Your Story is an Inspiration!

There are so many reasons to keep on clicking! At The Animal Rescue Site, we believe that our most inspiring stories come from you—our clickers. The stories below are just a sampling of the many varied and wonderful "tails" that you send us every day. There are few things more enjoyable than reading about these formerly unloved, unwanted animals who have been rescued because somebody cared. Please enjoy the stories, be inspired, and continue to click and make the world a better place for rescued animals!

Orion

I found Orion wandering around my dorm during my junior year of college. After feeding him, sneaking him in from the cold, and hanging up signs, my parents like to joke that I finally managed to find him a good home— ours. Nine years later, he's still here!

~Lisa Levy     

New York, NY     

Keesha

I had just lost my rescued Tibetan Terrier mix. I was really feeling very depressed and lonely when my daughter found me another treasured little girl, who was ready to be put to death at Animal Control in Miami that day! Keesha is a Keeshond mix, beautiful, obedient, loving and friendly. She has been my constant companion for the last eleven years. While we summered in beautiful Maine, she enjoyed kayaking with me and swimming in the lake. Now we spend six months in the Georgia Mountains, where we hope to move to full-time, giving her more property to safely enjoy. Although she has slowed down a lot, she is content to chase the squirrels up a tree and play with her housemate, Kitty, my other rescued love. As I write this, they are both together on the window seat, looking out at the neighborhood. I can't imagine life without them!

~Vivienne R     

Murray

It was November and I was volunteering at WMASS in north Jersey, cleaning the cat cages in the front room, when I saw him. Found alone in a woodpile, a little fluff ball with ear tufts, his face was now pressed up against the bars watching my every move. As the weeks progressed, I looked forward to seeing "Billy" who had been moved to isolation with a cold. The other kittens were adopted out and he grew larger. Finally I couldn't bear to leave him and home he came, my early Murray Christmas present, and a good thing too! A year later Murray needed knee surgery. Without it he would have eventually lost the ability to use both his back legs, and he is monitored for asthma which we have in common. He is my husband's dog-cat who continues to learn numerous commands including "jump-up", "eight-thirty dinner", "sit" and "stand". He is smart and loving, our sweet boy, and I can't imagine our lives without him.

~anonymous     

Rosie & Meisha

Meisha and Rosie came into our lives after our rescued Border Collie, Louie, left this Earth. Their mother had been abandoned in a field, and at a couple of weeks of age she moved her litter into the back of a working soda-pop machine at a local grocery store. A kind employee of the store rescued all four kittens, and then finally the mother. She nursed them to health and offered them to us for adoption. They are the best of friends, and have enriched our lives enormously! We feel very fortunate to give them their forever inside-home together.

~Trudylee & Jack Fleming     

Springfield, Oregon     

Sofia

Sofia was found with her brothers and sister in a cardboard box outside a supermarket. Our local SPCA guessed she might be around ten weeks old and possibly a shepherd-mix. She is definitely more mix than shepherd, weighing in at only twenty-five pounds now! So what if we wanted a large breed... what we got instead is an incredibly intelligent, loveable friend who just wants to follow us everywhere around the house, do everything exactly like her "big sister" Kaci, and climb into anyone's arms to fall fast asleep. Coming home to our own personal fan club is one of the best things about our day.

~M. Kubik & R. Dorsey     

Charlottesville, VA     

Smokey Jo

Smokey Joe is a tough little Welsh/Rocky Mountain pony who had been horribly abused. My friend Ruth, a horse trainer and Joe's first angel, found him. The first few days were touch-and-go. He was so frightened of people. After a week at the clinic, and a month in rehab, Ruth was able to take him home. She turned him in to a secure pasture where he could see what was going on, but would be away from the frenetic training barn. Ruth didn't have much time to spend with him, so she started looking for angel number two. That's where Grace came in.

        My mare Grace was in training with Ruth and was about to come home, so Ruth put her in the small pasture with Joe until I could pick her up. They fell in love. I had sold all my other horses, so was going to have Grace at home alone for the first time in her life. When I came to get Gracie, she fretted and danced around while we were trying to load her in the trailer, then she just planted her feet and would not go in. That was when Joe made a decision. He quietly walked past Grace and stepped right into the trailer, then turned as if to say, "come on, I'll go with you". Grace jumped right in beside him and they rode home together.

        That was almost a year ago. Joe is still fearful of strangers, but he now allows me to catch him and groom him, pick up his feet, and trim his mane. There are patches of white hair over the scars, but they are almost undetectable for his dapples. He sometimes still panics if he feels closed in, but he knows in his heart that he has a forever home where no one will hurt him, because he has his angel, Grace, (and me) to watch over him.

~Anonymous     

Lily & Maggie May

My husband and I had a German Shepherd, Maggie May and a sweet Golden Retriever, Tenley. In October of 2006, we had to put Tenley to sleep at the age of five because of cancer. We didn't want another dog. However, Maggie May suffered even worse than us from losing Tenley, and so in March of 2007, we adopted a rescued puppy, one of five abandoned in the Tennessee country-side. Lily is an Australian Cattle Dog and Black Lab Mix. Maggie quickly became Lily's nanny and friend, and taught her all the special "dog stuff" she needed to know. Tenley is and always will be so much in our hearts, but now so is little Lily.

~Marian Speerless     

Sullivan, WI     

Fuzzball

My roommate and I kept hearing this mewling outside our apartment, but we couldn't locate the source. One night, I went outside the apartment and found this tiny golden tiger kitten! He couldn't have been more than about six weeks old at the time, and very hungry! It was obvious that he had been handled by people before, as it took very little coaxing to get him to let me pick him up. He followed me around closely that night, and it was clear after about a half hour that he felt he had found his new mommy. He is a sweet and loving boy, and very loved!

~Marina     

Chicago     

Margie

After losing my fifteen-year-old cat, I decided my next pet would be a dog— a rescue, of course. I was looking at shelters and Corgi rescues. Even though I prefer males to females, my vision of my new pet was always a girl. One day, my niece found a dog running loose on the street in her father's neighborhood and brought her home. She showed multiple signs of being chronically mistreated. My sister called and asked if I wanted her. I needed time to prepare for her and in the meantime, my sister and her family decided to keep her, although they never could agree on a name. After about six months, the dog nipped a child on a bicycle and had to be quarantined. My sister decided rather than risking possible litigation, they would give up the dog. I thought of all these cool names for the dog. But after getting to know her, in a few days I knew she was "my little Margie". I can't tell you how much this little creature has enriched my life. I love her dearly. She has such enthusiasm and zest for life, it rubs off on you. Everyone else loves her, too. She is welcome at my Mother's nursing home where she has overcome many fears from her puppy-hood, and she is therapeutic for the patients.

~Diana     

Smokie

It was a cold, rainy, October day, twelve years ago, when a rural mail carrier stopped by where I worked. He wanted to know if anyone wanted a Norwegian puppy. I went to the truck to look. The puppy was wrapped in a hand towel, looked as though he had been greased, and couldn't stop shaking. I called my husband to tell him that the mail carrier would bring him to our home for him to look at. When I went home that day I couldn't believe my eyes— there was the most beautiful, clean, four-pound bundle of fur! My husband said that he knew he would never hear the end of it if he didn't keep the puppy! We decided to name him Smokie because he looked like a little black bear. That was the beginning of a wonderful friendship between us. Who says that packages can't come by mail without stamps?

~B. Myers     

Max



Max had been living in the city streets, young and all alone. He was caught and put in a rescue. I was looking on PetFinder.com for a nice cat that would play with my dogs, and lo and behold, there was Max! One e-mail and he was in his forever home. He now rules the house, keeping the dogs in shape! What a joy he is; thank goodness he made it through the early years of his life. I can't imagine life without him, now.

~G.C.     

Harrison, MI     

Brumby

My husband and I decided we needed a dog to complete our family. One weekend, our children were gone to camp, and my sister, Valerie, was visiting us. My sister was an avid animal-rescue supporter. My husband asked Val for her help finding a compatible breed for our family, and to surprise our children. She knew just where to go to find a breed selection guide. My husband and I found the Australian Cattle Dog high on both of our lists. After investigating the breed and deciding this sounded perfect, Val directed us to Petfinder.com. We fell in love with one named Jack.

        Fortunately, Val had a friend who was a volunteer at that shelter, who assured us that he was indeed a wonderful dog. A few days later, after our adoption papers were approved, we drove out to meet Jack. Val insisted on taking off work to come with us. We went to the pet store, and Val helped us get all the supplies we needed. On the way home, we dropped her off, and said our thanks and goodbye.

        Over the next week Val and I e-mailed back and forth with questions and advice. Our children came home from camp, and were very happy. They phoned Val to let her know how happy they were with our dog, now renamed Brumby. A few days later, I received a phone call that Val had died in her sleep, at the age of forty-two. It turns out that my sister, with the very large heart, truly did have a heart that was too large, and died of heart failure. To this day, Brumby remains a reminder of that last gift from my sister, and that I was able to spend my last time with her doing something she truly loved.

~Lisa     

Mica

My parents were walking around their neighborhood and saw a little gray fur-ball scurrying around in a man's yard. "Beautiful kitten," my mother said to the man. "You want it?" he replied. "It's a stray, and it's been hanging around here for a couple of days. The Pound is coming to get it tomorrow." Immediately my mother thought of me, how I wanted a cat but hadn't found the right one. It took her a little while to catch up to the little speed racer, but she did, and brought her home. When I came home for a visit, Mom surprised me with Mica ... the most adorable little gray fluff with big round yellow-green eyes that were staring at me as if to say, "Here I am, the one you've been waiting for." It is now more than ten years later, and Mica has been my constant companion, traveling with me around the country, entertaining me with her kitty antics, and loving me with all of her heart. I am truly privileged to return the favor.

~Karen     

United States     

Zeus

We rescued Zeus after he was thrown out of a truck at high speed on a back-country road . After nursing him back to health we introduced him to the family. He fell in love with my daughter and he's been her guardian angle ever since. Talk about a discarded treasure!

~jbk     

LOCATION     

Dante & Diego

Nine-year-old brothers Dante and Diego were placed in a no-kill shelter when their owner moved into assisted-living, where pets are prohibited. When I saw their picture and age in the paper, I said "absolutely not!" No elder wants to live out their days in a cage. Within a week, the boys moved in, where today they play with their new "sister," Miss Puffy, rescued from a separate shelter.

~Diana Morse     

Allentown, PA     

Phoebe

We had made all the arrangements with the agency to come look at the litter of puppies they had just taken in from the Humane Society. It was a big farm, and the litter was residing in one of the pens. All six of them were happy to see someone, but Phoebe, the runt of the litter, came running up the ramp in the barn and jumped right into our laps as if she were ready to go. After being picked up for her "Forever Home", she encountered several illnesses from being born on the street and all the diseases that usually pick up a ride. Today she is the happiest, most well-adjusted dog. She loves her trips to the "Dog Beach."

~Judy Novak     

Izzy



A stray cat had her kittens under my godfather's deck. They were all bound to be barn cats as he could not find homes for them. My Mom took in the runt who had been separated from the other kittens as she was sick, but she found her way back — so my Mom named her Buster. I wanted to save one of the kittens, and Izzy was the last one. She was a timid scaredy-cat who followed her mom-cat everywhere and was the last to be caught. This is the very first photo of Izzy. She was the most loving cat, and brought so much joy to my life for fourteen years. She loved to be brushed and to sleep on top of pillows (a Princess and the Pea).

~Amy Catherine     

Rochester, NY     

Rudy

Rudy was dropped off unannounced at a farm for abandoned horses at the age of five weeks, scared and alone. I'm not sure how long he wandered the property before being found; he must have been frightened by his new surroundings. He was rescued by a dear friend, and found his way into our home and our hearts. Now four years old, Rudy still is frightened by unfamiliar sounds and cautious of strangers, but we have given him the training and TLC he needs to cope. He adores the legions of people who know him, and loves to play with the female dogs in our neighborhood, especially Lila the Lab!

~Carol     

Bojangles

I live in Athens, Greece, at the foot of the Acropolis. One morning in the heat of August, I heard a kitten's insistent meowing below my third-floor study window. It sounded as if coming from under a parked car, so I had to place my five-foot, nine-inch frame on the asphalt alongside the vehicle. Needless to say, due to his color he was rather hard to spot in the gray metal of a car's under-parts, but eventually I glimpsed something shining — a cat's eye? I reached in that direction and pulled him out. He managed to disappear under another car, I had to find the owner to open the hood in order to rescue the kitten and once he was well in hand I placed him straight into a cat box and up the stairs we went to my flat. He was a sickly, ratty-looking, barely seven-week-old, joining a household of two full grown lady cats — Fili and Kate — who were driven mad by his unstoppable energy once he was nursed back to normal. His high jumps and soft landings, combined with the song playing on the radio late one night when I was mulling over what to call him, decided his name. Now, at four months, he is a handsome animal, very much the Aegean cat: small triangular head, large ears, long narrow body, tall of leg. He's much calmer thanks to Mini Miss Otis, his five-week younger, tiny, but feisty companion. The big cats are now left in peace, but I sometimes wonder if I'm in my right mind! I love them all, each for that special quality which makes him/her unique!

~Alicia     

Athens, Greece     

Scruffy

We rescued Scruffy from the humane society. He had been running in a pack and was the worst flea-bitten mess I had ever seen. My vet's receptionist even said he was the ugliest dog she had seen. After his fur grew in and he was groomed, he got cuter and cuter. He raised a litter of kittens from the humane society that we fostered, and have now adopted because he loved them so much.

~Janie Fox     

Hedgesville, WV     

Buddy & Ollie

Buddy came to us as a bouncing, personable, five-week-old puppy that the farmer didn't want 'cause he wasn't pure-bred. He is Border Collie and English Setter, and we think prettier than both. Buddy has the most wonderful, gentle personality ever, and was the only one of six puppies to bond instantly. We found homes for the other five, but couldn't bear to give up "Buddy". He was wormy, and covered with mange, so much so that he could hardly walk to you for all the scratching. We were in the midst of moving from New Jersey to Kentucky, really not the time for a puppy, but who could resist?

        Ollie Belle came to us, wandering along a country road, miles from any homes and so thin she could slide through anything to escape. At first she would run off every day and go wandering, but as she has matured, (she is now about three), she actually prefers to stay on our horse farm and chill with Buddy. Last year they both were poisoned by antifreeze, and despite all odds are still with us, happy and healthy, even though they both lost a kidney in the process. God bless our wonderful veterinarian, and thank goodness we had the monetary resources to save them. We can't imagine life without them both, different as they are.

~Pam     

KY     

Bella & Jasmine

These sisters were found tied together around the neck under an abandoned trailer in the desert, where the temperatures reach over 100 degrees. A Canadian lady found them, and being unable to keep them, she placed an ad in the regional paper: "Free to loving home, prefer not to separate." As they were the only "free" option amongst expensive designer dog ads, I called and after meeting them realized they could not be separated. I fell in love with them. Bella and Jasmine are the best additions to our family we could ever have been blessed with. When considering a new pet, please don't overlook the many mixed breed dogs that are available. I feel they have the best dispositions, and all are grateful for loving homes.

~Ted & Marcella Wiard     

Santa Fe, NM     

Cali & Buster

My husband and I had recently moved. I was shopping and noticed a calico chasing birds in a store parking lot. Once I learned that Cali was not part of a nearby feral colony, I made friends so that we could rescue her. Buster was subsequently rescued from the same area by another person and came to me for TLC. He was so sick, it took weeks for him to recover; he just escaped frostbite. Buster has cerebellar hypoplasia, and may not have survived had he not been rescued. For all I know they're related, because they became best buddies instantly. It took some time and love for us to win them over, but it has been worth it. It has now been about two years. They are so appreciative of being off the cold streets. They now live the good life in a snuggle bed, although their older siblings still give them grief every now and then — kids will be kids! Rescue a stray to receive love every day

~Mary Hosley     

Scarsdale, NY     

Jiva

This picture of Jiva was taken the day after the big New Jersey Valentine's Day ice storm in 2007. It was her first experience with ice, snow and the cold. She was rescued along the coast of Alabama, and was delivered to Sunshine Golden Retriever Rescue in Connecticut. When I spotted her on Petfinder.com, I knew it was love at first sight! We adopted each other. When people ask me what kind of dog she is, my standard reply is: "part Golden Retriever and the rest is just plain cute." She looks like a miniature Golden at just under forty pounds. Jiva is a very mellow and loving girl. She is now a registered therapy dog, and she shares her love with folks who can’t have animals where they currently live. When they hear her collar jingle, folks come out to greet her with a big smile. I'm in love!

~Barbara S.     

NJ     

Marvin

This is a photo of Starvin' Marvin taking his eighteen-hour nap. He lives on ten acres in Northern California with his extended family of furry friends, all rescued from various incidents and accidents. Marvin came to us because of the latter. He couldn't tell us what nearly finished his life. All we know is that his new life started when his new family found him after our walk, one cold March morning, as he lay crying in a patch of sun under the bedroom window. After surgery on his jaw and face, removing most of his teeth and some bone on one side, not to mention the stitches everywhere else, he's recovered marvelously. He started out only weighing seven pounds, not enough for a year-old, twenty-seven-inch long tomcat. Besides having the surgery, he had forgotten how to eat, so he was dropper-fed while he recovered. Now he's fat and happy, nearly three feet long (tip of nose to tip of tail), twenty-seven pounds and holding. Only thing is, he thinks he's a lap cat!

~Kit Ann     

LOCATION     

River

River boldly stepped out in front of my car one day in the middle of the street, literally changing the course of my life. Because of her, I learned all I know about unconditional love. She had severe hip dysphasia and arthritis, but the spirit of a wild woman who's heart overruled her mind. She arrived a scared and confused three-year-old, but one could see the trust she wanted to place in humans and the determination to get there. She and I became a Therapy Dog team, and she brightened many people's lives at the nursing homes we visited, touching people who have suffered debilitating illnesses. Her specialty was reaching the inner part of people who have suffered a stroke and could no longer speak. She spoke for them, of their kindness and loneliness.

        Year after year, she overcame underlying illnesses of her own. She was never pain-free, but shrugged off ailments that less courageous dogs would have buckled under. She made up for her physical imperfections with her unstoppable passion for life and adoration for the ones around her. Strong-willed was an understatement for her, but she used her strength and wisdom to soothe breaking hearts and to bolster those she loved when times were tough. After meeting her, many people commented that she seemed to possess more wisdom than half of the humans they knew. Her best days were spent roaming in fields, chasing a ball, or being brushed in the warm sun.

        River passed away on January 10th of this year. She would have been twelve on the 21st of January. She never asked for anything other than to love and be loved. I miss her unconditional love down here, but the Rainbow Bridge must have needed some help, so they sent for her. She has a big enough heart to share with all of us now.

~Leann Harris     

Richmond, VA     

Freeway

It wasn't that we had a lack of kitties in our home. But a volunteer at the animal shelter insisted that I come and visit a tiny, six-week-old, sickly kitten. Freeway just jumped out of her cage and onto my shoulder, nuzzled in my hair, and began purring. That was all I needed. Her paws were burned from living on the streets in the summer heat of the South. She also had a broken paw and collarbone. She was dehydrated and malnourished when a kind soul found her on the freeway, and brought her to the shelter. Although in better shape, Freeway had a long way to go.

        So we took her home. We landed in the local animal hospital within twenty-four hours. My Freeway was septic, with a fever of 104, and they did not offer much hope of her making it through the night. The vet started an IV, gave her fluids and antibiotics... and we waited. For forty-eight hours, we waited. But my miracle kitty came home. The weekly vet visits lasted for three months — from sepsis, to yeast infections in her ears, to medication changes. She was so tiny, and so weak, that she slept on my neck.

        My Freeway is four years old now. She is on some cardiac medications for the heart damage that she incurred as a result of all her infections as a kitten. She still sleeps on my neck. She talks constantly, and has more energy than my other three kitties. In all my life, no other pet has ever brought me so much joy. We are so "in tune," and the bond we have is amazing. Curt and I joke that Freeway is the most expensive cat ever.

        But, wow, what a return on our investment.

~Steph & Curt     

Jake

I dropped by the local Petco to pick up food for my dog, Daisy. Upon entering the store I noticed that the Memphis Guardian Angel Pet Rescue was set up. Immediately I was drawn to a medium-sized fella named Max. He appeared to be somewhat full-grown. I approached and he licked my face as though he had been waiting on me all day. His sponsor began telling me his story. Max's mother was a prize-winning hunting Lab. Apparently one day she escaped and had a wild night on the town, which led to an unwanted pregnancy. When the puppies arrived the owners were upset that the pups were not purebred Labs and began throwing them in a pond, one by one, and shooting at them for target practice. A neighbor realized what was going on and arrived just in time to save only Max and his sister. She promptly gave them to the Guardian Angle Pet Rescue to find them homes.

        Max came home with me that same day. I changed his name to Jake, as it seemed more fitting, and introduced him to his new "sister." The first month was a constant adjustment for us. New sounds, sights and smells all sent him into hysteria which lead to many nights of cleaning up his messes. He has since adjusted and doubled in size. He has destroyed a dozen pair of shoes, socks, belts, everything else he can get his teeth around. No matter how angry and frustrated I get, I can't help but see in his face that he is delighted to be alive, and to be with me. I can't stay mad. We recently relocated to Virginia to be near my family and he has free reign over a 200-acre farm and enjoys every minute of it.

~Jennifer J. Crummett     

Richmond, VA     

Feather

I found this little gal in a parking lot, actively trying to recruit a special person for her very own. She waited in front of a store, and when a person would get out of a car she did her figure-eight leg dance with each person. I asked a lady coming out of the store if she knew anything about this cat; she knew only that it had been there the previous day also. So I picked her up, taking her home with me, intending to take her to a rescue operation the next day. Needless to say, we never made the trip to the cat rescue people. She was "light as a Feather and soft as down," and followed me everywhere, even on short hikes in the Adirondacks where we now live. Previously I was of the impression that only dogs bonded this way with their humans, but Feather claimed me from the "get-go".

~Christina Anderson     

Houston, TX     

C.D.

I first saw C.D. when she was a puppy and belonged to someone else. I told them if they ever got rid of her to call me. A year later they called me to say they were taking the dog to the pound, and did I want her? I of course said yes, and added another dog to the rest of my five dogs. C.D. had been abused by the previous people. I named her C.D. (it stands for Coyote Dog) because she has always howled at me like a coyote when she wants something or is excited. This year C.D. turned eighteen years old, and that is very unusual for a larger dog. She is about seventy-five pounds, and amazingly enough she is still in pretty good shape (thanks to the hip pain pills she now has). She will still howl at me every day when she sees me. When I am home she follows me everywhere I go (even to the bathroom), and she will still 'dance' and jump and spin around like she's a puppy. She is the only dog I have left and although I know it is impossible, I wish she would live forever. C.D. has been there for me through some lonely rough patches in my life and I am so thankful I had her.

~Jackie Cameron     

KavaKava

Three years ago, I was in a coffee shop when a woman wandered by with a kitten, asking if anyone could take her. The kitten had spent a week up a tree outside the woman's home, and had finally been coaxed down. The woman had been caring for her, but the kitten kept her up at night, so they'd been keeping her corralled in the kitchen, with a small pillow to knead and nurse on. I tucked her into my backpack (little head peeping out, all eyes) and she's been part of the family ever since. At night now, she sleeps curled in the down quilt on our bed, kneading and nursing herself to sleep.

~Kae & Bob     

Rochester, NY     

Molly

Our rescue puppy, Molly, who is now five years old, was in foster care when we found her, thanks to the Columbus Dog Connection. She was nine weeks old; she'd been found without mother or littermates on the street by a good Samaritan and brought to the Humane Society, which at that time was not a no-kill facility. After two weeks, a man named Tim, who made a habit of rescuing such dogs and fostering them until permanent homes could be found, took her in. We fell in love with her at first sight (and at first bite; she was the kind of puppy who chewed on everything, and immediately began chewing on my daughter's hands and hair) and brought her home.

        But that's not the end of Molly's story: she became the inspiration for a novel, "Dog," which tells the story of a lonely woman who takes in a rescue puppy who has precisely Molly's history — though not her personality. Phil, the dog in "Dog," is dignified, stately, quiet, calm. Our Molly is still puppy-like at the age of five, and she still puts everything in her mouth — and she has never had a quiet, calm day in her life. She is talkative and lets her feelings be known at all times. And I was so grateful to her for providing the inspiration for "Dog" that I spent a chunk of my advance on treats for her, and another chunk on contributions to dog rescue organizations.

~Michelle & Grace Herman     

Holland     

Luca

We found our little Luca girl at the local shelter. We were wanted to adopt an older pet that was going to be a good companion for our existing cat. Luca was tiny and meek, but we fell in love with her silver-gray coloring and her quiet personality. Over the months, she has become more playful and trusting of us, and a perfect playmate for our other cat.

~Sheryl & Steve Louis     

Council Bluffs, IA     

Christmas Mouse

"Mouse" was found abandoned outside an Animal Control shelter on Christmas Eve. We believe she was over ten years old at the time. She brought joy and love to our lives for almost five years. During that time she lost the sight in one eye, and then the other eye. Even as a blind girl, Mouse was just the most wonderful, sweet, and yes, still spunky girl. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about and miss her. She will always be my Valentine.

~B.C.     

Clermont, LF     

Ginger Dude

While walking along the irrigation canal, I noted a woman with a squirming, weighted burlap sack. I rescued the kitten inside and brought her to my vet, then to my home. Ginger turned out to be male, so now he's Ginger-Dude. What a handsome addition he turned out to be. Personality plus. I can't imagine life without my beautiful Dude.

~Anonymous     

Ben & Cruser

When Andy emailed the list of rescuers about a senior Corgi in his animal control facility, I told him to send the dog along with the Siberian Husky I was taking in to foster for our organization. If he got along with my other Corgi he could certainly stay here until we found him a home. Ben IS home! He fits in with Cruser, his Corgi buddy, and the two Siberians as if he's been here all of his eight years, and he knows he has found his forever home with us.

~Lois L.     

Teddy

I was a volunteer at the local shelter, fostering sick cats and doing Adoptathons in local malls. Teddy arrived with his sister at the age of about ten weeks, and they were a listless, sickly pair of kittens whose backs had been inexplicably shaved. Of course nobody wanted to adopt this grubby pair, and I got permission to foster them when they reached the end of their time — as long as a vet said they had any hope of being healthy again. The vet gave them hope, and I took them home to recover from an upper respiratory infection.

        While recovering, they also began to show signs of ringworm. Teddy's sister recovered from that too and she got adopted. But Ted's case was so persistent that even the vet said maybe we should let this one go. I took him to another vet who said he had a fighting chance, and five months later, Teddy finally recovered. By that time I'd abandoned any idea of finding a home for him. This grubby little waif that I fostered only to save his life until I could get him adopted has turned out to be the great joy of my life. He is a funny, lovable, cuddly, happy-go-lucky little munchkin. He makes me smile and every day with him is a gift.

~Brigitta MacMilan     

BC, Canada     

Striker

Striker's story is one of a true love. Striker is a beautiful classic Border Collie. When he was a young dog, however, he had a job that although suitable to his calling as a herding dog, was not likely to give him a long life. Animal control in the State of Virginia picked him up along the highway, herding trucks. The fine folks from Appalachian Mountain Border Collie Rescue bailed him out of jail and sent him home with a foster Mom. I am an AKC agility judge and was, at the time, looking for a Border Collie to test my agility course designs, as they ran for dogs bigger than my Shelties. So Striker came to live in Tennessee. Striker now has an AKC ILP number and has titles in Agility, Rally, and Herding. He is studying hard to start an Obedience and Tracking career, too. He has a fun job testing courses. And every month he gets to herd sheep instead of trucks, and sleep curled up on his lifetime Momma's bed.

~Carla Boudrot     

Cleveland, TN     

Mopsy

After the loss of one of my precious kitties, I began visiting our local PetSmart, where the Last Chance Rescue organization would bring in their kitties to hopefully be adopted into loving homes. Mopsy had been found as a stray with a litter of kittens tagging along with her, and all of her kittens had already found a home. I visited her several times, just holding her and grooming her. She always seemed to look forward to my visits, as did I. Needless to say, she worked her way into my heart. She is a sweet and shy little girl who always brightens my day.

~Michele C.     

Tracker

Hurricane Charley had all but destroyed our house. We had to move out while it was being repaired, only to find out our workers were taking things from our house. Worst of all, we lost our son in July. I was at the lowest point in my life. One day I came back to the house and saw six puppies in the yard next door. They were so cute and fluffy. They ran to the fence to greet me. One puppy ran to me, then was sidetracked by a lizard. I named her Tracker because she was always tracking some kind of living thing — lizards, butterflies, birds, anything that moved. I spent every day with the puppies.

        One day I came by and only two puppies were there. A neighbor had called the pound because they barked too much. What did he expect? They are dogs, after all! The mother and all but two puppies had been hauled away. Tracker was one of them that was gone. My heart fell to my feet. I couldn't take another loss. My husband and I found her with her family on a row of dogs to be put to sleep. After much begging, she was mine. Tracker has given me more love than any animal I have ever had. She has sensed all my loss and is trying to fill my heart with all the love she can fit into it. Tracker licks away my tears and looks at me with the most beautiful brown eyes. She can't replace the loss of my son, but she's replaced everything else that I lost that year. She makes my heart smile!

~Beth Beasley     

Cleo

This is my cat, Cleo! My husband and I rescued her from the SPCA six years ago. She is the sweetest cat! I had always wanted a cat with long white hair and blue eyes and without a doubt, when I saw her, I fell in love. She was full-grown and had been abandoned after possibly giving birth to her first litter of kittens. She looked longingly at me from her cage. She didn't meow or cry, instead she stuck out her paw and curled it around my finger, and that was all it took! I turned to my husband with tears in my eyes and there were no words that needed to be spoken! She came home with us and has enriched our lives for the better ever since. Most days she suns herself on her window seat or sleeps on our chaise lounge, which she believes to be hers! She loves to sit with us and watch TV or movies, and she has never met anyone that she doesn't like. Our friends come over to visit her, but say they want to see us! This picture was taken while I was prepping for a wedding shower. After unpacking a shipment of items for the shower, I had several dozen pink feather boas stretched out on a guest bed in our home. I left the door to the room opened and returned to find she had jumped into the middle of all the feathers! It was so adorable! She looks just like the sweet princess that she is!

~Janet Pirie     

Clovis, CA     

Penelope

I got a call from my niece, who was volunteering at a local animal shelter, about a rabbit. I had many small animals when I was younger. I went to the shelter, but had no chemistry with the rabbit. I walked around and saw this dog; she was barking up a storm. My niece said she was a pretty good dog, but had been there a long time because of her barking problem. I didn't take her that day, but went back on the weekend. There was an Adoptathon, but sure enough Penelope was still there. I had five minutes alone with her, but decided in the first few seconds. She was more than a pretty good dog, she has been fantastic. I don't know how I lived without a dog. Since then I have adopted another dog to be her companion, and have fostered one more.

~Leslie Sherman     

Seattle, WA     

Ollie & Rosa

I have two cats that I love dearly, and both are rescues. My gray male, Ollie, was going to be euthanized because no one wanted a 'crazy' cat. I brought him home, and my fiancé and I fell in love with our crazy cat. He had lived in a small cage for about four months of his life, and just needed to let some energy loose. I found my female tortoiseshell, Rosa, on the side of a street, and she was pregnant and only six months old. She is the sweetest cat I have ever met and loves to play. Ollie was so happy to have a kitty friend when Rosa came home that he wouldn't stop following her everywhere, and they became best friends in the first week! I couldn't be more happy with our cat family, and only hope that other animals find the good homes they deserve.

~Misia     

California     

Jackie

I found Jackie by a lake in ten-degree weather. She was very cold, starved, and abused. She was also pregnant, and had heart worms. She is now fat, happy, and spayed.

~LuAnn Keller     

Knoxville,TN     

Lee & Tucker

Just a cute story to show how some people are all goodness, to counteract the badness. My friend's daughter works as a vet tech down in Easton, MA. One morning she arrived at work to find a box full of eight kittens dropped at the vet's door. I think it was during October, so it was quite chilly. The kittens were about four to six weeks old. My friend and his daughter brought all eight home and hand-fed them every four hours for a few months. Once big enough, they gave them away to good homes.

        I was fortunate enough to get the last two, my boys, as I call them. They are brothers and inseparable. They are the biggest cuddle-bunnies you've ever seen. I often find them wrapped around each other on a bed, couch or chair. And, of course, they wrestle a bit too! I am the proud parent of these two boys. Lee and Tucker they are a source of joy daily. Due to the goodness of my friend and his daughter, all of these kitties went to great homes. I wanted to share my story

~Sue Flaherty     

Framingham, MA     

Fudge

She showed up during a particularly cold series of days, tiny, crouched, freezing and trembling on my welcome mat at my front door. Her ribs and backbone were protruding, and her hind legs were bent funny. Despite my much larger dog barking at her incessantly and circling her, she stood her ground as she looked up at me submissively, her tail between her rickety legs. She looked like she couldn't take another minute in the big scary outdoors on her own. Her distended belly was the biggest thing about her. She's a different dog today, just weeks later, and very much a part of the family. She's been a love, playful and cuddly. The two cats and the other dog are warming to her nicely, as is my three-year-old, who promptly named her Fudge.

~Debbie Branan     

Covington, GA     

Gizmo



I was mountain biking in Tiadaghton State Forest in Pennsylvania when this adorable little dog came up behind me. He continued to follow me all the way home. He had fleas galore, a staph infection on his skin, and was malnourished, in addition to having no license and a collar that was three times to big for him. I called the local SPCA to find that no one was looking for him. Gizmo soon became my best friend and companion. We have now been best friends for two and a half years, and he is very spoiled. He has definitely brought laughter and love into my life. I couldn't ask for a sweeter, more loveable dog than Gizmo!

~Nicky     

P.K.

P.K. came to us from a local feline rescue's program called 'Broken Angels'. A broken hind leg that had never received medical treatment left her with a bowed out leg and an uneven, wobbly walk. She is a sweet, gentle little soul, and like so many rescues wants only to please. P.K. is living proof that even 'handicapped' animals, if given a chance, can give back so much love that it is hard to imagine life without them.

~Marlene & Wayne     

Ontario, Canada     

Mini-Me

I am a volunteer at a charity animal shelter in Spain, called "PAWS-PATAS". While working one evening, I heard very loud yelping coming from the lower area of the property. Upon investigation, I discovered a tiny puppy that had been thrown over the fence. As she was so young, I fostered the puppy for the shelter, and gave her the name "Mini-me" because she looked a lot like a miniature version of our other Jack Russell. Well, to make a long story short, Mini-me became part of the family, and we adopted her for ourselves. She's a great companion to us, and we are so happy that we kept her. I wish everyone would adopt a shelter dog.

~Didi Arias     

Spain     

Butterscotch

Meet Butterscotch. He and his siblings were found floating down the river in a cardboard box when they were only four weeks old! They were wet, cold and frightened— but otherwise healthy. Butterscotch is now seven years old. He has such a gentle soul and is the self-appointed greeter when anyone comes to our house.

~Marilyn     

Louie

Louie's owners of eight years dropped him off at the pound because they didn't want him any more. The shelter called me because he is blind and I rescue blind dogs. Poor Louie had a terrible skin infection, fleas, matted fur, and nails so long they had turned sideways. Once we cleaned him up, he was a cute little dog. Even though Louie is a little old blind man, he stole the hearts of a great family who adopted him and now spoil him rotten. They even bought him a L.S.U. sweater! Congratulations, Louie!

~Michelle Wunsch     

China

I have been rescuing animals since I was six years old. I have rescued well over fifty animals of all kinds. My permanent ones that I have adopted amount to nine cats, two huge dogs, a rabbit, and fish. I love all of them dearly and are all special in their own way. I have many stories that I could tell, but one in particular is pretty special. It is a story of a tiny kitten named China.

        One afternoon, my mother happened to call me in a panic. A fellow teacher from her school had brought in a tiny two-week-old kitten that had been abandoned in a field. The kitten was cold and hungry. The kind lady took her in, but had no idea how to raise a two week old kitten, so my mother called me for help. I rushed over with a can of kitten milk and a bottle and we tried feeding her. She didn't want anything to do with the bottle. I had to resort to getting some milk in her before she became anemic by way of a syringe. She eventually learned to like bottles and even hold them herself!

        Fast forward to many nights of waking up and feeding the "baby", who seemed so delicate and helpless. She was much like a little china doll, and this instantly became her name, China! Watching her grow and learn to walk and even to jump was amazing. China is now a strong and healthy kitten and even quite bossy when it comes to the other cats in the house. I love her dearly and she will be a beloved member of my family forever!

~Sara A. Baez     

Sophie

We wanted to give a little dog a home, as there are so many that need one. We had planned to go the RSPCA, but I came across a Chihuahua rescue not far from us. The lady kindly kept Sophie (she let me name her) until she was finished with her vet visits, etc. I had a description of her, but didn't see her until we went to visit. I knew she was a bit bigger (she's ten pounds), but that was small enough for us. She jumped on my lap and gave me a big lick, and even liked my husband. We got to take her home that day! She has been with us for five years now. We think that she is probably about seven. We don't know what we did without her. She is such an important part of our lives.

~Joyce     

Australia     

Lowell

This is Lowell. He's about three years old. We adopted him about a year ago after reading his bio on the shelter website. He had been in the shelter for almost eight months. His companion, who was a "prettier" guinea pig, had been adopted quickly. Lowell, being an albino and a bit chunky, was continually passed over. Albino animals are frequently overlooked in the shelters for the more attractive colors. I knew when it was decided that we'd get a guinea pig, that this guy would be the one; it was time for him to have his own home again.

        He has become such a wonderful pet. He has slimmed down by getting fed properly and is allowed out of his cage to play several times daily. He has developed a tremendous personality, and some attitude too. The moral of the story is that all the animals in shelters deserve loving homes, but it is very rewarding to take one that is being overlooked and watch them blossom into a happy, healthy pet. And by the way, we think he's beautiful too!

~Phyllis & Rob Flint     

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