(708)301-1594 
Open 11 am-4 pm Tuesday through Saturday Closed Sunday and Monday webmistress                   |
By Kelly James-Enger, special to the Herald News (photos by Liz Wilkinson-Allen/Staff Photographer)
Looking for a pet?
Each year, between 300 and 350 animals wind up at the Tender Loving Care Animal Shelter in Lockport, according to shelter coordinator Jeanine Carter. And they all need good homes. In Shorewood, the Will County Humane Society Shelter houses more than 500 animals every year. "Our turnover is pretty quick," says Larry Ringbauer, director of the Will County shelter. "Pup pies and kittens are usually adopted fairly quickly." But what about the older animals? Or the ones that have been abused, or have health problems? They can live at shelters for months or even years before someone takes them home. (Both the Will County shelter and TLC shelter in Lockport are "no-kill" shelters, which means that animals live at the shelter until they are adopted.) For some families, though, those supposedly "unwanted" animals have become special family pets.
Where good dogs go
"I've had pets all my life," says Sandi O'Brien of Homer Township. Sandi and her husband, Parnell, have three dogs that were all adopted from TLC animal shelter in Lockport.
"I try to adopt middle-aged dogs or older because they're usually picked last," says Sandi O'Brien. "I look for ones that I think will be overlooked because they're older or have a disability." Still, the most unique member of the family has to be Nita, a hedgehog. O'Brien learned about Nita on one of her frequent visits to the shelter. "She'd been brought to the shelter and it was discovered that her leg was gangrenous," she says. "After it was amputated, they couldn't find anyone to take her." But O'Brien, who says she's always willing to try something new, brought the little three-legged hedgehog home. Since she'd never had a hedgehog before, she used the Internet to leam more her new pet's diet. "Hedgehogs are insectivores and Nita eats mostly mealworms," says O'Brien.And how are the dogs handling this odd-looking addition to the family?
O'Brien says that basset hound Max, schipperke Kipper, collie Tess, and the two guinea pigs have all adjusted well to having Nita around. O'Brien admits that she has a soft spot in her heart for fourlegged creatures.
"I like to think of our home as a sort of retirement home for animals," she says. "Some have had hard times earlier in their lives and living here is their reward.
"I have a spouse who has allowed me to retire, and I'm home during the day," she says. "We don't have children, so the dogs and the rest of the little beasties are my family," she says. "I like taking care of things."
A full house
Lemont resident Robin Coltman is a busy woman. She has five children: Jackson, 21; Richie, 14; Jenna, 6; Rachel, 5; and Joe, 2. And three dogs. And three cats.
The family has added to its menagerie over the years. They adopted Snowflake, a cat, back in November, 1995. Then last summer, her daughters Jenna and Rachel saw a pair of kittens at the Will County Humane shelter and immediately fell in love.
"I told them to ask their father, says Coltman. "I never dreamed he'd say yes, but he did. The kittens came home and joined the rest of the Coltman family, which includes a Bouvier des Flandres, a collie, and the newest addition to the family, a sheltie that had been rescued from a puppy mill. "We got him the day before the Superbowi, so we named him Elway," explains Coltman.
"With as many kids as I have, it's constant pandemonium," admits Coltman, "but I think having pets teaches children responsibility and compassion for animals." Coltman also volunteers at TLC and recently sponsored a raffle that raised $3,000 for the shelter.
Angels ready to love
"My little white angel" is how Annie Coleman of Lemont refers to her poodle, Baby."My husband was a real animal lover, and he brought home a black poodle from TLC one day," says Coleman. "At the time, we already had eight cats." Coleman's husband died shortly afterward, and his dog outlived him by 14 years. But after the little dog died, she wanted another black poodle. She planned to name it "Baby". Nearly six years ago, Coleman received a phone call from the TLC shelter. "They said they had sweet little white poodle for adoption," Coleman remembers. "I really had wanted another black one, but when I found out her name was Baby, I had to have her. "
"She is just a wonderful dog" says Coleman. "In the morning, she comes up and nuzzles me when I wake up. It's such a good feeling and such a happy way to start off my day."
Since last July, Coleman and Baby have been visiting the Lemont Rehabilitation Center every Thursday. "It's wonderful the love she gives to everyone there," Coleman says. "When we first started going, we would only stay about half an hour. Now we're there for an hour and a half so everyone can say hi and pet her while we're there. Everybody -- even the mailman -- just loves her."
The dog nobody wanted
This President's Day turned to be a lucky one for a pointer named Baby. She had lived at the Will County Humane Shelter since she was brought to the shelter when she was 6 weeks old ... 10 years ago.
Matthew and Becky Kosti been talking about getting a dog, and had looked at a litter of puppies, but they knew that they wanted an older dog.
"I was off of work on President's Day and I decided to stop by the shelter," says Matthew Kosti. "I'd wanted a pointer and Baby was a pointer." He adds, "And she looked very lonely sitting there." The Kostis already had two cats and Baby went through a period of adjustment. After 10 years at the shelter, she's still getting used to her new life.
"It's taken some time for us to learn her signals, like when she has to go out," he says. "She's timid but she's getting better. Once she warms up to you, she's fine." Did Baby ever give up hope of being adopted? Hard to say.
But you have to believe she's happy to finally have found a home.
KellyJames Enger is a Morris free-lance writer.