Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Dan & Margarida – July 15, 2014 – San Jose, CA
Hello, I’m Dan. My partner Margarida and I have had a rescue dog, Dragon, for three years. Recently we adopted s beautiful blind husky through VAFA. Dragon decided that he wanted to tell the story about our new dog, Haleh:
My name is Dragon. I am an AmStaff/Bulldog mix who was rescued by my family three years ago from the killing shelter in Fresno. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting comfortable in my surroundings, taking walks in the hills above San Jose, going to the beach, and generally taking over control of the household. l especially enjoyed cleaning the dishes after a meal. Then, in an instant it all changed!
About three months ago, my family brought a big, shy, skinny, weird-acting, snow white dog into the house. They said she was a husky but she looked more like a small polar bear. I threw my weight around for a couple of days but she wouldn’t play and in fact, bit me. I was shocked but I figured she wouldn’t be here for long so I tolerated her. After a few days, I realized that she was blind so I picked on her even stronger and she retaliated even more. But I succeeded in bringing her out of her shell.
I came to find out that she was flown here from the killing streets of Iran, by VAFA, to see an eye specialist and my family was simply fostering her while she saw the specialist.
It turned out that the eye doctor wasn’t able to do anything for her and my family decided to keep her. They named her Haleh (halo). I don’t have much privacy any more since she can hear my every move and smell me wherever I try to hide but we have gotten to be best friends and she plays with me all the time now. Over time, I have been teaching her the rules of the house even though I have to share the dishes with her.
The only thing is I’m not allowed to beg for food but she is always lying underfoot in hopes of catching falling scraps. That used to be my privilege so now sometimes I get a little peeved and desperate not to lose out on goodies. Also, I had to teach her to respect my food bowl and only eat out of her own.
She has put on nearly ten pounds and looks absolutely beautiful. It is amazing to watch her negotiate the curves around furniture. My family purchased a new sofa and she bumped her head a couple of times before memorizing a map of the house. She is very happy and we even snuggle together although she takes up a lot of space. We go for many walks together and I am proud to be her seeing-eye pit bull and I’m proud to be seen in public with her.
I’m really happy to have my new companion and I thank VAFA and my other new buddy, Farah Ravon, for bringing her here. I hope that they are able to continue the good work and bring other deserving dogs to new homes.
Sincerely,
Dragon
Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Marsha & Stan Laugher – April 9, 2014 – Oldsmar, FL
My husband and I lived in Maryland in the DC suburbs, with our two dogs and two cats and were getting ready to move to Florida. I had become familiar with VAFA through facebook and had sponsored two dogs at the shelter in remembrance of my mother who was Iranian.
I came to know Farah Ravon and the VAFA team better through their heroic efforts to save the dogs from my home country and I had made a vow that our next dog would be from VAFA.
Early in 2014 Farah reached out and asked for some help in fostering a puppy who had been found in the streets of Tehran, I saw Poolak’s pretty face and saw her video, and offered to help in anyway. I agreed to foster Poolak till we moved to Florida – and then got my wonderful husband to say yes.
We were not in the country when Poolak arrived – but Farah kept us updated with all of her trip and we even received a text (in Mexico) when Poolak and her travellers arrived at Dulles.
We picked her up from Sara’s house the day we got back from our vacation – Poolak was even cuter in person that in pictures, she did not like the car and looked so pitiful in her trip from DC to MD.
She arrived and met our pack – Clemson our beagle immediately took to her and showed her the ropes around our small town home. Poolak took very well to the cats, intrigued at first, then playful and then chasing – but in fun, no meanness to her at all.
She took walks in the neighborhood and became a local celebrity amongst our dog friends….everyone wanted to meet the dog from the streets of Iran, and she was friendly with everyone, a little timid at first but she adapted very well and quickly.
Then through the course of fostering another VAFA dog, our beloved Parichehr, my husband and I decided that we had fallen in love with our Tall Leggy Blond – our Persian Princess Poolak, and joined the Foster Failure Club. We adopted our Princess less than two months after we met her…..as my husband says, we have two Iranian natives living at the house – Poolak and me.
Now she lives in Florida, with her 2 dog and 2 cat brothers and sisters. She loves to chase geckos and tries to jump up at all the birds on our walks. She completed a 6 week obedience course and we may even enroll her in agility training – she is a happy puppy and we are a happy family.
Wish we could save all the pups on the streets of Iran…..
Marsha Laughter
Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Yvonne Formel – Oct 6, 2013 – Glen Ellyn, IL
One year ago I stood in the cargo building parking lot at O’Hare International Airport while my new “jube” dog from Iran relieved himself on a 1 foot by 1 foot patch of grass. The cold autumn wind ripped past us and I wondered how he would adjust to his new home in the suburbs of Chicago. I felt the need to apologize for the lack of mountains and for the frigid long winters that would be coming. Once home, Choupan was greeted by my children and Rosie, my senior beagle.
He quickly went from room to room and while going up the stairs was easy, he was unsure how to come down them. It was late and I thought a walk before bed would be wise. Choupan was new at walking on a leash and would often go in the opposite direction. He never pulled and could be easily redirected. I knew then he would never have trouble walking with me, (I didn’t think about all the squirrels that would be frolicking on the lawn the next morning!) As we walked that night he was curious about the pumpkins neighbors displayed in their yards.
I recalled as children we didn’t have pumpkins in Iran and the annual school pumpkin carving contest consisted of decorated butternut squashes instead.
Unlike other dogs that I had adopted or they adopted me as strays, Choupan had not spent his young life in a house, with a family, with a TV and a vacuum cleaner and a door bell. So his first few days and weeks were filled with so many new experiences. It was surreal for me to think he had come from a country that I had loved with all my heart and was not allowed to return.
I still look at him today, a year later and think, he has seen what I have seen, and we are so blessed to be together.
One year later he is predictable as I am sure we are for him. We run for half an hour each morning. He knows the routes, he knows when we turn, he knows when a car comes we get back on the sidewalk.
He knows my son’s cars by the sound of their engines and joyfully runs to the garage door to greet them. He knows through trial and error that he’s not to go into my daughter’s room and bother the many stuffed animals on her bed. Most importantly, he knows he is loved even if he does have to wear socks outside in the cold winter!
Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Richard Del Pezzo – April 6, 2014 – Daytona Beach, FL
Princess has been a wonderful addition to the house ever since day one which was April 6, 2014. In a short period of time she has become very popular in the neighborhood as well as the dog park. Everyone here seems to know her background and they continue to be amazed at how beautiful and how well-behaved she is. Everyone is impressed that she has a passport!
Princess is only 14 months old but is very well-behaved for a puppy. However, she has had her moments but nothing too serious. She has a thing for shoe laces and will tear apart the laces and the shoe if she can get to them. Needless to say, I can no longer just leave shoes on the floor even for just a few minutes as she will hone in on it and rip it to shreds. Her other vice is to rip buttons off of pants and shirts. At the moment I have four pants and one shirt that didn’t survive Princess but it is all good though and she is learning to chew her toys instead of my work uniforms.
She is also in the process of digging one very large and deep hole in the backyard. I have measured the hole and it is now 34 inches deep, 36 in. long and 13 in. wide. She easily fits inside the hole and I imagine she just likes the cool dirt on a warm day. What is really funny is that she actually unearthed a plastic pipe that is used for the septic sewer system but hasn’t managed to tear that apart yet.
We go for a long walk every day and I am so proud to show her off to the neighbors and I always get so many positive comments about her beauty. Her name is perfect for her and I could not have chosen a more appropriate one. Right now she is looking at me with those big eyes and wondering why I am spending so much time writing this instead of playing with her. She is being patient but I am not so sure how long that will last!
Richard Del Pezzovery
proud owner in the state of Florida, USA.
Apr 29, 2017
Adopted by Madeleine & Claude Bourget, July 7, 2013, Toronto, Canada
Sheeba came into our lives shortly after we lost our 10 year old Schnauzer. We aren’t sure who rescued who, but its been a great experience. She has found her forever home and protects it, and her new mom and dad, with vigour. She loves to wear her fancy coats as she struts around in her new neighborhood.
At first, she had quite a bit of separation anxiety, but with time and a lot of love, she understands that if we leave her for short bouts of time, we always come back. But boy look out when we do! She is so excited to see us she dances. She has brightened our lives and we hope we have done the same for her. She travelled a long way to find us, having spent the first few years of her life in Iran. Thanks to Vafa Animal Shelter – Foreign adoptions, she was able to come to Canada and start over.
madeleine and claude bourget
