for brief visits but was confined to allow for healing. We soon developed a bond that was unlike any other. Her fear was replaced with trust. She soon learned that the best way to get our attention was to bang on the wire crate with her cast. She was gaining in strength, welcoming attention, enjoying her meals. The Basenji in her never barked, but the Chihuahua in her loved play. Ginger progressed and the cast was removed from her left arm. She would grin as though she were smiling at us. Her renewed ability to finish walks, hike trails, and run brought forth renewed spirit. It is her resilience that encourages us through Covid times as we stay close to family, visit nature, social distance, and get fresh air. She teaches us to appreciate life’s simple pleasures! She makes us aware of our inner strengths will overcome life’s many obstacles. -William K. |
Do you have a Cape Ann Animal Aid adoption success story you'd like to share? If so, please submit it here. Adoption stories are posted to our Happy Tails webpage. We may also share your story and uploaded photos on our social media pages or in Cape Ann Animal Aid communications. (If we share your story, we will never publish your full name. Stories may be edited for clarity/content/length.)