RIDDLE the terrier got the best Christmas gift a dog could ask for this year: a home.
The 18-month-old border-terrier cross, featured on the cover of the North Shore News Dec. 21, has found new owners thanks to its 15 minutes of fame. Now living in a North Vancouver house with two other terriers, the once-orphaned animal is reportedly thriving.
In mid-December, when Riddle came to the News's attention, the dog had been at the District of North Vancouver Animal Shelter for two months. Despite its good health and sweet temperament, no one had adopted it. But the day the story ran in response to a plea from the facility's staff, that changed abruptly.
"We had a huge, huge response," said animal welfare services manager Kim Marosevich. "There were a ton of people who were interested . . . or who wanted to network and help."
The shelter fielded about 80 phone calls and numerous drop-ins on the first day - among them plenty of good prospective owners, she said - but after a day of visits and inquiries, one North Vancouver couple stood out.
Jody Watt and James Ward knew immediately that they had found their dog.
"She's so friendly," said Watt. "As soon as you meet her, there's no hesitation, no shyness. She just came right up and said hello."
After an initial visit, a walk, some play time and a meeting with Watt and Ward's two Airedales, the prospective owners and the shelter staff decided they had found a fit.
The match was perfect, said Marosevich. Riddle, a friendly and energetic young dog, needed doting owners, an environment with other canines and access to the outdoors, she said - all of which the dog's new owners could provide.
"They all got on like a house on fire," she said. "It was absolutely fantastic. . . . Even when we (shelter staff) are taking the animals home with us at night, we're still not their final stop. When we find the people who are, that's so relieving."
Now renamed Jenny, the orphaned terrier is fitting right into its new household, said Watt.
"She's a great little dog; I'm shocked that she never went," he said. "She's toilet trained; she plays fetch . . . she gets along with other dogs really well. We're very happy that we were the fortunate ones who ended up with her."
Marosevich hopes the success story will encourage others in the market for a pet to check with the North Vancouver shelter or a similar facility before going to a store or a breeder to find an animal. Even if they don't have what the person is looking for, the facility may well be able to connect them to someone who does, she said.
"If you're looking for something, give us a call or come by," said Marosevich. "Even if it's not something we currently have, we network with other shelters and rescue groups. . . . We can help you find the right animal for your situation."
At the time of writing, the North Vancouver shelter had a range of other animals still in need of homes: two cats, including a "beautiful" two-yearold Persian called Luna, she said, nine rabbits, and a Guinea pig named Toffee.
As for newly renamed Jenny's Christmas, the terrier was well taken care of, said Watt. "She had a nice pink stocking full of pink Christmas toys," he said, laughing. "Our dogs always have stockings." North Vancouver shelter: 604-990-3711.
