SF/SPCA Rejects: Where Are They Now?

Name: Shiloh
Declined for: Too old, fatty tumors, breed (pit bull)
Rescued by: Rocket Dog
Fostered by: Jennifer

I read Susan Dyer Reynolds’ Northside column, “Jasmine Blue’s Tails of the Dog Park” (“The haunted eyes of throwaway dogs,” June, 2008) on the Rocket Dog Web site. It was the article where Shiloh was first introduced, and it was part of what motivated me to become a foster parent. Shiloh is such a sweet-natured boy – he is the poster dog for how loving, loyal and gentle pit bulls are when given a chance. I’ve never had a dog before, so the bonding process is new territory for me. Though I wasn’t sure I was ready for a dog, getting to know Shiloh has been a great experience. How anyone could have parted with this guy is beyond my imagination.

Name: Angel
Declined for: No reason given (ACC notes were positive)
Rescued by: Grateful Dogs
Adopted by: Ann

When we adopted Angel, my yellow lab Phoebe was 14 years old. I thought we would not get another dog. My son, Nicholas Junius and I decided to take a walk to see the Noe Valley Harvest Festival because Jean Kind had asked us to come by the Grateful Dogs Rescue adoption booth just for fun. Well, Angel crawled right onto my son and he fell in love with her instantly. She was everything that I had in the back of my mind for another dog. Jean, who knows our household well, said that she was a perfect match for our family. So, she came and met Phoebe and here we are. She has extended the life of Phoebe, who has become much more alert since her arrival. She does not want to miss out on anything so she keeps an eye on Angel and makes sure that she isn’t missing anything. My son absolutely adores her and will even go hiking because she has so much fun and exudes so much joy when she’s out on the trails. She has brought us happiness, comic relief, helped us through transitions in our lives, and it truly feels like she’s an Angel that fell into our lives when we weren’t looking.

Name: Thor
Declined for: Fearful, unable to handle
Rescued by: Rocket Dog
Adopted by: Dan & Al

This adorable little guy had parvovirus and was in the hospital with IV bags, test tubes down his throat, transfusions, and the list goes on and on, over $5,300 long. Rocket Dog Rescue took him on and his life was spared. I asked the volunteer, “Who pays these bills?” She explained that it was all through donations. That was a true eye opener for us. We had the little guy all of two days and realized he wasn’t going to be leaving our home. He is so wonderful and the day after we took him, it was our 29th anniversary. He was the surprise present that neither of us knew about. We think he is truly special. As the veneer of all the pain and sadness he’s been through slowly strips away, the puppy in him just keeps shining through brightly and he is such a beautiful, sweet doggie day after day.

Name: Bear
Declined for: Separation anxiety, breed (pit bull)
Rescued by: Rocket Dog
Adopted by: Brian & Angela

Bear saved his family from an armed robber but, when he developed separation anxiety after the incident, they dumped him at ACC. Since we adopted him there hasn’t been a dull moment in our household. He’s constantly surprising us with his personality. He’s such a happy and loveable dog and so eager to please. He really is just a big baby who wants nothing more than to be with us. We are a young couple who don’t have children, so to us he is our child. He always brings a smile to our faces and warmth in our hearts. It’s such a great feeling to come home and have a happy wagging tail and smile to greet you at the door. 

Name: Ned
Declined for: Luxating patella (common knee problem)
Rescued by: Grateful Dogs
Adopted by: Marge

We started out fostering Ned, but once he was in our house for a day, that was it, he wasn’t going anywhere. He was perfect! Ned loves everyone, and there is not a bad bone in his tiny body. The SF/SPCA declined him due to a minor medical issue. If it weren’t for Grateful Dogs Rescue – if they hadn’t stepped in, this sweet little guy would be dead.






Name: Sarah Palin
Declined for: SPCA doesn’t take animals, breed (pit bull)
Rescued by: No kill activists
Adopted by: Diane and Firenza

When her owner could no longer keep her, Sarah Palin was brought to the SF/SPCA, but they wouldn’t take the three-month-old puppy, so a group of activists rescued her right in front of the building where we were protesting the SF/SPCA’s reversal of their no kill policy. On Tuesday, June 9, Sarah Palin, now seven months old, successfully passed the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen test first time out, without any formal training or classes. She is the second youngest dog the training club had ever passed.