HARRY
Hello!
It's me Handsome Harry!!! I know it has been a few months since we talked (three whole months my mom keeps telling me with a big smile!) so I thought I should let you know what I have been up to and boy have I got a lot to tell you! At first I wasn't sure where exactly I was supposed to go potty, and my parents seemed to disapprove of the kitchen corner that I thought looked like a good place. Since they gave me so many kisses and treats when I went outside, I figured that was probably the right place, and after the first few weeks of "experimenting" back and forth, and several boxes of treats, we have had a clean kitchen for two months!

Every day we go for lots and lots of walks, I made really good friends with some cows that share my yard, and I have even been caught "cat napping" with my Siamese brother. My other kitty brother still is a bit wary of me, but I find that if he sleeps up by my moms face and I sleep by her feet, we can have a really good nap together. You can see my king size bed in some of my pictures, and I even let my dad squeeze in with me sometimes. That huge bed just isn't big enough for all five of us so after a few weeks of sleeping with mom and dad while I got comfy here, I found the best place on a big cushioned couch to sleep at night. As soon as mom and dad go to work in the morning, I jump right in that bed though!!

They promise were going to come visit really really soon, but you might not even recognize me! I run around like a puppy, I have SO many favorite toys and I absolutely love to run around with my tennis ball. You can see my favorite camel in one of the pictures, I carry it around all day long and then bring it to mom and dad when they go to bed so they will keep it safe while I sleep. When I first got here, I had no idea what I was supposed to do with all these toys they kept giving me, but I got the hang of it now.

See that picture with my eyes half closed? That's me on the way home from Robinson's Preserve, where we walked over three miles in nature with my Aunt's Lab/boxer mix and mixed breed Leo and Lucky. Were friends now, even though they wanted to know why I had to stop and mark every single bush and branch and leaf we walked past. My mom laughed at all the funny things I did, and we had so much fun! I marched all around like a champ and didn't even give a mean look to the hundreds of other dogs and people I met, although I did sniff lots of hands and butts. By the time we got to the car, I was pooped, so that's why you see me half asleep in that picture.

My mom wants me to tell you that her and dad love me so so much they can't imagine being without me because I make them so happy. Of course that doesn't keep me from running away for a high speed romp once in a while, but I always make it back home. Now we have a new trick, where I sit and stay and don't even move my tail until they say APPLE and then I know I am allowed to go running and I love this game! OH you should see the happy look on my mom's face when I sit, stay, lay down and up up up!! We're working on shake now. She loves it!

Dad got me a present last month, a doggie water fountain that we both think is SO cool, and mom brought me a little lamb toy that we call lambie and I will do ANYTHING to get lambie and camel at the same time! Anyway, it's getting late and school starts again in the morning so mom says we have to go to bed so she can get up in time to get to Tampa. Thanks for taking care of me for so many years while my forever home was getting ready for me, I love it here!! 

Harry

(JP and I love Harry SO much! He is just the best dog I can imagine and for all the little naughty habits we had to really try hard to work around we love him even more. Thank you so much, I can't say it enough, for taking care of him until we could find him!! And a special thank you to Iris who has given us so much patience and so many clues as to how we should best handle each situation with our baby...yes he is our 7 year old baby.

He is SO good, especially considering that at first he was determined to pee in my kitchen, and now has not had an accident, or even been impatient to go out, in months. He has blossomed into such a wonderful dog, he is so incredibly playful and loving, he adores cuddling, gets jealous when anyone else gets attention, and nuzzles constantly if he doesn't get enough attention while we sit on the couch!!! He is still shy with strangers, but with us, he is a whole new dog. Thank you a million times!!)
ABBY
Hi,
 
Its Abby, a long-time friend of Satchels.  I was adopted back in 2004 when hurricane Charlie came through the area and my family wanted to adopt a dog to help out the shelters.  I was three years old at the time and really was happy to move in with them.  I  am nine years old now and I still love to play with my tennis ball and take walks at the park.  I love my adopted family because they say I'm the best well behaved dog ever and they love me, too. I say hi to any of my old friends and especially, Sammy, my kennel mate.

MEL
Thank you so much for bringing Mel into our lives. While I might be just a bragging mommy, Mel is pretty much the best and most perfect dog in the world. Being just 12 years young, he adjusted to our pack in in about an hour.
He loves his doggie brother and sisters and loves all his kitties. It’s as though he’s been here his whole life! As far as any difficulty with men, you wouldn’t know it. He absolutely adores his dad acting positively puppyish around him. He has even started to do the same things as his dad!
I call him the Einstein of pups. He has enriched our lives so much! I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t adopt a senior pup, especially one from Satchel’s.

PEPE
I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful addition to our family Pepe has been.  I was a little worried getting a dog that had been previously mistreated.  I have kids and worried he might have a bad temperament.  Pepe has been the best dog we ever had.  He is extremely patient, especially with the youngest who seems to think he is a pillow.  He loves to be around us and loves to play.  I just wanted to let others know not to judge a dog just on their past.  I could not have asked for a better pet than him for our family.  If you are thinking of getting a new pet please consider rescuing one.

BRODY
I just wanted to say hi and that I'm happy in my new home! I celebrated my birthday on Friday with my new mommy and daddy.  I was told that I share my birthday with my uncle that passed away.  I got ice cream that's made for doggies and some treats.  Please tell Iris that I said thank you for not giving up on me.  
Love Brody.

HONEY
WE HAVE HAD WONDERFUL HONEY FOR 5 YEARS NOW AND TIME GOES TOO FAST.  WE LOVE HER SO MUCH.  SHE IS THE BEST DOG WE EVER HAD.  PROTECTIVE, LOVING AND GOOD.

TWO YEARS BACK WE HAD TO PUT MY-LING DOWN AT THE OLD AGE OF 15.  THEN WE ADOPTED A MIX PUPPY WHO WE NAMED HALF-PINT BUT SHE GREW TO A GALLON, SO WE CALL HER HAPPY.  SHE IS A VERY HAPPY DOG AND SHE AND HONEY LOVE EACH OTHER.

WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT HONEY HOME, WHEN WE WENT OUT FOR A FEW HOURS AND WE CAME HOME, SHE WOULD PUT HER FRONT PAWS AROUND US AND NOT LET US WALK IN UNTIL SHE HUGGED US.  THAT LASTED ABOUT 8 MONTHS, NOW SHE RUNS TO US FOR PETS AND PATS.

THERE IS NO OTHER DOG LIKE HONEY, GOOD, KIND AND VERY LOVING.  EVERY MORNING SHE COMES TO ME FOR HUGS, THEN JIM AND THEN SHE CHECKS ON KIM AND EMMA LY AND SHE SLEEPS IN BED WITH KATIE AND HAPPY.

THANK YOU FOR THE BEST LOVING DOG.

LOVE
LORRAINE

PUPSQUEAK
Pupsqueak was rescued by Manatee County Cruelty Investigators from a breeder of fighting pit bulls. Pupsqueak was to be a bait dog – a dog thrown into a pack of deliberately agitated pit bulls so the bred-to-fight pits can acquire their first taste of blood. She was one of only three living dogs among 40 carcasses.
Pupsqueak was at Satchel's Last Resort for over a year where she was given lots of love and where Beth, our trainer at the time, encouraged Pupsqueak's ball retrieving abilities. Beth went on to train Pupsqueak to fetch lots of things, like keys and phones, and taught her to open certain kinds of door latches.
Pupsqueak is now living with a woman afflicted with polio, working as an assist dog to help her with daily life.


STAR
Star's owner was in tears as he turned her over to us. Star is deaf and blind in one eye; and he just could not give her the attention and care she needed. Even with the poor hand she's been dealt in life, Star is a sweet and courageous dog.

Once Star settled into life here, Beth (our trainer at the time) started taking her on daily outings: to the beach, to different dog training classes she teaches - anything to get Star out of the shelter environment. Star passed Good Citizenship Dog Training and Therapy Dog Training and soon she was going to Beth's kids' school to spend time with some of the shyer students. After having been here about a year, Beth took Star to Chicago to live with a woman suffering with depression. Star is this woman's best buddy and the woman now has a reason to get up in the morning.


PEPSI
Pepsi is a pit bull who now answers to the name Macy. She lives with a wonderful couple who takes her and her pit-mix brother everywhere they go. She has a big fenced-in back yard and her family takes her to the doggie park at least a couple times a week where she gets to play with lots of other dogs.

Pepsi's original owner truly cared for her, but the owner's husband disliked Pepsi and the feeling was quite mutual. Pepsi didn't care much for her owner's brother either. As a result, Pepsi spent most of her time outside on a chain or closed up in a bedroom. She became unsocial and her owner feared she might bite someone or fight with other dogs in the neighborhood.

We weren't sure we would ever be able to adopt out Pepsi. For a long time, she was very fearful and while she never snapped at any of us, her body language kept us wary. Her turning point came the day she fell in love with a crippled puppy who came to stay with us. She played with the puppy and then began to play with us. Pepsi, though now much happier, didn't seem to be thriving in our kennel environment; so one of our volunteers told some friends about Pepsi. They'd been thinking about getting a friend for their dog – and that friend became Pepsi/Macy.


TANK
Here is an e-mail we received from Tank's new family:
We just wanted to give you an update on Tank. He has really become one of the family members. I feel like I have gained a son rather than a dog. He is such a good boy. The kids really enjoy him. He plays ball with the boys and Kyler has started playing frisbee with him.

I am sending you some photos of Tank. One is when he jumped in the shower with the boys. This now happens almost every night. He thinks that if they get to play in the water, he should also be able to. He gives us as much attention as we give him, except outside where he likes to explore. When I say lets go night-night, he jumps right in bed and has to give kisses before he makes it to the foot of the bed (he has decided that that is his spot and I don't mind).

Thanks again, you made us very happy with our new dog, Tank, or should I say my new son.