Animal Rescue Stories

boat ride home

Baby was hiding in a co-worker's boat when he brought it to work to try and sell it. He was driving down the road and looked in his rearview mirror and up popped this little black head. She came home with me that evening and quickly made her home in our hearts. She was about 6 months old at the time and we quickly found out pregnant. That was 6 years ago and we can't imagine our house without her. She greets us everytime we come home with a beauthiful song. And spends the evening hanging out either on her roost or in my lap.

Kim
Flint, TX

Puffy Ami Yumi

While I was attending cosmetology school I learned that there were kittens living in the woods near the Chili's restaurant in the same plaza as my school. I set my have-a-heart trap and caught little Puffy in it. She was about four months old according to the vet I took her to. I was lucky she was disease free and healthy.
She is now a much loved member of the family and wants nothing to do with the outside world. Her big sister Echo, also a rescue kitty, gets a lot of credit for welcoming Puff into her home. Puffy now has lots of toys, soft places to sleep and people to love her. She is a very happy cat!!

gina piantedosi
attleboro, MA

Kinsey

I was told about a Peke from a friend that works in rescue and fosters. I went to see her on my lunch hour and fell in love with her only to find out that another rescue was on their way to take her to another city and that a family had been approved for her already. I sent in my application anyway and e-mailed the rescue all week long.

I was told that she was found in a crate in her own urine and feces and had sores from it. She had been shaved down so they could treat the sores and get rid of her matted hair. She had a puppy at the young age of 8 months and had been mistreated (hit and teased) by kids. She was missing a toe, no one knows how that happened.

The next week, I was home talking to my vet when he told me he had received a phone call from the rescue group. I couldn't help but wonder why they would still be calling. Then they called me and asked me if I was still interested in Kinsey. Of course! I drove that day to pick her up. She was so pathetic looking but I still loved her. She was kid and dog aggressive. My grandson lived with me at the time. It took some work with a professional but we got it worked out.

She didn't know how to play or what toys were. She has since learned a lot of tricks and we play daily. She has a wonderful life now. Too bad she had to go through what she did for the first 4-5 years of her life.

Just look at her now, she is the most beautiful girl I've ever had!

Ellen H.
Topeka, KS

My Handsome Grand Dogs

Here's a picture of my 2 grand dogs, the Black Lab is Samson and the little guy peeking along side his brother is Lucky the vet thinks is a Lab/Australian Cattle Dog Mix.

My daughter Kelly and son-in-law Brian took both in off the streets of Kentucky literaly in 2008, where they are living for now while Brian is earning his Doctorate at the University of KY in Lexington.

Samson was found by my daughters co-worker when he came up to his dogs one day at his home. Kelly had mentioned to her co-workers she wanted to adopt a black lab eventually so he told Kelly about him and she called Brian, they went to see him, they looked for an owner but didn't find one, so they took him in. He had marks on his neck, very fearful and still is somewhat and didn't like Brian or men in general at first, so he may have been abused. But now he is a much happier dog, and he's his daddys buddy.

Lucky was found wondering around the Middle School where my daughter was teaching, for several days she would see him eating gum off the sidewalk so my daughter felt bad and took him to a shelter so he could get food, water, shelter and maybe get adopted by someone. The shelter told her that they could only keep him for so many days and then he'd be euthanized, so Kelly wasn't going to let that happen so again called Brian and they took him in also.

Now they are both loved and cared for and have given a lot of unconditional love right back now that they have both found their forever home!!!!!

Kathy (aka) Grandma
Waunakee, WI

Lady was a true lady

A friend of ours rescued Lady after she had been hit by a car. Our friend couldn't keep Lady, and needed to find her another home. We had recently lost our dog, Charlie, and were looking for another dog, but we wanted something different. Lady was the answer, a shepherd/chow mix, she was the easiest dog to care for. She had 2 nicknames, 1 was Ladybug and the other was LM (low maintenance), but she was definitely the alpha (or queen as we put it). We had the pleasure of having her with us for almost 13 years. She developed lung cancer and had to leave us this past March. We miss her gentle, smiling presence, but are grateful that we were able to share our home with her.

Bill and Sandy
Apopka, FL

mexico runway rescue

My wife and I saw this dog at the dirt strip in Mulege,Baja Mexico ,with an injured nose from a prop of an airplane. A local retired american vet and a retired anesthesiologist helped catch the dog with sedative laced hot dogs. Our plan was to find a local family to care for the dog after fixing his nose. The nose required more surgery than planned, so we brought him to Santa Barbara to do the surgeries. He has lived with us for 9 years. His name is Pista which means runway in spanish. He is the healthiest dog we have ever had. He is also the most protective and a quick learner.

john Grube
santa barbara, CA

Mai Ling

Our "rescue" did not come from a shelter. My husband and I are "full timers" in a fifth wheel. A few years ago we traveled between Pennsylvania and Florida, usually spending a month at a Campground in St Augustine before making our way to central Florida for the winter. On one sunny day the camp maintenance worker came to us with a little package of fur, eyes not quite open, but already hissing her displeasure at being moved from her hiding spot. Apparently someone left a siamese female at the campground and she was populating the area. So I was talked into taking her baby. We took her to the veterinarian to make sure she didn't have leukemia and had a physical. I fed her with a bottle for a few weeks since she was not old enough to eat solid food. She is now 20 pounds, rules the household, along with our other rescue Rowdy. But that's another story.

Marilyn Dickson
Davenport, FL

Rusty charms Lulu

I wanted to share with everyone this great picture of Rusty also. He's a real character and was adopted from our local animal shelter in Nov 2007. We do a benefit party for them every year (Halloween) and raise money for their cause. When we lost our senior dog Sheeba to cancer in Nov 2007, shortly after the Halloween party, our whole family was down, including Lulu. I finally went to the shelter to drop off the funds from the Halloween party and as fate would have it, there was this little guy looking for a home. He was perfect and a real charmer. Lulu and he bonded immediately. They are best friends now!

Adam
Chagrin Falls, OH

Petra, the wonder dog

Our beloved Petra is now frolicking in heaven. She had a remarkable life and touched many people in her almost 14 years on earth. While we miss her terribly, we know she is finally free from discomfort.

We found Petra at our local shelter, recovering from parvo virus and where she was brought after being found dumped by the side of the road. One look and we knew.

As a pup we discovered she suffered severe hip dysplasia which was corrected through radical surgery. Thanks to Dr. Michael Hoff, who gave her back her mobility. It took her most of the next year to walk normally, but she rebounded better than ever and was very active. This last year she developed near crippling arthritis in her front legs. It slowed her down but did not dampen her love of life and eagerness to do everything. We're grateful to Dr. Lee Herzig for giving her more quality time with her family.

Petra loved going to work with me and made many friends in her 11 years of greeting our customers. Sadly, after relocating three years ago it became obvious that our new store was too small for Her Fluffiness, so we depended on some wonderful ladies to care for her during the day. She probably had more fun in her various doggy-day-cares than with me at work, with road trips, many dog friends, kids, cats, school sports events and fast food burgers (no bun).

Petra was the sweetest dog and she loved all creatures. Pete, the miracle cat, had become her best cat friend and nap pal.

While we are very sad, we are happy she was able to enjoy such a long full life. She showed us endless joy, patience and so much love.

Kim, Dave and Pete
Belfast, Maine

Kim Dunn
Belfast, ME

Rusty brings Lulu happiness

Lulu (right), spent her first 5 years in a puppy mill. When we adopted her she had so much baggage it was unbelievable. It took her time, but she finally adjusted. Then we got Rusty (left) and they two of them fell in love!! She's one lucky little girl now. It may take a shelter dog a little while, but its SO worth it!