Four who need your special help

Maizee

Maizee is a 6-pound, tabby at The Animal League of Green Valley who still loves to chase furry mice, bouncy balls, and those twist ties left over from bread bags. She never thought that at 17 she’d be looking for a home, but things don’t always turn out the way we planned!

Maizee’s mom just went to a nursing home, and the word is that she’s not going to be coming home, so her dad had to make some really tough decisions on what to do with Maizee. It turns out that he felt that she would do better in another home, despite her “advanced years,” which are very deceiving because Maizee is what has been referred to as a real “hoot” - talkative, interactive, and playful.

We’re hoping that a kind-hearted person or older family in Green Valley will identify with Maizee and give her a home where she can spend the rest of her golden years. She is in superb health for her age (being slim always helps!) and has lots more love and cuddling left to share. She just needs someone to give her the chance.

Jet

It is Jet’s turn, too. He’s a young guy (less than 3 years old), but he has waited long enough to have his own home! Except for several months last year, he has been living at TALGV since June 2006 when he was only 5 weeks old. There is absolutely no known reason why he has not been adopted. He’s just not one of those who struts their personality every time someone walks into the cat room.

Jet has a sleek, black coat, and bright, beautiful eyes. Living at TALGV, he is used to having lots of people and cats around for part of the day, and then sharing time and space with the other cats for the rest of the day, so he should do well in a home with another cat. Right now, he’s just patiently waiting for a loving family to take him home to be a special part of their lives.

Shep

If you’re a person who loves German shepherds, Shep’s story will touch your heart. Although he has a lot of special needs, he is still, at 5 to 7 years old, a magnificent example of his breed.

Shep was found at a bus stop in Sahuarita. It is obvious that he had belonged to someone, because he has been very well fed (actually, too well fed), and weighs in at 101 pounds. After the vet checked him over, he said Shep has keratitis in both eyes (things look sort of blurry to him), partial deafness, and hip dysplasia. Despite all those “drawbacks,” everyone at TALGV is hoping to find a kind-hearted, shepherd lover who will take him home and help him weather the loss of his people, cope with his physical needs and enjoy the few more years of living the comfortable life that are available to him with proper care.

We know that there are people out there who have a special place in their hearts for guys like Shep, so we have fingers, toes, claws, and paws crossed that one of you decides to give Shep the chance that he deserves.

Shar

This little girl is a sharpei mix, hence her name! She was abandoned all by herself at a wastewater treatment facility with no food or water. Lucky for her, a caring man from Sahuarita came along, scooped her up, and brought her to TALGV. Shar is only about 10 weeks old... young enough to still have wonderful “puppy breath” that everyone loves. She weighs 13 pounds now, so she’ll probably be a medium-sized dog when she’s full grown.

She does have one problem, though, and that’s her right hind leg that has been injured and healed out of alignment. It doesn’t bother her or keep her from being a happy-go-lucky, playful girl.

The vet thinks that we should take a “wait and see” attitude, and, if it becomes necessary, to make a decision on whether she can live with it for the rest of her life or should have it treated in some way (the folks here at TALGV will help).

But what really matters is that she is a charming, grateful, and energetic girl who, like the song says, “just wants to have fun!”

For more information about these and other lovable pets waiting for their own special home, contact The Animal League of Green Valley at 1600 W. Duval Mine Road, Sahuarita. Call 625-3170, or visit www.talgv.org. If you can spare a 3 or 4 hour block of time each week, please contact TALGV to find out about the many volunteer opportunities available.