Paws & Effect: Finding Cookie and Coco a Home
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EVERYONE'S RECEIVED AN an e-mail making an emotional plea for help, money or both. Usually, it's a get-rich-quick scheme from, say, a fictional Nigerian government official, but when the following plea started circulating online on Jan. 20, it would have been easy to assume it was no different from the rest of the spam that clutters your inbox.
"Sorry again for the mass e-mail. ... As many of you know, we are moving in just two weeks.
Unfortunately, I have still not been able to find a good home for Cookie and Coco. We're not able to take our beloved doggies with us and I've been desperately trying to find a home for both of them 'together.' They were raised together and pine without each other."
Attached to a string of forwards was a picture of a chocolate Labrador retriever, Coco, and a yellow Lab, Cookie, looking up with that puzzled, ear-raised expression: "Who me?"
"Yes, you," the citizens of America collectively replied. Faster than you can fire off an e-mail from your iPhone, people nationwide were all but building Coco and Cookie doghouses in their backyards. ("Package deal! Please pass along to all family, friends, co-workers." — Atlanta, Feb. 12.)
But pretty soon the tide out there in the blogosphere turned from chirpy do-gooder optimism to irritated skepticism. ("I have e-mailed this person a couple of times & NO response ... so I [am] starting to believe this is a total scam!" — Hackettstown, N.J., Feb. 12.)
Pages upon pages of Google search results yielded more confusion and second-guessing. It started to look like Coco and Cookie don't even exist.
But they do.
Just ask Sas Behzadi of Woodland Hills, Calif.
"It was the day of the inauguration," recalled the 37-year-old, who requested the use of her nickname instead of her real name, due to the backlash she's received from some not-so-pleasant animal activists. "I had been looking for a home for both of my dogs together for over four months. My house was in foreclosure, and I knew it was a bad time."
After a series of personal misfortunes, the mother of three found herself finally able to afford the rent at a local apartment building — but dogs over 25 pounds were prohibited. So, she sent out one last e-mail plea to her friends in hopes of finding a new home for her 3-year-old dogs.
On her contacts list was Julia Schklair of Los Angeles, Behzadi's friend of 15 years. "I would have taken them had she needed that, just temporarily, because I already have two dogs," said the 46-year-old costume designer for CBS' "The Mentalist." But Coco and Cookie needed a permanent home. So, Schklair did what any friend would do: She hit "forward."
That's what James Harvey did, too, when the 45-year-old San Diego technical support specialist received Behzadi's plea two days later. "I sent it off to my friend Donna Littlejohn at [Los Angeles'] Daily Breeze [newspaper]," he said. "She goes to my parents' church in L.A. and has a Web site for dogs. I sent it to local people and she replied, 'Hey, do you want me to put this on my blog for pets?' I said, 'Sure.' It just went nuts from there."
Did it ever. A Jan. 22 entry on her South Bay Pets blog unleashed a virtual Coco and Cookie frenzy. By the second day, Behzadi had received 200 replies. "I was, like, 'Wow, gosh. There's a lot in my inbox,'" she says. "Within a week, it tripled. I think to date it's almost 10,000, if not more, e-mail responses. I've kept all of them."
And with her inbox inundation came the full gamut of human reactions, from the supportive ("At least you're doing the right thing for your dogs") to the heartbreaking ("My dog's 11 and I'm dying from cancer. I don't have anyone to take care of him, can you help me with mine?") to the vicious: "I've gotten some really nasty, vile hate mail from animal rights activists and people who just don't understand," Behzadi said. "We didn't plan for this."
But as Coco and Cookie were becoming something of a national cause, it was a local organization that ultimately came to the rescue. With the help of Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue, Behzadi recently found a couple to adopt her dogs.
Behzadi is still in touch with the pair who offered the dogs their new digs.
"They send me pictures all the time and have invited our kids to go hiking with them," she said. "It's just been amazing."
So amazing, in fact, that movie studios have shown interest in the Coco and Cookie story.
"People want to see that there's still goodness in the world today," Behzadi said. "If Cookie and Coco can bring a smile to someone's face, then great. It's worthwhile."
Now, please stop e-mailing her.
Photos courtesy Sas Behzadi
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Thanks for the story, I know a lot of the board members at the labrador retriever chatboard will find this update very interesting as many of them were involved in getting this story out there and trying to help in finding these two great dogs a home.
By Woody , Posted February 26, 2009 7:35 AMMy pleasure! Feel free to pass it along and spread the good news! It's a bummer people are starting to think this inspiring story is a hoax.
By Kris Coronado , Posted February 26, 2009 12:28 PMKris, you did a great job with the article. I'm also part of the Snopes.com forum and I am going to write up a blog entry of my own and reference your link. Donna and I were skeptical that Sas would answer with all the emails she got, but your persistance paid off. Good dectective work. I like the story. I never thought I would be a participant in creating a email urban legend, since I am fervent in stopping them myself. I have to remind my own mother not to forward so much junk that is already proven wrong and here I am starting another, albiet unwittingly. I've probably spent about 5 hours on my own googling and trying to let various blogs know the truth, but I don't want to have to be a member of every blog just to deliver a retraction and many webmasters won't forward replies to their members from a non-member. Oh, well. No good deed ever goes unpunished. Maybe Sas will start her own blog or coordinate with another dog placement group to potentially help anyone who was reaching out to her for their own help. There is great need out there and kind hearted people who can help are in high demand. ;-)
By James Harvey , Posted February 27, 2009 11:26 AMThanks so much James! It was a fun story to unravel, and I'm so glad I was able to reach you. Definitely a very interesting week tracking this down. Dare I say it took some 'dogged' determination?
I feel like this is just the beginning of this story. Where Sas will go from here could be a whole 'nother article in itself. We'll just have to wait and see!
And if you could send me your Snopes post that would be fantastic!
By Kris Coronado , Posted February 27, 2009 2:31 PMWow, this is such a wonderful story and shows that people working together can really help. I would love to see this story made into a movie. We need more feel good movies that give us hope.
By Joni , Posted February 27, 2009 2:41 PMThank you for finding out the real story. However, I would hate for this woman to get any financial gain from giving up her dogs when millions of dogs lose their lives in shelters every day. We at Lowcountry Lab Rescue spend countless hours each week trying to find homes for homeless Labrador who are not as lucky to have friends in LA or the TV business. And then to receive this email about Cookie and Coco, which takes away precious time from a legitimate lab in need. I am glad these dogs found a home, but they were NEVER truly in danger of being euthanized like so many of the labs that I deal with every day.
By San , Posted February 27, 2009 7:15 PMIt's nice to hear there is a happy outcome. I received this email from 4 people last week. I didn't forward it because I noticed there was no specific information on how to contact the owner. I actually thought the dogs were here in Santa Fe. So it still has life. One person who forwarded it had left her email and phone number in the message and she said she's been innondated with emails and calls but apparently doesn't even know the (former) owners or how to contact them.
By Julie , Posted February 27, 2009 8:50 PMThank you so much for this story. Our Louisiana organization, HOPE for Animals, received this plea via email and spread the word like everyone else, and although we'd heard that the pair had gotten adopted together, we're ecstatic to hear the whole story, and that they found such a loving home. It's so uplifting to hear the happy endings.
By Laurie , Posted March 1, 2009 4:15 AMYeah, I saw that. An innocent email bystander!
By Kris Coronado , Posted March 2, 2009 9:30 AMI am still getting the e-mail forwarded to me here in Massachusetts at least twice a day. I had been telling everyone it may have been real at one time but isn't now. Glad I know the whole story!
By Kim , Posted March 3, 2009 2:08 PMI too spent countless hours forwarding this story around - even yesterday one month after I had originally received it. I myself received a terrible backlash and was told it was nothing but a hoax - like the little boy who cried wolf. I was so grateful to see this story today and to regain my faith (somewhat) in people. So many people came back to me and wanted these dogs. I wonder sometimes, why they just don't go to a shelter and get one. There are 7 new puppies born feral two weeks ago though so I'm using these contact to tell people about them and sure enough - some people are already intereseted.
Thanks again for posting this story.
By Cathi , Posted March 4, 2009 5:52 PMDo you know, I even prayed last night before I went to bed, to the Lord Jesus that Cookie and Cocoa would find a home together.
By Dulcie Baxter , Posted March 5, 2009 12:13 AMI am ecstatic that they did.
Just goes to show you God hears and answers prayer, even for dogs!
This adoption plee made it all the way to Seattle! We passed it around work here all week, until someone decide to check it out on Snopes! What's amazing is that two different people here said that they knew who had adopted the dogs, both of them in Seattle! It's amazing how these things take on a life of their own!
By Jen , Posted March 6, 2009 12:52 PMAs a Lab lover myself and veterinary technician for 15+years, I was hart broken to hear the plea to find them a home. I am glad to here about such orgnizations and think they are top notch. Way to go!!!
By Wanda , Posted March 6, 2009 3:53 PMI jsut got the story about Coco and Cookie today. I didn't check it out on Snopes cause mine had 2 phone numbers, a business and cell, listed, along with a full name. I forwarded it and they forwarded it, and so on. It wasn't until I had someone interested in adopting the pups that I called the number. Still not sure where the guy in my email fits in to the story, but it was his info that legitamized it for me. Anyway, when I spoke to him, he just said that the dogs had found a home together, and he couldn't believe how many calls he'd gotten from a posting at his office. At first I felt, great, that they had been homed together. Then when I was pointed to the Snopes article I felt like an idiot for passing around spam mail. Reading your article brought me back to feeling good, because the process of forwarding emails does work. I just know better to do my due dilligence BEFORE I hit the forward button from now on.
By Laura Maurizi , Posted March 10, 2009 7:45 PMif this wasn't a hoax, why are so many people claiming they rec'd e-mails about it back in 2007?
By V L , Posted March 11, 2009 5:55 PMThat might have to do with another email that was going around earlier. From what I've heard, there was an email about Lab puppies that turned out to be a hoax.
By Kris Coronado , Posted March 12, 2009 12:26 PMI got this email as well and forwarded it. I'm glad these dogs found a home but there are thousands of other dogs in need.
She got 10,000 replies?? WHAT IS SHE DOING WITH THEM? Does she realize what a list of 10,000 potential adopters is worth? It's like GOLD to the rescue community. There are tens of thousands of homeless dogs being KILLED every year in L.A city and county shelters alone. After all the help she has gotten from the animal rescue community, she should be sharing those replies with rescue groups so they can contact those adopters and save some lives.
By PERIEL , Posted March 13, 2009 4:48 PMPeriel; Your passion for animals is noted, but your angst toward this woman is misguided.
I am happy to alert you that you ARE incorrect. I know this woman personally and if you read the article, there are three children that she is taking care of by herself, while moving due to foreclosure, and trying to find a job. And sadly, that is just the tip of the iceberg for her. I don't know how she handles enormous pressure, but she does.
To inform you and everyone else out there, amongst all this pressure on her shoulders to try and provide for her children in these extremely tough times, she is currently working with organizations to try and connect the list of potential owners with pets in need. So even though life has buried her in a pile of lemons, she's still trying to make lemonade and not for herself. For others that long to be pet owners.
As she states in the article, "People want to see that there's still goodness in the world today." She means that 100% and is doing something to make it a reality. She didn't ask to become a personal service for over 10,000 people wanting a pet, but she realizes the gravity of her position and is doing something about it. She's out there trying to make a difference.
We assume you are also doing a wonderful job helping others.
By james , Posted March 27, 2009 3:25 AMI'm so happy to know that Coco and Cookie are fine together at a new home.
By Miki May , Posted April 22, 2009 5:01 AMMy heart went out to them and was ready to enroll my family to adopt them. My husband grandma's nickname was Cookie. Recently, my sis in law adopted a dog from Humane Society and named her Cookie,, I have 2 granddaughters at home, we used to have 2 golden Rs. Well. all these things add up, instantly, I felt Coco and Cookie are meant to come to our home!!!
Miki May
Honolulu, Hawaii
I'm so happy to know that Coco and Cookie are fine together at a new home.
By Miki May , Posted April 22, 2009 5:01 AMMy heart went out to them and was ready to enroll my family to adopt them. My husband grandma's nickname was Cookie. Recently, my sis in law adopted a dog from Humane Society and named her Cookie,, I have 2 granddaughters at home, we used to have 2 golden Rs. Well. all these things add up, instantly, I felt Coco and Cookie are meant to come to our home!!!
Miki May
Honolulu, Hawaii
May 12, 2009 --this email is routing through HOUSTON,TX this week. My neighbor and I were emailing and calling to find out where we could come get the dogs, thinking it was local! I just figured out it was outdated (and out-of town). Hopefully folks will have a heart and offer their homes to more homeless pups! Not such a bad thing the email is still crossing the country....
By Patty in Houston, TX , Posted May 12, 2009 10:28 PMI received this email the other day by my aunt. I had remembered that my boss had also received this email a few months back. I thought it was a bit strange, seeing as how the dogs were so great, "surely it isn't taking this long to find a home", right? Anyway... in doing research, I found your article so, THANK YOU! Now don't get me wrong, I'm so glad to hear that they're safe and taken care of. However, if they end up making a movie for these dogs, it would be really fantastic if someone had the heart to give these dogs back to their original family with a bit of the earnings they make off the story. That would be an even better happy ending!!!
By Amanda in Flower Mound TX , Posted May 13, 2009 3:11 PMMy whole family are dog lovers and upon receiving the email, I sent it to all of my friends & they sent it to their friends. I found 2 good homes for the dogs here in Houston and for 3 days have been trying to find a phone number for the lady, after my emails went unanswered. Everyone here was so glad to hear they now have a good home. Just goes to show how many people will go to the need of an animal. Do you know anything about the lady who had cancer & needed a home for her dog. I can gladly find her/him a home. Debbie in Houston, TX. PLEASE DO NOT POST MY EMAIL ADDRESS!
By Debbie Aiello , Posted May 15, 2009 1:37 PMMy gawd....
Really? This never-ending waste of time is considered a success, a happy-ending??? There obviously isn't any ending.
It is clear that as a populace we lack critical thinking skills, such as those that would cause us to instinctively reason, "hmmm....there's absolutely no contact information in this -- or even an indication of WHERE this purported supplicant lives -- other than a generic yahoo.com email address....gee, I wonder if this is a hoax?" And by hoax, I mean by the time it made it's way to me it WAS fake, intentionally manipulated to change up the situation (going overseas, vs. evicted; date removed since it would expose the lie..) It's no wonder our national productivity is so low.
More time practicing critical thinking -- really, practice, that's what it takes to make something second nature -- and less time focusing on "celebrity" minutiae. That's what this country needs.
By Bobo Macaroni , Posted August 29, 2009 1:20 PMI received this e-mail from someone at work and tried to respond telling you I was interested in the puppies and my e-mail was rejected due to a block on the owner's e-mail. Perhaps you haven't had any luck due to your e-mail being blocked?!
By Victoria Miller , Posted October 5, 2009 3:47 PMYeah the last time I talked to Sas she was still receiving thousands of emails a day. So no surprise she blocked the account!
By Kris Coronado , Posted October 5, 2009 3:53 PMHow the hell did this reach New Zealand ?????
By Lenice HUrndell , Posted October 15, 2009 3:06 PMWow. This just made my day.
By Kris Coronado , Posted October 15, 2009 6:39 PMhey there from sunny North Queensland in Australia.
By Katrina Cullen , Posted November 1, 2009 8:54 PMyes, Coco and Cookie are doing the rounds in our part of the world too.
In fact, I saw their picture and the email on our staff noticeboard the other day.
It's a funny world...