ASPCA Happy Tail

dog

Alfie

What’s It All About, Alfie?

Ladies’ man Alfie certainly lives up to his name: He spends his days lolling about with his Shih Tzu sister Lucy and his nights cuddled up with his pet parent, Monica Bond; his aunt Melissa; and Melissa’s Lhasa Apso mix Winnie.

But life wasn’t always so sweet for this little Shih Tzu—an ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agent rescued him from neglect in March 2008. When he came to the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital he was emaciated, and his fur was so matted that his legs had lost circulation and he couldn’t walk. He needed three months to recover.

After all he’d been through, Alfie deserved a break, and he got it in June 2008 when Monica entered our Adoption Center. Says Monica: “I happened to walk into the shelter the day he became available. When I approached his glass cage, he did a stretch and followed me.” She fell in love with Alfie and snatched him up right away.

In Monica’s care, Alfie blossomed into a confident and cheerful pup. “In the two-and-a-half years that I have had him, he's become the happiest and most affectionate dog I know. He smiles constantly and gives nonstop hugs and cuddles,” Monica muses.

At the park, Alfie likes to assert another side of his personality: “He enjoys chasing all of the big dogs at the dog run and kicks his paws in the air when he sees them. At 15 pounds, he thinks he's one of the big dogs,” explains Monica.

No longer a fearful dog, Alfie is busy living the good life—but it seems he hasn’t forgotten his time at the ASPCA. “When I bring Alfie in for his check-ups at the ASPCA, he's always excited and has an extra bounce in his strut,” Monica says. “It's a familiar place, and a place he must associate with happy new beginnings.”

To read more heartwarming stories of furry fate, visit our Happy Tails archive.



Submit your ASPCA Happy Tail

Did you adopt your pet from the ASPCA Adoption Center in New York City? To submit your ASPCA Happy Tail, please email us at happytails@aspca.org. If your story is chosen, it will be featured on our website and weekly newsletter. Please include:

  • Your full name and e-mail address.
  • Your story - please include the month and year you brought your animal companion home, how he/she has changed since then and some funny quirks about your pet's personality.
  • Up to three photos in JPG format.
  • Please write "Happy Tail" in the subject line.

Please note: The ASPCA reserves the right to publish any submissions, photos and text, and stories may be edited for space.

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