Success Stories

All of these animals were adopted from our shelter. If you have adopted a pet from us, please send us some pictures and let us know how everything is going. We follow up on every adoption, but we love to continue to hear from our past residents.

Savannah and Xena

Hussy/Mussy is now Savannah. She has carved out a big place in my heart and her own place in my house. She and my 7 year old simply keep their distance. Savannah has two rooms and bath, and Xena has three rooms and a bath. I don’t try to put them together, but they are getting better with each other. There is NO way I will need to bring her back to you all. Count us a success story. The picture is of Savannah and Xena, my other cat who also came from the Forsyth Humane Society 4 years ago.

Thank you for all you do for our furry friends!

Blair Carr

Red

My daughter, Gwen, and I recently visited your shelter to adopt a pet and we adopted a orange and white tabby named “Big Red.” I just wanted you to know what a lovely, lovely experience this has been for our family.

Red fits in so well with our family – he gets along famously with our other pets (our other cat, Zoe and our one dog, Darcy) and he has the sweetest temperament of any cat I’ve ever met. The first week home he was a bit skittish (hiding under our bed) but with a little bit of coaxing (and some boiled chicken!), he came around. :)

Our veterinarian estimates his age around 2.5 years and he weighed in at a whopping 20.4 pounds. Needless to say, we’re still spoiling him but he’s on a bit of a diet, too! The good news is that he’s perfectly healthy.

He’s great with our daughter and lets her constantly hug and kiss him and he follows us around wherever we are in the house. He is purely an indoor cat but loves hanging out on our screened-in porch watching the birds.

Anyway, just a little note to let you and your staff know that we are in love with him and he with us. Rest assured he is living well here….I’ve attached a picture of him for you. Thank you again.

Sincerely, Karen Petty

Lewis and Zach

I wanted to let you know that Zach (formerly Magnus) and Lewis are doing wonderful. They love each other and the other animals. Zach is just a love, make eye contact and he is right there at your nose or on your lap. Lewis is becoming more and more lovable each day he really is coming out of his shell. They are both just as sweet as they can be and we are so very happy with them! These are not the best pics but I wanted to let you all know they are doing great! Thanks for everything!

Tammy Olive

Penny and Abby

Penny Robinson moved to Winston-Salem in 2006 when she retired, and began volunteering at FHS. She was content at home with her old German shepherd, Meghan, who retired to Winston with her, and had no plans to adopt another animal. (Sound familiar?!) But… she fell in love with Abby (then Jill) and brought her home. Meghan accepted the 4 month old pup, but a couple months later, Penny lost Meghan to old age. Penny says she was immensely comforted by Abby who is “a joy, obedient, friendly, affectionate, well-behaved, smart and fun”. Her yard is now Doggie Central, where the neighbors’ dogs come to play-romping, playing, wrestling and-yes-digging. Better happy dogs than perfect landscaping! And Abby has helped Penny make new friends as well.

Daisy

As a puppy, Daisy was a rascal – always digging – which is why, Nancy Baldwin says, Daisy’s missing some pigment on her nose! That was in 1995 when she was adopted from FHS. But now Daisy’s the matriarch of the Baldwin clan, a sweet and affectionate animal. She loves to eat and has a bit of a weight problem (which Nancy acknowledges is partially her fault). Daisy has a four inch white hair pattern on her chest-in the shape of a heart! It always reminds Nancy of how much love Daisy gives her family. What goes around comes around, especially love.

Martha and Molly

Martha Garrison really had no intention of really adoption a dog. She was just going to take one home for the weekend. That was in 1990. Today, Martha and Molly are still together, giving each other lover every day. In her younger days, Molly chased anything that moved and went everywhere the critter went, including through mud, dirt and creeks. Needless to say Molly got used to having frequent baths! Today, Molly can’t see or hear very well, so she is content to east, sleep and snuggle with Martha. Says Martha: “It has been 17 wonderful years of devoted love. Thank you, Forsyth Humane Society.”

And thank you, Martha!!

Kyle and Carson

In 2005, I adopted 2 absolutely fantastic cats from your agency. I cannot tell you how amazing Kyle and his brother Carson are. I was told that they were part tabby, part siamese, and they happen to be incredibly smart; they learned how to undo a deadbolt and open doors within the first 4 months. Kyle developed a remarkable tolerance (preference) for listening to me practice trumpet and various other instruments, while Carson usually left the room, opening the door himself. I don’t trust the strays in the neighborhood, so I trained Carson to walk outside on a leash, which he loves. He carries it around, asking to go out. They also can stand up on their hind feet and balance for ridiculously long periods of time, and Carson is teaching himself how to turn on the water in the bathroom sink, which he prefers to the water in the bowl.

Thank you for persuading me to adopt both of them. With Carson, it was an instantaneous connection, but I’m sorry to say that, at the time, I didn’t really want to adopt 2 cats. The truth is, I can’t imagine life without both of them. Watching them interact is hysterical, and they are very close companions, both with me and each other. I have finished a somewhat stressful degree and am now starting a somewhat stressful job, and they are the best to come home to every day.

Thanks, Olivia Malin

Abigail

Adopted May, 2007

Dear FHS, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped in my adoption process. I was very unsure as to everything that goes into adopting a cat and caring for it in the best way, but everyone at the Humane Society was incredibly helpful and now I have such a wonderful addition to my home!! Abigail is so happy in her new home and has grown quite accustomed to being spoiled on a daily basis. She loves her new Kitty Tunnel and her favorite hobbies are hiding her stuffed mice all over the house and rubbing her face on every hard surface. She is such a comfort to come home to every day. Her collar has a bell on it, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face to hear that bell ringing as I walk in the door. She has been such a blessing and she and I are both very happy. Thank you all so much for all of your help! We love you!

Sincerely, Emily and Abigail

Shakespeare, Sabrina and Sylvester

Adopted January 8, 2007

Success!

Saying that I am a cat fan is a bit of an understatement. I have been fortunate enough to live with cats all of my 23 years, so I think it is safe to say that I am the ultimate cat adorer. My parents were reluctant to part with their three cats when I moved to my own place, but it took only one night of sleeping without a cat in my bed to realize that something needed to be done. Thus I headed over to the Forsyth County Humane Society.

I entered the Humane Society planning to find two new friends. I left with three. Shakespeare (then Echo) was the first to catch my eye. His sweet disposition was evident immediately as he looked at me with his big green eyes. I could even see him smiling at me saying, “You know you want to adopt me!” Sitting beside Shakespeare was his sister Sabrina (then Shelley), a true sweetheart with a particularly soothing purr. These gray and white felines, nearly identical save for a few markings, were clearly friends. And I knew I wanted to provide a home for them. As I walked upstairs to complete an application, one volunteer remarked, “Don’t forget about Sylvester (then Pokie)! He is their brother.” I took one look at him, a most handsome little devil in shades of white and black, and knew he was coming home with me, too. After all, these three friends, litter mates, had been living together for all of their 17 months. And what kind of awful human being would I be to split them up?

That thought simply was unacceptable.

I picked up my new friends on January 18 and though they meowed the whole way home, they seem to have adjusted well. All three of them, a combined 44 pounds, pile into my bed at night and I would not have it any other way.

Shakespeare (named for his white neck that resembles a lace collar) loves to sleep on top of the fridge and sneak broccoli from my plate. Sylvester, bearing a striking resemblance to the Looney Tunes character, helps me brush my teeth and plays in the bathtub. Sabrina, an elegant little diva who loves cereal milk, gets her brothers to request extra food and then pushes them out of the way so she can eat it. My three new friends are such a wonderful part of my life. I am so thankful that I was able to keep them together.

They clearly love each other and I can definitely say I love them. And I’m pretty sure they feel the same way.

Elizabeth Cox

Twist

Just wanted to drop everyone a line with some pictures so you can see what a great cat Twist (formerly Ashton) turned into. The first picture is shortly after I brought him home and the second picture was sent to me from Cleveland. That’s his new ‘brother’ Darwin who still isn’t too sure about the young upstart but at least Twist is giving him some exercise. I hope everything is going well there.

Amy

Sandy

I adopted Sandy over four years ago. I have thoroughly enjoyed being her mom. When Sandy wags her tail, her whole body wags. She loves belly rubs and napping in her special chair. She amuses herself by hiding among the trees and then sprinting towards me when I’m looking the other way. Sandy is best buds with my mentally-challenged beagle. They love wrestling with each other and chasing birds in the backyard. My friends say Sandy is lucky to have been adopted by me. I disagree. I am the lucky one. She has brought me joy and companionship beyond compare.

Paige McLean Gayle

Katie and Libby

You remember Katie who wasn’t sociable and didn’t like her back scratched? She is very affectionate in her own way – that growl is just noise. She is very happy and mothers Libby (Zoey). They often are found bathing each other. Libby is very loving – always in your lap and in the middle of what you are doing. She purrs constantly. Both are on the bed sleeping with us at night. Or with my daughter. Katie has decided that my son who visits most weekends is possibly a threat to us so she keeps a close watch on him when he is home. Anyway here are some pictures. Thanks for our kitties.

Sandy Symmes

Dr. Radcliffe Emerson

Let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Radcliffe Emerson, but my name at the Forsyth Humane Society was Ra, like Amon Ra, the Egyptian god. When I was adopted my human didn’t want people to think my name was Rah and think I was a cheerleader, so she named me for a fictional Egyptologist named Dr. Radcliffe Emerson, called Emerson, so, as they say, “the rest is history.”

I’ve been living with my human for about 3 years and I got her when she was a volunteer at the Forsyth Humane Society. From the first day I’ve had her well trained to provide me all the food I want, beds and chairs for 
sleeping, lots of toys to play with — although I’d rather play with her stuff like hair clips, her watch, her pens. I particularly like making figure eights around human feet when they are trying to walk and I don’t have a clue as to why this is a problem for them. Originally was told that I only could sit on anything my human sat on, but quickly I convinced her that I would be just fine sitting on any tabletop near a window. She even moved things off the tables so I’d have more room. I have a good life except when my human goes to the closet to get out that thing she calls a vacuum and uses it to do something on the floor that she says has something to do with fur balls that have something to do with me.

I don’t like people food, except canned tuna, but did sample collard greens on New Year’s Day for good luck and do like a “spot of tea” sometimes. I don’t like catnip, but have discovered that I’d really like to eat spearmint chewing gum and can’t understand why I’m not allowed.

I am a big four year old boy, and my doctor says that the reason I would be wearing size 16 Nikes if I were a human is because I am a mainly Maine Coon cat. Although my human is bigger than I am and thinks she is in charge, we know which one of us has to go to work to make money to buy cat food and toys and which one of us spends his day sleeping, watching birds, sleeping, eating, sleeping. Humans are so silly at times, but we must let them have their fancies.

It’s time for another nap.

This note from Shirley Golding

I would not be here today, if it were not for my adopted FHS dog, Alaska. I moved to my house a little over five years ago. It had several well built storage buildings on the property that I did not need. I called an electrician to cap off the electrical wires before I advertised the buildings for sale. I didn’t think anything else about it until the first week in December of 2005.

I had worked all day and was so tired. All I wanted to do was to go home, have dinner, feed Alaska and take him for a walk and to go to bed. When I started for bed, Alaska started having a fit. He was pawing at me and running to the back sliding glass doors. I went to the back doors with him, but I could not see anything but the remaining storage buildings. I live alone and have several acres on a hillside, so I thought that Alaska might have sensed someone was outside. He just would not calm down and kept pawing at me. Finally, I got down on the floor with him and that is when I saw the flames running up one of the buildings by looking through the sliding glass doors at his eye level. I immediately called 911 and the firemen were there in no time, but while I was waiting for them to come, it seemed like an eternity.

I had just filled up my propane tank for my gas furnace that holds 500 gallons. I had also filled up my kerosene tank that holds 250 gallons. The Firemen told me that the cause of the fire was that the electrician failed to cap off the wires from one the buildings. They said that the conditions were just right after all those years of being rained on and drying out, and the wind blowing and the leaves. They also told me that had I gone to bed that night, the fire combined with the propane and kerosene would have blown up the entire hillside — including Alaska and me.

I owe my life to my adopted FHS dog, Alaska. You never know what is in your future when you bring home a precious little one from Forsyth Humane. Needless to say, I highly recommend making room in your life for a pet.