Animal Rescue Stories

TRIXIE

This is a story about Trixie, He would come around at night and eat the dry we would leave out. In the winter it got so cold and sometimes snow he would sleep in a lawn chair with a heating pad covered with blankets made up like a tent. He would never come in until one day he thought inside wasnt so bad. He slept on our bed and we took care of him for 4 years and when we moved we took him too naturally.. (along with our other 5 cats) . He would always go outside at night and be there every morning and the neighborhood we moved to all the houses basically looked the same and we didnt want to let him out the first night for fear he would get lost or confused well he "threw a fit" so we let him out and crossed our fingers and the next morning there he was sitting on OUR porch! None of the other cats liked him but he didnt care. After a couple of months he started to get so skinny and we found out he had a huge cancer mass in his stomach. He was a good boy till the end and it was the HARDEST thing we had to do when it came time for him to go to the angels. We still miss him! But I know he loved us as much as we did him.

Audrey
Apple Valley, CA

Becky's Home

I was a homeless 1yr old roaming around during the winter months where there was a lot of cold rain, ice and snow. As you can see with my coat, this made me very cold, lonely and scared. Then I got picked-up by animal control and spent two months in a high kill shelter until my foster mom rescued me just a couple days before my death. I liked foster care, with the kids and other dogs to play with, but I still wasn't treated like the princess that I am. Another blow to my self confidence came when I was adopted and then returned in a few days. Why didn't they want me? Then one day Bernie and Lynn came to visit just me. I knew they were there to consider adopting me so I took one sniff and decided they were OK. After turning on the charm by letting them rub my belly and giving out some kisses they asked my foster mom lots of questions. Sure enough a few days later they came and got me. I was rather scared at first and didn't do much other than sit across the room from them and stare. After a while I realized that they like the same things I like: going for walks, playing (I even learned some new games), cuddling under blankets on the couch or in bed, going for car rides, teaching me tricks, giving me treats and scratching and petting me. Now I enjoy the comfy life and try to do my part for the family by greeting visitors, warning of unfamiliar people and sounds, cuddling them and just plain making them laugh with my goofy behavior.

Lynn
Nashville, TN

Roland

My fiance and I just moved into a house from an apartment so we decided it was time for a dog. We went to the pound and browsed through the dogs. My fiance first spotted Roland(at the time his name was Shane) when he realized he was the only dog not barking. So we took him outside and played fetch and he was a sweet boy. Once we adopted him we discovered that he was afraid of car rides. We think it was because he remembers being abandoned and thinks it will happen again. The first night we had him was in our apartment. Of course we were on the 3rd floor and we discovered he didnt like the stairs. So we had to carry him up those too. He has taken to me really well...my fiance not so much. We think he was abused by a male as he is uncomfortable around them. 2 days after we got Roland we had to put my yellow lab Tanner(15 years old) down. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. Roland has helped me grieve and heal. We have 3 cats that just love Roland. He wont leave my side when we are outside unless he is feeling playful and wants to chase the cats. He is a wonderful dog and I look forward to many more years with him.

Ashley
Chubbuck, ID

The Feral kitten...

This is Speckles.

Her mother was feral, so there was some concern that the mother's kittens might be feral, too; especially when little Speckles (my pick of the litter) delighted in biting toes, fingers, nose and even breasts. Many a time I woke up because little Speckles had grabbed hold of my breast and sunk in her teeth.

Besides this, she was shy - running, hiding at any strange noise. There were people who seriously believed Speckles did not exist because they never saw her. And then there were the birds, the mice, and other moving targets that she duly hunted and brought home to the larder.

She was not so much a pet as a small version of a saber-toothed tiger that I fed, watered and tried desperately to brush.
Thankfully, I had an asthmatic cat called Scratch who required much loving attention.

I rocked Scratch and Speckles watched.
I sang to Scratch and Speckles watched.
I cuddled Scratch and Speckles watched.
I brushed Scratch and Speckles watched.

Then, one day, Speckles stopped watching. Somehow, she made up her mind to do the petly thing. She too would be rocked, sang to, cuddled and brushed - just like Scratch.

Speckles is not exactly tame, but she's unferal enough for me to love her and want to keep her. She's my little girl in little white boots (aka "Princess WhiteBoots").

R. Gabrielle Berry
Toronto, Canada

A very special kitty

We found Nano on a rainy night of July. He was standing right beside the road next to some parked cars. It was difficult to make out a very little kitten in the dark. We took Nano home. He was all skin and bones, covered in dirt and full of scratches and fleas. After three years with us, I can not imagine my life without him. He is full of love and affection to share with others. Sometimes I think, did we rescue Nano, or did Nano rescue us?

Ana Ardon
San Jose, Costa Rica

Jesse & Jack

All of my dogs have always been rescues. Jesse & Jack are my latest companions and loves of my life. But I wanted to take this time to thank all of you who share your stories of rescue and taking in animals that you have found wandering around homeless, cold and hungry. I can't express how much this fills my heart with joy (and my eyes with tears). Each & every story is such a joy to read. Bless you!

Nancy
Ramona, CA

Toby & Tyler

My 11 year old Yorkie passed away in 2007 from kidney failure. I decided to go to PetFinders to see what they had to offer. I found a Shih Tzu that seemed perfect so I applied to adopt him. I was told he had already been adopted. So back to PetFinders I went and found a Yorkie and applied to adopt him. I received a telephone call stating that I had been approved for the adoption of the Yorkie but I had to guarantee that I would take him. I said of course. It turns out he was rescued from a breeder in Arkansas and they were driving down to Sarasota from Arkansas to deliver him to me. Soon after that call I got a call from Underdogs of Bradenton telling me that the Shih Tzu, who had been rescued from a high kill shelter in Miami the day he was to be put down, was available for adoption after all. So I ended up with two wonderful little dogs. The Shih Tzu, Toby, is a friendly dog who loves everybody and likes to cuddle. Tyler, the Yorkie, is very timid and is afraid of strangers but is coming around with the help of Toby. They get along great and play together a lot. They are my "babies" and I adore them both.

June McHale
Sarasota, FL

Our girl Annie

We were looking for a dog for my son when a friend who worked at the local shelter told me about Annie. She had been neglected and had come into the shelter weighing only abut 50 pounds, We needed a dog who would get along with our three rescue cats and she was perfect. On her first day home I put her can of food in the bowl first assuming she would be busy eating while I fed the cats. Of course, my sister's toothless 15 year old cat shoves his way over to her food bowl and starts licking up all the gravy. I was terrified Annie would attack him. Instead she gave a big sigh, sat down and waited for him to finish. She is now up to her ideal weight at 125 pounds and watches over our remaining kitty and my son with a great deal of love. We are really lucky to have such a loving smiling dog to bring joy to our home.

Melba
Flagstaff, AZ

Barney our rescued feral pack dog

Barney found me 3 years ago while I was walking my other dog, Clyde. We live out in the country. A pack of feral dogs approached. I warned them off, as Clyde was very protective of me, and was afraid there would be a dog fight. The older dogs left, leaving Barney, at the time a very shy, dirty, smelly and wormy American Bull mix puppy about 8 weeks of age. It was love at first sight for Barney and Clyde. I took him home, cleaned him up (it took 3 baths!), took him to our vet and cleared up his internal parasite problems. He is 3 years old now and is now the oldest of our 2 dogs. He is the most loving, sweet dog I've ever had. I'm so happy I was at the right place at the right time, or he may not be alive today.

Deb Speelman
Alva, FL

Snowball

This beautiful cat has a long history of moving around. His first owner died from cancer, so friends took him in and tried to take care of him, but circumstances made it impossible for them to keep him, so he went to other friends. And then again, the day I met him, I was told that he was going to have to go to the pound unless I wanted to take him - people were moving and couldn't take this boy. Well, that took two seconds to decide. So home he went with me to live with us. I am amazed at what a wonderful cat he is. He's so sweet, loves water, as in getting wet (As you can see by the picture - he loves the sink). He doesn't scratch anything and loves to sleep on my head. Needless to say we love him. He has the most beautiful blue eyes. When I brought him home, my Westie was very interested, and now they are friends and often hang out together. I told him when I first brought him home - "This is your last stop, Kitty".

Grace Thayer
Albany, NY