Apr 13, 2017
Carbon (now Princess Persia) adopted by Farid & Cindy Yaghini – Ottawa, Canada
On a beautiful Spring day my Father called me and told me about a puppy’s cries of pain near their house. He had looked for the source of the cries but could not find it. We live nearby so I went on the terrace and listened but still didn’t notice any signs. By the afternoon we could not hear any more noises and we concluded that the mother must have returned and the case was closed. But that night, my sister Fariba, noticed a black object under a staircase around the corner that seemed like an old hat to her.
Soon, it made a slight move. Fariba realized that it was a puppy, barely alive. She had cried for help all day and had ran out of hope and energy. Fariba brought her to me immediately, and since I am an ‘experienced mom’ of seven puppies already, I started feeding her beef broth with a syringe. She was so weak that she could not stand on her legs and we thought she had been injured. After a few days of intensive care she started to get up and move around. A week later when we were sure of her health we introduced her to the other puppies. She was quite playful and had a great time with the other ones. After a couple of months she went to the shelter with the other pups. And that’s where her luck changed…
Afsaneh
Princess Persia came to us very scared and shy. She was anti social and very frightened by anyone outside of the house. In the several months that she has been with us, she has made vast gains with both her social skills and confidence. Cindy and I can not take all the credit as a lot of her improvements were due to Orion, Baily and Marshal who are all neighborhood dogs that helped her socialize. In addition, she has become best friends with our cat Marley who was also a rescued pet. Persia is extremely smart. She walks off leach in parks and never runs off. She scratches the back door when she has to use the washroom and even drags the blanket off me at night if she needs to go while I am sleeping. Most importantly, she has made our older dog Orion, a young puppy again. Orion’s activity level has increased and she is much more playful since Persia’s arrival.
Persia graduated from puppy school several weeks ago and got the top student award. The only place I could see her improving in is maybe her barking. She would be an excellent guard or security dog as she barks at every person that walks or drives past our house. In conclusion, she is a gem and extremely loved member of our family.
Farid & Cindy
Apr 13, 2017
Adopted by Susan Arnett, September 2012, Seattle, WashingtonIn September 2012
I was a volunteer dog walker at PAWS Animal Shelter. One Sunday evening I was returning a dog to it’s kennel and overheard one of my co-volunteers in the kennel next door trying to coax a new dog out for a walk. She wasn’t having any luck, so I thought I would give it a try. I peeked in and say a very nervous Sheltie mix with big ears and dark brown eyes. I went in and sat with her for awhile, inching a little closer and offering her hot dogs. I could tell she was very frightened but also wanted to be loved because she let me pet her legs, then her tummy and head and eventually she took a hot dog off my knee.
After a short walk and some tummy scratches, I was pretty much in love with her and could tell she had a gentle spirit and sweet disposition, despite her fear and shyness. At that time I knew nothing of her origin or that she had just arrived from a 20 hour flight. I thought the supervisor was joking when he said she came from Iran. I couldn’t believe how much had been done for her to get her to Seattle and to a forever home. I felt very lucky when I was able to adopt her from PAWS a few days later.
Shabi has come a long way in 7 months. She’s learned to walk on a leash (without planting herself down in fear anytime a car, person, bike, etc. goes by), ride in a car (without hiding on the floor of the back seat), ride in an elevator and walk up/down stairs and how not to have a barking fit when she sees her reflection in a mirror. She loves dog parks, rolling in the grass, laying in the water, soft toys, treats and most of all, she loves coming to work with me each day. The confidence and joy she exudes when she runs into the office amazes me compared to how timid she was when she first arrived. Her best friends at work are Pierce, a bichon-frieze/poodle mix, Oola, a golda-doodle and Sadie, a dachshund. She loves to wrestle with them and happily shares her toys. She can now sit, lay down and shake. If she’s really excited, she’ll shake with both paws!
I’m so grateful to have her in my life. Shabi’s sweet, funny personality, her resilience and her continued courage in new situations inspires me. I’m so thankful to all those at VAFA and PAWS who worked so hard to rescue her, care for her, transport her and bring us into each other’s lives. Shabnam, my azizam, is my forever friend and will forever have a home in my house and in my heart.
God bless,Susan
Apr 13, 2017
Adopted by Catherine & Ken and their 3 kids Andrew, Courtney & Kimberly – Mississauga, Ontario – Oct 21, 2012
“Chesmak” was one of four female puppies who were brought to the shelter early summer 2011. They were only a month old. The staff was told that their mother was killed but how much of that was true, it’s unclear. Either way, since they were very little and the shelter wasn’t really a proper place for them, Zarrin family accepted the responsibility of caring for them. Cheshmak, along with her sisters, spent a few months there and after they were a bit bigger and had their shots they were transferred to the shelter. It didn’t take long before they were on the adoption list. Chesmak came to Torento on the first of September, 2012 and after a few months of living with a foster family, she found her permanent family and lives happily with them now.
Cheshmak is settling into our home in Toronto. She has a huge backyard, complete with her own fenced in ravine and forest to play in and to explore. She is learning to play and loves to play ball. We will probably find the woods full of tennis balls in the spring as she buries them or hides them in the snow – and she loves the snow!! Cheshmak is also very playful in the house and enjoys a short playtime and cuddle on the bed in the morning and at night.
She is making friends with the neighbours, both canine and human and eagerly goes to visit them for treats. She is still a bit timid when she leaves her own property but is working hard, with lots of help from all her new human family members, to understand that the world doesn’t have to be scary. She even goes on the paper rounds with the young human child in the family and is regularly going to doggie camp so she gets to meet new people and dogs.
Cheshmak met up with her sisters Mahtab and Shabtab when they arrived from Iran a few weeks ago. She was so excited showing them around her new home and property – the three of them played happily together.
Cheshmak really is a treasure and an added blessing to our family.
Apr 13, 2017
Mahtab (now Debbie), Adopted by Anne Marie and John McCusker – Mossley, Ontario, Canada – Feb 24, 2013
Debbie (Mahtab) has been with us for over two months now and we could not imagine life without our sweet girl. She is best pals with her new brother, Geordie who she runs and plays with especially when they have neighbors to bark at! When she came to us she was very shy and scared of all things new even us wearing sunglasses! She is still easily spooked but only for an instant and is no longer afraid of the vacuum, the mop or sunglasses. She is very amusing and loves to lie on her back inviting belly rubs from anyone who is willing.
Debbie is a fun dog whose antics make us laugh all the time whether it is the way she appears out of nowhere and spooks us or the way she flops down beside me when I am cooking or doing anything around the house. She has a personality that melts the heart of everyone she meets. She is also very calm and we are so proud that she is now able to ignore the neighbor’s dogs when they bark at her through the fence.
She loves being outside whether it is sunny, raining or snowing. She rolls in the snow as though it is the best thing she has ever seen and runs around in the rain happily for ages. On the negative side, it takes three big towels to dry her off when she comes back in the house!
I’m sure we will have lots of stories to tell in the future and we hope Debbie is loving being with us as much as we love having her in our lives.
Apr 13, 2017
Adopted by Parisa Salehi & Burk Finley – Feb 06, 2013 – Washington DC
Surf’s arrival from Vafa was not only to have a dog accompany us as we go through life, but to have a piece of a place I once called home nearby. It was also a way to contribute to my Mom’s tireless efforts to make an impossibly harsh life of some of the animals in Iran a little less harsh.
She came to us afraid of city life, fire trucks specially and men particularly. She was six months old and as I write this she is 11 months old. She has made big strides. And she is still learning to trust us and all around her in the world.
She has many dog friends. Some men friends (including her dog walker) and city life while is not yet second nature, it is tolerable. She has a few horse friends and even a ferrel cat friend.
As she learns, she teaches too. Her real lessons are to be determined. But for now she is teaching me how to take pleasure on the very moments I seem to forget I am alive.
And Burk says he is learning that patience and kindness over a long haul produces good results! We are lucky to have her in our lives and hope to continue providing her a bright beginning.
Parisa & Burk
