Adopted by Gloria DeGaston – Emeryville, CA – Feb 2015
I am so grateful to VAFA for all they did for my Surah (formerly Khaleh Rizeh ). She, in the short time I have had her, is so sweet, loving, playful (especially when she sees the leash come out) and a great companion. With her background, being on her own before entering the shelter, then being with so many other dogs and competing for attention, she could have become distant or aloof. But she didn’t! And it must be because of the wonderful people who work and volunteer at VAFA, and who are so full of love for all the dogs you save and care for.
Let me tell you about hair!! For many years I had dogs with heavy undercoats, and when I first met Surah I was so relieved to see that she only had a minimum undercoat. Boy did she fool me. This Spring I have brushed enough hair from her to make 2 or 3 more Surahs (smile) But, it’s OK, as she loves to be brushed and stands very still with a contented happy look.We have a lot of fun when we go to different dog parks. Surah loves to run, play with the other dogs and she sniffs out every spot where an odor may give her news about other dogs who have been there. She is very dedicated to this reading of news. Then she must go from person to person, nuzzling them quietly, saying “Hello” and “Pet me, pet me. I’m very sweet and love being petted.
“Here at home I live in a condominium complex, which is thoroughly secure and I can let Surah off the leash and not worry. We have a lot of plants like tall seagrass which she loves to run through and feel the plants brush her, or she runs between the hedges and the wooden fence; she pops out from time to time to check on me. And no walk would be complete without a good long roll in the grass.
She is a wonderful companion, has learned and adjusted quickly to her new home and me. I can’t thank all of you enough for taking such good care of Surah, and sending her to the United States. Khaleh Rizeh was hard to pronounce, so I was trying to come up with a new name for her. I wanted to honor her heritage and VAFA with an Iranian/Persian name and looked up a history of Persian women. There I found a princess who lived about 200 BC named Surah. It was a perfect name for this wonderful, sweet, smart princess of a dog. I promise you, she is in good hands, loved and receiving all the attention due a princess.
Thank you. VIVA VAFA!!
