Jazzy at TLAC

Cosmo isn’t the only overlooked gem at the shelter. Gretchen and I were motivated to start Adopt a Running Buddy to bring attention to the dogs with so much potential that we saw being passed by week after week and month after month. Jazzy/Jasmine was another one of those gems that people missed out on because she was a pit bull, and because she was very shy and withdrawn when she was in her kennel.

I saw Jazzy/Jasmine’s adopter last Saturday at Guero’s. Captain and I were taking a break from the Austin Pets Alive! adoption event at Jo’s Coffee. When we walked past Guero’s, Captain decided the cool shade and the tables full of food made it the perfect place to stop, and he plopped down and refused to budge. Who was sitting at the nearest table but Jazzy’s adopter. I had introduced her to Jazzy and she recognized me. (I’m sure the volunteer shirt helped.) Jazzy was a black female pitbull mix who had sat at TLAC for months, with no adopters paying any attention to her. When we went up to her kennel, she was very shy and reserved, as usual.  But I knew that wasn’t the real Jazzy. We went up to one of the big exercise pens in the back and Jazzy just exploded with joy. She was charming, and funny, and playful. The woman fell for her hard. Jazzy just had one more test to pass, the woman’s two cats. I held my breath for days until I heard the good news: Jazzy liked the cats! They are very happy together to this day. So next time you are at TLAC and you start to walk past a dog that is lying quietly in its kennel, or is a breed you never considered, stop and give it another look. You might be passing up the best dog in the shelter.

Unfortunately, I just heard that Billy Jean’s adopters returned her to TLAC. Apparently they lied to the adoption counselors when they said they had no other dogs. Their 2 alpha females would not accept poor Billy. Even worse, they dumped her at TLAC instead of returning her to Austin Pets Alive!

Splashing around

as they were required to do. Fortunately, TLAC called her foster mom Tara who rushed down to get her. We all love Billy and she has been great with every dog we have seen so we are sure she will find a new home soon.