Animal Rescue Stories

What Lola Wants, Lola Gets!

She was picked up by the police next to a bowling alley looking for food. I can't imagine how they managed to catch my little vixen, but thank goodness they did. I found her at the New York Rabbit Rescue and Rehab and she quickly decided I would be the one. From the moment she arrived at her new home she set about making the rules and effectively communicating exactly how our new life together would play out. In the process, we've learned to love and trust each other and I've greatly improved my bunny negotiating skills. Lola now lives a pampered life and that makes both of us incredibly happy!

Shane York
Bronxville, NY

Homer Bigfoot

He was supposed to be a foster dog.
He was found in New York City Central park tied to a tree and he must have been there for a while (at least overnight). Through friends of ours he came to live with us, temporarily until we found him a good home.
He was a handful. He suffered extreme separation anxiety, couldn't be crated, and cried all the time. If you left the room, he cried! I consider myself a dog person but I felt I didn't have enough expertise to help him. We decided to surrender him to the shelter. They didn't take him "as was"; we had to have him neutered. And even though everybody tells you it doesn't make a difference in a dog's character, it did for him. He was a different dog! Maybe at that point he decided he wanted to stay with us and he did! He is the sweetest dog ever and I think he thinks he's a person! I am glad things turned out that way and we are now beagle pack leaders! His friend Britney is his best buddy and things have worked out for him.

Daniela
Brookfield, CT

Dona

One tremendously hot Saturday afternoon while on our way to play putt-putt with friends, we spotted a female Walker Hound trotting along the busy highway. She was dangerously thin and quite desperate as she came right to us. We forewent putt-putt that day and instead scooped up the skinny hound and loaded her into our SUV with the full intention of delivering her to the animal shelter the following Monday morning. However... after spending the weekend with her, we were completely and utterly in love. We called her "Dona" for one of the Pennsylvania friends who were with us when we found her. That was three years ago. It was also one month after our beloved Brittany Spaniel, "Lucky", had passed away. We always thought that it was Lucky who sent Dona to us.

Jennifer Gold
New Bern, NC

Britney: From the Bronx to Brookfield

We rescued this lovely girl from the Bronx. Her previous owner had passed away. She was staying with a relative but didn't get along with their dogs. The people would have had to put her in a shelter and we all know that New York State shelters are not for the long haul! Through friends of ours we heard about her and decided to give it a try. I always had dogs growing up but never pure-bred and never beagles. Britney started out as a couch potato because of her quiet life style before. But now she runs around like a puppy and even has a beagle friend. He loves her, she tolerates him ;)
She has enriched our lives so much and I'm glad we got her.

D. Enkelmann
Brookfield, CT

THREE HAPPY TAILS :D

One morning Sophie, a Dalmatian mix, was found tied to the door of Abandoned Pet Rescue shelter in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. She was about 5 years old then, had been cruelly abused, and during the next three years she spent in the shelter she got so fat she could no longer scratch her belly. Today she's a slim, playful "puppy" and her eyes are filled with love and trust.
Max, a Yellow Lab mix was rescued from the 'death row' of a high kill facility by APR and placed for adoption in the same kennel with Sophie. He was about one year old, scared, and so crazy he was nicknamed "Mad Max" as two volunteers were needed to take him for a walk. Today he protects our property with no fear, sits when I snap my fingers, and walks without a leash -- but he's still the Mad Max we fell in love with and can't resist tearing a pillow every now and then.
Sophie had seen kennel mates come and find new homes, but nobody wanted her. The shelter volunteers told us that as soon as the two met, it was love at first sight. That love is still going strong, 3 years after we adopted them both. Sophie is older than Max, but - like humans - some gals are smart LOL
Happy tails are contagious; My sister also adopted her "Taffy"-girl from APR 18 months ago.

Liisa Pasila
Lantana, FL

Sydney

We found her wandering around our neighborhood starved and scared in the fall of 2007. We lured her with hot dogs and before long she stretched out for some much deserved attention. She weighed just 24 pounds, very skinny for a German Shepherd/Lab mix. We love all the character and attitude we've discovered in her. She's fattened up since and has made her self at home. She loves to play tug-o-war with her rope and refuses to touch anything that squeaks. She can't do wrong because once we look at her big brown eyes and those ears of hers, whatever she's done has been forgotten. She's just the sweetest thing and at 6-7 years old now, she doesn't act her age!

Samantha and Adrian
Gainesville, FL

Still handsome after all these years

I adopted a 3-year old pet pekingese from a friend in California who didn't have time for him anymore. He knew I wanted and needed a dog to help me get over the loss of my previous two dogs. I was told Gizzy never had been taken on walks very much before and that's one of his most favorite things in the world.

I take him everywhere and if he's not allowed, then I'm not going!
I've had him for nearly 9 years now and I keep loving him more and more each day. I will never get tired of him as I am very attached to this dog. He makes me laugh and keeps me gonig. We are each other's lives and the thought of losing him brings tears to my eyes. I will be a total wreck when we'll have to say good-bye.

I'm hopeful he will live for a very long time and I have every reason to believe that he will, as he doesn't look, nor act, his age. If you came to visit, you'd think a toddler lives here because of all the toys on the floor. He's certainly the "man" of the house, my four-legged friend for life!

Doris
Lakeland, GA

Tyson

Our family was devastated after the death of our 11-year-old mixed breed named Conrad. I checked the local shelter's website and petfinder.com every day for about a month. Tyson caught my eye and I knew I had to meet him. Tyson had lost his first home due to financial loss. He was adopted by another family, but returned to the humane society after only 2 weeks. We knew he was the one for us and brought him home that very day. Tyson has been with us for almost 2 years now and has become a beloved member of our family.

Kelly
Des Moines, IA

Penelope

My friend and I were driving to lunch one day on a busy street in Ybor City, Florida. The cars ahead of us were putting on their breaks and swerving to miss something in the road. When we pulled up, we saw it was a very tiny black kitten huddled in the middle of the road. I jumped out and picked her up. Her little tail was bald, but otherwise, she seemed unharmed. She was 4 weeks old. I took her home and she slept for 24 hours straight. After that, as wobbly as she still was, she started terrorizing my other cat, Bob, and hasn't stopped since. Now she is 2 years old this month and eats my flip flops and toilet paper and destroys every lampshade in the house. But I love her and would never regret bringing her home!

Dara White
Lakeland, FL

Brandy

We met Brandy at a local Pet Smart. She was there for adoption from the Humane Society. Her story was that she was hanging around a dumpster in a local town and some kind soul called her in. She was picked up, spayed and came home with us. She is a wonderful friend and we are grateful to have her in our home.

Rita Lemire
Burlington, VT