Meet James Furious

Award Winning Article:

“From Stray to Cover Do”

My name is James Furious and I owe my life and my success to the Humane Society of Camden County, Inc. Here is my story:

In 1992, I was a young pup running the mean streets of St. Marys. I was an orphan with no roof over my head and only the fleas on my back to call my own. I was hanging with a bad crowd. All I ever heard were shouts of, “Bad Dog!”

I was headed for a short life of garbage sniffing, street wilding, and car chasing. Things looked bleak, to say the least.

I was picked up by an Animal Control Officer for some bogus altercation and hauled into the Humane Society shelter. I had heard rumors about the place from Spike and Rex. It was not on their A-list. Despite the rumors, I found myself with a roof over my head, fresh water and three squares a day. It was not Shangri-La, but it beat foraging in trashcans and sleeping on the streets.

After several months of going virtually unnoticed by humans looking for a pet companion, I decided I needed to turn my life around, drop the tough guy façade and work on being adopted. I practiced the sad, forlorn looks and tail wags. Shortly thereafter, a woman walked in to the Adoptables. No, she was not a woman. She was an angel. She looked at me and her ample bosom welled up with love. She saw in me the potential to be a good boy. And praise the Lord; this angel was a founder of the Humane Society. Things were definitely looking up.

She adopted me, named me James Furious (go figure), and took me to Dr. Rick Walsh for a check up. I immediately sensed in him a life’s dedication to the care and welfare of animals. My new Mom says that he “is” the Humane Society,but that’s another story. Mom enrolled me in several education/obedience classes and I began full time work at my Dad’s law firm, initially as a Parapuppy. I am proud to say that thanks to my Dad’s tutelage, I have achieved Equity Partner status with the firm.

My Mom was so proud of my accomplishments and good looks, that she entered my photo in the Mighty Dog Calendar Contest. While I did not win the contest, I was asked to appear on the cover of the Mighty Dog National Newsletter, which I begrudgingly did. Thank goodness, Spike and Rex do not subscribe to the same.

These are definitely the salad years. I love and enjoy my parents. I have dual residences. I am a gentleman farmer. I have all sorts of personal property: life jacket, travel gear, silk ties, custom beds, a monogrammed rain slicker and a Hawaiian print doggie shirt. (I think it is obvious that my parents do not have children.)

Along the way, I have come to share my life with a canine brother named Larry, who was also adopted from the Humane Society and who works with me in the much-valued position of Parapuppy/Office Greeter/Sock Hider. I guess I should mention China Blue, the pesky cat that mysteriously showed up at our house and now lives there unfettered with far too much cat paraphernalia.

If you have adopted an animal from us and wish to have your pet featured as a success story, contact the shelter at hscc@tds.net