I met Delite in 2019. When I decided to get a ragdoll cat as a companion for my mother, who has Alzheimer’s. We had dogs in the past, but I was unfamiliar with caring for a cat. After doing some research, I learned that ragdolls were good Stater felines. Of course, I fell in love with Delite the second she was placed in my arms. She is blessed with thick rabbit-like fur, and we both enjoy her daily grooming sessions, which we find very relaxing. Delite is probably what many people would consider “Spoiled.” She has an enclosed outdoor catio with 13 cat trees, from where we watch birds, lizards, rabbits, and opossums. One squirrel sits in the magnolia tree outside of Delites catio, and teases her relentlessly. In the afternoon, Delite usually naps in one of her seven indoor cat trees, which surrounds a radio that continuously plays soft jazz. Delite has enjoyed excellent health throughout her 14 years, thanks to the exceptional care of Dr. McPherson and the staff. Delite did have a bout of hyperthyroidism two years ago, but with Dr. McPherson’s guidance, that ailment was cured. Delite has always lived up to her name, which was taken from PSALM 37:4, “Delight yourself also in the lord, and he will grant you the desires of your heart.” My best friend will always be the “Delite of my life.”
Congratulations to our January 2023 Pet of the Month, Debbs Warfield!
Debbs is a Pit Bull / Mix, probably born in July 2014, according to the records at the Seminole
County Animal Shelter, where she had been living when we adopted her. We are “pit bull
people,” who have previously adopted others of this misunderstood breed, and we were
interested in finding another to join our family in late September 2019.
In looking at the SCAS webpages, we saw a number of pits and pit mixes, but Debbs stood out
because she had been at the shelter for nearly fourteen months. She was not attracting any
attention because she was considered “not very social” around other dogs and could not be
adopted into a household with others. Since we were then without any dogs, we agreed to adopt
Debbs as a solo dog.
According to the previous owner’s surrender papers, Debbs’ first owner had been incarcerated
since 2016, and she had then been taken in by that man’s father, who surrendered Debbs to the
SCAS in July 2018. She had been kept outdoors 24 hours a day, so the move to an indoor shelter
might have seemed an improvement, but Debbs, who was described to us as a “timid girl,” did
not do well with Florida storms that created a racket on the shelter’s tin roof. Poor Debbs would
try to hide under her bed and Briana, the shelter attendant, would often go into Debbs’ run to
comfort her.
When Debbs came home with us, she was a very nervous girl and took some time to become
accustomed to her new home. Initially, she followed Kathleen, her new Mommy, everywhere,
and did not warm up to Scott for several weeks. Over time, however, Debbs began to trust us,
even as she remained nervous about loud noises. She enjoyed walking once or twice a day, but
she would often turn immediately for home when she heard carpentry on a roof, a car backfire,
or similar sudden sounds. Inside the home was similar, with any loud or sudden noises and
especially thunder storms scaring Debbs, who retreated into her cage, which was her safe space.,
for hours after even one loud sound.
Despite her difficult beginnings, Debbs has grown over the past three years into a very good dog.
Now just past the age of eight, she is becoming a senior dog with a few medical issues that
TOAH continues to monitor and treat, but she is still quite active. Debbs’ day often starts with a
quick visit at the back fence with a neighbor who stops by with a dog treat, followed by her
breakfast and a walk about the neighborhood. Depending upon her mood, she can cover quite a
distance or decide to return home after only a few hundred yards. The rest of the day is usually
spent not too far from her stay-at-home Mommy, who must migrate throughout the house and
backyard, according to Debbs’ commands. Among Debbs’ favorite daytime activities are
begging for dog treats, sitting in the backyard and barking at passing strangers, begging for
people food (at our meal times), and sleeping. In the early evening, she moves Kathleen to the
TV room, where Scott usually already is, and positions herself on the sofa between us. There she
begs for after-dinner treats and snoozes until Kathleen moves to the bedroom, where Debbs
retires to her crate for the night, and sleep until it is time to start her routine the next morning.
Congratulations to our December 2022 Pet of the Month, Smokey Hull!!
“Like so many of our furry friends, Smokey showed up at our doorstep as a 10-week-old kitten. Her gorgeous silver-gray fur and the “love me” look in her eyes captured our hearts, and we took her in.
That was in 2005; since then, she has been a shy yet sweet companion. She loves to drink water from the bathtub faucet, and at the age 15, she decided to become a “lap cat” when she would sleep in my lap each evening. Now, at 17, she has the usual “old-age” challenges, but we love her just the same”!
Congratulations to our November 2022 Pet of the Month, Augie Cain!!
“Augie came to live with my husband and me in May 2009 when he was just one year old. We had stopped at a local PetsMart to pick up cat food, and my husband said you have to come over and see the dapple dachshund they have for adoption. I told him we didn’t need another dog as we already had two labs and one dachshund at home. But went to see anyway. I saw Augie trying to make his way out of the crate. We went home without him, but about an hour later, my husband said we had to go back and adopt him.
We took our dachshund, Boris, with us to see if the two of them would get along, We took them outside, and they hit it off! While we were filling out the adoption papers, two other families also wanted to adopt Augie. Guess we were the lucky ones, and it was meant to be!
Augie was found running in Osteen with a pit bull. A lady who owned a farm kept seeing the two dogs together, and she could finally trap Augie in a stall and bring him to a rescue group. The vet neutered him and said he was right at one year old. He was a nightmare when we first got him; he would lift his leg and pee wherever he wanted. I followed him around night and day the first week, putting his leash on him and taking him outside, which began his love of being walked. If he wasn’t doing that, he was standing and clawing at the front door wanting outdoors. I don’t think he was used to being in the house. Who knows how long he had been on his own. He finally settled in but would escape every chance he could. Augie also loved his long walks with Boris, and they both loved car rides.
In November 2010, Augie became ill and had surgery as he had eaten some of his blankets and stuffing out of his toys. This was a scary time for us as he was so lethargic after coming home, but he recovered and no more toys with stuffing. After this, he never liked Dr. Taylor again, and he growled at him every year when he went in for his checkup.
Unfortunately, in March 2019, we had to say goodbye to our 15-year-old Boris. As a result, Augie became very depressed and was just not his usual self. Therefore, in December 2019, we adopted a two-year-old dachshund, Tanner! Augie immediately perked up, and they became best buddies.
At 14, Augie now has some issues with his liver and is blind in both eyes and partially deaf, but he still loves car rides, rolling in the grass, and just lying in the sunshine. We cherish every day we have left with this sweet, gentle boy!”
Congratulations to our October 2022 Pet of the Month, Buster Rodriguez!
Read his bio below:)
“Buster was six months when he came to us. His owner was my son’s coworker, who was suffering from cancer and unable to care for him. He used to work with him daily, sitting on his lap at a computer desk. When Buster came to us, all he would do was cry, so we started working with him in our lap at a computer desk, and he stopped crying. He was hesitant to trust us at first; he would stare at us as if he did not like us. After some time, he put his guard down, and now he is our baby. Buster loves to run around the house like a young pup. His favorite thing is eating and getting Spanish crackers as a treat! We love him so much and are glad he is in our lives”
Congratulations to our September 2022 Pet of the Month, Bond Landers!!
“Just over 12 years ago, a neighbor witnessed someone throwing kittens out a car window while driving
down our street, and shortly after, a black-and-white cat came parading into our yard. As a tuxedo cat,
we knew there was only one name that could fit him: Bond.
Like many rescue stories, Bond found us.
Bond has both a confidence and a clumsiness that is unlike any other rescue pet. His clumsiness has resulted
in several trips to see the TOAH staff. He and Dr. Fullenwider are lifelong friends, as Dr. Fullenwider has
treated him for worms, a broken tailbone, a shifted spine that caused him temporary paralysis in his
hind legs, and much more.
Bond’s favorite activities include suntanning by the pool and laying on anything that’s not his. He’s
incredibly talkative, particularly at night when it’s unwarranted. Like a true king, Bond prefers to pee in
front of the litter box to avoid getting his paws dirty. He loves frequent snacks by the pool and neck rubs.
Bond is living his dream of being a spoiled house cat, and we are very thankful he found us.”
Congratulations to our August 2022 Pet of the Month- Lady Breslin-Clark
“Lady is our precious, seven-year-old Havanese. She was the runt of the litter with dark markings on her face as a puppy, and we couldn’t resist.
Lady is full of love and excitement. She thinks everyone around is there to visit her. She twirls in circles of excitement when it is time for her walk or her vet visits and doggy daycare at Tuscawilla Oaks, and even when she rides in the car for a Starbucks coffee.
She loves to be rubbed and snuggled in bed with her human family, and she hasn’t a mean streak in her. Lady hates thunderstorms and loves to perch on the sofa in her blanket.
Lady is a special dog, a true family member, and has a very special place in our hearts.”
Congratulations to our July 2022 Pet of the Month. Marley Gillis!!😺
“Marley’s life before joining his forever home is somewhat unknown, but it has taken its toll on him. We don’t know his exact age, but it’s estimated that he is around 7-9 years old. When we moved into our current house, Marley was one of the cats we frequently saw outside. This handsome long-haired tabby would watch us from a long-distance away. The only person he would allow near him was the older man across the street from us.
As we started to get to know our neighbors, we learned more about Marley’s backstory. He had belonged to a couple a few houses down the street that no longer lived in the area. We don’t know why they did not take him with them when they moved, but he was left in the neighborhood. No one ever came to claim him. As time passed, Marley came to trust us and would come around for a daily round of kitty kibble and pets.
Recently, however, we noticed that he seemed to have trouble sitting down. Surprisingly, he allowed us to take him to TOAH to get checked out. Dr. Fullenwider examined him and took an x-ray.
While it does not appear to cause him pain, it turns out the poor guy has some spinal damage. Upon learning that, we decided to adopt him and bring him inside for a comfortable retirement. Since then, Marley has continued to grow into a sweet, loving kitty. He is super mellow and fits in well with our other cats. He talks to us with a raspy trilling when he wants something, especially to get pets. Since he has come inside, he seems to be getting better with his mobility. He’s now getting up on the bed, into chairs, and on whatever other furniture he is curious about at the time.
We’re happy that Marley has joined our family and seems to be responding well to his new life. A big thanks to Dr. Fullenwider and the TOAH staff for your help!”
Congratulations to our June 2022 Pet of the Month, Willow Jahosky! 🐶💓🐾
“Hi, I’m Willow! I was born in 2016. I’m a rescue pup- but really, who rescued who? My family describes me as shy. I feel the most comfortable hanging around fellow gals. I’m an only child & a bit spoiled… let’s just say I’m “well-loved”! In my spare time, I chew up stuff like carpets or a single shoe (never the pair). I occasionally have seizures which I would consider my biggest obstacle. I am so honored to be Pet of the Month! I want to thank the vets, my family, & those who’ve never stopped supporting me along the way!”
– Willow
Congratulations to our April 2022 Pet of the Month, Ceelo Thorne!
Read his bio below
“Ceelo is a 9.5-year-old male grey and white (‘blue nose’) American Staffordshire Terrier who likes walks, rides in cars, and belly rubs.
He also enjoys toys and bones to chew on. In addition, he loves people and other friendly dogs.
He also seems to be the center of attention whenever he goes to the vet.
Ceelo’s original owner could not keep him due to apartment restriction’s on dogs, so we adopted him. Or, more correctly, he adopted us.
Ceelo recently finished chemotherapy and is doing well. He lost his whiskers but still looks as handsome as ever.
He enjoys every day and loves to sleep with all four legs in the air on the couch.
Sometimes he thinks he is a dog and other times a human!”
