Tango

Apr 16, 2017

Adopted by Mark & Natalie – 19 Dec, 2012 – Tracy, California

I received a message from Ms. Azari in one of those beautiful spring days, (20th of Farvardin or April 10th). It said, “Seven helpless puppies, still breast feeding, were dropped off at the shelter in the middle of the night without any prior coordination. Do you know anyone who could help us with their care?”

My spouse, Parsa, and I took responsibility of these seven beautiful puppies without hesitation. Because we were sure finding supervision for all seven is very difficult, we went to the shelter that same day. I found the cutest puppies shaking and wrapped around each other, in a cardboard box. Mr. Karam was saying that they hadn’t eaten anything from the night before and the group whining of the puppies tells from their hungry bellies. Mr. Karam was happy we were taking them all with us.

This was our second experience with caring for breast-fed puppies. With the experience of caring for four previous puppies, it was a bit easier. Some with a bottle and the others with syringe filled milk were fed. The arrival of the puppies in our home was a pleasant experience for us two and also for our daughters, Barfi and Shabrang and Felfel.

Tagarg (now Tango) was suffering from damage to her front right paw the first week, which after consulting a physician, we found out that with the right diet this will soon be healed, and it was. This beautiful and kind boy brought a lot of happy memories for us and his brothers and sisters.

We wish happiness and health for him and his new family.

Afsaneh & Parsa Zarrin

My husband Mark and I were thinking about getting a new rescue dog due to the fact that our current dog Holly is almost 13 years old. We thought it might be a good idea to get her a companion that could encourage her to be up and around more. We had adopted Holly from our local animal shelter almost 12 years ago, she was already about 1.5 years old and fully potty trained. So we were looking for a pup that was also potty trained, at the very least.

So one day I went to look on Petfinder.com and started searching for the perfect dog for our situation and found this sweetheart of a dog, an Australian shepherd/ borzoi mix from Iran that instantly caught my attention and stole my heart. We weren’t looking for a specific breed, maybe even a mutt, then found Tango. We just loved that he was a international rescue from Iran, because Mark is in the Air Force reserve and has been over to Afghanistan before, so we thought it would be really neat to help a dog coming from so far away. Tango was shy at first towards everyone, including myself and afraid of all men, maybe due to his abusers’ gender.

Tango is now the sweetest, happiest, and most loving dog ever!!! He has become such a wonderful part of our family. He loves our cats and our other dog, Holly. He is constantly trying to get Holly to get up and play but is very gentle and kind towards her. He senses that Holly is an old girl and is very understanding of her limitations. We couldn’t be happier at the choice we made and would like to encourage everyone to learn from our experience and open their heart and home to an rescue dog from Iran who will truly appreciate a good and loving home! We love Tango to pieces and wish you the same kind of love, joy, and happiness. 🙂

Natalie & Mark

Fallon (Yakuza)

Apr 16, 2017

Adopted by Claudia I. Cooley on May 10, 2012 – Wilmington, DE

YAKUZA, Yalissa – named in honor of Farah Ravon – just threw in the LL’s to make Fallon.

Fallon landed on US soil from Iran on December 10, 2011, at JFK Airport in New York. She was driven to PHL Airport in Philadelphia, PA by Sheyda Ardalan and met there for transport to Faithful Friends Animal Society in Wilmington, DE by Lou. Haley, my friend Lisa and I went to meet Fallon.

All went well between the dogs and Fallon came home with Haley and I.

Within three days, Fallon was crate trained and I taught her how to go up/down the deck steps just showing her once. Doorways were a challenge for a few weeks and so were the household noises. Haley has been Fallon’s mentor – Fallon watches and learns from her still to this day. Fallon has never had an accident in the house. Initially, Fallon grumbled at my four house cats, but grew to love them, especially Cinder.

There were several suitors for Fallon, but for one reason or another they were not the perfect match for her. On May 10, 2012, I signed the adoption contract to adopt Fallon as she was already in the perfect home to fit her special needs from day one.

Fallon and Haley get along wonderfully. Both love people, especially men. Yes – Fallon LOVES the men. She does a silly little dance when she’s excited. She talks to you, loves to go for walks (leash training took a couple of weeks) loves to be brushed, but not fond of bath time. Most of all, both dogs love their car rides together.

While Fallon’s crate is set up, I no longer put her in it – just leave the door open and he still goes in her crate to take a nap – feels very secure in it.

Fallon is a very very happy dog. She is truly amazing and incredibly smart and has been a great addition to my pack. Fallon does not realize she only has three legs and I am not going to tell her. We all are very fortunate to have found each other.

From my heart to yours, thank you all at VAFA for taking such good care of Fallon and all the other animals that are fortunate enough to get into your shelter.

With love and gratitude,

Claudia I. Cooley

Nanaz

Apr 16, 2017

Adopted by Trish & Brian Schmidt – June 24, 2012 – Barrington, NJ, USA

On September 8th, 2011 our friend and companion of nearly 15 years, Harley passed away at home with us. When he first arrived in our home from an abandon litter he was so small he could sleep in my motorcycle helmet. But from that tiny bundle he would grow into a wonderful loving Sheppard mix. When he passed away, I swore I’d never get another dog. There was no way I could ever take the chance of feeling that sad again.

Time may not heal all things but it does soften the hurt and there are so many dogs and other pets in need of a forever home. Both Chloe and Sassy were willing to add a member to their pack. Plus my wife and I had the room and the means to welcome one more into our house and were once again hopeful that another dog would be willing to make this their forever home.

This time we wanted to do something different. While there are so many dogs in need of a home, there is also a group that most times is overlooked. Dogs and pets with special needs. While the most special need they require is merely a loving family to be a part of a home to call their own, they possess a disability or condition that makes many people overlook their ability and desire to provide a lovely and caring companion for life.

We began to submit applications for an older dog with special needs. The first one we were glad to hear about had already found their forever family. Another was called the other side of the Rainbow Bridge while in the care of their foster family. The next was an application for a medium sized Shepard we saw her name is Nanaz. She had come from Iran and was missing her ears and one of her front legs. But she had heard America was the land of opportunity and that she was more than willing to give a family the opportunity to be her forever home.It looked like she had both a tough time and a loving life in Iran. Because her ears are cropped it is believed she was at one time a working field dog. But at some point she became just another stray on the streets of the city. She also became the mother to a litter of puppies; sadly what became of them is unknown. She had to survive on the acts of kindness from numerous Iranian people during her life on the street. It was them who fed and cared for her for as best they could for about 2 years.

But she was just one of many strays and like in America; a stray may just fade into the background and become someone else’s problem to deal with. During an effort to rid the streets of stray dogs in Iran, Nanaz’s left front leg was badly injured. I was told one of the people who cared for her while she lived on the street found her and took her to Vafa Animal Shelter for help. It was here despite their best medical efforts, and it was decided her leg was too far gone to save. But now at Vafa she would receive not only protection from the street but the love and care from dozens of volunteers and supporters who maintain the shelter.

Sadly after nearly two years without being adopted and thought to be around 8 years old it was feared shelter life would become too hard for a disabled dog. Because disable dogs are hard to find adoptions for, it was decided she might have a better chance of finding a home in America. Through a generous sponsor and the efforts of many volunteers Nanaz and another tri-paw Shadi were chosen to make the trip to Toronto in March of 2012 and from there on to America. I’m not sure where Shadi went but Nanaz was fostered at Mutts Need Love Too this was a Dog Rescue run by Susan Reaver in Maryland. And it would be through Susan in June that we would finally get to meet Nanaz.

We had set up a big dog crate and since my Harley was already a senior dog, the house already had ramps built to accommodate his needs in his last couple of years. It was decided Nanaz would meet Sassy and Chloe in the back yard for their first introduction. She immediately began to explore both the yard and of course her new sister’s butts. They of course returned the favor. But, there was no fighting and no growling. They seemed to accept each other with no problems. We showed Nanaz the ramp to the dog door and she went straight in and out on the first try.

Inside the house it was much the same. Nanaz went straight to the living room and found the crate. She immediately claimed it as her own and made herself at home. A small grumbling growl let Sassy and Chloe know she had staked her claim to this spot. But she was perfectly willing to let Trish and I have access to the crate and to pet her as much as we wanted. We had already had our references checked. And our house and yard passed inspection. She’d pop out and visit and then run back in. But everyone looked happy and permission to adopt Nanaz was OK’d.

Her first night she spent pretty much in her crate. She looked so scared when Susan left. I guess to her; she must have wondered if her life and world would ever stop changing. It was not the only reason but an important one in why we didn’t change her name. So many things kept changing around her, we wanted her to at least keep beautiful name and make her understand that it was she that was being welcomed into her new forever home.

We covered her cage with a blanket on the sides so she could have some privacy. For the most part she stayed solidly in her cage. But she would pop out for a quick peek of her new surroundings from time to time. We put her food and water in the crate at first of which she was very possessive of with the other dogs, but had no problem with us moving it. In fact she welcomed us to come in her domain and pet her or rub her tummy.

But she was so well behaved and friendly we left the crate open the first night and never had a reason to ever close her in. But over the next few weeks she would rarely come out of it. I’d come home from work, she’d run out and bark her head off to go for a walk. Sadly she only had enough steam to make it around the small block. And I had learned she hates squirrels and will go through anything to get to them. Lucky for them she can’t run fast for long.

Once we are home from her walk she gets a drink and jumps right back in her crate. We even began to worry she would never come out except to get a quick pet or tummy rub. But slowly she began to immerge. She would lay out on the middle of the floor for a little bit and jump back in her crate for a while. Yet as each day passed, she spent more and more time out with her new sister’s. So one day when she went out back to spend some time with Sassy, Trish and I packed up the crate and just placed her bed there. She seemed a little upset when she saw her fortress was gone, but soon acted as if she didn’t notice. It is her spot though and doesn’t take kindly to others entering it. But has since stopped growling over her food bowl, I guess she knows now no one will take her food. And she willingly shares her personal water bowl with her sister’s.

Everyone that meets Nanaz falls in love with her. And her disposition shows regardless what happened to her leg and ears, the people who cared for her both on the streets of Iran and in the Vafa Shelter erased any memories of any harm people may have done to her. She has nothing but kindness for all those she meets and that is a testament to the generous hearts of the people of Iran and Vafa that cared for her for so many years and Susan of Mutts Need Love. They all put forth an incredible effort to not only help Nanaz and countless other dogs have a chance to find her forever home but also for Trish and me to fill a void in our hearts with one of these wonderful dogs.

Brian schmidt

Delnaz

Apr 16, 2017

Adopted by Coldicott Family – Castro Valley, California – March 2012

We love Delnaz so very much!

She just visited a dog park for the first time and it went well. We put this off until now because she is shy around other dogs and I didn’t want her to feel intimidated. She had a great time. We have socialized her around friends dogs and it is very fun and easy if there are just 1 or 2 other dogs. She has one best dog friend and they wrestle and play every time (for the whole time) they are together. They both leave each other slobered and tired!

We walk her at Lake Chabot and she runs off leash and loves it! We only let her off leash when we are well on the trail (cars and dogs make me nervous). This is probably her favorite place to go.

She spends her day at work with us, all the employees love her and we have some people we work with that bring their dogs and thay can all play in our yard at work. On other days when we just have to work, she is very good and sleeps in my office, she likes to get as close to my chair as she can. I love having her here especially when I am alone. She will warn me whenever someone is coming.

The kids love her and she loves them. If I am home with her, without them, she looks for them constantly. She puts up with a lot from my daughter, she thinks Delnaz is her lovie. But Delnaz loves her so very much. She is the PERFECT dog with children. Yesterday was my daughter (Kinzie’s) 5th bday. We had 15 kids over and they were all very comfortable with her and she with them. She greeted each one but didnt’ overwhelm them. She stays in my sons room until my husband and I go to bed. This has helped him go to bed, as he is not alone anymore! We use to keep her in her crate at night, but now she’s on our bed. She is so soft and lovable that we couldn’t help but let her on the bed.

She is the perfect addition to our family and we couldn’t be happier!

Thank you to the wonderful woman who sponsored her. Delnaz is very well loved and we feel very loved by her!

Alyx

http://www.examiner.com/article/puppies-arrive-from-iran-touching-grass-for-the-first-time-video

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-17693030

Delband

Apr 16, 2017

Adopted by Fraticelli Family – Sunol, California – April 2012

I knew the moment I saw the picture of Delband on the GSRNC (german shepherd rescue of northern california)website that she was destined to be my girl. I had already decided I wanted an older dog, but when I saw her I instantly felt a connection. I knew we were meant to be together. When I met her at the adoption day, I couldn’t imagine being with any other dog there, and I couldn’t imagine leaving without her.

Delband has a very gentle, sweet and submissive nature, but she has also matured into a confident, social dog. She is beautiful, smart and well behaved, and she fits in wonderfully here in Kilkare Woods, Sunol. She’s a great companion on hikes, runs and walks, and she really enjoys all of wildlife and other domesticated animals around here. She gets along beautifully with all of the neighborhood dogs and their owners. She hunts bugs and grazes on all kinds of plants, roots and sticks. She likes the squash leaves in the garden and fresh apples from the tree!

Steve fenced our entire yard so Delband now has plenty of room to roam and play. She loves just laying out in the driveway or on the patio, chewing on toys and yummy treats. She loves Steve, is friendly with Skyler and his friends, and she and our cat Izzy are best buddies. They love each other and actually play together! They are both very gentle with each other. I promise I will send you a video of that as soon as I can capture it on film! Our whole family and all of our friends and neighbors absolutely love and adore Delband, and she loves us too! She is very happy and healthy, and she’s big and just keeps growing!

Kind regards,

Dana

http://www.examiner.com/article/puppies-arrive-from-iran-touching-grass-for-the-first-time-video

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-17693030