Home. Some cats and dogs never have one to call their own. We want to help change that by introducing you to an extraordinary homeless pet every week. Today, we'd like you to meet Nikki, a sweet-natured shepherd mix who's tired of waiting for her forever home.
Nikki is living proof that animals can be disheartened. The Animal Adoption and Rescue Foundation of Richmond, Va., saved her from a kill shelter three years ago when she was pregnant and heartworm positive; she's been in and out of foster homes and boarding facilities ever since. Her puppies were adopted, but years later, the energetic 3-year-old is still waiting for her chance.
"Her previous boarding facility told us she'd been getting depressed," says AARF's president Cindy Chiles-Smith. "So we moved her to another boarding facility just to give her a new outlook. Now she's not as bad as she was. She's kind of getting out of it."
Lots of playtime at the Apple Dog Day Care, where she currently lives, has helped cheer Nikki up, as well as socialization with other canines. But this "85-lb. bundle of love," who now has a clean bill of health, can sometimes play too rough around other dogs and cats. For the long-term, she needs a home where she can be master of her domain.
"I think bringing her in with another adult dog would be a little bit of a challenge," she says. "She'd like to be the only dog in a household."
Give her plenty of exercise and love and Nikki promises to stick by your side forever. "She's very playful, she's loving, she's very affectionate," says Chiles-Smith. "She loves just laying with you."
If you want to give Nikki the happy ending she's been longing for, contact AARF at fortheloveofpups@aol.com. To learn more about her, visit her Adopt-a-Pet.com profile.
Click here to meet last week's adoptable pet, Stella.
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