Animal Rescue Stories

Sweetie from brooklyn

Sweetie was saved by a vet tech that was about to euthanize her. In her previous life, Sweetie was a bait dog and by the time she ended up at the ASPCA to be put-down, she was in horrific condition. But this vet tech saw all the beauty in her despite her terrible physical condition and called someone she knew that rescued pit bull type dogs. Thanks to Susan in New Jersey, my son and I now live with the kindest, sweetest, most accommodating dog I have ever met. Her calm attitude and kind nature has made her an ambassador for pit bulls. She has enriched my life immeasurably in the four years she has lived with us.

Joanne
Brooklyn, NY

Happy's Story

I was born in a kennel in Jackson, Mississippi but when I left it I was too young to remember much about it...All I know for certain is that I was the "runt" of the litter and had a bad underbite and no one seemed to want me. Then one day when I was 6 weeks old and the last one in the litter left, a nice elderly gentleman came and got me and seemed to love me. He was a friend of Ann's mother and she saw me first the next day. She said I was the cutest little thing she had ever seen. In a couple of weeks, the gentleman got gravely ill and had to go into a nursing home, so Ann and Aubrey came and got me. He gave them the papers on me and they registered me in her name. They kept me a while and then they moved and could not take me, so they gave me to another elderly gentleman and he took real good care of me. He liked to lie on the bed and read and he kept me right up there with him. Then he also died and Ann rescued me again.

I don't know anything about dying, but I do know that two people I loved and who loved me left me. Dying must mean that you leave everyone you love and never come back...Maybe someday I will understand.

I just wanted to tell you how an old dog thinks, especially one who has been rescued several times.

Ann Roberts
Gallman, MS

Rollie and Sandy

Someone just set us out on a very lonely, dark road in the woods one night. Sandy tried to run and keep up with me as I tried to find shelter for the night. She stubbed her toe, tripped and fell into some sticks. I could tell she was hurt because she began to limp and shake her head. Since I was the big brother, I encouraged her to follow.
Up ahead I could see what looked like it could have been our mother but she was much too big and had a stubby tail. I used my better judgment and steered Sandy in the other direction. Then lights hit our eyes and we heard a screeching sound. Two tall people came walking toward us. I was scared but to go back in the other direction we would have walked right into the big furry creature so we held our ground.
Gentle hands picked each of us up and carried us to safety. I don't know why but I trusted them. One smelled sweet and the other rubbed my neck. As they drove off with us in their arms I looked over their shoulder and heard the lady say, 'that was a bobcat'.
We had a good night's sleep on a soft towel and food in our tummies. The next morning we were taken where Sandy had her toe and ear cared for and we got some medicine. Even the fleas were taken off our bodies. We were feeling fine.
I heard the people talking about getting us fixed next week but I don't really think we're broken any more. I wonder what they meant!

Marty Colton - written by Katherine Calhoun
Greensboro, GA

Bert- a sweet male cat

We found Bert at an abandoned house next door. Little bitty thing about 5 years ago with one eye closed. We took him in and now he is like a mother to our newest dropped off cat, Cuddles. He is so gentle with her. He weighs 12 pounds now.
He will always have a runny eye off and on, but he sure is healthy now. He is our only boy cat. We have 3 girls. He is an indoor only cat. We are proud of him. Here he is in his Daddyl's recliner.

Teresa E. Lovell
Durham, NC

The Big Fivo

My husband and I rescue and foster dogs. For his 50th birthday, my husband wanted to rescue another dog so I went to the local shelter to search for one. At the end of the row, was a little chiweenie (Chihuahua / Doxie mix) that was deperately trying to get anyone's attention. What better way to celebrate a birthday than to save a life! Once home, it was soon obvious that this dog was not going anywhere. He immediately bonded with my husband and he's been our "gift" ever since. Of course, we named him the big Fivo!

Sheri Olson
Richardson, TX

The Exercise Cats

Sherwood and Forest were a package deal. If not adopted soon, they'd become another shelter statistic. When I went to take little Sherwood home, he was playing so well with his brother Forest I couldn't say no. 13 years later, they're still best buddies, and they join me in "cat situps" every morning on our bed. When I do my gut crunches, they roll over on their backs and raise their paws and legs mimicing my movements as best they can. (and Forest could really use the ab work!) It never fails to bring a morning smile to my face!

Scott Thomas Dennis
Avalon, CA

Buddy

My girlfriend and I were driving to a party and got lost in a neighborhood. She couldn't see well without her glasses so we stopped to switch so I could drive. When we stopped, a little black dog ran up to us out of no where, we were surprised. He was soaking wet and when we looked at each other to talk about what we should do, he took it upon himself to jump in the car and wait for us. It was almost like he said, "I'm ready to go home." We took him home and gave him a bath. The next day we tried to find the current owner with no luck, but found the first owner who gave him away. She told us she hadn't heard anything from the person she gave him to and gave us all the information about the dog. We named him Buddy, a six month old pit bull shit-zu mix. He is now the best dog we have ever had. We always say that he chose us and that we are the lucky ones to have him. We are grateful to have such a loving dog that we would have never been able to find in a puppy store.

Nicholas Pacquee
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Misfit Ranch My Buddy Dog

Well this is my little buddy dog. He belonged to the neighbors but would meet us at the entrance to the driveway to our little ranch every day and ride to the house with us. After patching him up when he got attacked by some wild dogs and hit by a car he became ours. He fits in with the rest of the rowdy bunch and his old owners didn't even care. He can't wait to see me every 4 months when I get home from IRAQ. I love him and all my other 4 legged kids with all my heart. One big happy family.

Sgt. John Willi - Army Retired
Lexington, OK

Precious Benni Lou

I was driving home one late June afternoon when I noticed a tiny kitten pouncing at something in the air near a very busy and heavily-travelled road. I pulled my car over and got out. I slowly approached this tiny kitten - unaware of me and too preoccupied with a fly as he jumped in the air. I slowly grabbed him and noticed his eyes were full of green infection, his face was very matted and he looked malnutritioned. I took him home to keep him warm and safe. I named him Benni Lou before drifting off to sleep. The next morning, I took him to my vet, thinking they would surely put this little guy down. Turned out he was a SHE and she was doing fine other than a bad infection in both eyes, which later claimed the sight in her right eye. Now at 5 years old, Benni Lou is healthy, strong, independent, plays well with my other cats, and doesn't let her "one eye" get her down!

Nicole
Toledo, OH

"Feral" Cat is a Love Bug

My friend called me one day and told me that the shelter she volunteered at was about to euthanize two dozen kittens with respiratory infections. They needed foster homes fast! We fostered 13 at our house and found foster parents for the remainder. The shelter had labeled one of the kittens as feral, even though he was the sweetest shy little kitty! He was in for certain death before our dear friend brought him to us. He stole our hearts with his playfulness. We call him Teddy because he is soft and cuddly--just like a teddy bear! He purrs constantly and sleeps with us every night.

Elizabeth
Wellington, CO