Today will be one year since I adopted my sweet, cuddly Billy from BARC Shelter. I contemplated a month on whether Billy was the one who would accompany me and my other cat Shorty for years to come. Boy! Was I right. Billy is energetic, playful, athletic, and runs all over the apartment with bursts of energy. His favorite resting place is behind the couch, and at times he watches television with me particularly if it's a wildlife program. Billy is a wonderful addition to my whole family. Thank you BARC Staff and Volunteers for bringing my sweet, homeless Billy in from the streets--Vernon Joseph

I adopted Pepper from BARC in November 2007 when she was just 2 months old and about 8-9 lbs. These were taken when she was 6 months old. She has to be close to 50 lbs now. We love her SO much. She goes to the park every weekend and has lots of friends there. Except for work, she comes with us everywhere we go. She loves car rides and is great with people and kids and just LOVES other dogs. Pepper and Casanova (my kitty) are getting along ok. Pepper gets so excited and wants to play, but does not realize that he is way smaller. I think eventually they will work it out. I also included a picture of her about a week or so after we took her home. She was so tiny. Hope everyone at BARC is doing great. --Sharon

Hey BARC-I adopted Bee Bee (Louise) from your Kitten Carnival this July and she is the most wonderful addition to my family. When I got Bee she was only two months old and the tiniest thing I had ever seen. She is full grown now and my boyfriend and I absolutely are obsessed with her. She loves belly rubs and purrs like a motor boat. We are thinking of getting another cat so Bee will have a playmate and BARC will be where we go. Thank you so much!--Caitlin, Tim, and Bee Bee.

I adopted 2 shitzu's from BARC who were found in a box under the BQE expressway in April 2007. Here’s an update: they are doing so well and we LOVE them. The male we've renamed Babbo (seen in the photo) and the female Mona Lisa. They are the most loving animals. Babbo occasionally has a nightmare (he screams like a person), which unsettles us to no end but during his waking hours, he is in heaven. And Mona Lisa just can't get enough love. She is such a special creature, as I'm sure all of the creatures you have at BARC are. We have tickets to be in the Martha Stewart show audience -- yes, the dogs, too. I just wanted to let you know that you're two adoptees might get a shot on TV! Thanks for doing the good things in life. Best wishes--Meri Puccio

Dear BARC!--I didn't know what to expect when my husband and I went in to adopt a cat. However, the staff was sweet, helpful and chatty about any and everything including in depth information on the cats we liked! And we couldn't have asked for a better companion. We adopted Chastity, who we've since renamed Betty Page; after the infamous Queen of Pin Up's from the 1950's. Our Betty is THE Queen! She wasn't scared at all when we took her home and adjusted within minutes! Now she roams about the house like she owns it! Not only that but she's the most lovable and good tempered cat I've ever met! She's a cuddler and more times than not, she'll be passed out in the same position as my hubby which is the cutest thing imaginable! They are my two lazy-bones! Thanks BARC for letting us adopt a cat and for gaining an irreplaceable addition to our family!—Gem Martins

When we first came to BARC, we were charmed by the wide array of cute kittens giving their best come-hither mews. But the one who really got our attention was the chubby lump by the door. Despite the warnings of his feistiness and penchant for bites, we knew that he was the one for us. Ever since coming into our home in September, Meatballs (Catzilla at BARC ) has been a chubby, snuggly, and bitey lump of joy. He sleeps with us at night, and greets us at the door when we arrive home from work. He's even starting to shed some pounds! Thanks to BARC for introducing our little fatso into our lives - we couldn't love him more!

My boyfriend Marshall and I just moved to Brooklyn in the beginning of June and Marshall came complete with a large Great Dane female puppy, Liberty. At the time Liberty was 6 months old and we decided she needed a playmate. We went to BARC and checked out some dogs. We actually walked right past Ralph's crate - he was the first one as you came in - and didn't see him, he is all black and blended right in. Only after standing inside and looking around did I see his cute little panting face. He is a pitbull, chow chow, lab mix. Ralph is an interesting name for a dog, but once you see his face and spend five minutes with him, you understand that it is an absolutely perfect fit. He is somewhere between 1 and 2. I really don't think it's possible to have found a better dog. He is hands down, the most affectionate dog but he also listens incredibly well. While Liberty was already trained, and knew commands - Ralph took awhile to pick up on the actual words, but he knows body language and body motions. He loves to get up on his hind legs and get as close to you as he possibly can. If you say his name excitedly he goes nuts trying to get as much affection as he can. He is super friendly and loves everyone he meets. And he and Liberty are the best of friends. They lay together, lick each other's faces, and play tug of war everyday. Ralph walks right alongside us on walks and plays very well with any dog at any dog park. Ralph is my first dog and I could not have asked for a better one. He always stays at my side, especially if he can sense that I am sad or upset. And every morning when Marshall leaves for work, he climbs right up and sleeps with me. Every so often my boyfriend and I look at one another and wonder, who could ever give up such an amazing animal. We are never letting Ralph go, and he wouldn't want it any other way.-Mallorie Carrington

I want to thank you for rescuing and caring for Bruce (once called Pilar), before letting me take him home. He loves to steal necklaces and carry them around, to look out the window at pigeons, and to push small objects off tabletops (gravity's a surprise every time!). For a ten-year-old, he's remarkably spry, though comically clumsy. He's affectionate, gentle, and has slept next to me with his head on the pillow since his first night in my apartment. Thanks again, BARC. - Liz Goodfellow

Dear BARC-Hendrix (previously known as Rudy) and I just wanted to thank you for bringing us together! Hendrix immediately adjusted to his new home. he enjoys sitting in my lap and sleeping by my side at night. I was told when he first arrived at BARC that he weighed 14 lbs and now weighs 21 lbs but you will be pleased to know that he and I have been running around a lot! His favorite toy is a balled up piece of tissue paper and he loves randomly breaking out into a sprint and running up and down the hallways. We are so happy, and thank you again! Best-Hendrix and Scarlet

I just wanted to thank you because I found my dog, Dexter, in Williamsburg around seven years agoHe used to hang out under the bridge with the guys that worked there. I found him on a Sunday night in November and he seemed cold and like he didn't live anywhere. My friend brought him over to BARC that night and someone there knew him and took care of him. At any rate, he's the sweetest dog and he is loved by many people. We moved to California in 2001. He goes for a hike in Bronson Canyon every day with me. He's asleep on the couch right now. I love him dearly and I wanted to thank you for taking care of him. Thanks - Eve Fowler

Some BARC animals spend months or even years at the shelter because they are shy, feisty or just seem to get overlooked. Yet they often make excellent pets when given a chance to thrive in a loving home. Here’s one example:
Dear BARC - We wanted to thank you for connecting us with a wonderful cat. We adopted Bessie (aka Swat) about 10 months ago. She was a little shy and defensive at first, but she has since become a loving, affectionate pet. We were a little concerned when we adopted her, since she was about 7 years old and had been at the shelter for over 4 years. We weren't sure she'd ever really open up and let her guard down, but within a week she was completely at home. It's a true testament to how well you care for your animals that she could be so sweet and friendly after such a long time. Bessie loves food and sleep more than anything, but she also loves meeting new people (except the cable guy, for some reason). She spends a lot of time on Daddy's chest or on Mommy's lap. She takes excellent care of her family. We really love her and are truly blessed that she's come into our lives. Thank you so much, for bringing Bessie to us. - Maggie and David

A few years ago, I started volunteering at BARC because I have always had a deep passion for helping homeless pets. At the time you had a brindle pit bull named Roland, who was around 3-4 years old and who had been returned to BARC after his owner couldn't care for him. I immediately fell in love with him and jumped through hoops to find a new apartment that would accept him. Needless to say, I found one so I could adopt him. Now, we are now living in Utah with a fenced yard to die for and he spends every sunny moment he can belly up sun bathing with his min- pin brother BJ and yorkie sister, Brooklyn. I am married now with a husband who never knew he would love a pit bull. He was under the impression that pits were mean and aggressive. Roland has not only brought to light the beauty of adoption but has highlighted the misconception that pit bulls are difficult and mean. Needless to say the bed gets mighty crowded at bedtime with 3 dogs, but we wouldn't> change it for the world, and I know Roland wouldn't either!!! Tthank you for giving me the the greatest gift of all. - Nicole, Jared, Roland, BJ, and Brooklyn.

We wasted too, too many hours searching the internet for the perfect purebred. Then, in May of 2007, we finally came to our senses and decided to check out the dogs available for adoption at BARC. Once inside, we immediately locked eyes with a handsome 11 month old who went by the name of Clark. Trigger, as he is now known, is quite possibly the awesomest dog on the planet. Since his adoption, he's graduated from obedience class, enjoyed the sights on two long distance roadtrips, fallen in love with the parrot on Driggs, and broken the hearts of countless Williamsburg residents with his devastating good looks. He learns something new everyday and gives us just as much love as we give him. Thanks to everyone at BARC. We can't imagine our lives without him. - Nichol and Michael. P.S. Keep up with Trigger's adventures.

To the Great Folks at BARC,
We wanted to send a Happy Tail about our sweet and wonderful dog, Lola Prefontaine ("Lola"), who was known as Mama Debbie at BARC. Lola was a stray found somewhere in Brooklyn and brought to BARC by some nice people. When we met her in August, she was very thin, and probably had recently given birth. Despite her trying circumstances, she wagged her tail, gave us a kiss on the hand and was eager to meet us. Thanks to the great people at BARC and Dr. Felton, Lola started putting on some weight and got healthier. After taking her on a walk and spending time with her, we adopted Lola on August 11, 2007. The first picture was taken the day after we adopted her. She had a skin condition then, but it has cleared up nicely.

Lola has adjusted so well to her new home. She loves playing with, chewing on, and disemboweling her toys, and somehow knows to leave our shoes, furniture, and things alone. She especially LOVES to socialize and greet neighbors and dogs when we take her for walks and to the dog park. At the dog park, Lola likes to run FAST, just like Prefontaine, and is happiest when being chased (typical girl). Because of her sweet personality, we have met lots of nice dog owners and dogs who live in our building and have met neighbors who now know Lola by name and some even expect kisses from her. Lately, Lola has taken to cuddling with us for naps, and although she doesn't bark much, she likes to let us know when she needs more belly rubbing with a quick "wolf!". We started taking Lola and ourselves for dog training classes and she has been a fast learner. She has learned her name, and how to walk well on her leash and knows a few commands. Lola has brought a lot of happiness to our lives, and we feel lucky to have her. Thank you BARC for taking good care of our girl and introducing her to us! -- Gareth & Geralyn

Hi there!!
Just wanted to let you know that Luke now called Henry is doing great in his new home! Inside the house, he loves to throw his toys up in the air and chase them or to just plop himself down in a lap to take a nap. He LOVES going to the dog park and already has a best friend there. He is almost fully housebroken, with just an occasional accident here and there. He is just doing great! Thank you BARC!! - Amanda

Dear Barc,
This is a story about a cat named Magic (aka. Hope), who transformed me from an indifferent, cat tolerator to a full-blown cat daddy of two. I've loved animals my whole life but never had a pet and somehow never imagined the possibility as an adult until November, 2006. I came to BARC to check out dogs, but my friend persuaded me to visit the cat loft, where I was taken by a young cat who seemed very exploratory and active. Upon closer inspection, it turned out she had no eyes. (I couldn’t quite believe it, so I had to ask.) I went home alone but smitten.

BARC wasn’t open the next day, Monday, so I started to panic that someone might come in and snatch her on Tuesday morning before I could get there. That wasn’t the case, and I did indeed bring her home. My boyfriend and I often forget that she is blind, as she will look right at you most of the time, and has no problem getting in the middle of whatever is going on in the room. Then again, she bumps into things and stares at the wall, but she knows her way around and gets faster and smarter every day. She loves rattling balls, the sound of running water, crackly plastic bags and she has even grown to like the friend we brought home for her to play with. Thank you BARC for making sure this very special girl was taken care of so I could find her. - Adam

Hi Everybody at BARC!

Thank you for taking such good care of me and giving me a second chance at life! I’m happy with my new family and I’m the most handsome dog on the block! – Love Blue

Dear Barc:
Thanks so much for giving me the best pet of my life! Three years ago I went into BARC hoping to adopt a kitten. I came across an adorable tabby who's origins are still a bit of a mystery. He was a lone kitten without any litter mates and he was a little guy, probably only 8-10 weeks old. The woman showing me the cats told me "You wouldn't know it now, because he's sleeping, but he's the most rambunctious kitten we have." I looked in on the little guy, who hadn't even been named, he was only a number. I picked him up and held him close to my chest and he looked up at me and dug his little kitten claws into my shirt and i was just in love!!!

The next day I brought home the first pet of my own to my first real apartment. After a bit of debate I named him Yuma. He slept the first night in my bed under the covers in between my boyfriend and I. Since then he has proved to be a very strong, loving, especially rambunctious cat, growing from just under 2 pounds to a wopping 12! He's a very happy cat and still loves to sleep in Mommy's bed. He greets me at the door, is a catnip addict and loves to play with his toys. He's my best friend and has gotten me through college, breakups, and all the other twists and turns life throws at you. Everyone should adopt a pet from Barc, it will change your life!! - Carolyn Thompson

Hi BARC family! We wanted to send you the first Happy Tail of many about Cinder the pit bull mix (known as DIMA while at BARC), who we adopted in April, 2007. We met Dima back in early March 07. We'd desperately wanted to adopt a dog, and the timing was just about right. We went to BARC just to meet some of the dogs and feel things out. Like most of the dogs, Dima was jumping up against the door of his kennel when we entered the dog room, but he was also happily wagging his tail and trying to lick our hands, so we decided to take him out for a stroll. We loved him right off the bat, but hesitated because we knew nothing about pit bulls and had travel planned for coming weeks. After leaving BARC that day, Dima was constantly on our minds. We did research on the breed, and kept talking it over. Eventually, we assumed he'd surely been adopted by someone else. Who could resist him? But we still pined after him and saw his name on the BARC website! He was still there! That Saturday we headed to BARC, reunited with Dima for an hour, then adopted him. We took a long walk home that day, and could see in his eyes that he knew he was coming home to live with us.

Cinder is adjusting to his new life and environment here in Fort Greene. We are currently enrolled in obedience training, and he is responding very well! He is eager to learn and please, though sometimes his pup/teen mischievousness gets the better of him! Cinder is such a friendly dog, he absolutely LOVES to run and socialize at Fort Greene Park . He's very gentle with little dogs, and the other day he even allowed a puppy to pick up his leash and lead him around! Very cute. When not babysitting at the park, Cinder runs faster than all the other dogs, leaping over their heads when they get in his way, and leaving a dust trail behind him. When Cinder is thinking about obeying a new command he's learned, he likes to suck in one of his soft jowelly lips for a minute and mull out his options. The other week, Jeremy lost a $10 dollar bill on the street, and later that night while out on a walk, Cinder casually found it and deposited it in Jeremy's hand! He's just amazing. He loves apples, hot dogs and the occasional cherry blossom that he'll slurp up off the sidewalk, and we love him! Thank you for caring for Cinder, and for bringing him into our lives. —Daphne & Jeremy

When we first met Udo (aka ROXIE), he was upside-down in his cage, stretching, playing with an invisible ball of yarn and generally acting more monkey than kitty. Sadly, when he first got home, he darted behind the only cast-iron bars in the house, quivering for two agonizing weeks between there and a little closet we have. (Advice to new shelter cat owners: introduce your kitties very gradually to you new surroundings!) And then, one brilliant day, the clouds cleared: he ate a Pounce! snack. Then he wrestled with Gretel, his tortoiseshell sister, bringing out her inner imp! They at first howled a bit, but then one day, I caught him with his arm around her and snapped a photo. Even though we have had him for over a year, he’s still very much the spirited boy, often doing a wide-eyed impression of a flying rug with all his legs splayed out perfectly straight. As you can tell from the picture he's still figuring gravity out. —Jennifer Fieber and Edward Crouse

Dear BARC —This is our happy ending story. I wanted a kitty, BAD. My boyfriend promised to get me one for Christmas 2005. By March 2006 I decided enough was enough and dragged him down to BARC on a Sunday afternoon. I wasn't convinced that today was the day we would add to our family but we had to start somewhere. There were 2 kittens in there that day, one was already spoken for. We met the other guy, he was known then as JIM CAREY. He was a feral kitten who was caught by one of the BARC staff and he was supposed to be a catch, fix and release with his ear clipped. He had other ideas, something about warm beds and food provided.

We brought him home and he proceeded to hide for the first 4 weeks in our bedroom. At night I would hear him eat and moving around, but if I moved he would go back into hiding. I spent hours crawled half way under my bed begging him to love me. Somewhere around 3 weeks I came to the acceptance that I wanted a cat and if that meant I was going to have a cat living under my bed for the next 17 years or so than so be it. He was slowly starting to stick his nose out from time to time when I made my routine overtures to him but he was months away from full integration. We have a 10 year old pound dog we moved from Arizona with and finally we decided to let her into the room with him. The minute Xena walked into the room he came out. It was literally a case where as soon as he saw another four legged animal he was alright with us and willing to give us a chance too.

He now goes by Flip Chazwick and he is ruler of the roost. We are fortunate enough to have a yard with trees which he likes to climb and he loves to spend his summer afternoons up there. When he is outside he likes to pretend like he is still a feral wild man but get him inside and he will let anyone pick him up, carry him around, whatever. He also LOVES kisses, giving them and getting them. Thank you BARC for making it possible for little mister precious to come into our lives. —Rachel Rumann

Hello BARC—Thank you so much for bringing us Miles (aka Toni Morrison). She's been the greatest addition to our home. She's like a little whirlwind of playfulness and affection all rolled into one. Since practically the first day we brought her home from BARC, she's been such a sweet and loving pet...she comes running whenever we call her name! She loves to cuddle with us at night, and she's ready to play anytime during the day. One of her favorite toys are paper bag handles. Here she is on one of her favorite perches, right on top of the fish tank! She loves to lean over and watch the fish all day long. Thanks for such a wonderful companion! —M.Qi

I wanted to thank BARC Shelter for letting me adopt Dumbo (was known as TONY). He is a loving, playful, and the most well mannered dog, I have ever seen. He has completely changed my life around. I am so happy to come home to someone who is waiting so anxiously for me, jumping on me, licking my face, running around the house in excitement to show how much he missed me all day. Thank you so much! Soon I will bring him back to you guys to visit with everyone who took care of him before he he got to me. And I am sorry, but I cut his rockstar hair off his face, I wanted to see his beautiful eyes!

MOJAVE the feral, little, grey-and-white kitten that we adopted is already at home here. She goes in all the rooms of our apartment and plays with our cat Larry, who is 5 years old. She loves playing with cat balls and feathers with us! She is shy and a little jumpy but she is doing great. She eats well and uses her litter box. Thanks for your help. She is a wonderful pet!

OWL and PACINO were adopted from BARC a few months ago by a man willing to take on a challenge. Owl was a senior cat who had been originally adopted from BARC as a kitten and then returned 10 years later. Needless to say, she was very upset to be back in the shelter and was quite grumpy toward visitors. Pacino, was a long-time cat loft resident who was very fearful of people and had problems with compulsively scratching his neck, until it bled. I am writing to thank you for the great joy you guys brought to our lives. Now, thanks to a person willing to give them a 2nd chance, they are happily living together in a new, loving home. He reports that Pacino still hides from people at times, but he gets along fine with Owl. She is very happy to have a home again, and has settled right in.

Finally, a happy tails picture! Here are our little "Chinese Boys" both of which were supposed to be foster children. They have taken over our house, our lives and our hearts. I'm also enclosing a picture of their sister Boo, who they love very much!

My boyfriend Eric and I moved to New York two years ago, and his allergies prevented us from having pets. After spending my whole life with cats in the family, it was hard to adjust to an apartment without a cat — it didn’t feel like a home. Over the holiday season last year, Eric suggested we go to BARC to find a kitty. He promised to start taking allergy medication; he could tell that our home was missing somebody. We visited the kitties at BARC several times and didn’t quite find the perfect fit. On our third visit (Christmas eve), as we were getting ready to leave empty-handed one more time, we spied a big old handsome cat curled up in the back of his cage. We hadn’t met EDISON before then, but as soon as we opened the door to greet him, we knew he was our buddy. That evening we brought him to the apartment, and it has felt like a real home ever since. We frequently marvel at how lucky we were to have found the perfect buddy. This Christmas we celebrated Edison’s first anniversary as a member of our family, and we don’t know what we would do without him. We're so grateful to BARC to have introduced us. —Sarah & Eric