From the 7/31/03 ASPCA newsletter:

PETFINDER HAPPY TAIL OF THE WEEK: TIKI BARKER

Every evening, Texas dog lover Abbie Knight and her daughters logged onto Petfinder.com, the ASPCA's online partner and searchable database of homeless pets, to search for their perfect pooch. Their good old chow chow, T-Rex, had passed away, and the whole family, including their other dog, Lacy, was lonely.

Abbie entered the search criteria "small" and "baby," but none of the resulting pups caught her fancy. Then one day, she decided to expand her horizons, changing her search words from "small" and "baby" to "small" and "young." Up came Tiki's photo and description. The sassy chihuahua mix was being cared for at the Cleburne, TX-based Johnson County Humane Society, and the Knights decided to head out there to visit--and ultimately adopt--the little guy.

Topping Tiki's list of favorite things these days are running, playing and being with friends. "Every morning he knows when it is time for his walk," reports new mom Abbie. "He gets out his harness and his leash and walks around behind me until I put them on him."

The canine has also found a way to ensure that he'll always get a few new toys whenever Abbie brings him to the pet supply store. "When we go shopping, he'll pick out a toy and put it on the bottom of the shopping cart," says Abbie. "If I try to return the item to the shelf, he will get it again and put it right back in the basket!"

Best of all, Tiki loves playing with Lacy and his neighborhood buddy, Bella the boxer. "The other day, all the kids were out playing, and the next thing I know there is a scratch at our front door," Abbie says. "I open up the door and in walks Bella." And why not? She had simply come to visit her good friend, Tiki.

Anyone with an e-mail address can register at the ASPCA website and subscribe to the newsletter.
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