Animal Rescue Stories

Gypsie

Gypsie and her brother were born one night in a junked-out car at Pam's workplace. Their mother didn't have any milk and they would have died. Pam brought them home every night and bottle-fed them every few hours, then took them to work every morning and "kitty-sat" them. We became foster parents to the kittens. When they were a few weeks old they were promised to other animal lovers by Pam's employer. When they were old enough, Smokey Joe (Gypsie's brother) went to a wonderful home. I fell in love with Gypsie and could not part with her. She became a part of our family and found her forever home with our other loving pets.

Tony & Pam
Phoenix, AZ

Wawi and Me

Wawi was orphaned at birth, and I became his "mother". He stayed by my side until he was over three months old. He is now my main herd bull, but he still thinks I'm his "momma" and follows me everywhere I go.

Joe Don Kotrla-Chipps
Round Rock, TX

Annie

Annie came to us early one Spring after she had tried to find a home with other neighbors in the area. She was about 4 months old, thin and desperate; she came running to us from underneath our shed that day. After trying to find out if she was someone else's pet, we decided to keep her until we found her a good home. Almost two years later, she is still with us and a joy to have in our lives. She's a wonderful companion to our older cat, Magoo, who never liked other cats until her. She gets along with everyone, including our Boston Terrier, Shakespeare, and the neighbor's JRT, Ike. We love to watch her perform "Ballet" after dark, when she puts on a show for us out in the yard while we sit out on our deck. Annie, you are our beautiful girl!

Patty Feather
Alum Bank, PA

Diesel

A year and a half ago, we went to look at a pony to buy for the riding school we were stabling at, at the time. We got to the place, looked at the pony and I saw Diesel, this beautiful black horse, standing in the field, skin and bone, terrified of us. Every time I tried to get close to him, he would run away and snort at us. I asked the owners whether I could buy him as well, and they said yes, because he was just n nuisance to them. We had to get the vet out to tranquilise him, just to be able to load him and get him away from that horrid place. I worked with him, just standing with him for two weeks before he would even come close to smell me, I started grooming him, taking my time to ask him for anything, and with patience and a lot of love I was able to back him within three months of having him. He is the sweetest and most gorgeous horse, very intelligent and loves to learn new tricks.

Natasha von Brandis
Pretoria, South Africa

Picked her up at 6 weeks old

This is Star. In 1999, at six weeks old, we rescued her from the highway. This was in the hot July summer near the end of the day and we were driving home. This was a stretch of highway where nobody lives and chances are this puppy, eight inches long, would have ended up a coyote's dinner. She was clinging to the roadside next to the highway and when I caught a glimpse of something in the grass, I promptly pulled over asking my wife what she could see. "A puppy", she answered. I ran towards the puppy. As I approached she became afraid and ran a few feet away so I dropped back . My wife advanced and said to her,"Don't run; I'm a mother." and the little pup ran right to her.
In the first week, my wife suggested we give her away but I refused. She is daddy's girl and has been from the first meal I fed her. Contrary to the opinion of my favorite dog whisperer, Cesar Milan, who claims dogs do not understand English, we sure would have thought Star did the day she ran to my wife.

Morgan Sky
Tres Piedras, NM

Rigley - The Man of the House

My husband and I agreed we wanted to adopt a dog in the spring of 2006. I started looking on Petfinder.com and instantly knew it would be tough picking just one. After inquiring about a few dogs here and there (one was a biter, one didn't like people in general), I saw "Mutton". He was adorable and I knew he was the one. He was located at a shelter in Longview, WA. After we called to see if he was still available, we took the day off to go see him. After a long drive, I was very anxious to meet who we would soon call "Rigley". My heart broke walking into that shelter and I would have adopted all the animals in there that day if I could have. We walked down to where Rigley was and I loved him right away. We learned that he was found on the street at one point and was in no way being taken care of. We adopted him that day and I'm so thankful we did. It didn't take long for Rigley to get used to us and he soon realized he was safe and HOME. We've all come to the realization that Rigley is the "man of the house," and due to his charm, stubbornness and personable characteristics, we're wrapped around his little paws.

Jinger Hendricks
Tacoma, WA

My Pepper

I've always wanted a dog but Pepper changed my mind. I was feeding a stray cat by my apt complex and she got pregnant. I made her a box house so she can have her kittens in there until one day my girlfriend and I got home from work and we heard someone meowing. We looked on the side of my apartment and here is this little kitten, with her cord still covered with leaves. She took and cleaned her and put her in the box where the remaining kittens at but the Mama did not want her so I took her in, fed and helped her used the bathroom. I took her to work also, five days a week coz she needed to be fed and used the bathroom. I felt like I had a real baby, I used to get up every 4 hours every night for 5 wks. I told my friends that I will find her a home when she able to use the bathroom of her own but when that time came; I couldn't do it. I ended up keeping her and so I got very close to her up to this day. I name her Pepper coz she looks like a black pepper and she does have a lil tail. She does things I've never taught a cat would do. She never meow but she says "Ma" I guess I call her Mama maybe. She is very protective of me, she grawls when she hears the doorbell rings like a dog. She is very smart and well behave. I guess it's because of how I started training her since she was a kitten. I learn to love her and not I will go crazy if something ever happen to her. She is my joy.

Kukana
Jacksonville, FL

Smokey & Bandit

Our Siamese of 17 years had passed away and our home felt empty, We'd always had 2, 3, or 4 cats, and life wasn't the same without those little furry faces to greet us each day. Spring was approaching, so we knew the animal shelter would soon fill up with kittens. We visited the shelter, intent on putting our name on the list for any Siamese mix kittens brought to the shelter. While there, we noticed two little grey furballs playing in a cage. They were brought into the shelter at 5 months old with their 3 other sisters who had already been adopted. They came home with us that day! Smokey and Bandit, have filled our home with kitten fun. They love playing with their toys and bird watching. We look forward to growing old with them!!

Wayne and Cynthia
Evansville, IN

The Queen!

We adopted Tabby from the Animal Rescue League ten years ago, and she's taken over. She's beautiful and she knows it, and her personality is just so sweet. Her name was Tabby when we adopted her, she's a beautiful gray striped Persian (like Nermal in the Garfield cartoon), and she's nuts, so we re-christened her Tabnermal. She's the image of another gray striped Persian we adopted over 30 years ago. All of our animals have been rescued, and they've all been wonderful family members.

Joyce Maxwell
Cranston, RI

Puffins and Nubbins

Two small baby kittens were found inside the engine of a car at a car repair shop. I took one of them home and named him "Puffins" and bottle fed him. I was told the other kitten's injuries were too bad and she was being taken to be put down. A couple weeks later, I found out that a vet had taken pity on the little kitten and had been caring for her. She lost a leg and her tail, but had survived! Three weeks after that, I was able to bring home "Nubbins" and reunite the two siblings. Two years later, they are so close, and I love them more than anything!

Tina Treichel
Gladstone, MI