Read Stories of Successfully Adopted Pets

To Sheryl & Staff at Sheryl's Den,

I am writing to tell you how happy I was with my experience adopting my sweet Lily (Bella). The whole process was handled so efficiently & quickly! Sheryl personally handled the adoption and could not have been nicer or more caring about the dog's well being. Lily has been a great addition to our family! She adjusted really well with her new doggie brother & sister, they all get along fabulously! I am lucky to be able to bring her to work with me where she has 2 other doggie friends to play with & lots of new people she meets & socializes with. She loves everyone she meets & everyone loves her, too! I tell everyone where I rescued Lily from with hopes they will find a great dog from you, too! Everything about Lily is just wonderful & we are so happy to have her....she is very loved!!!! Thanks to you all for the wonderful & important work you do!

Hi Sheryl's Den Team!
I'd love to share my story for your new website. I adopted Hugo (formerly known as Cheerio) on March 17, 2012.

*Your experience with our adoption process.
Sheryl was a pleasure to work with. She was open and honest with her process, expectations, and history of the dog I was about to adopt. She moved quickly and was respectful of the time for every party involved. She had a lot to juggle – between her own schedule, my schedule and the foster family's schedule – but she made it work. Her organization does such important work and in the most beneficial way for the dogs’ health and safety – I recommend her program by name to EVERYONE who asks about Hugo.

*Your experience with the people you were in contact with.
Everyone at Sheryl's Den was friendly, open to chatting, eager to answer my many "new mom" questions and quick to respond. They know what they are doing and love doing it.

*Was your inquiry handled in a timely manner?
Yes! The speedy nature of the process made getting Hugo even better. I didn't have to wait weeks to pick him up, or even days between emails with the team. It was the best experience!

*Were you happy with your adopted pet?
I think it's safe to say I'm in love. I think part of what has made this experience so amazing is the wonderful people and work that goes into running Sheryl's Den. Her philosophy on foster care and the people that volunteer all have an impact on how the dogs behave, react and learn. Hugo has been a complete joy and his energy has a large part to do with the foster home he was in and the love he was given through Sheryl's Den. I never hesitate to name drop when people ask about Hugo – I share the pictures Sheryl posts on Facebook and want everyone to get their pup through SD. If I ever get a second dog, it would be through SD – without a doubt. Even if I move to the west coast!

Hi Sheryl and the adoption family!
I want to let you and everyone know what a pleasure it was to go through you to adopt my baby Pippa. The adoption process was quite simple, but you asked all the right questions to make sure your babies would be going to a wonderful, loving home. I kept in contact with you and Debbie H. waiting anxiously to hear the good news. After my adoption approval for Pippa was accepted and the waiting period was over I was so happy to drive 3 1/2 hours to claim my new baby!! I am very happy with Pippa!!! She is a ball of fire, let me tell you and has brought so much love into my life!! I recommend that anyone looking for a new pet to go through you!! You and your Staff should be called Sheryl's Angels because that is what you all are! Angels to these wonderful babies!! Thank you all so much!!!

The adoption process from Sheryl's Den was easy and effective. My wife and I were contacted after our papers were submitted and I had the pleasure of speaking with Sheryl personally on the phone. She was so very kind and honest with me about the status of our dog. Not only that, but she was present during the actual adoption and helped us pick out food, crate, etc. for our new puppy.

When we decided that we wanted a second dog for our home, we knew we wanted to go through Sheryl's Den again. We were once again treated like family. The second adoption was almost instantaneous and once again, Sheryl was so helpful and honest with us over the phone. She told us that our newest puppy had a cough and offered to keep him until the couch subsided. Sheryl and all those who work for her are the absolute best and I would recommend and have recommended her to all interested in a great, healthy, loving dog!

My husband and I had the most wonderful experience with Sheryl. In January 2008 we saw a posting she posted on Petfinder.com for the most beautiful little (not so little anymore lol ) Wheaten Terrier. Immediately, I fell in LOVE!

When I fell in love with my Mo someone else was already interested in him. I wrote Sheryl a long letter telling her how much I wanted to be Mowgley's mommy and how NO ONE would love him more than I would. (I think I have proven that to be true).

The next week the person who was interested in Mowgley was no longer interested. She called me straight away to tell me "It must be meant to be." I had always thought so too! I was overjoyed that she called.

She is caring and very attentive to all of the animals she rescues. I will and DO refer all deserving people to her. I couldn't have been happier with the process she conducts. Every day I'm grateful to her that I have Mowgley, he is such a blessing. He has brought nothing but pure joy into our lives from the moment I saw him. He goes everywhere with us and that's the way it will always be. He is our baby.

Thank you Sheryl for your dedication and love to all of the animals you have rescued and all of the hearts you have healed.

We Love You!

We contacted Sheryl's Den a year and a half after losing our 6 year old pure bred Golden Retriever. I had grown up with pure breeds and was unsure about adopting a "mutt" but we couldn't be happier with our experience. I was a little surprised how tough the application process was but Sheryl said something to me that explained why it was like that: "I didn't rescue this dog once to have to rescue him again". She thoroughly screened our application and followed up with a phone interview. Both my husband and I were impressed with her dedication to her rescues. We adopted, Oscar, a chocolate lab mix, 3 1/2 years ago. Like many labs he is loyal, affectionate and a very big goofball. We keep trying to explain to him that he is not a lap dog, but he doesn't really care about that as he plops his 85 lb. self on anyone who will have him. He is a big part of our family and we have Sheryl's Den to thank."

I am writing to let you know how happy I have been with your organization. The adoption process was presented clearly and completely to me before I went to meet the dog I was interested in adopting. His progress with the foster that took care of him was posted on pet finder as well as answered in the many emails I sent with questions. Everyone in your organization was very kind, caring and happy to be helping the dogs find the right families. All emails I sent were very promptly responded to as well. So I finally got to meet the dog whose picture I fell in love with online, at an adoption event. There was so much going on around us, but the volunteers for Sheryl's Den made sure all my questions were answered and gave me some time with the dog.

We took him home and he hit it off with our other dog immediately. It took him some time, love and training, but he is such a sweet boy, we are all very happy with him, even when he's being a brat!! He's my buddy boy and I love him to pieces!! It is so very rewarding to rescue a dog and see all the changes that occur and how they become one of the family. I would definitely adopt from Sheryl's Den again!

Hello!
In September 2009, my husband and I lost one of our beloved dogs to cancer. We decided to search for a dog through a rescue organization vs. going to a breeder because there are so many dogs that need great homes. We began our search on Petfinder, and after several tries and failures to adopt a puppy, we came across a little dog named Shelby that was up for adoption through Sheryl's Den. We completed the application and submitted it, and were contacted the same day to review our status and to share a little more about ourselves and what we were looking for. What we really liked was that Sheryl’s Den was pretty through in their screening and wanted to make sure that Shelby was going to a good home – they very much looked out for the welfare of the puppy especially since she and her brothers/sisters had already had a rough start. Once Sheryl’s Den told her that Shelby was ours if we wanted her, we were ecstatic and couldn’t wait to meet her. Given that Shelby was in a foster home for approximately 10 days prior to us adopting her, we felt confident that she was well cared for, socialized and loved and adjusted very quickly to her new home. Our lives have not been the same without her!

We have stayed in touch with Sheryl’s Den since Shelby’s adoption in September 2009, and in August 2011 our elderly chocolate lab became ill and it was clear he wasn’t going to be with us much longer. We saw that Sheryl’s Den had recently rescued a little Shetland Sheepdog named Ella who was abandoned in an airport, and we somehow knew immediately that she was meant for us. Given that we had adopted previously, we reached out to Sheryl’s Den through Facebook to see if Ella was still available and if we would be considered again for adoption. After several lengthy conversations with Sheryl, who was fostering Ella, we decided to go and meet her to see if she would be a fit for our family. She once again was a lovely little dog who was a bit tentative yet adorably sweet, and we decided to adopt her.

Both Ella and Shelby are like our children, and we recently had a brand new baby boy join our family. Both dogs act like he is theirs, protect him endlessly and love to sit next to him and watch him sleep. We couldn’t ask for more and have referred several people to adopt from Sheryl’s Den based on our positive experience. We felt that the level of professionalism, quick contact, thorough screening and good health and condition of the dogs were exactly what we were looking for in our experience. Our family wouldn’t be complete without Sheryl’s Den!

Hello, my husband and I were looking to adopt a second dog and did some searching on the internet. We came across Sheryl's Den almost by accident but it was the best thing that could have happened. We found an ADORABLE puppy named Doser that we immediately fell in love with. We put in an application to adopt him and the very next day I received a call from someone from the agency. The person was very kind and informative about the dog I was interested in, but also asked about my pet experience and was genuinely interested in where the adopted dog would be going. Now, Doser is Dozer and he is flourishing in our home. He is 70 pounds at 8 months old and such a loving boy. He wants to sit with (or on!!) me and my husband all the time but also plays very well with our other adopted dog and our nieces. He's a gentle giant that loves live and we could not be happier with our decision to adopt him. Thank you Sheryl's Den for bringing this amazing dog in to our lives.

Hey Sheryl, Here's my testimonial for your website...
"I have 2 rescues from Sheryl's Den and I couldn't be happier. My Molly (formerly Corona) is my best friend and the love of my life. My parents have Winnie (formerly Logan) and they absolutely adore her, as do I. Sheryl and her fosters have been amazing. I have Molly now for 4 years and I am able to send updates regularly and always receive a wonderful response. The adoption process was thorough and timely. I would absolutely adopt from Sheryl's Den again in the future."

I had followed Sheryl's Den on Facebook for some time looking for the perfect fit to our already large family. I saw the little guy that we wanted, filled out the simple application and heard back from them that same evening. We found out that we were #2 for a particular pet and they would call and let us know the following day. We got the call we were waiting for - he was available!! We drove up that afternoon and met him - needless to say - we took him home. We also had the privilege to meet "Sheryl" and his foster mom "Teresa". They both explained his last weeks with them, including eating schedule, what kind of food, immunizations, etc. I have nothing but positive things to say about this rescue group. The whole process for us was about 24 hours and it ended with the puppy of my dreams. He was well behaved and basically housebroken. You can tell that they worked hard with him on becoming house trained, walking on a leash and he even knew how to sit. He has only been with us about 5 days - but they have been wonderful. Tucker definitely completes our family! I would truly recommend this rescue group to anyone searching for their little fur baby. We may be back in the near future for another!!! Lots of love to all who give unconditionally of themselves in order to save these precious babies from an ugly world.

I adopted Kage in November 2009 when he was about 3 months old. Sheryl’s Den was professional and caring and honest about Kage’s history, or what they knew of it. They were very clear that due to the fact that he was rescued there was history that they could not obtain. The meeting with Kage was in a safe place and Sheryl and the foster were prompt. My request for adopting a pet was met in a timely manner and the paperwork was easy to follow. I am totally in love with Kage and understand his limitations. I was not surprised by the amount of work I would need to put into Kage’s development and although the process is still challenging in some areas I was prepared to take them on due to the honesty of Sheryl and her foster.

We adopted Lila from Sheryl’s Den is 2010. After falling in love in an instant with those big brown eyes, the staff at Sheryl’s Den was courteous, friendly and very informative about the dog we were considering for adopting. They knew her likes, dislikes and anxieties, which was paramount in us choosing to take the leap. We were not disappointed. Over the past several years we keep in contact with the agency via Facebook, and I am in awe at the lengths they go to save animals. They certainly have earned a set of wings and halos. Their adventures in driving through snowstorms in a tiny car with an unknown total of puppies have brought tears to my eyes several times, and wish I could bring them ALL home. Lila, who is our rescue from Sheryl’s Den, is the light of my life! I have owned many dogs in my life, but never a rescue. Mark my words, they know. There is a constant look in her eyes when she looks at me that says "thank you". She never leaves my side, and when I am not home, takes anything that is in her reach that is mine (jewelry, shoes, hairbrushes) and hides them in my bed for her nightly hide and seek game. I cannot express my gratitude enough for Sheryl’s Den for bringing Lila to me!

Hi Sheryl & Staff,
We couldn't be happier with the entire adoption process from beginning to end! From the moment we expressed interest in Terri & Carrie (now Lily Belle and Ruby Tuesday); everyone at Sheryl's Den was so helpful, yet professional. Sarah, the foster mom, also posted photos and videos of them, and it was evident that they were being so well cared for. We were able to bring them home in just a couple of weeks and love them so much! We hope to give them the happy life that they probably would not have had if they hadn't been rescued by Sheryl's Den. I will always be grateful to our friend who recommended you to us because I think Lily and Ruby were destined to become a part of our family. Thanks for everything!

My siblings and I had been talking about getting another dog for a while, but my dad was always worried that since we were all in college, nobody would have time to take care of another dog (we have an 8 year old husky and my dad raised her by himself). Once I moved back home after I graduated college, I immediately started searching the Internet for pet adoptions nearby. There are so many animal rescue/adoption places in my area that I had no idea how to choose between them. While looking on pet-finder one day, I saw a post about a rescued mother who was pregnant. The description of this pet explained how the mother was found in a kill shelter down south and was scheduled to be euthanized, until this angel of a woman travelled down there and saved her. The story moved me so much that I had to show the dog to my family. She was exactly the breed we were looking for!! We waited for the puppies to be born and I followed the pet-finder site religiously every day for updates. They were so good about updating their site on a regular basis, which most other rescue places didn't do. They also uploaded dozens of photos so you could really get a good sense for how the dogs looked and acted! They had close ups, group shots, even action shots! Once we all agreed upon these dogs, I contacted them asking how I could apply for adoption and what their policies were. They emailed me back right away, described each and every dog’s personality to us, and even forwarded me their application (which was accessible online.) I filled out the application, and they called us a few hours later. The woman we dealt with (I don't remember her name) was amazing. You could really tell she took good care of these dogs, and cared about who was adopting them. They called all our references and our current vet in a timely fashion and wouldn't hesitate to call us if they needed more information. Once they approved our adoption, they stayed in contact with us regularly with updates about our future puppy! The adoption process was so smooth. When my dad picked up our new furry family member, the foster home was so clean and you could tell the pups were well taken care of. Since they are accessible on Facebook, we have been able to keep in touch with them as well as arrange to meet with my dog's mother and sister!!

Our experience with Sheryl's Den was absolutely flawless. I have zero complaints whatsoever, and probably could not come up with a complaint if you asked me to. I have recommended them to some of my relatives and closest friends who were looking to adopt pets. Adopting Kovi was the best thing I ever did, and she has brought so much happiness to my life. If it was up to me, I'd have 10 rescue dogs in my house, and I would've adopted them all from Sheryl's Den.

Hi Sheryl, I wanted to give a testimonial for my experience with Doodle (adopted January 27, 2012). Adopting through your rescue was one of the easiest things I have ever done. Everything from filling out the application, to the meeting at Petco with my other dog, to picking Doodle up was made so painless by you and your staff. Sheryl's Den is a very professional organization that truly cares about the dogs it places. I don't hesitate to recommend your rescue whenever I'm asked where Doodle came from. You're a blessing to all of the animals you save.

When my wife and I decided we were ready to adopt a dog, we found Sheryl's Den on Petfinder.com. I emailed Sheryl to inquire and she replied immediately. After filling out an application, I promptly received a call back and was interviewed over the phone. The extensive interview assured my wife and I that we were adopting from an agency that cares... Well that is an understatement.

After adopting an amazing puppy into our family in January 2010, we too became part of a family: Sheryl's Den. Just because we took home our dog didn't mean we stopped communicating. We regularly keep in touch, share photos and stories with Sheryl, her team, and network of foster families-- including the same family that nursed our pup until adoption day. Through her extensive network on Facebook, we are able to see all dogs recently rescued, recently placed, and even dogs growing up from the same litter our pup came from! Adopting our dog was one of the best decisions we ever made, and we are so proud we did it with Sheryl's Den.

My daughter started looking at Petfinder and came across another dog (not Riley)that prompted us to apply. The application was really thorough! We have an adopted child and I thought "this is more complicated that adopting a baby!". I filled out the app and received a phone call from Sheryl personally the next day. She thoroughly explained the process, went over my app and told us that the original dog we wanted had already been requested by another family. She encouraged me to look at the list and see if there was another dog that might fit our needs. Sheryl spent ALOT of time on the phone with me, I think to make sure she knew, that I knew, what I was getting myself into, as we have never owned a dog! She reviewed all aspects of dog/puppy care and what was involved time wise. She went over pet insurance, house breaking, feeding, vaccines, behavior issues, crate training etc. After that first conversation my head was spinning! Was I ready for a puppy? We had envisioned an adult, fluffy, sedate dog who would sit in our laps and watch TV, but each time we looked at the list we were drawn to Pumpkin....a beagle spaniel mix who was a baby with these huge floppy ears and sad eyes. We submitted a request for Pumpkin and the next day Sheryl called me again to go over the specifics for this puppy, again, spending a lot of time on the phone with me. She answered all my questions, stupid and otherwise, patiently and calmly. I sent emails during the week with more questions. She recommended a vet in my area. Everyone who we encountered was pleasant and patient with us. On September 30 we went to Ridgewood to pick up our new family member! She was even cuter than we imagined and once we brought her home the parade of visitors started! Riley was very busy that day meeting all her new people and 2 weeks later met her brother when he came home from college. She has settled in nicely, is (almost) housebroken, and will start some puppy obedience lessons next week. She sleeps through the night, runs like a maniac through the house, eats everything (and I mean everything) in sight and we can't imagine the house without her. My husband who was the last holdout to jump on the "let’s get a dog" bandwagon, heads immediately for Riley when he comes home and lies on the floor with her to help her sleep. I would highly recommend Sheryl's Den and hope to have a long relationship with them to help others discover how much joy a pet can bring.