Animal Rescue Stories

Age doesn't matter

We adopted Arianna - at age 9 - from a local rescue group. We had just suffered the unexpected loss of a beloved golden and knew we needed to be a multi-companion home again. She is such a delight and my husband who was always so reserved about adopting an older pet - not a puppy -is so proud of his change in attitude! Lucky is the person who gets home first, they are greeted by Arianna's little front pop up & down with the expression "You came back! I'm so glad to see you!" Her only vice? She snores to rival the DH!!!!!

Diane
Allegany, NY

My Buddy Sam

Sam was a thin haggard feral, hanging around my back yard. I was just starting to learn about trap/neuter/return, and begged my hubby to let me start this effort. I began by putting food out in the yard for this orange cat.. and he even tamed up and let me pet him. After I trapped him and had the vet neuter him, Sam stayed and became my favorite porch kitty. He is very healthy now, as you can see... and he is the most affectionate kitty!

Leslie DeFrancisco
Buford, GA

Our gifts from under the house

This is Gabby & Spike. We rescued them from under our house. We had a stray cat that was hanging around our house when we moved in. We think the previous owners may have left her because she was very comfortable here. We started feeding her and taking care of her. A few weeks later we discovered that she was pregnant. Then she disappeared. We looked for her but couldn't find her. She no longer came to eat. Then she showed back up about 2 weeks later. About this time our dog was developing a fascination with the dryer vent in the laundry room. We were not sure why until one night we heard the faint meow's. We had kittens under the house. The meow's moved from the laundry area to the guest bathroom area. They were increasingly louder and momma cat was no where to be found. One evening my fiance went under the house and found these two little ones. There were about starved to death. We begin bottling feeding them and now they are our newest addition to the family. I am just thankful that we were here to save them. They are a constant joy everyday. They are now about 9 weeks old and doing great. We don't know what happened to the momma cat but at least her babies have a loving home.

Carol Kincaid
Denver, NC

Fatty McPhat Pants

Meatloaf is a 6 year old beauty that was rescued last fall from the Dumb Friends League in Denver. They brought her to the meet and greet room and she got out of the kennel and curled right up into my lap. It was love at first sight. Now she is the queen of the house, spending most of her time sprawled out on her back watching TV, and waiting for a belly rub. I can't imagine life without my fatty!

Molly Crowder
Denver, CO

Tasha

I moved out at 18 and got Tasha at a local shelter. She was the only girl and needed some TLC. About a week later, I found out she had Parvo and the entire litter had died except her. I couldn't afford to keep her a clinic for the care she needed so they sent me home with pills and a prayer. I gave her pills every 3 hours and 4 hours, spoon fed her Pedialyte, and fed her baby cocktail weinies. 9 years later, she is 96 pounds and as happy and healthy as any dog you can imagine. She is the light of my life!

Caroline Gadbury
Wichita, KS

MY OLD DOG RICHARD

THIS MONDAY MY SWEET PUPPY DIED HE DID IT IN THE MOST PEACEFUL WAY YOU COULD IMAGINE ..HE WENT TO SLEEP UNDER A TREE CLOSED HIS EYES AND DIED.
I had him and his twin sister since the day they were born in 4th of feb 1997 .
aside from richard i HAVE FIVE MORE DOGS...we live in kibbutz nir am in the western negev Israel.my daughter yam is 8 and every morning when I take her to the bus stop some my dogs accompany her.
richard walked with us every morning he will be missed.
he was a cute dog with a good nature.
may he rest in peace..
I never thought I would have so many dogs but each and avereyone of them mean alot to us.
Lia
mom to yam
raising 5 dogs and a cat
mary
dushi
guri
bagel
schoori

p.g. the cat

Lia Urman Givon
Ashkelon, Israel

Meg

We lost our 14 year old yellow lab to cancer the night before Thanksgiving in 2008. I was devastated as I had had her within hours of her birth, and long before having met my husband or had children - she was my baby! After her death we only lasted about 2 months before we just had to have another 4 legged love in the house. We rescued 8 year old Meg from a shelter in January. She is very timid and unfortunately shows signs of having been abused in the past. At her first check-up with our veterinarian we learned that she too had cancer. As you can imagine we were all once again devastated by the news. Luckily, our vet was able to perform surgery to remove the cancerous tumor and now she is cancer free. She is a wonderful, loving dog and we can't imagine being without her!

Sarah
Topsham, ME

Adopting Shayden

About 2 years ago I decided I really wanted a dog. My best friend had gotten a puppy from a neighbor and she brought such joy that I wanted that as well. After discussing it with my husband and searching websites for local shelters we decided one January monring to take a ride and meet some of these dogs face to face. I had several pictures of dogs with me but we got to this one cage and there she was looking so sweet. All the other dogs were barking and going crazy and my Shayden just stood there quiet and calm and I knew she was the one for us. Her papers said she had been returned becuse she didn't work out - she worked out very well for us! We couldn't have adopted a better dog, she loves everyone and brings a smile to my face even after a bad day. I look forward to coming in the door at night and seeing her all excited to see me!

Missi Thompson
Cincinnati, OH

Faith comes home

As a journalist, I was recently overseas reporting on puppy mills. I spent of a lot of time at one no-kill shelter in Jordan that took in 70 dogs and puppies confiscated after a raid. As the weeks went by, one dog the shelter staff named Faith stood out for me. She was obviously older, sweet and very quiet. She was described as the saddest case at the puppy mill, and she looked tired and rough. No one had expressed any interest in adopting her. One day, while a group of the dogs were outside playing together, Faith slipped inside the shelter through an open door. Instead of wreaking havoc, she found her open kennel, climbed inside and waited patiently for someone to close the door. That incident stuck in my mind. I couldn't imagine that Faith had fought so hard to stay alive to sit in a kennel for the rest of her life. I have four stray cats and fretted about adopting a dog, but Faith came home with me and we haven't looked back. Her eyes are now clear, not red and watery. Her fur is soft and shiny, not dull and lifeless. She loves to go for walks and people-watch, and is extremely careful around the cats. Her endurance, endless capacity for love and the joy she brings into our house are an inspiration to all who meet her.

Kristen G
Devon, PA

"Chloe"

"Chloe" showed up on my deck around December 2008 - she was skittery, thin and was obviously hungry. I had an "igloo" on my deck which had a warming pad and warm bedding in it and that's where she darted in and out of for food.. In June she trusted me enough to follow me around the yard - she would lie down and watch me work. She began to play hide-n-seek wuth me and finally agreed to come inside.

"Chloe" and I are now "joined at the hip" - wherever I go, she goes . No one ever came to claim her - or even look for her but I don't mind at all. She chose me and she lets me know it. :-D

Elle
Seymour, CT