Hi, my name is Maggie.  I'm a 3 year old Corgi-Dachshund mix, (a Cor-Dachle as my mom and dad call me...Dachle being German for Dachshund) who was adopted in 2005 when I was about 5 months old.  I had been neglected, was covered with fleas and ticks, and didn't have much to look forward to until I was rescued.  I was taken to an adoption fair and when everyone saw how cute I was, they all wanted me!  Fortunately, I got a good home, complete with a big sister Heidi, a German Shepherd who wasn't sure about sharing her house with me at first.  Now, we are best buddies and she looks out for me, including teaching me the rules and some manners (when I pay attention). 

After the first year or two, when I began to grow out of my puppyhood and calmed down a bit, I was given the chance to visit the residents of the local Nursing Center.  Everyone was amazed at how well behaved I was and how happy the residents were when they saw me coming.  You see, I'm a bit stubborn and independent.  At home I can be a real challenge, but I know when we go to the Nursing Center that I have a job to do...make people smile!  Now, we go every week and I feel sure they are always looking for me.  I sit in their laps so they can pet my soft hair, give them kisses and even take quick naps on their beds while mom does the talking.  Mom takes photos of me with my new friends and I've become quite the celebrity.  Who could have guessed that a forgotten little puppy would become a real therapy dog someday?

Last year at Halloween mom dressed me as a little devil since I had been pretty mischievious and wasn't very well behaved at times.  But, this Halloween mom dressed me as an angel and everyone agrees that I really am the perfect angel!  I finally earned my wings!

You may have seen my Bandit on the home page of Shelterkarma referred to as "the worlds happiest dog."Sadly,that was not always the case.Oh sure,everyone at the local SPCA where he lived adored him and worried about him. He had been there for seven long months,jumping and barking in his cage. He had been brought in by a loving owner that had lost her home. It was a sad situation.Because he is an older  pit mix,  has a knot in his tail,a gray face and kind of scraggly looking, no vistors wanted to even take a second look at him. I am a volunteer at the shelter and grieved over his situation. The year before, my husband had left me for another woman, my mother had died,and my life was in turmoil.  I also had two cats and an 18 year old dog named Nikki at home already.She was the love of my life,my soul mate.I was sure that I could not support another animal on my own.So Bandit became my "shelter dog," I took him on special lizard hunting detail and he was always with me at the end of the day cleaning the exercise yard.I knew something had to be done and decided  to mull over possibly adopting him over the next week.Sadly,my beautiful Nikki had to be put down that Saturday. The grief was unbearable,so many losses stacked one upon the other. I could not face the shelter the next week,but I worried about Bandit. Word had come to me that he was being transferred to our other shelter across town. He didn't know anyone there! His routine would be shattered! He would not know why! What if he slipped through the cracks and was deemed "unadoptable?" His life was so hard already,how could this happen ?! I had felt abandoned by people and even God so recently,how must HE feel? So,of course I went to the shelter on Halloween,less that a week after I lost Nikki and brought him home. He has helped me grieve, taught me to be more patient,makes me laugh a lot, and loves me unconditionally. I thought at first that it was too soon after losing Nikki,but as always,Gods timing is perfect. 

Lovely, petite Karma was napping in my driveway one afternoon when I returned home from work.  I assumed she was a neighbor's cat just visiting, but she never left.  She seemed to want affection more than food that first evening.  The next morning, she was still in the driveway, so I continued to talk to her and pet her.  Soon, I had named her and made her part of the family.  I didn't know she was pregnant and by the time I figured it out, well, it was fairly late in the game.  On August 4, 2001, she gave birth to three beautiful babies, two boys and one girl.  The kids still live with me and Karma is still the most wonderful girl. She's friendly and affectionate and playful.  It is partly because of her that this site was created.  I'll always owe her a lot for everything she's given me.  All she's ever wanted in return is love.  Well, that's easy enough!