July 27, 2009

ASPCA Happy Tails: Her Name in Lights!

Small-town girl makes a splash in the big city—that’s our pup Bella. When this black-and-tan Shepherd Mix arrived at the ASPCA Adoption Center in Manhattan from a shelter in Tennessee, she had no idea she would soon co-star with one of New York’s biggest stars of stage and screen—Bernadette Peters. On the morning of July 11, Peters—who co-hosts the annual, ASPCA-sponsored Broadway Barks adopt-a-thon, a benefit for New York City shelters—appeared on Fox 5 News with four ASPCA pooches, including mellow Bella. Later in the day, this sweet pup made an appearance at Broadway Barks, where she mingled with more than 7,000 theater lovers of the two- and four-legged kind.
 
But it wasn’t until the next day, when Bella was recovering from her matinee and evening performances, that she met her match. Dennis Sefiner of Manhattan had been searching for a dog to add to his family, but hadn’t met the “one” until he paid a visit to the ASPCA on July 12.

“I met a few dogs, but Bella was the one,” says Dennis. It seems he was particularly taken with the puppy’s Shepherd heritage and her youthful energy. Now four months old, Bella has firmly settled into her new home with Dennis and his family.

“She has a great personality!” says Dennis. “She's very, very playful, but when we decide to watch a movie or lounge around, she’s right in the middle cuddling up and hanging out with everyone else.”

But old habits die hard, and this sweet companion hasn’t totally lost her diva-tude. Dennis says, laughing, “When someone tells her no, she'll go and pee on something that belongs to that person—usually a shoe!”

He adds: “Bella means quite a bit to me, and every day she becomes more a part of the family. She keeps the stress level in the house to a minimum, which is greatly appreciated.”

P.S.: Lest you think Bella misses her furry friends at the shelter, it turns out that she now has a feline sister. Dennis’ girlfriend’s father also visited the ASPCA Adoption Center on July 12, and adopted Betty, a three-year-old, grey-and-white Tabby!

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