Alumni Tales

Alumni Tales are stories of happy pet adoptions from the Maryland SPCA. If you have an MD SPCA adoption story you would like to share, please go to our Alumni Tales Submission page and tell us yours. Below are some of our most recent favorite stories! You can read more great animal stories on our Alumni Tales 10, Alumni Tales 9, Alumni Tales 8, Alumni Tales 7, Alumni Tales 6, Alumni Tales 5, Alumni Tales 4, Alumni Tales 3, Alumni Tales 2 and Alumni Tales 1 pages.

Allie Was an Angel

It is with great sadness that we send this note to you about Allie. We were blessed to have adopted Allie from your shelter in October of 2002. She died suddenly from what appears to have been a blood clot in the lung on May 12. She was the smartest dog we have ever had, knowing all the names of her many toys and having different barks for different things that she wanted to bring to our attention. She was our angel who watched over us and did everything with us, including taking vacations, over the last ten years. There are no words to describe how much we will miss her, but we are forever grateful for the chance to rescue her and provide her with a loving home. The wonderful memories we have of our times with her will be with us until we too pass. Once our hearts heal, we will be back to get ourselves another angel. Thanks again for an amazing 10 years. The photo of Allie shows her in one of her most favorite positions, sunning herself. -Mike & Mary

Morgan is a Comfort

When I met Morgan, it was love at first sight. He was part of a litter of kittens I was fostering with my family, and I knew I wanted to give him a forever home. I adopted him right after graduating from college, and he helped me navigate this scary transition by making wherever I moved feel like home. Morgan loves to play, and he sleep on my head at night. -Kayla

Jackson is Wonderful

We adopted Jackson, formerly Max, on March 16. He was the last kitty standing when my husband arrived. After playing with him, we decided to take him home. Jax has been a wonderful addition to our family. Here he is (the orange tabby on the left) napping with his new sister Bella. Bella is also a MD SPCA alum. -Amy

With Francesca, It was Love at First sight

We had recently lost our calico kitty that we had had for 15 years. Missing a furbaby running around the house, we decided to head down to the MD SPCA on a sunny warm Saturday morning. Once we saw Francesca, it was love at first sight! We knew we had to take her home with us that day!! She enjoys looking out the windows and talking with the birds and the other animals outside! She is such a big part of the family that when we sit down for dinner she sits at her own chair at the kitchen table and eats some of her dry food at the table with us! We think she is part dog because she greets you at the front door when you come home from being out and she always follows you from room to room! When she sleeps either in one of her many kitty beds or on someone's lap, she has to be covered up with her pink blanket!! She is queen of the house, and she gets more spoiled each day!! So glad that we went to the MD SPCA that day!! -Jennifer

third time is the charm for pringles

My Bassett Hound, Taz, passed away on February 26 after I had him for 11 years. It tore me up because he was like one of my kids. I decided that I wasn't going to get another dog for a while, but two weeks after Taz passed away my four-year-old kept saying, "I want another dog." I was on the Maryland SPCA website every day, and we visited. The first kennel we came to was Casper's. I liked him so much, and it didn't bother me that he was deaf. The only problem I had was, where I live is too small for him. We ended up coming back three more times, and that's when we found Pringles. We fell in love with her. She has adapted really well with everyone and the house. She has only been here three days, and she is already spoiled rotten. She is really lovable, and she and my four-year-old play with her ball and toys that we bought her. I tell everyone if they want a dog or cat to go to the MD SPCA. - Annette

Lou Lou is the Ultimate Cat

When I moved into my new apartment in September of 2012, I knew I was going to need a companion—a kitten, of course! So my boyfriend and I took a trip to the MD SPCA where he bought me my early birthday present, Lou Lou (formerly known as Olive). I knew going in that I didn't want just any kitten. I wanted to make sure it was the right kitten for me. I immediately fell in love with Lou Lou, who was about two months old at the time. She was different from the other kitties I saw. I felt an instant bond the first time I held her. She was so sweet—all two pounds of her! Since bringing her home five months ago, she has gotten so big and grown long fluffy fur (especially on her tail)! She has such a great personality. She's very affectionate with me and anyone else she gets to know. She loves riding in the car with me to go have play dates with my boyfriend's cats who are about the same age as she is. They have all grown up together and become best friends. Lou Lou is fearless and daring and has quite a sense of humor! Her favorite toys (despite all the real toys I have bought for her) are my hair ties and empty soda boxes! She definitely keeps me entertained and gives me a good laugh on a daily basis. My baby loves to cuddle and sleeps in bed next to me every night—usually on the pillow next to or above my head—and she wakes me up with kisses every morning! Lou Lou is the ultimate cat. I love her so much and I look forward to having her as my companion for many years to come! Thanks MD SPCA!—Sarah

Baby Goldbond is Under Cover

This is Baby Goldbond.—Kevin

Penny is a fast learner

Penny came to us at nine months old. We realized quickly that she had some behavior issues on a leash. We enrolled in the MD SPCA All-Star Canine class with Nichole. Penny learned the skills—she is a very fast learner—but had to be apart from her classmates due to her reactivity. With a wonderful behaviorist, we continued to work on this over the past year, and she is now a different dog. Regular trips to the dog park have helped, and she has met many MD SPCA alums! In her picture, she has just completed her AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate!—Lydia

Finn was the Best Christmas Present

This year I decided to give my kids a cat for Christmas. On Christmas morning, I gave them some cat toys and told them we'd be going to the Maryland SPCA to pick out a cat. We went on New Year's Eve, and they were beyond excited. Finn (Inky at the time) was the first and only cat we spent time with. My kids fell in love the minute they saw him. He was fun and playful and wasn't intimidated by of any of us.

Since he's come home, Finn has blossomed. My daughter regularly picks him up and carries him around the house. My son builds all kinds of cat playgrounds for him to play on. Finn tolerates the overwhelming flow of attention he receives from my kids with style and grace. My children tell me on a daily basis how much they love him and how he was the best Christmas present EVER.

Thanks to all of you at the Maryland SPCA. And thanks to Amie Glasgow, who continues to give me great training advice. We had a great adoption experience. The entire process was easy and stress-free. We couldn't be happier!—Kelly