Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Ghafoori Family – September 4, 2012 – Harlingen, Texas
My name is Ziba (which means “pretty”). I am an Iranian-American — and a Texan at that!
I was born in Iran. And as my name suggests, I was a very pretty girl. Unfortunately, when I was very little, a very bad person kicked and beat me, damaging my hip severely. But a lovely angel named Hengame, who volunteers at VAFA, came to my rescue. She nurtured me and took me to the vet and got me hooked up with VAFA. (For those of you who don’t know, VAFA is an incredible dog shelter, the ONLY one in all of Iran, established by another lovely angel, Fatameh Motamedi (who donated the land) and is run by dedicated and beautiful worker/volunteer souls in Hashtgerd, Iran.)
Everyone could see that I was a very special girl. So I was selected, along with my buddy Baran (which means “rain”) for possible adoption in a Furrever Loving Home in America. Unfortunately for me (but, hey, a big shout out to Baran!!!), they picked Baran.
Then one day, my Mom and Dad showed up! Of course, they didn’t know they were going to be my Mom and Dad at the time, but I did.
My Mom had learned about VAFA and had been making donations. She had said that if she ever came across Hashtgerd during her trips to Iran, she would love to visit the shelter. So in August of 2012, she and my Dad were traveling to the North, and on the way out of Tehran, my Mom noticed the road sign for Hashtgerd. So she asked their guide to take detour, and after some interesting experiences asking for directions, they stumbled upon the VAFA shelter.
Mom and Dad came and said “hello,” and then Dad went inside to make a donation. Mom (not letting on to Dad!) was thinking to herself it would be pretty cool to be able to bring one of us home. So she was eyeballing and watching. I kept trying to get her attention, but I was way on the other side, and there is well over 450 of us, so I had no luck. Then mom came closer to my side to go say “hello” to the poor kids who had had amputations.
So I took my shot! I kept nibbling her arm, playing, wagging my whole body, and escaping from under my fence until she just couldn’t resist me!
So then my Mom told Dad that she wanted to bring me to Texas as her birthday present. Dad asked Mr. Ali Sani if that was possible, and he instantly said “absolutely — she can even go back on your flight with you.” And my angel, Mr. Sani immediately began making phone calls and e-mails to start the process for my possible adoption!
I was so excited and nervous. I couldn’t believe I might have my own family. But working out the logistics might require some magic. Because as luck would have it, the whole city of Tehran, including government and offices, was essentially shut down. A 5-day holiday had been declared in preparation for visiting nations of the Non-alliance Members (NAM), and there would only be one and a half days for official business to be conducted before Mom and Dad would be flying out.
A flurry of activity then ensued. Health certificates, shots, and permissions had to be obtained and travel arrangements made. Mom and Dad had to complete the adoption paperwork and get approval. Mom and Dad, and my Adoption guardian angel, Farah Ravon, had to play around and around phone tag and e-mail tag. I was a nervous wreck! But with everyone’s dedication, the miracle materialized, and I was on my way to the airport!
It really seemed like this was just meant to be, and so many people contributed and cooperated. I breezed through the check-in process at Imam Khomeini Airport. In Amsterdam, my connecting flight, I was taken, courtesy of KLM, to their Pet Motel for a pee break, water, and a kennel change (to a much bigger one, with new newspapers — free of charge!). Once in Texas, my Mom rented a car (the airlines connecting from Houston to their town do not transport dogs), and we drove another 7 hours to “Home.”
The first night home, my Mom left my brother and sister at the Pet Ranch so I could get my bearings and rest some. The next day, we hopped in the car and drove to the Ranch and picked up my brother and sister. They thought I was one of the Ranch guests too, so they thought I would be real fun to play with and pal around with. (… Well, in truth, my sister really doesn’t think ANYONE is fun to play and pal around with, and she really doesn’t have much time for anyone who doesn’t hunt.). So by day two, I was already up and running, and it did not take long for me to establish myself. I now have many names. Besides Ziba, my Mom calls me “Smiley,””Smelly,” “Zeebie,” and “Zebbles.” My sister has ten times that number of names, so apparently more and more names get added through the years.
Mom and Dad quickly identified that I loved being outside (although I sure know how to find my way inside when Mom is cooking!). We have lots of land, and I keep myself busy chasing all kinds of birds and the pesky dust-cropper that loves to fly overhead. I also love herding and chasing my brother, and biting his nubby tail. I serve as a “spotter” and offer moral support to my sister when she hunts squirrels. I yell at the neighbors when they boat past our house, and I really yell when they come too close to our bank. I am also an accomplished fisherwoman (although my Mom has “outed” me, and told my Dad she has figured out where and how I dig out the trapped, dead catfish out of the resaca).
Besides my outdoor activities, I love riding in the car and I love belly rubs. I also absolutely love my bedtime, and especially my dinner-time treats. Mom actually cooks special dinner stew for us (and Dad always complains that the dog/kid food smells better than his food!). If we didn’t share their dinner, we would get our own stew with chicken or shank and vegetables and herbs and barley or brown rice and beans or split peas (yum!). In fact, if Mom starts getting a little skimpy, I would go on hunger strike and wouldn’t eat my dog food until the treat portions were back up to par.
Unfortunately, however, I am very sad to report that a recent turn of events has put a damper on my Happy Ending story …. Mom and Dad decided to become vegetarians ;( I kid you not! I came all the way from Iran to become a vegetarian??? Who knows? Maybe if I do my Ziba dance, they’ll slip in a meatball every once in awhile????
Love, Ziba
Apr 29, 2017
MaloosAdopted by Anna & Andrew – August 16, 2013 – Bethesda, Maryland
When Maloos joined our family in August 2013, we were told that she had a fear of men. To our surprise, she quickly bonded with Andrew and it is clear that he is now her favorite human. Yet, she is fiercely loyal to both Andrew and Anna, and loves to welcome friends and family in to our home.
She enjoys several walks a day around the parks in our neighborhood. She likes playing with other dogs, being petted by neighbors (many of whom have offered to walk her or dog sit!), and attempting to catch squirrels. Maloos is a kind and beautiful dog with deep, penetrating eyes. As passerby once said, while Maloos was “hunting” in the park, “If looks could kill, that squirrel would be dead.” She also enjoys traveling with us to Baltimore several times a month to run around in a fenced-in yard and chase her cousin-dog, Moxie, also a rescue.
Maloos loves going for car rides. Sometimes they’re short, when Andrew drops Anna off at the subway station. Sometimes they’re longer, such as a Thanksgiving trip to Pennsylvania, or a trip in October to the Shenandoah Valley for a hike and leaf-peeping. Regardless of length, Maloos always prances through the garage to the car and it’s obvious that she is delighted. We are thankful to have a dog that enjoys traveling with us.
We wouldn’t describe Maloos as a lap dog, but she certainly likes to be close and cuddle. She enjoys playing with toys, but is also happy to go to work with Andrew and take long naps in his office. Maloos is well-behaved, smart, and learning new tricks. We’ve finally convinced her to shake (she’s known how for quite some time, but she’s sweetly stubborn). In 2014, we look forward to working on more commands with her and a trainer.
She has quite a fan club, picking up nicknames such as Roo (our Australian neighbor thinks she looks like a kangaroo), Moose, Lucy, and Miss Maloos (which Anna thinks captures her sophisticated poses). We love our “little girl” and are thankful for all of the Vafa volunteers who made her journey to us possible
Apr 26, 2017
Adopted Aug 8, 2010 by Ara Serjoie
One of the highlights of my recent trip to Iran was meeting Ms. Esna-ashari and seeing Vafa animal shelter firsthand. If there is such a thing as God’swork on earth, then I truly believe she and her team are doing it. Taking care of helpless and innocent creatures with love and compassion is within all of us. However, very few of us indeed rise to the occasion and do it so beautifully and with heartfelt interest. I am honored to have met her and grateful to Lucky for bringing me to this wonderful opportunity.
In March of 2010, I went to Iran for a couple of weeks to celebrate Nowruz with my family. I hadn’t visited for 18 years and wanted to attend my brother’s wedding.
During my visit, I wanted to walk around town and re-explore the familiar neighborhoods of my childhood. One day, after walking for about an hour, I came across a little furry thing on the corner of a sidewalk and thought it was a dead cat. But, as I was walking past the furry little thing, he suddenly lifted his head and looked at me. I realized that it was a puppy, dirty and malnourished. I just froze and kept looking at him, wondering what I could or should do. He was not healthy, and I knew he would not survive more than a couple of days.
I called my brother and consulted with him. After determining that there was indeed no way to find a vet in the middle of the holiday season, he suggested that I bring him home with me. As I walked around the corner to see if I could find something to wrap around the puppy to pick him up, he slowly got up and followed me. He was so weak, but he could still show the kind of affection that only comes from a puppy. I had made up my mind. I took off my jacket, wrapped it around him, picked him up, and hailed a cab. He stopped and said he would take me home for free! He said he had a dog also and knew it would be a long time before anyone else would stop for me. I was so touched by his kindness and paid him well upon arrival anyway.
Once home, I bathed, fed, and named him Lucky. The next day, I took him to the Tehran Veterinary Hospital. There, he was put on an IV and given tests and shots.
I then called Vafa Shelter, only to be greeted by the lovely Lida Esnaashari. A couple of days later, my dad, mom, and I, all drove to Karaj with Lucky. I held him in my arms the whole drive. I don’t know how I managed to muster up the ability to leave Lucky behind. Had he been healthier and given the appropriate paperwork, I would have brought him back to the US with me. But for now, I feel comfortable knowing that he is in good hands, being cared for, fed, cured, and loved at the Vafa animal shelter. I am grateful to Ms. Esna-ashari for taking in Lucky and keeping him as an ‘amanati’ (guest) for me. She also did what she had promised me, and five months later, when Lucky got better, he was sent to the United States.
All my best,
Ara
His guardian angel who found him, has requested to adopt him. He is now in California.
