She Adopts Many Dogs to Help Save Them All, Then Changes Her Habits

Chapman’s canine housemates all die. Faith wants her remaining dog to have relationships with other dogs. Plus, she wants to help save them all. Of course.

Buffy is chosen as a partner for Chapman. She’s the third try.

Best Friends Animal Society has effective procedures for introducing dogs to each other.

But for the third time, a new relationship doesn’t work.

Faith puts Buffy back in the car. The panting animal has to go back to Dog Town.

This experienced dog owner shakes her head. “I don’t understand Chapman. He got along with my other dogs.”

The sweet aroma of dog shampoo belies Buffy’s preparation for this introduction. Faith gives a short scratch behind a furry right ear.

Driving red dirt roads through pinion pine trees to Dog Town, Faith ponders this canine dilemma. Her modest home should be full of adopted pets.

She believes her purpose is helping Best Friends save them all. At home as well as work.

Indeed, her identity is the lady who saves dogs.

Lots of dogs.

Four years ago, her veterinarian son calls about a friend in need.

As a midwife, the friend has many families around. At 100 pounds (45kg), their dog Chapman is a horse to a small child. But the dog doesn’t relate well with children.

He needs a new home.

Faith decides to adopt this large beige/brown/black Akita mix. Then her son’s friend adopts a wonderful family dog who loves children and swimming.

Chapman, with beautiful brown eyes, enters Faith’s family of five dogs. He’s low dog in the pecking order. So he’s gentle and easily makes relationships with his new siblings.

Chapman is good natured, though not very obedient.

In three years, four of the six pets cross over the rainbow bridge. (Best Friends Animal Society phrase for animal deaths.) The remaining dogs notice their sibling’s absence, grieving as dogs do.

Faith grieves each loss, as well. True to her reserved British heritage, she’s matter-of-fact about dog deaths.

She’s not a sentimental person. Yet, when a relationship ends, Faith has private moments of memory and grief. A simple burial in Angels Rest Memorial Park on Best Friends Animal Sanctuary helps.

Each time, Faith’s passion to help save them all spurs her on to rescue more animals.

Chapman and Maggie, a cute cocker spaniel mix, are the last two dogs in Faith’s home. Old blonde/brown floppy-eared Maggie is now blind. She often bumps into Chapman, retreating when he growls.

They get along famously.

But in time, the delightful spaniel dies and is buried with her siblings. Faith grieves in her quiet way.

Chapman mopes around the house, also grieving the lost relationship.

Faith searches Best Friends adoption website. She chooses several hard-to-adopt special needs dogs.

But each introduction fails, with Buffy being the final attempt.

Old Chapman won’t start a new relationship. He seems to say, “I’m going to attack any new dogs invading my territory.”

If Chapman were younger, Faith would say, “I’m not taking any of your nonsense.” After all, Faith has over four decades experience integrating dogs together.

But this time is different. He won’t live much longer.

“OK, you old dog,” she says, scratching behind Chapman’s left ear. “I’ll change my habits. You can be my only dog.”

A few days later, Faith eats lunch at Best Friends Angel Village Cafe. The daily $5 box lunch entices employees and volunteers with smells of delicious food.

“I have my first solo dog,” she tells a friend over scrumptious vegetarian lasagna. “My dog Chapman has become difficult and won’t make relationships with new dogs anymore. I have to go solo.”

“That’s must be a big change for you, Faith. We need more people adopting difficult dogs. Now you became a solo dog parent by accident!”

“It feels strange. But it’s the right thing to do. For now.”

Chapman lives another year, then dies at age 13—quite old for a large dog. With good memories and a moment of grief, Faith places him with his blue collar beneath the red dirt in Best Friends Angels Rest Memorial Park.

Burying another dog isn’t easy. But this isn’t about her; it’s about the dogs.

She ponders her next efforts to help save them all. Faith decides to foster hospice dogs. She will care for several special dogs in their final season.

But the universe has other plans.

“I wish you could adopt Shade. We have to rehome him, Faith. We love him, but he can’t live with us. He tries to kill my son’s dog and attacks cats. Oh, and he bites people.”

Faith responds with wide eyes, “That’s the trifecta! Not good for your family.”

Since the challenging ten-year-old dog is unlikely to be adopted by anyone else, Faith chooses him.

“OK, Mandy. It’s sad some animals–thru no fault of their own–can’t live with others. Yet, each deserves love and a good life.

I’ll adopt Shade.”

The border collie mix moves in with Faith and gains a more suitable home for his temperament. In time, their relationship will complete Faith’s adoption habit change.

“Shade,” Faith calls on their frequent walks. The beautiful soft pewter-colored dog with wagging white tip tail races to her side. This 35-pound (16kg) canine even obeys when rabbits and deer distract.

Shade’s previous training makes their relationship easy.

At night, her five-year relationship with Shade causes a mind-shift in her personal adoption practices.

She used to adopt many canines at once. Now she sees herself as an adoptive parent of one difficult dog at a time.

A difficult dog like Shade.

Adopting special needs solo dogs is Faith’s new identity.

One day at Angel Village Cafe, a friend asks, “Do you miss having a house full of dogs?”

“Sometimes, but I have a new focus in rescuing dogs.”

“A new focus?”

“It’s hard to find dog-savvy people to care for just one special needs dog. But every pet needs a home.

“Most people want to save lots of dogs, cats, bunnies and horses—if they have room. New  dog owners start with one dog, but special needs dogs are not the right fit for them.

“I learned that the hard way, years ago.”

In 1978, she lives in Arizona with a few rescue dogs. It’s six years before she helps found Best Friends Animal Society.

Visiting the Yavapai Humane Society in Prescott begins a hard-earned lesson. A 100 pound (45kg) black and tan bloodhound captures Faith’s attention.

The blue card on the cage reads:  “Name: Brunhilda. Breed:  Bloodhound.  Notes: Attacks small animals”

Faith tries to reconcile this dog’s attraction with the card’s warning. Soon, she formulates a logical, if naive, answer.

“I have small animals. But look at this magnificent dog. I’ll train her to get along with others. I can handle this. I’m a dog person!”

But this new canine attacks Faith’s dogs and chases the cats. Brunhilda is a fierce hunter through and through.

The card is correct. Faith is wrong.

After struggling with Brunhilda’s invasion for a few days, Faith calls the shelter.

“I’m not sure I did the right thing adopting Brunhilda.”

“Oh, Faith,” the desperate shelter caretaker encourages. “If you can’t handle her, nobody can.”

Faith looks at the unfortunate dog. She feels the weight of this huge canine’s life on her shoulders.

Somebody needs to save this dog. If not her, then what will happen to Brunhilda?

“Alright. I’ll keep her.”

Faith creates a managed household. Though not a carpenter, she puts 2 x 4’s and plywood together with a few nails. Most of the animals fearfully cower from her loud banging.

When Faith finishes, the dogs and cats investigate their new walls. Brunhilda checks out her side of the segregation.

Before long, the small dogs gain a safe separate outdoor play area.

Decades later, Faith sums up this learning experience. “A wise person would say, ‘Oh, it says this massive creature attacks small animals. I have small animals. Not a good mix!”

This hard-earned lesson influences Faith’s 40 years helping Best Friends Animal Society save them all.

The Society now has resources for rehoming special needs pets.

Then lymphoma takes Shade over the rainbow bridge. Once again, a few friends gather with Faith at Best Friends Angels Rest Memorial Park. They bury Shade’s body while sharing memorable dog stories.

Later, Faith sits in her empty house thinking of recent pets. Memories flow with feelings of gratitude and a dull ache of grief.

Then she gets up and prepares her home for another rescue dog relationship.

“I can adopt a solo dog whom nobody else will take,” Faith tells a Best Friends Animal Sanctuary employee.

“The solo list is long, Faith. Thanks for giving one a forever home.”

Penny catches Faith’s attention. This 60-pound (27kg) pure bred Brindle Pit Bull has a huge head and big eyes. Plus a squat compact brindle-furred body.

Alan and Elaine volunteer at the New Jersey shelter. They’re concerned for Penny’s life. Misguided practices put dogs like this to death.

But Alan and Elaine believe in Best Friends Animal Society’s Together We Can Save Them All® campaign. In fact, the couple flies to Utah every year and volunteers for a week at the sanctuary.

They call to see about the dog’s transfer to the sanctuary where his life won’t be in danger. A video is sent showing Penny interacting well with people and dogs.

At Best Friends, Penny joins other dogs in a spacious pen. Then she begins her socialization toward adoption.

Eventually, Penny becomes an office dog, interacting well with people. Once, she becomes overly protective of the staff person and nips at someone entering the office.

This goes in her record.

Over the years, Penny begins to manifest aggression toward other dogs. She is passed over in many adoptions. It seems Best Friends will be her home for life.

Faith notes Penny, like Shade, has developed the trifecta. First, he’s not good with other dogs. Second, her high prey-drive is bad for cats. Third, her history shows the people-nipping incident.

After reviewing Penny’s difficult history, Faith makes her newest adoption choice.

Faith calls her friends across the country. “Alan and Elaine, I have good news. Remember the Brindle Pit Bull from the drug bust six years ago?”

“The one we transferred to the sanctuary?”

“Yes. She has a new adopted home. My dog Shade died. And I’m adopting Penny.”

“That’s wonderful! We were afraid no one would adopt her, so the sanctuary was her  best hope for living a happy life. And now she has a real home!”

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary keeps meticulous notes on their animals. Thus, Penny comes with instructions. “Keep on leash and away from other animals.”

Faith believes the notes. Her lesson from Brunhilda keeps her from saying, “This dog will change. I can handle this. I’m a dog person.”

Faith provides a calm house away from dogs, cats and aggressive people. Thus, Penny doesn’t get stressed and past negative behaviors don’t emerge.

Faith and Penny have a mutually-beneficial relationship.

Living at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Faith arranges use of a fenced-in dog park. On Sunday and Thursday evenings, Penny runs off-leash all by herself.

Soon, Penny will have her first winter with Faith. Since pit bulls have little hair, Faith orders a red coat to keep her companion warm.

Faith wonders what Penny will think about getting dressed up to go out.

“At the Dog Town staff meeting, someone says, ‘I wish we could find people to adopt just one difficult dog. Everyone agrees.

“But I’m shouting in my mind, ‘I know one!’ Thinking of you, Faith.”

Faith nibbles at a fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie.

“I like giving this unique service to one dog at a time. Penny is getting older and will die. I hope I’m physically able to adopt another difficult dog.”

“We hope so, too,” a local weekly volunteer chimes in. “You’ve been saving dogs for years. I can’t imagine you stopping relationships with dogs any time soon.”

“I don’t want to stop, but I’ve been thinking. I’m not going to have too many animals. As I get older, due to health or death, I won’t abandon a bunch of animals onto other people.

“I don’t want my children saying, ‘Mother died, now what do we do with all these animals?’”

Faith wants to help save them all. Thus, she loves a house full of rescue dogs.

But a dog’s welfare always comes first.

Looking back on her life, she marvels how she’s changed in relationship with dogs. Her mind shift is complete and her identity evolved.

“I like it,” Faith ponders. “It’s a strange journey from lots of dogs to one. Often it’s the other way around. You start with one and keep adopting more.

“I started out with many and now have a solo dog. But this feels right.”

Faith notices the setting sun as a breeze cools us off. She thinks about her current canine relationship.

“I better get going. I have to take Penny for a walk before dark.”

By day, Faith works at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary helping the Together We Can Save Them All® campaign.

At night, she goes home and saves this special one.

INSPIRE SOMEONE TODAY: SHARE FAITH’S STORY

She helped found Best Friends Animal Society in 1984. While others built roads and buildings, Faith mostly cared for animals.

Now Faith is a sanctuary consultant in animal care, the clinic and adoption. She also helps people starting sanctuaries and animal-care programs around the world.

Faith was born in England and has a fine art degree. She has three children. Her animal care articles are found in Best Friends Magazine and other publications.

Founded in 1984, Best Friends has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters nationwide form an estimated 17 million per year to around 625,000. Determined to bring the country to no-kill by the year 2025, Best Friends and its nationwide network of members and partners are working to Save Them All®.

The society provides adoption, spay/neuter and educational programs nationwide; manages the Best Friends Network, (thousands of animal welfare organizations working toward no-kill); and publishes Best Friends Magazine.

The nation’s largest no-kill companion animal sanctuary is operated by the society. The 3,700 acre Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is located north of Kanab in southern Utah. Around 1,600 dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, potbellied pigs, horses, goats, guinea pigs and other animals live there. Some special needs animals reside there for life. But most are prepared for adoption. (860 are ready now!)

Visiting and touring the sanctuary is an inspiring experience. 30,000 visit yearly. Sign up ahead to volunteer  (socializing puppies at Puppy Preschool fills early).

If you love animals and want to help save them all, become a member.

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