Sponsoring an Animal in Need

My heart always goes out to animals in need. I'm not rich and I don't have the space to foster another animals in the little zoo I run at my house. But I feel like I can't sit idlely by and do nothing. After reading the book Best Friends: The True Story of the World's Most Beloved Animal Sanctuary by Samantha Glen and visiting their website -- www.bestfriends.org -- I decided to sponsor one of their dogs. We're suckers for spots in this house so we chose Allegro:

His description read:
"Can you love me even if I'm shy?"
Allegro seems like he was born a timid guy. He came from Los Angeles, where the local shelter couldn't find him a home. And sometimes he seems like he's resigned himself to being overlooked while the more outgoing dogs get picked. But he's a sensitive, well-behaved boy! He's fully housetrained, he's affectionate, and just about never barks. He loves being taken on walks (and is always super-well-behaved on them) and is so appreciative if you give him a belly rub. He's curious about the world around him and wishes he had a friend. He's six years old and 50 pounds.
Do you think you could be friends with a shy guy?

Today we got great news about Allegro from Best Friends:
"Wonderful news! Allegro the dog has been adopted. A lady in Arizona fell for him, and decided he was a match for her family. He's just joined them, and is settling in well. He has a new dog girlfriend, and cats to play with, and is learning the joys of a forever home. We're so happy for him! As Allegro's sponsor, you know he was a bit shy, which meant he didn't always show his best side to visitors. With time and gentle handling, he came a long ways here at Best Friends. However, he still needed to find someone who would understand his quiet nature, and be able to offer lots of love and patience. And it finally happened! Your support meant he was able to have great care and stay here for as long as he needed. Allegro thanks you for being such a great friend."

They allowed me to transfer my sponsorship to a new animal since I had only recently started sponsoring. We went back searching through their list and just had to choose Jake:

His description reads:
Jake is afraid you might find his photo "ordinary". He knows he's not the most 'different-looking' dog you've ever seen. But please -- read on! Jake is the easiest dog in the world to take care of. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body, and won't give you any trouble with other dogs, with cats, or with anyone. In fact, he's delighted to be around lots of other dogs. He's also housetrained, and in perfect health. However...Jake is rather shy. He's so shy that some trial adoptions haven't worked out because the people reported he just wouldn't interact with them enough. But he does make progress -- it's just slow, and he needs patience. The more he gets moved from one place to another, the harder it is for him to learn how to get close to somebody. But he's always gentle and soft with everybody, and never causes any trouble. Jake just needs somebody who can give him the time and teach him how to be close. He promises he's worth the effort. He's just never had a real chance to learn what 'home' means. You could change his life by giving him a chance!

It seems we have a soft spot for the shy guys. We'll hope that this Jake will find a new home that fits him well soon. Until then we know he's safe at Best Friends!