Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Parisa Salehi & Burk Finley – Oct 2014 – Washington DC
Haiku now known as Iko- came to us from Vafa as a foster. He managed his long air journey with courage. Lots of courage. When we picked him up from the airport he walked out of his crate smiling and he continues it still. It is as though he knows some folks have done right by him!
He is sweet and social. If he is afraid he only lets those he knows well in on it. He is kind and despite the scars of his past life makes long strides to adjust to life and loves large.Surf (our first dog from Vafa) decided that we need to keep him. And we said yes! Surf and Iko are our nature channel entertainment for residents and visitors none stop! Iko is a daddy’s boy in our household and hey why not!It is hard to picture life without Iko even though he has been with us for less than a year still.He lives in DC in a small home with more dog beds than dogs and people combined! Enjoys his weekend on the river with Burk or at the farm with Parisa and Surf. And goes to dog parks, bookstores and coffee shops during the week.We are thankful to have gotten to know him and feel privileged to now be his adoptive parents. He is simply delightful.
Parisa Salehi & Burk Finley
Apr 29, 2017
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!!
Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Noam and Itai – August 2015 – Chicago, IL USA
Cowcub (formerly known as Abtin) was love at first sight. He lost his leg only a few months before we met him but walked around with a huge smile and a lot of love for whoever he met.
In a short span of time, he had not only become the neighborhood superstar that everybody knows and wants to pet, but he also became the center of our home and family.
Always sitting in a spot where he can see all family members, so he can be the first thing we see when we wake up – to make sure he gets immediate petting.He continues to surprise up with his love for new things (likes small dogs, squirrels, chasing pigeons and snow) and the fact that he completely behaves like he has six and not three legs – whenever he jumps, runs and skips. He’s a perfect addition to our home and lives.
We are grateful for all the amazing people at Vafa and Chicago Canine Rescue that brought Cowcub into our lives. You guys rock!
Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Deborah W & Pietro R – Hillsborough, CA – Feb 7 , 2015
Teddy, aka, Cinnamon came into our lives in February, a few days after arriving in California. Since then he has made huge adjustments to his new home. He has accepted his little sister, a 10lb. Coton, like the gentleman he has turned out to be. He now rides in the car without a care, he walks on the leash like a pro, and most of all, gives kisses whenever asked.
We ask ourselves often how we got so lucky to have him with us! From having no boundaries, I once found him on top of my kitchen table, to a dog who seems to adjust to all we ask!
We have spent the last month, vacationing at the beach and he moved in without missing a beat! Days spent at the beach, walking along the beach, lunching, and just hanging out, Teddy is one happy dog! We are working with Teddy to get him more comfortable with other dogs while he is on leash. We will be taking him to obedience school for us all to become more comfortable in his new life with us. He has made such big strides, made many admirers, and made our life so much better!
When Teddy came to us, we had lost our beloved dog of 13 yrs. And the hole in our heart was huge, we didn’t know how huge until this homeless, big, hairy dog from across the world filled it! Thank you Daniela and John, his foster parents, and Vafa team who nursed this beautiful, sweet dog back from the brink of death!
Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Stacey & James Holley – May 2014 – Citrus Heights, CA
Hello, First I need to give a deep sincere thank you to all of you that helped me on my journey. I started out as a rambunctious puppy with an attitude that created a challenge to correct, but with the patients of my mom and dad my attitude changed dramatically.
I really enjoy long walks or jogs with my dad, it’s always an adventure. We work on obedience training during these excursions along with the physical exercise. Here is a surprise. Car rides are awesome!!! I sit in the front seat with my dad sometimes and enjoy the breeze. Other times I just sit in the back and relax to the music.
I also enjoy wrestling and playing fetch with my brothers and sisters. If my brothers and I get to rough wrestling, my sister steps in to get us to tone it down. She is the fun police and helps to keep us in line.
I still have my moments of acting out. So when I do act out I get put on “time out”. I’m young and still learning. I eat very well, it’s a raw chicken, cooked rice and green bean diet that help my coat, teeth and overall health keep in peak condition. In conclusion, my dad and mom love me and I truly appreciate the opportunity to join their family due to you (those who helped rescue me). Thank you for your love and effort to find me my forever home.
Peace be with you,
Bello
Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Mohammadi Family – June 25, 2014 – Goteborg, Sweden
Our girl, Shalizar, has now been with us for about eight months here in Sweden. It’s not an easy task to describe the love you have for your first pet but we’ll try. The story began in September 2013 when my parents visited Vafa. The gates opened and a dog ran towards them faster than a lightning bolt. Shalizar is honestly one of the fastest running dogs that we have ever seen. It was love at first sight. Right there and then my mom and dad decided that they wanted to bring her back home to Sweden.
It was a long process with all the paper work that the Swedish government required for bringing in a pet from outside of the EU, but in June 2014 – she arrived!
Miss Shalizar also known as; Shali, dokhtaram (my girl) and khoshgel khanom (pretty lady), has now after eight months gotten her own routines and habits which is such a joy to watch and she even knows our different routines.
She loves going for walks. When we are about 20 meters from our house we take off her leash and she runs to the house as fast as she can and plays in the yard. She loves to play around in the snow.
She loves her marrow bones, her toys, her little squeaky pig and she goes absolutely nuts for the chicken that we make for her as a treat.
The entire neighborhood knows her and every single person that has seen her and heard her story is astonished by her beauty and behavior.
When another dog barks at her she just looks at them with a look that says: “I’m from Hashtgerd- I’ve lived amongst hundreds of dogs and your barking doesn’t even bother me”.
She is the kindest, the smartest, most well-behaved, most wonderful dog ever and words cannot describe how much we love her. It warms our hearts to see how happy she gets when we come home from school or work. She jumps on us and licks our faces and hands. It’s nothing but pure love.
The Vafa Animal Shelter is a little bit of paradise. The sense of compassion that the volunteers have is amazing and we couldn’t have managed bringing Shalizar here without their help.
Thank you to the entire Vafa team for helping us and showing so much support!
We also want to thank Farah Ravon for always being there for us, answering our questions, helping us and even paying us a lovely visit when she was in Sweden.
A special shout-out to Ms. Azari for all the time and effort she put in to Shalizar’s paper work and veterinary visits. We truly thank you from the bottom from our hearts!
Much love,
Hamid, Zahra, Shirin, Niyousha and of course Miss.Shalizar
