Meet the New Member of the Forest Hills-Regent Square Patch Team!

I am officially a person who buys a dog a little pink bandanna.

This weekend, I became the proud parent of Bailey, a beautiful Terrier mix who had been living at the shelter in the East Liberty area for a little less than a month. I have never been one who is obsessed with dogs, but the other night, it just hit me that it was time. I work from home, I’m super active, and while I am always out meeting with neighbors and sources for stories, I thought it’d be nice to have a little sidekick. Bailey is my new assistant, if you will.

Now, she will accompany me on hunts for stories in the neighborhood, and she already has been invited to come along on a story interview this week!

But, my motivation for this column is all about the . It’s just a seven-minute drive away and the people who work there are so kind, helpful and friendly. Andy Kolonay of Friendship and Claire Carr of Regent Square, who both work at the shelter, helped us with the adoption process and their hearts are fully with these adorable animals who just need someone to love them.

Bailey was given up for adoption because her former owners were away 12 hours a day and said she was too active. By the looks of her huge smile, I think Bailey is already happy in her new home and I cannot wait to take her to Frick Park so she can run the trails.

The folks at Animal Rescue League do everything they can to make adoptions affordable and possible for people who might be worried about vet bills, food costs and more. Bailey had all of her shots, she is spayed and totally ready for her new life. The adoption cost depends on the dog, but I paid about $112 for Bailey, which is a donation to the shelter—a great investment if you ask me.

People who adopt also get a collar, leash, a free bag of food (which is pretty huge) and, they offer veterinarian services at a lower cost. After adopting, the cost of your first required check-up with your new dog is virtually cut in half.

The point is, if you’re on the fence about adopting a new member of your family, just go for it! The Animal Rescue League can help you make it happen in a stress-free way. Bailey already has brought so much joy into this home and she has such a great attitude. If you see us taking a walk this week, be sure to say hello!

A big thank you goes out to Cleda Klingensmith, who provides us with a new Patch Pet each week, featuring animals that need to be adopted. Check out some of those pets .