clear the shelters

NBC4's Robert Kovacik Shares How a Live Shot Brought Him and His Beloved Pooch Together

"Aug. 18 is our day, too, to help Clear the Shelters. Not just to offer support, but to open my home and my heart for a new best friend."

It was just an adoption event and a live shot that brought NBC4 reporter Robert Kovacik and Hudson together.

In 2007, Robert was simply at City of LA Animal Services to cover a Valentine's Day adoption event; however, one puppy stole his heart.

Michelle Valles
Michelle Valles' dog Emmylou is her best pal. A friend surprised Michelle with her when Emmylou was a year and a half. "She immediately put her paw in my hand when we first met and fell in love. Emmylou was a rescue from a Texas corgi group. Her first human mom passed of cancer sadly so she and her brothers ended up at the rescue but all got forever homes."
Michelle Valles
Emmylou and Michelle were apart for two years after she moved from Texas to Los Angeles to Los Angeles. "I wanted to make sure I had the right place for her and the time. Meanwhile she was touring with a country western band so needless to say she had a fun and busy life!"
Michelle Valles
Michelle and Emmylou have finally been reunited, though. "My girl is back in my arms again. She fills my heart with such love! She really rescued me, not the other way around. We love to play, cruise around and eat! Lol and she lets me sleep, now that’s a good girl!"
Anthony Yanez
"Two weeks before Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast these two were seen wandering the streets of Houston. Red Collar Rescue was able to find them a safe place to stay before the storm flooded the city. Hearing that shelters were filled with lost animals, we asked Red Collar if there was anything we could do to help. The organization asked if we could adopt two large puppies who hate being apart. We said yes, and Houston and Harvey have been with us almost a year."
Mekahlo Medina
Mekahlo Medina adopted his rescue after meeting her for the first time on NBC4 during our "Pet of the Week" segment. "She was 3 months old and the size of an iPad. Six years later, she is 60 pounds and my best friend," he said.
Mekahlo Medina
TODAY in LA viewers helped Mekahlo name her "Lola" after a naming contest on Facebook and on air. "The name suits her well. It’s short for Dolores and like my grandmother Dolores, she protects me, cuddles with me and gives me way too many kisses on the cheek!"
Eric Leonard
Meet Eric Leonard’s dog Kosmo. He turns 9 in November. The Leonard family adopted Kosmo in 2010 from Westside German Shepherd Rescue. "He and his litter mates were found roaming the streets of Bakersfield."
Eric Leonard
"Kosmo is a shepherd-something mix. He helps to take care of our house by barking at dogs on television, napping, and glancing at the front door when someone knocks."
Randy Mac
In between live shots, Randy let his son Pressley hold her. He became attached to her instantly and she wore tag 214, which is a Dallas Area Code. The family had moved from Dallas to SoCal and "watching him with her all day and having a chance to love on her sealed it." By Randy's final live shot, the Mac family decided to adopt her. They chose the name Frisco because it’s the city outside Dallas where his son had grown up. "We had to hold her because she was so young they didn’t want her to walk on pavement concerned she would get an infection -- instead we got infected with puppy love!"
Randy Mac
Frisco was the runt of a litter of three pups born to a Chihuahua-mix that was a stray. "He still has his puppy face three years later!"
Patrick Healy
Patrick's cat came into his life after his daughters had decided their Spaniel needed a feline friend. The kitty was adopted at a Westchester adoption event 11 years ago, "the rescue organization told us the tortoise-furred kitten had been found abandoned in a park." Due to the Healy family's love of the Harry Potter franchise, the feline was lovingly named Crookshanks (or "Crookie" for short) after Hermione Granger's pet cat. Crookie's Spaniel friend has now long since passed; however, since then, "Crookie has house trained a pair of Bichons, and also taught them how to catch mice."
Robert Kovacik
In 2012, a NBCLA viewer gave HayHay this beret from the Team USA Olympic uniform so she "wouldn't feel too lonely while [Robert] was away covering the Games in London."
Robert Kovacik
HayHay had made it abundantly clear to Robert that she wanted a playmate. Months later, he was covering a Valentine's Day adoption event for City of LA Animal Services, and found Hudson -- who was abandoned in Hancock Park on yes, a street, named Hudson. "They were best friends ever since. Though Hudson is 80 pounds and she was much smaller, it was HayHay’s world and he was just happy be in it — letting her run the show and happily following behind."
Robert Kovacik
Hudson's live TV appearance in 2007. "At the time, Anchor Paul Moyer turned to Colleen Williams and said, 'How can you resist that face?' Colleen jokingly asked, 'The dog's or Robert's?'"
Robert Kovacik
Unfortunately, Hayhay passed away in July, and now, Robert's focus is on Hudson who misses her so much. "So, this year, Aug. 18 is our day to help "Clear the Shelters" not just to offer support, but to open my home and my heart for a new best friend for me and my Huddy."
John Cádiz Klemack
John Cádiz Klemack poses with his four-legged companions, his wife Jaqueline, and his mother who was visiting Los Angeles.
John Cádiz Klemack
John's cat, Oscar came from the Kanawha County Animal Shelter in West Virginia. John had just gotten his first job in TV, and was hoping a kitty would help him wake up in the mornings."Little did I know, that was far from reality. Oscar was as lazy as Garfield!" Despite being lazy, Oscar has brought him so much joy into his life. "When my wife and I first started dating, she had a fear of cats and would literally jump on the couch when he walked in the room. But she too eventually fell in love." After being with the Klemack family for 14 years, they said goodbye to Oscar. "He held on for as long as he could – from West Virginia to Utah and to California, he made our lives so much more enjoyable."
John Cádiz Klemack
John rescued Paco from the Kern County Shelter in Bakersfield after he had been left in a dumpster. "His super sweet demeanor, his shy approach, his soft-spoken bark – it’s all what makes us love him even more." It is estimated that Paco is about 14 years old now, and slowing down. "But every day we have with him is a day we feel blessed because he soothes our stresses, he loves us unconditionally, he stole our hearts and now he steals our bed!"
John Cádiz Klemack
Who said dogs and cats can't get along?
Carolyn Johnson
Carolyn found her fluffy kitty after helping out with a program called "The Homeless Cat Network" while living in the San Francisco Bay Area. "The feral cat population had grown out of control in our neighborhood." The program would set up feeding stations, catch the kitties and bring them to the vet to be spayed or neutered. The cats were then adopted out to loving homes. "That’s how Coco, a fluffy black cat with a huge personality, joined our family."
Kathy Vara
Kathy's dog unfortunately lost his leg in an accident prior to Kathy adopting him, but despite his rough upbringing, the 12-pound Australian Shepherd-mix is in a loving home.
Kathy Vara
Previously rejected from not one, but two fosters for "bad behavior," Lilly was able to find her fur-ever home and became a perfect princess!

Once abandoned in Hancock Park, Robert decided to lovingly name him Hudson -- after the street he was found on. The pup was brought home to meet Robert's other dog, Hayworth, or HayHay for short.

"They were best friends ever since," Robert said. "It was HayHay's world, and he was just happy to be in it -- letting her run the show and happily following behind."

Unfortunately, HayHay recently passed away in July, but thanks to the unconditional love and support, Robert is ready to find another four-legged companion for his "Huddy." 

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"My focus is on Hudson, who like me, misses her so much," Robert said. "So, this year, Aug. 18 is our day, too, to help Clear the Shelters. Not just to offer support, but to open my home and my heart for a new best friend."

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