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| NELSON
To the Brantford S.P.C.A.
We adopted a cat from your shelter in November. You called him Grover but we have renamed him Nelson. Nelson is a very loving, affectionate and playful fellow and a wonderful addition to our household.
It took 2 or 3 weeks for the other 2 cats to accept him, but they are now playing and cuddling. He had no problem with the dog either which is good. He had been at the shelter since August so I am glad I picked him and can give him a good home. He is a tiny little thing even though he is two years old however he has a big heart and he gives hugs with his paws around your neck.
Yours truly, Anna Nisbet Ancaster, Ontario
Nelson in his new bed in his new home. Nelson (with the shiny eyes) and his new friend Otis |
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| HELLO EVERYONE!
I just wanted to let you know that I am doing quite well in my new home. I was adopted on February 4, 2005. I am in my second week here and I am starting to get along with my new older brother Arthur and my new sister Grau. Grau and I are the same age, but I'm smaller and quicker that she is. My new parents are loving me up quote a bit and keep telling me that they are glad to have me as part of their family. The guy called "Dad" is quite the shutterbug... he loves to take pictures of me. My new "Mom" babies me and cuddles me a lot. I have lots of room to run around and lots of toys to play with. Mom and Dad took me to the vets to have me checked and my parents were told that I was really healthy. Boy that rabies booster was not too pleasant though.
Any way as you can see in the pictures that my new life really rocks!
Thank you for all your love and care. Catrina (Mike and Renée) |
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| NEO, QUIP & TEX
I adopted three rat babies from foster care on February 13, 2005. The rats are doing great.
They are a lot of fun. Neo (and I did keep that name), is still the smallest but also the craziest. He is always running around while the other two just sleep. They do come out later in the evening, but no matter what time of day, as soon as I open the cage door, Neo is all over the place. Quip (aka creamsicle) took a long time to come around, but he is good now. He is definitely the least courageous of the three. Tex (aka Hershey) and Neo loves wrestling with my hand and with each other of course. My fish just died so I had an empty aquarium next to their cage and before I knew it, Neo was always in it playing with the stones. I filled it with towels and now they love rummaging through it. I often find Neo curled up sleeping in all the towels.
So, all in all they are doing good.
Thanks! Brooke, from Guelph
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“Thank you to the incredibly amazing staff at the Brantford SPCA for allowing our family the privilege of having Lucky in our lives. Thank you for never giving up on Lucky when it seemed like the rest of the world had. All of you at the shelter are wonderful people who deserve so much more respect than you ever receive. You are all a huge part of Lucky’s life and now ours. Thank you all so much for just being the caring people you all are to the less fortunate creatures God has given us humans to appreciate, not abuse and take for granted!”
Thank you to Anne and Robin. You both gave Lucky so much unconditional love and support. Thank you both for accepting us as Lucky’s permanent family and for continuing to be a part of his, and our entire family’s lives. You have both listened to me vent my concerns, heartbreak and frustration over the negative attention this amazingly loyal and beautiful breed has recently received. Lucky and Justice both thank you for your strong support.
Thank you to Karen and her son Nathan from Pet-D-Gree, for welcoming Lucky into your home and giving him your love, support and guidance. You both are very much appreciated by Lucky and the rest of our family for being awesome foster parents. You opened your hearts and home to special little guy that needed and so deserved a second shot at life. Karen, Lucky says thanks for the ice cream treats from Dairy Delite.
Thank you to Amber for volunteering yourself loyally to Lucky. You are a huge part of his life. He learned so much from you spending all those hours with him in and out of classes at Pet-D-Gree. The certificates Lucky earned are hanging in our living room for all to see right next to his picture with Santa. You mean so much to him and to us.
In November of 2004 the media had brought to my family’s attention that our mayor and members of council were going to propose a ban on Staffordshire Terriers in Brantford due to all of the attacks on humans and other animals. Heart wrench, a great serge of sadness and anger were the feelings in our home with regards to this announcement.
See, for 11 years we had been the extremely proud family of two God given miracles. Kicker, a black and white Staff and Justice, a brindle Staff. Kicker was laid to rest on December 17, 2003 because he was filled from head to tail with cancer. You would never know it though. Kicker never once showed any signs of pain. He went about his business daily without complaining. He loved us; he gave us laughter and brightened our spirits no matter what the world threw at us. We were petrified of Stafford Shire Terriers other wise known as “the pitbull” until we educated ourselves on the breed. After educating ourselves and having Kicker in our home for only 2 days, we were so embarrassed. How could we have ever been petrified of this beautiful creature? When Kicker was 10 we were informed that yet another Staff, this time a female, was in desperate need of a good home. Like Kicker, Justice was being abused by her owners, tied to a tree by a chain, no doghouse, no food or water for days on end. We gladly accepted Justice into our home and she, again like Kicker bonded to our family instantly. When Kicker passed away, my husband and I agreed that we would never bring another pet into our home because the loss was just too devastating. Not only on us, but our four children. Once Justice left this world, that was going to be it. No more pets to love and admire, to be loved and adored by and then suffer the great loss. Until, Lucky.
This is where my family and I have to thank the mayor and members of council. If it weren’t for them proposing this ridiculous ban, we may not have Lucky in our lives today. My family and I were devastated. I called the Brantford SPCA wanting to know what the staff at the shelter was going to do about this ban. What could my family and I do? I spoke to Robin, the Shelters manager, for some time on the phone. During our conversation she had mentioned to me that there was this great guy in their custody and his name was Lucky. She mentioned that he had been moved to Pet-D-Gree because of space. She said that for some reason nobody wanted this boy. There were people inquiring about him, some even took the time to go and meet him, but, nothing, no home, nobody to call family.
We got off the phone and I just couldn’t stop thinking about Lucky. I spoke to my husband and he was very adamant because of the pain we would one day have to endure when it would be time to say goodbye. I agreed but over the next couple of days for some reason I just couldn’t stop thinking about how Lucky must have been feeling, thinking that the world has abandoned him. Even though he had amazingly wonderful caregivers, who spent tons of time with him, spoiled him, loved him unconditionally, he still didn’t have a permanent home. We were on our way out of town one day when we witnessed 2 men walking down the street turning to kick a cat in the head after every few feet taken because the cat was a stray and wouldn’t leave them. We said a few choice words to the men, picked up the cat and took him to the SPCA. Wouldn’t you know it, the adoption book was sitting on the counter and on the cover, guess who...Lucky. That was it! He stole my heart. I opened the book and took a look in side. I read the story on Lucky, showed my husband and when we left the shelter I turned to my husband and said, “He belongs with us and we belong with him.” My husband was quiet for about 10 minutes and then out of the dead silence he said “let’s call the shelter and set up an appointment to go visit Lucky”
We went to visit Lucky for the first time. We had only meant to be 15 or 20 minutes, we were over an hour with him. Lucky was in the house when we arrived. When Karen let him out, that was it – he had our hearts tied around his little paw! He ran down the stairs right at us and looking back now it reminds us of the scene in a love story when the couple run to each other slowly then embarrassing. His tail was wagging, & he was pouncing like a jackrabbit, looking all goofy.
Lucky came to live with us, permanently on November 19, 2004, the day before my birthday. What a truly amazing birthday gift.
Our home is an extremely busy home but Lucky, like Justice, fit in immediately. When we come home from being out without Lucky and Justice, which honestly is not very often, (they both go with us in the van 98% of the time), we always know that behind that door Lucky and Justice will be sitting waiting for our return and would welcome us home with a little special gift. Lucky is always standing at the front door with anything he can pick up and bring to us. He has brought us shoes, boots, toys, the flashlight, which by the way was sitting on the counter top. Once he went in the garbage without turning the garbage can over and brought us a receipt & he brings us his blanket (absolutely anything). He is trying to say, “thank you for returning home to me, I love you”. Justice will always be there wagging her tail and shaking her paw. If you can’t shake her paw as soon as you get through that door because your hands are full, she will follow you until you do.
Even though it has only been 3 months and 13 days; my family and I can’t imagine our lives without Lucky. It’s been one year and 8 months since Justice came into our lives and we just couldn’t imagine life without her either. Lucky and Justice give us so much unconditional love, they make us laugh continuously. They keep us warm on these cold winter nights by curling up to us on our beds, or on the couch to watch TV. They always know when we are hurt or sad and they always run to our side in times of need. We believe that God does everything for a reason and Lucky and Justice were put on this earth to be with our family. was only 3 years old and Shayna was only 4. The children where abused and neglected beyond belief by their biological mother. Shayna was basically raising Brady. Before the children came to live with our 2 children, my husband and I permanently, they were placed in 4 foster homes. The professionals involved in these children’s lives, and there are many, all agreed that both children would permanently have attachment disorders. Brady was the worst of the two. Brady and Shayna could only attach to our two children, my husband and I who had accepted them for who they are, and never giving up on them. . Both children have been diagnosed with Severe Fetal Alcohol Effects as well as some of the Foetal Alcohol Syndrome characteristics, both have been diagnosed with severe ADHD as well as severe ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder). Nobody ever believed that these children could be emotionally happy children nor would they ever be able to have positive attachment with others. Brady had nightmares of vampires destroying him and he eventually developed a sleeping disorder. He couldn’t sleep at night so he would wander throughout the house in the middle of the night which for a child is very unsafe.
Nothing stopped him from getting out of his room at night, until we brought Lucky home! Brady could never verbally explain his feelings to others. He couldn’t discuss or describe his feelings. The only way he could advise anyone that he was upset was by abusing others that were weaker than him, mostly little girls, or he would hit himself in the head but most time he would bite himself until he bled profusely. Lucky stopped all of this behaviour by giving Brady so much unconditional love. When Brady was angry or frustrated, he would be sent on a time out for abusing someone or himself. Lucky would always do the time out with Brady. Lucky sat by Brady just staring at him or Lucky would lay under Brady’s chair and at first we thought nothing of it, we just over looked it. After about the 5th timeout, we began observing closer and realized that Lucky really was doing a timeout with Brady I guess so that Brady wouldn’t be lonely. Brady began talking to Lucky about things that had happened to him when he lived with his biological mother. Lucky was Brady’s councillor. He listened and accepted Brady for who he was, he did not judge Brady or scold him like so many of the adults and peers in Brady’s life. Shayna caught on to this and she too began using Lucky and Justice both for the very same reason. Today, Brady and Shayna have shown much positive progress Behaviours are getting easier to cope with for the family and other people that come into the children’s lives. Lucky and Justice were all that Shayna and Brady needed. The two children now can speak openly to the adults in their lives that they trust about their feelings. No more hitting themselves, no more biting. Whenever they feel sad or lonely, they immediately turn to Justice and Lucky.
Our own children, Joshua and Kaitlin have grown up with Stafford Shire Terriers and they to find it very comforting to pour their hearts out to Justice and Lucky. Kaitlin can’t fall asleep at night if Lucky is not lying with her. He lays with Kaitlin until she is fast asleep and then heads off to my room. Justice sleeps with Joshua all night and literally shares his pillow and blanket. Lucky makes his rounds throughout the night as if to check in on everyone. He will go from one bed to the other and then back to my room again. Neither of them will leave the upstairs unless everyone in the house is awake and out of bed.
Lucky became my crutch as well. As a mother, I believed that I had to be perfect, know everything and be able to fix everything. I soon found out that I wasn’t so perfect. I couldn’t fix everything that needed fixing. When the days with Shayna and Brady were long and hard, I would wait for the house to be silent and I would cry until there were no more tears left in me. Some days were harder than others. It felt like my world was crumbling and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Two perfectly normal children, a great husband and a beautiful life. Then we decided to give a second chance to two children with severe emotional and physical baggage. Life was changing fast and some days it seemed like it wasn’t for the better. At night after my husband and I would check in on the children and turn in ourselves, I would wait for him to fall fast to sleep and before I would begin crying Lucky would jump up on my bed and lay his head across my legs or he would sit by the side of the bed staring at me. Again, at first I thought nothing until I began letting out my tears. Lucky would get up and lay face to face with me not leaving my side. No matter where you are in the house or where Lucky is, he can sense pain, he can sense heartbreak and in a flash, he’s by our side.
But, even though our lives have been filled with love and joy, there always has to be sadness, frustration and a touch of cruelty to make everything balance I guess.
Our four children are very active in sports within the community. All of them play indoor and outdoor soccer, our oldest son, Joshua (11) plays summer and winter hockey at the Gretzky Centre, our youngest son, Brady (6) plays football, our daughters Kaitlin (9) and Shayna (8) are involved in gymnastics. They all attend a great school here in town and are honoured to have so many friends. Nobody ever questioned us in the past on our dogs. Our children’s friends came over to play for hours on end, spent the night and had a blast while in our home.
Since the media has identified the Staffordshire Terriers AKA Pitbulls, as vicious killing machines, some of the children’s friends are forbidden to come over and play at our home. We have had parents at the school stop talking to us because we are owners of such a breed. We had one mom call me to tell me she wouldn’t allow her child over to home even if we were to chain the dogs in a fenced in area outside while her daughter was inside playing for fear that the dogs may turn, get off the chain and make their way into our home ultimately killing her daughter! Wow, these are dogs with amazing muscle mass not the Incredible Hulk on Crack!
My children love Justice and Lucky whole-heartedly and they have been discriminated against for owning such a breed by their peers. They have heard things like “One day you’re going to come home from school and see your mommy and daddy laying in a pool of blood because the pitbulls have killed them.” “Your family is weird. Why would your parents have a dog that kills?” “Are you psycho now that you own a pitbull? The dog is psycho so maybe they will suck out your brain cells and put in psycho brain cells” It is true, kids say the darndest things!
My children are very good, strong headed children that just over look these behaviours in others because they realize that everyone is afraid of things that they know nothing about.
My husband and I do not drink, not even socially, we don’t smoke, and we only go out together alone one night a year without our children. Our only bad habit is drinking way too much Tim Horton’s coffee. We are known quite well at a couple of the local Tim’s because of frequenting them approximately 4 times per day. In January, a staff member of one of the two Tim’s refused to serve us because we are Pitbull owners. She came to the window, seen Justice in the back seat of the van and Lucky in the middle of the two front seats. She said quite loudly “Oh no freaking way will I serve these people. I hate those dogs, no way will I serve them!” Needless to say, that location has lost our business and the business of a lot of people we have informed about this staff member.
We have even had a police officer in our home that felt the need to exaggerate, stretch the truth (to say it politely) and pull his gun on Lucky just because he is a “Pitbull” (in our home with our 4 children present in the home). Lucky was literally wagging his tail and standing on the hall steps staring at the officer. That’s it! No barking, no growling, no intension of attacking! The officer was only in our home for a matter of 5 minutes tops because of a neighbour issue. Nothing at all to do with violence, drugs, etc, etc.
No matter what anyone says, it’s not the breed, it’s the owner. It’s been proven, by my family. We have owned Pitbulls for the past 12 years and not once has there been a growl, a bark, a nip, a bite or an attack. Not on my family and not on anyone entering my home.
I thank God for giving us such a beautiful, loyal breed.
We remain the proudest Staffordshire Terrier owners,
The Kicksee Family |
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