SKYE

After being turned in by her owner for financial reasons, then being overlooked at Metro Animal Control until her time was almost up, Skye was finally able to be herself and show her true personality once she came into the Agape program. She is one personable poodle, and at only 9 months old, you can bet she’s either chasing her tennis ball down the hall of foster home, or playing with the two other dogs in her foster home. After several applications came in that weren’t quite the right fit for her, she finally met Niko Nordendale and his dog, Lilo. Lilo is a nervous, little grey poodle who could seriously benefit from Skye’s confidence. She really struts her stuff and can show other dogs how to be a dignified poodle! But Lilo didn’t seem to want to give her a chance to show her how it’s done. She was sufficiently nervous of Skye at the meet and greet but at the home visit, Skye and Lilo took another step forward in playing some. Then Lilo actually started chasing Skye to play instead of the other way around. After some time watching them explore the house together, we knew it was the perfect fit for Skye. With a wonderful owner who would clearly look after her and clearly love her unconditionally, and a new furry sister to lead and help socialize, Skye went from being unwanted to adored in her new forever home! What more could a dog want?

LADIE

Sometimes an older dog melts your heart. Ladie is one of those. With eyes that smile right down to your soul, Ladie, an 8-year-old lab/basset mix, found herself turned into the animal shelter by her previous owners. And there she stayed, for over a month, passed over for younger, spryer pups. Yet Agape noticed Ladie’s bouncy personality and loving demeanor, and realized that she would make a perfect family companion. Just a few short weeks later, Kate Derrick, a Vanderbilt graduate student, met and fell in LOVE with Ladie, saying she felt that after reading Ladie's bio, the two might have very similar personalities and would get along great! Now Ladie has a wonderful home with Kate, who takes her for daily walks and car rides, and even treats her to doggie day care during the week. Thank you, Kate, for loving Ladie and giving her this awesome forever home!

KAYLEE

Kaylee spent the first 7 months of her life chained. This loving, affectionate pit bull mix was freed by one rescue group, and ultimately ended up in foster care with Agape. Foster parents Laura and Dave quickly recognized what a cuddler Kaylee is, and that her neglectful past had not dampened her enthusiasm for life, nor her sweet spirit. Just one short month into foster care, Kaylee's Christmas wish came true! She found a family who wanted her. Forever parents Kandice and Larry Wilson of Nashville discovered Kaylee online and hoped to adopt her before Santa came! Kandice, a professional dog trainer, has already done amazing work with Ben, her adorable miniature schnauzer, and her hopes for having a larger dog as a playmate for Ben, and a walking companion, were realized when she met and feel in love with Kaylee – now renamed Kate! Congratulations to Kaylee (Kate) and the Wilson family!

ROXIE

Roxie had a rather tranisent start in life ... At 7 months old she was in the pound and adopted by a young family. After a short period of time, she ran away and was attacked by an unknown animal. Fortunately she made her way home and recovered well. Then her new owners decided not to keep her and left her with their grandparents. Roxie's new owners trained her well and loved her, but they recognized that they were not able to spend as much time with her as she deserved. They asked their neighbor, an Agape volunteer and foster Mom to take her in and help find her a home. Well, thanks to Agape, Roxie received an amazing Christmas present! Emily and Jimmy Moshopoulos had been looking to add to their family and find a friend for their dog. The moment Roxie met Emily, she licked Emily's whole face and rolled over for a tummy scratch! It was a match made in Heaven! Just after Christmas, Roxie moved in to her forever home ... finally. She has 2 loving parents, a new sister named Gypsy and 2 kitty buddies, too! We're thrilled for Roxie and appreciate Emily and Jimmy for opening their doors and hearts to a very special new family member.

BRODY

What happens when the family you grew up with for four years doesn"t want you any longer? That is what happened to Brody after his owners had a baby and discovered they could no longer give him the care he needed. But when the Howard family of Trinity, Alabama, discovered this pure bred Weimaraner was up for adoption with Agape, they felt like they were a very lucky family! The Howards are huge Weimaraner fans and they were searching for a male companion for their female, Saban. Not only did the family fall in love with Brody, but the dogs met and got along great! Now Brody has a fabulous new home on an acreage where he can run and play with Saban and the family's third dog, Rascal, a chihuahua/Jack Russell mix. He will get to go swimming and to work with dad, Jason, occasionally, and for long walks in the fields surrounding the family"s home. At his adoption, Brody received a brand new Alabama collar and leash to match sister Saban"s red ensemble and his doting new family had already hung his Christmas stocking on the mantle. For a boy who was not wanted any longer, Brody is now forever wanted in his new home! Congratulations to the Howard family … and to Brody!

SAWYER

Sawyer is a unique breed, a Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever, yet somehow found himself a stray. Fortunately for Sawyer, two loving foster parents for Agape stepped up and offered to care for this beauty until a permanent home could be found. Applications rolled in for Sawyer … it seemed everyone was interested in this rare and beautiful boy! Ultimately, it was Ryan Sitzler, a tall, calm young man who became Sawyer"s forever companion. Ryan is a runner and an outdoorsy kind of guy, and this outdoorsy dog is going to love his new life! And to make things doubly great, Ryan"s roommate, Austin, and Sawyer were good pals too and it looks like the three will be great friends!

GEORGE

Join us in congratulating the Kerr family on their newest furry addition to their family! If you all remember, George was one of the dogs rescued from the Warren County Puppy Mill bust and taken into foster care through Agape Animal Rescue. The First time Gayle Kerr saw George was when she was helping clean cages at the temporary shelter set up for the dogs rescued from the dire conditions at the puppy mill. George and his fellow survivors seemed lost and empty, but George danced just a little bit when Gayle would bring him food. That little spark convinced her that George should be taken into the Agape program. Ironically, Gayle and her husband, Steve, ended being his foster parents and working with George for almost seven months. After so many months of rehabilitating George and falling in love with him, Gayle and Steve decided to make him a permanent member of their family. Gayle said of George, "His journey from puppy mill survivor to the confident, social shih tzu he is today has simply been a blessing for me to be a small part of.” Thanks, Gayle and Steve, for welcoming George into your family!

KING LEON

King Leon has been in limbo for a long time now. He was dumped on a side road where a nice family found him and turned him in to a local vets office. After a few weeks he found his way to an Agape foster home. Leon was lucky enough to get to play at doggie daycare every day and loved meeting new people and other dogs. While Leon was learning the ropes with his new foster family, Ashley and Johnathan Mohan were searching for a small dog who wanted a lifetime of love. Ashley and Johnathan spotted Leon on the Agape website and after a few visits decided he was the one for them! Leon shares his new life with 2 feline siblings and could not be happier!

WINSTON

Winston is one lucky boy to have found his new mom Amber Slifer. Amber was searching for a dog that would match her lifestyle and when she read about Winston online she fell in love. Amber even had a stuffed dog toy as a child growing up whose name was Winston, so she knew it was meant to be. After meeting Winston in person their was no turning back. In just a few days he was adopted and started his new spoiled life with Amber.

RALPHIE

Ralphie wandered around his neighborhood streets, unwanted, and seemed to be a stray. But when his real owners were found, they did not want him back. This tiny bundle of chihuahua love has no more worries about being unwanted! One day Diane Diamond walked out of Whole Foods in Green Hills, passing through an adoption event, and saw Ralphie. Her heart melted ... she knew he was going to hers! And Ralphie did find his perfect forever home with the Diamond family, Diane and Jeff, in Nashville! Now with two canine brothers to pal around with, Airedale Jake and Maltese Jevon, Ralphie is living like a king! Says new mom Diane: "Ralphie is doing so well. He is really having fun, wagging his tail all the time and running around playing with toys. We couldn't be more happy that Ralphie is so at home!"

WILSON

On October 17th, Wilson, the personable basset hound, went to his forever home! Wilson came to Agape when his owner could no longer care for him about two months ago. Luckily, our newest foster parents, Jeremy and Lynn Gover, are fans of the basset breed, having their own basset, Jolene. So they welcomed him into their home as their first foster dog. Fast forward a month, and enter Pam and Randall Crunk. The Crunks have rescued their fair share of basset hounds and truly appreciate the more unique qualities of a basset – ears that clean your floors better than a vacuum, that hound bark, stubbornness, and of course their lovable, laidback nature. Flash (bottom left) and Loretta (top) both welcomed Wilson into their home better than we could have hoped for and the basset pack even came to visit the Agape booth at last Saturday’s Barktoberfest, so Wilson could show off his new Harley Davidson collar. Thanks to Pam, Randall, Flash and Loretta for welcoming Wilson into your home!

ABIGAIL

When Abigail's owner passed away recently, it seemed her life would never be the same. Her best friend was gone – the person she’d loved all her life – and she missed him terribly. There was a move to a relative's house, then another to foster care with Agape. Soon the applications started rolling in for this adorable shih tzu, who never meets a stranger, and has a charm that is as endearing as they come. Enter Saline Gerber, a former adopter from Agape, who has been looking for a good companion for her dachshund Will. Saline saw Abby's chubby little "ewok" face online, read her bio, and had a funny feeling she would be "the one." And she was! Abby and Will were instantly best buds, and Saline cradled Abby lovingly. Now, Abigail is Abigail Gerber, and she is living happily forever after with Saline and Will, in a home with a gorgeous fenced backyard, landscaped and manicured perfectly for little dogs! Abigail has found out that dreams really do come true. Congratulations to the Gerber family!

AMBER

Amber, a 3-year-old gorgeous red dachshund was rescued from the middle of a busy interstate, Briley Parkway, and never even made it to our website before being adopted! This beauty found her forever home with Bill and Angela Knight of Madison, TN, a retired couple looking for the perfect canine companion to share their lives with. And they found her in Amber. Sweet, affectionate, gentle and loving. And, oh, yes, a big time cuddler! We don"t know where you came from, Amber, but we sure know you are a happy girl now with the Knights!

GERTI

Gerti came to Agape after being turned into a high-kill shelter in White County. After having her puppies, Ruby, Opal, Lexi, and Pearl, she finally got her shot at a forever home. That forever home was offered to Gerti by her wonderful new owner, Tom Culbertson. He and Gerti are the perfect match. He had just lost his beloved companion dog, and was looking for a loyal dachshund, and she was just looking for some TLC, after having so many pups! Now Gerti lives a wonderful life with 24/7 companionship from her new dad, Tom. She gets plenty of walks every day, and gives Tom lots of kisses in return!

BARRETT

When Jeff Tang, from News Channel 5, saw Barrett at Metro Animal Control, he knew immediately that this dog deserved a second chance. The 75-pound golden retriever mix had caught his eye, and with Jeff"s generous offer to foster and train him, Barrett started to learn hand signals for "sit," "come," and much more. This talent certainly came in handy when he met Andy and Amanda Rowley! The newlyweds were very impressed by Barrett"s training. They were looking for a big, loyal dog, which they certainly found in Barrett. Thanks to Jeff and the Rowleys, Barrett is finally part of a real family now. He has a new mom, a new dad, and even a feline brother named Bailey!

LUCKY and OREO

Lucky and Oreo came to Agape together, and they went to their forever home together, thanks to Kim and Roger Clendenning! These two adorable pups were turned in to Agape by their owners, who were no longer able to care for them. Since Lucky and Oreo had been together their whole lives, Agape wanted to place the two buddies together. As you can imagine for two, young pure-bred dogs, Lucky, a Japanese Chin, and Oreo, a long-haired Chin Mix, there were a lot of interested families – but none that would take them together… until Kim and Roger came along! The family met Lucky and Oreo at Pooch Playhouse and fell in love. Kim said to one of the Agape board members that people called her crazy for wanting three dogs, but she didn"t care. She felt a connection and knew that Lucky and Oreo were meant to be a part of their family. Now these two inseparable dogs live a life of luxury with a fenced yard and children to play with – what more could a dog want?

BAILEY

At 3-1/2 years old, Bailey is a petite and very beautiful pure bred boxer, who has spent her entire life – till recently– living 14-16 hours a day in a crate. When her owners divorced and didn"t want her, Bailey entered the Agape foster program, and finally she was FREE of her crate! She was so, so happy. And now, just a couple of months later, life has taken an even better turn for this girl. Boxer lovers Susan and Rick Hahn of Stewart, TN, fell head over heels in LOVE with Bailey and adopted this lucky lady into their home, a lovely two-story log cabin on 65 acres! Bailey had an instant bond with Rick and Susan, and the stressful, sad years of being caged for hours on end were replaced with love and space and a doting mom and dad. Happy dog! Happy family! Congratulations to the Hahns on choosing sweet Bailey as their new "family" addition.

SAMPSON

A beautiful Husky mix named Sampson was brought into the Agape program earlier this year. He was found as a stray in Crossville, where a Good Samaritan picked him up. Sampson was put into a foster home with Pam Carroll, and the transition to living with his new foster family couldn"t have been easier! He fit in so nicely, that Pam fell in love with him! Sampson gives lots of kisses and hugs, loves to cuddle, and loves to play, so she had to keep him. Pam adopted Sampson in February, and now he spends most of his time playing with his new brother Droopy, who was also adopted from the Agape program. Sampson loves his new forever home and is such a great addition to Pam"s family!

MISTY

Everyone who meets Misty jokingly says things like, "Wow, can I trade my dog for her?," or "You can just tell she is perfect." Well, we agree and so does her new foster family! Misty was brought to the Agape family from her previous owner who could no longer care for her. Now she is living life with her new mom and dad. She even has a human brother and sister to play with! A perfect family for a perfect girl!

The Terrific Trio Gets Adopted!

In the summer of 2010, a cute, pregnant terrier mix with giant ears was dumped in a neighborhood, and taken in by a kind elderly woman. A few months later, the pregnant dog, Allie, gave birth to two puppies: Fred and Sofie. All three lived with their elderly friend for seven months, until their owner could no longer afford the dogs" care. Agape was able to foster the dogs, and it wasn"t long before the darling terriers were finding homes!

Puppy Sofie (below-left with new family) was the first to get her forever home in February with the Starnes family of Mt. Juliet, TN. Sofie"s favorite thing in the world is children, so the Starnes were a perfect fit, because she found a family with two loving kids to play with! Soon cutie pie Allie (top-left with mom Brooxie) found her home with Drew Belk and Brooxie Carlton of Nashville. It was love at first sight for these three, with Allie showering Drew and Brooxie with kisses and affection at their first meeting. Next, Fred (top-right with new family) found his perfect home with the Smiths of Gallatin, TN, where his forever family has a beautiful house and a fenced yard for him, but most importantly, the tender hearts and compassion he needs for a fulfilled life. The entire terrier family – Allie, Sofie and Fred – are doing wonderfully in their new forever homes! We wish them and their families all the very best!

PEARL, LEXI, OPAL and RUBY

Right before Christmas of 2010, we pulled a female Dachshund named Gerti from a rural, outdoor shelter where 98% of their dogs are euthanized. Luckily, Gerti was saved from this awful fate and was placed in a loving foster home. After visiting the vet for a check up, we found out that Gerti was pregnant! On New Year"s Day, she gave birth to four adorable, female Dachshund puppies: Pearl, Lexi, Opal, and Ruby. All of them had such playful and loving personalities. They loved playing together and cuddling with their foster mom. Once they reached adoption age, applications came flying in for these perfect pups! Pearl, now renamed Pixel, was adopted by the Hollingsworth family. April fell in love with her during the puppies" photo shoot, and now Pixel is her little "studio dog!" She goes to work with April everyday and has even started taking puppy classes. Lexi was adopted by the Harsh family, who traveled all the way from Buford, Georgia! Terry and Jeanne drove to Nashville, made an instant connection with Lexi, and wrapped her up in her own little snuggie for the trip back home. What a caring family for Lexi! Opal (now Moonpie!) was also adopted, and she is getting her own beach home! She found the perfect mom, Carol Holland, in Florida. Opal loves her new home, and is so grateful for Carol! And last but certainly not least, Ruby has been adopted by the Nash family. The day that she went to her new forever home was also Mendy"s birthday! What a special day for both Ruby and Mendy! All of these puppies are thankful for their loving, adoptive families and great forever homes!

ATUMN

Autumn, a foxhound mix, was saved from euthanasia at a local animal shelter. But a happy tail which constantly had banged her shelter kennel led to an infection, and ultimately required an amputation ... and Autumn acquired a boxer-like tushie! Along came Autumn Kerr, who noticed this beautiful auburn-colored dog online, and she immediately fell in love with her face, and her story. She felt they were meant to be together! All of Autumn"s (the dog"s) photos had been originally been posted on Facebook on Autumn Kerr"s birthday. Yet another coincidence that made Ms. Autumn feel she"d found her forever companion. The two met and, well, the love connection was real! The two Autumns are now living happily together in Nashville, where Autumn (dog) will soon get a shortened version of her name so she and Autumn (mom) can tell each other apart. But they"ll be together for a lifetime! Autumn and Autumn, what a great team!

KALVIN

Kalvin, the sweetest great dane/lab mix you will ever meet, found his forever home this January with Sherri and Alan Stanhope of Lebanon, TN. Kalvin"s new owners live on a five-acre spread, where this hunka-love, gentle boy will get to spend his days romping and playing with new peekacockapoo (black just like him) brother Jack and an assortment of cats. Jack and Kalvin were instant buds, and Kalvin also had an instant, loving bond with Sherri and Alan. Alan had recently lost his "sole-mate" lab mix, and the Stanhope"s search for another big companion dog brought them to this beautiful, sweet guy, after Sherri fell in love with Kalvin"s Petfinder photo – his jingle bell collar portrait! Once they met him, their hearts felt sure he was destined to be a member of the family. Kalvin felt the same! Says Sherri: "We are loving him more every day; he is being such a good boy! Rest assured, he is well, and being loved. He has this thing where he will come and put his head in my lap, and I just love that! It makes me feel really good! He is such a love!"

BUDDY

Buddy was found by his foster mom after being attacked by another dog on the streets. After a few weeks of physical and emotional rehab, Buddy started feeling more confident with other dogs and people. After a few months of looking for his forever home, he met Chris Clark. Chris loved Rat Terriers and knew Buddy would be perfect for him. He was right! Buddy was adopted just in time to spend Christmas with his new dad Chris and his family!

CHANCE

When Sandy Robinson saw Chance"s adoption photo online, she felt an instant connection. Meeting him in person, the bond was even stronger. "I"m madly in love with him!" she said. The love story continues, as Sandy and her husband Dale of Mt. Juliet, TN, adopted the Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix and happily made him a part of their family. Chance"s second chance at life is proving to be everything he could want: a mom and dad who totally adore him, and a loving, warm home where he is loved and cherished. And to think, this cute little guy was abandoned at the animal shelter by his first owner! Now Chance runs daily with mom Sandy, hangs out the rest of the day with Dale who works from home, and as you can see, loves his lap time and his new sweaters! Says Sandy: "Just wanted to take a minute to thank all of you for taking such wonderful care of Chance until we found him! We truly enjoy his "dual" personality...cuddly and loving, yet also a bold, brave "big dog." He is everything we could have wished for and MORE. He is in HEAVEN!"

MAX

Max was turned in to the Agape family because his previous owners had a baby and they did not feel they could take care of a newborn and a larger dog. Max"s awesome "lab" personality came out immediately in foster care. He got along great with other dogs, cats and he just loved people. As we were learning more about Max, Brent Clark of Lebanon, TN, was considering another lab for his family after the passing of a previous pet. He found Max online and immediately knew he had found his next family dog. Max now lives with Brent and has lots of acreage to run and play ball. When he is not playing in the creek he cuddling with his new family in front of the fireplace. Max could not be happier!

EMMITT and RUDY

Sometimes there are adoptions that sweep you off your feet emotionally, because of a dog"s circumstances, rescue and ultimate adoption. Rudy and Emmitt are two dachshund brothers who were rescued from a rural TN animal shelter a day before they were slated for euthanasia. Starving, scared, and shivering from the single digit temps of the outdoor shelter, these brothers were left by an owner who claimed she couldn"t afford to feed them. Intertwined in each other"s legs, and not wanting to be separated, these two little skeletons of dogs came to Agape with little confidence, little trust, and lots of separation anxiety. We learned they"d been used as breeding dogs, and our work began in foster care to give them love, nurturing, and security. In a few short days, the pair began to thrive, and their personalities blossomed. There were happy, playful spirits under those sad eyes, and as the days passed, Emmitt and Rudy became happy and healthy. As their photos and sad story hit the internet, they were instantly popular. It took very little time for Kimberly Hargrove to find Emmitt and Rudy online and fall in love! Kimberly, a true dachshund lover, wanted to give the boys the second chance they so deserve, and adopted them into her home where they have now joined her two girls, Weezie, a red dachshund, and Mary, a beagle. In a very short two weeks, Emmitt and Rudy went from a death sentence at a high-kill shelter to foster care to a loving home with a great new mom and two sweet canine sisters. Congratulations to Kimberly and Emmitt and Rudy! What a very merry Christmas these brothers must have had!

MOLLY

Molly is a Doberman mix that was running the streets in the Spring Hill, TN, area. She knew exactly what she was doing when she wandered up on the doorstep of an Agape foster home! Molly was immediately taken for a medical check up and then starting looking for her forever home. Marcus Bearden noticed Molly on the internet and fell in love. Marcus lives in Atlanta and was not willing to let the distance stand in the way of what he knew was the perfect dog for his family. The Agape intern just happened to be passing through his area as she headed home for the holidays so Molly hitched a ride. Molly now lives in Atlanta with Marcus, his doggie sister Sadie and human roommate Mike. Molly loves her new family, and her new name, Ayla!

BELLA

After a scare of Parvo, Bella has found her new forever home with Nydia Medina and Matt Zaycer of Knoxville, TN. Bella, a young border collie mix with lots of energy, is truly living it up with her mom and dad, since they live within 15 minutes of two dog parks which Bella has already gotten to visit many times! One even has an agility course that she loves. Bella"s new family includes her in lots of outdoor activities, and it looks like she is going to become a hiker like parents Nydia and Matt. She has already met several new doggie friends in a dog walking group, and the holidays will be spent meeting all her new canine cousins. Bella is greatly loved in her forever home and we couldn"t be more thrilled for her.

SIR LENOX DUKE

This past summer, Lenox, a young black lab/chow mix was dumped in Lenox Village, a south Nashville neighborhood, where he befriended the entire community for two weeks, running and walking with every person he met! This friendly, charming dog was well taken care of by all the Lenox Village neighbors, and at a local event, Agape met this special boy and brought him into foster care. "Sir Lenox Duke" got his great name and soon the perfect forever home with Karen and Brad Hornsby of Murfreesboro, TN. Karen is a runner, and what better dog to become her new friend and companion than Lenox, who LOVES TO RUN with his new mom! Says Karen: " Lenox has brought much love and joy! He is wonderful and I thank YOU for the difference you make in the lives of these animals and the families who adopt them!"

SIENNA

Beautiful Sienna found her forever home this fall near Germantown, just outside Memphis, TN, with owner Jilian McQueen. Chocolate lab mix Sienna, a young, very sweet and very social girl, has a new life that would be any dog"s dream. Her new mom is an ER nurse and works only three days a week. So Sienna and Jilian will have plenty of time to enjoy the BIGGEST DOG PARK in the southeast, which is right next door to their home! Sienna"s first day at the dog park she jumped into the water, sporting her brand new leash and collar! Sienna and Jilian – the perfect pair! We are so thrilled they found each other.

ANNIE

Little Annie, all 6 pounds of her, is now officially "home" for Thanksgiving. This adorable Schnoodle melted the hearts of semi-retired couple Martha and Kevin Eckerman of Hermitage, TN, with her cute personality and excellent manners. The Eckermans had recently realized how much a dog would complete their lives after keeping their daughter"s dog, Curly, who, interestingly, is a slightly larger, shaggier version of Annie! When they met Annie, they knew she was a perfect fit for their lifestyle. Best wishes to Annie and the Eckermans on a long and happy life together!

BENTLEY

Bentley, white jack russell mix pictured with his family, became a member of the Agape family after being picked up by Metro Animal Control. At only 12 lbs we just knew he would make someone the perfect little lap dog, but to our surprise, everyone kept passing him up. We asked for help from our friends at News 4"s Midday program, and shortly after they featured Bentley on television, the phones started ringing. Vickie and Keith Wilson watched the segment at home but had not been looking for a dog. Their sweet basset mix, Buddy, had passed away in July of 2009. When they saw Bentley on the show they simply fell in love and knew it was meant to be. They drove three hours to meet him at Pooch Playhouse where Bentley was being fostered and that is where the magic happened! He is now enjoying life with his forever family and 4-legged brother, Eddie. What a great outcome for a special little guy!