We bow before the warrior princess!

Xena! Such a big name for a tiny kitten! She came to the Rockwall shelter this week in pitiful condition. She was coated in an oily substance, covered with hundreds of fleas, and she was unable to walk. It turns out she had a huge abscess on her stomach. We've patched her up, cleaned her up and gotten rid of all the fleas. Someone said she fought through all this like a warrior, so Xena was born! She'll be ready for adoption soon!

We celebrate an anniversary

Two years ago this week, a dream became reality.

Our web site, rockwallpets.com, launched on June 8, 2010. It began simply as a showcase for the adoptable animals at the Rockwall shelter. About a week later, on June 18, 2010, two Rockwall Pets volunteers hosted their first weekly offsite adoption event at the Rockwall Petco.

That small beginning has blossomed into a No Kill effort that’s spreading across North Texas just two years later.

The Rockwall shelter was killing over 40% of the animals it received two years ago today. For the last six months, between 98-99% of the animals got out of the shelter alive.

What began as Find-a-Friend Fridays two years ago has grown into multiple offsite events every weekend. And what began as a two-person operation a couple of years ago has turned into a growing nonprofit rescue group that is on its way toward making all of Rockwall County a No Kill zone.

And that’s not all. Our sister organization, Dallas Pets Alive!, is about to begin saving lives in a big way over in Big D.

We couldn’t have done any of this without you. Your donations, your volunteer hours and your love of your foster pets is the lifeblood of Rockwall Pets. And we would be remiss in failing to recognize two City of Rockwall employees who were instrumental in making their facility No Kill. Sadly, Jeffrey Widmer and Juan Hernandez are no longer at the shelter, but the animals are still benefiting from their contributions.

We’re proud to look back over the past two years to see what’s been accomplished. But we’re humbled by the mountain that’s left to climb. We will not rest until all of the United States achieves No Kill. We have no doubt that it will happen in our lifetime.

Keep donating. Keep volunteering. Keep fostering. Keep these wonderful pets alive.

Photo: Nicole Nickel looks at a kitten during the first Rockwall Pets offsite adoption event on June 18, 2010.

A Nugget worth his weight in gold

It's another cuteness alert! Nugget is tiny! He weighs only 3.5 pounds. But he's loaded with personality! He's not your typical chihuahua, since he's friendly and quiet. He tested as heartworm positive when we rescued him, but we're already treating him for that. He also didn't lead the happiest of lives during his first four-or-so years, because his teeth are rotten and need to be pulled. But so what if he has to eat soft food? He's an extra-special little dog who'll love you for the rest of his life! Nugget is your Rockwall Adoptable Pet for the week of June 11, 2012.

Cuteness alert!

It's that time of year! We call it Kitten Season, when momma cats begin giving birth to litters of adorable youngsters. Since our kittens are finally old enough to be fully vaccinated and altered, this weekend will mark their adoption debut. We have little ones of all shapes, colors and sizes. And, of course, they're all impossibly cute. Suffice it to say that our adoption events this weekend will be under a full-fledged cuteness warning! The kittens are your Rockwall Adoptable Pets for the week of June 4, 2012.

These two dogs don't deserve to die

Rockwall's No Kill animal shelter is threatening to kill Jazzy and Ace this Friday. Their crime? They're not cute and cuddly. Ace, who's been in the Rockwall shelter since October, is a very handsome dog. He's just particular about who he gets along with. If he trusts you, he's your friend for life.


Jazzy hasn't been in the shelter as long as Ace, but she was held in a padlocked kennel for quite some time. This beautiful dog is very timid, especially around strangers. She's what we call a "one-family dog." It will take time to earn her confidence, but she'll stick with you through thick and thin. Just don't expect her to be friendly to anyone but you.


After all they've been through, we're not quite sure why they're suddenly on the fast track to death, especially in a shelter that recently celebrated 12 months as a No Kill facility. These two dogs don't deserve to die. Please contact the Rockwall shelter to foster, to adopt, to train, to do anything but let them die.

Hark, lover boy!

Wherefore art thou, Romeo? This handsome cat is serenading you beneath your balcony, asking you to take him into your heart. And what a lover he is! You'll feel like the star of the show when this friendly kitty begins showering you with affection. Romeo tested as FiV positive, which means he needs to be an indoor cat - and probably an only cat (unless you have other cats with FiV). That means you won't have to share his love with anyone else...and that's a happy ending! Romeo is your Rockwall Adoptable Pet for the week of May 28, 2012.

The perfect family dog

Meet your perfect family dog. Jules is friendly, playful and intelligent. She's ready to make any member of the family happy, from walking with mom and dad to playing with the kids...then cuddling up with everyone at night. It's hard to be in a bad mood when you see this smiling face every morning! Jules is your Rockwall Adoptable Pet for the week of May 21, 2012.