My Nonprofit Reviews

I am an international fan of Carolina Poodle rescue and have twice driven about 700 miles each way from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, to adopt. In June 2010, I met a young woman at a local street festival called Woofstock, in Toronto with my two old black standard poodles in tow. She had the most gorgeous two-year black boy called Dante - calm and relaxed ever with the crowds, he looked just like my Simon. When I asked about the kennel she got him from she said, "no, I got him from Carolina Poodle Rescue in South Carolina two months ago"!!!! She described the thorough vetting and caring approach to the adoption - a good fit for a forever relationship between human and dog was the major outcome. In September, I decided to apply as Simon and Gypsy were 15 years old and I wanted to bring a new family member home while they were still able to help him adjust. When I was approved (through an interview with a marvellous volunteer in Florida! and checking my references) I started the drive south. Throughout the process, I kept mentioning that my preference was a black male because Simon was already living with two divas (Gypsy and me) - but at one point on the journey, I called Donna, the Director, and told the story of adopting Simon. All the other puppies were jumping all over me the way puppies do; he looked at me, sat under the kitchen table as I played with the others and finally came over to kiss my hand before returning to sit under the table. He had chosen me - and he was my best friend for the rest of his life. So when I arrived late one Friday night, Donna brought out the first dog - a female black and white parti! She hopped up on the chair, crossed her paws and analysed me from across the room. When I offered a treat, she came over, took the treat and went back to the chair. I saw a couple of other dogs, but when Donna told me that she had never done that before, I knew that SHE had picked me and we came home together. Fast forward eight months: Gypsy and Simon were both failing and I knew that I would be lucky to have them another six months. I went on the CPR website and saw a gorgeous sandy red giant teddy bear of a poodle. In May, we all drove down again (this time with my niece). Again it was love at first sight. We stayed a few days to volunteer at Dreamweaver Farm - caring for new puppies, cleaning up poop in the pouring rain, all the fun things that volunteers at shelters do to help these wonderful creatures that depend on us. When Simon became very ill, we headed home so that he could see his special park one last time. He rested his head on Rowan (the new redhead) all the way home. The people at CPR are some of the finest in my world at least - and in the world's of the hundreds of dogs they help every year. As I live in Canada, I cannot claim a tax receipt, but I donate to CPR anyway. I will be returning over the years just because I feel so at home there. CPR is an outstanding organization, thanks to the leadership of Donna Ezzell. It's motto is one that should define how we deal with all of the vulnerable creatures we meet through life: One by one until there are none.

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