Dear North Shore Animal League America,

We adopted a puppy from the Animal League last year, and we couldn't be happier with our dog. He is absolutely wonderful in every way, and we love him so much.

We adopted him from the mobile van when it came to Newton, Connecticut. When my son and I saw him, we just fell in love with him. He was only 8 weeks old, and we were told he was rescued from a kill shelter in Georgia. He was scrawny and scared.

Well, that little puppy, which we named Charlie, turned out to be a beautiful ridgeless Rhodesian Ridgeback with gorgeous markings and stunning eyes. We met two Ridgeback breeders in our area and they believe he is definitely a Ridgeback that was born without a ridge of hair along his spine. They say it's common for the breed but since it's considered an undesirable trait, breeders remove those puppies from the litter. We'll never know for sure, but maybe that's why he ended up at the kill shelter. He is just beautiful and his temperament is wonderful. He is so intelligent, sweet, and the most loyal dog we have ever known. We have enclosed photos for you to see.

Please thank your team for assisting us with the adoption. They helped us with every detail and explained exactly how to care for our puppy. They kindly assisted us with picking out a crate, bowls, pads, food and even a toy. They told us to begin paper training our dog as soon as we got home - we put him on the pad as they suggested and amazingly, it worked. With their technique, he was very easy to house-break. They also went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure we were knowledgeable and comfortable in caring for our puppy by providing us with written instructions. Their recommendation on the "Kong Toy" was a lifesaver. Charlie chewed and played with that toy often and he never once chewed the furniture or our shoes.

Charlie loves to take walks and is a big hit in our neighborhood - everyone loves him. People always come up to us and say he's so adorable. He has lots of buddies to play with everyday, and he has a special fondness for our neighbor's black Lab. The cutest thing about Charlie is that he wakes up happy every morning; his tail wags like crazy as if he hasn't seen you in ages. The kids sing "good morning" to him and he just goes crazy. He is a very special part of our family and certainly a perfect match for us. Thank you very much for Charlie and all the work you do!!!

Sincerely,

Tara & Family