FURRY TALES: Looking for love in all the right cages

I was having lunch recently with one of my “clients,” a one-year-old pit bull named Homer. Petting him, I noticed scars on his face and body that I naively assumed were birthmarks. Then I talked to the folks at the Liberty Humane Society, where his new "parents" found him. That's when I discovered the depth of cruelty -- and the power of an organization driven by love.

Homer

It turns out Homer -- nicknamed “Love Crush” by the folks at Liberty Humane -- was rescued from an abusive situation. He was a favorite of Janet Russell, the agency's director of development.

“Every morning when I opened his cage he would lay his head on my shoulder," Janet said. "He had my heart from the first day he arrived.”

Then Jason Windwai and his partner, Joe Davidson, showed up.

"It's a truism that you don’t choose the pet but the pet chooses you," Jason said. "But in our case it’s entirely true."

Both men went in expecting to “take a look at” small breeds.

However, "as soon as we walked into the second room full of incredibly deserving animals, we heard it – a thump, thump, thump that cut through all of the barking," Jason recalled. "It was Homer’s tail wagging against the side of his crate.

"That was it for us."

"Now it’s simply impossible to think of life BH (before Homer) without wondering what we were thinking," he said. "He defines the rhythm of our day-to-day life both explicitly and in ways that continue to surprise us.

"Perhaps the biggest surprise is his personality: There’s just no way to imagine a dog more loyal, more loving and more full of heart than Homer, and we’re blessed that he chose us."

We all have a chance this weekend to give back to the non-profit LHS, which has given so many animals in need lifelong, loving homes, and brought joy to so many new "parents."

Come out to Liberty State Park this Sunday, Oct. 11, for the Liberty Humane Society’s 6th Annual Bark in the Park, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The day begins with a 2-mile walk along Liberty State Park led by Cirque du Soleil's Wintuk, and continues with a variety of events, food, and contests.

The first 200 PRE-REGISTERED walkers will receive a FREE micro-chip courtesy of; Fetch! Pet Care, Halliburton Homes, Hufnagel Landscaping and TD Bank.

All proceeds of the event are used for the direct benefit of the animals in their care.

A footnote: You know, I thought I'd never get over Sam, my 19-year-old cat, after he died. The loss was so profound I thought I'd never love that way again.

Jack

But on an otherwise nondescript day a year ago last Friday, I was smitten -- by a kitten. His name is Jack.

You know where I found him, right?

Yep: The Liberty Humane Society.

Once the advertising director of a Wall Street publishing firm, Deborah Jack now heads one of the most successful pet-sitting and dog-walking franchises in the country. Fetch! Pet Care is nationwide; serving 38 states in more than 2,000 cities and towns. Deborah and her team of pet lovers service the Gold Coast, providing the kind of attention that, until now, was very hard to find -- all at affordable rates. Deb has several highly successful clients, but she spoils every pet the same, with a satisfaction guarantee. Check out: FetchPetCare.com. Be sure to tell 'em CLIFFVIEWPILOT sent you and take advantage of a special offer.

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