Patch/NJ Aid for Animals Pet of the Week: Leelah

New Jersey Aid for Animals board member Kelly Matthews, a Gloucester Township resident, submitted the following press release—told through the eyes of foster dog Leelah—to Patch:

Hi there! My name is "Captain" Leelah and I'm looking to land a new home! My foster mom is good friends with NJ Aid for Animals so this week I am their “Patch Pet.” I think that must be a good thing because everyone here got super excited when they found out!

Why would someone so cute and sweet be looking for a new home, you ask? Well, I had a confusing experience last month! My owners took me for a walk and after I was done sniffing by a fence, I looked up to see that my owners had disappeared and I couldn't run after them!

A little while later, a man and a woman found me. They asked me why my owners had abandoned me? I suddenly felt very sad. Was I bad? Did I do something wrong? Did I wiggle too much? Did my slobbery kisses bother them? Even though I was confused, I excitedly greeted the couple and followed them to their car. They told me that they couldn't keep me forever but were going to make me healthy and help me find a forever family. This sounded very nice.

The next morning, the woman loaded me back into her car and took me to a new place. This place was very busy with lots of new animals and smells. Here, I met a nice doctor and nurses who gave me my vaccinations, a bath (two, actually! They said I was quite dirty!), treated me for fleas, de-wormed me...and then, well, then I don't remember what happened, but when I woke up, there was something peculiar around my neck. The woman said that I had to have part of my tail amputated because I had a wound that wasn't healing properly. Well! I had quite an exciting day, so, after that, I went right to sleep.

The next day, I met some more unfamiliar creatures. The man and woman said these were their dogs and cats. I was shy at first, but we went slowly and spent a lot of time together, so I felt more comfortable. Over the next couple of weeks, we became such good friends that I started snuggling with them on the couch and playing with them in the yard. This was the life! One afternoon, the man brought out a big round ball in the yard with us. He started running around with it, so I started chasing him. This was fun! That night, the man told the woman that I was good at soccer (whatever that is...). They both smiled and I smiled back. After that, this strange red light started appearing on the floor. It would run across the floor in one direction and then quickly back in the other. I chased it and chased it until I couldn't find it anymore. The man and the woman would laugh and smile and then give me lots of pets. I heard them tell each other that I really enjoyed chasing the laser pointer (...you know, whatever that is!). After a day chasing the big ball and the mysterious light, I am always tired and snuggle up with my friends.

Let's see, what else? ... Oh yeah, food! I love food and will do almost anything to get a treat! I have learned "sit," "wait" and "drop it," and use my manners when taking treats. I love Kongs and Nyla bones...mmm, mmm! The man and woman told me that I was very thin when they found me, but that I am looking much healthier now!

Even though I love my foster family, I am very excited to meet my forever family! If you think we might be a good match, please email my foster mom at elizadoptions@gmail.com. She'll be happy to answer any questions!

New Jersey Aid for Animals is a Winslow Township-based no-kill animal charity enriching the lives of animals by providing programs for domestic animals on wellness, humane education, and spay and neuter, with a focus on impoverished communities. It also reports cases involving and pursues justice for abused animals.