Animal Rescue Stories

My "Girls"

I adopted my "girls" from Love-A-Stray!! "Thelma" (the TIGER) actually "picked" me! When I approached her she reached out with her paw & put it on my hand! She melted my Heart! She was in a "cage" with another cat, I found out they were sisters! I was told they were found in a parking lot! They were older cats (maybe 1) & it was obvious, they'd at some time been someone's pets! They were full of scabs, had upper resp infections, & were in DIRE need of some TLC!!!! I looked at my Husband & told him we needed to take them BOTH and that we did!!
Now, 2 years later, THEY RUN MY HOUSE!! And I wouldn't have it any other way! I have so many pics of them, I wish I could share them all! Thelma (the tiger cat) is the REBEL, if there is trouble, you know she will be there. Louise is the PRISSY one, she sits back, watches to see if Thelma gets in trouble, and if she doesn't, Louise will JOIN her! Thelma loves to chase ice cubes around, when she hears the ice maker, no matter where she is, she will end up at the fridge for her ice! Louise, well, she's the girly girl! Always cleaning herself, laying around. There are too many "stories" to tell, but not enough room! I LOVE MY GIRLS!! THANK YOU to all the rescuers & the Shelters out there!! I am so glad you are there for the animals (as I'm sure the animals are too)!!!
God Bless u ALL & keep up the AWESOME jobs u do!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Grace E. Pauley
Oberlin, OH

Mojo the Magic Kitten

My wife and I had just eaten at a restaurant near Tulsa's busiest intersection. In the parking lot, she spotted something moving. I crouched down and sure enough, it's a kitten -- a tiny one, heading away as fast as its little legs can run.
I tried to circle around when it got to the last car in the row -- and the little twirp immediately headed straight up, into the engine block of the car. Okay so now we're stuck. MEW! MEW! MEW! MEW! from inside someone's hood, meanwhile, it's 9:30 at night, no one else around, and again we're right next to an extremely busy road. And oh yeah, she's crouched in an engine. So many ways for this kitty to get killed.
After 15 minutes or so of coaxing and trying to fit under the car far enough to reach her, I went inside the restaurant to see if I could possibly find the owner of the car.
Amazingly, I did manage to find the owner, one of the waitresses. She grabbed her keys, and we headed outside... to find my wife standing there with the kitten in her arms.
Then, when we went to get her fixed, Mojo had a horrible reaction to the anesthetic and crashed. She was unresponsive for 3 days and we had to physically feed her with a syringe & express her bladder.
Vets said she was blind, and said we'd have to do physical therapy with her just so she could walk again.
Thanks to a lot of work and prayer, this baby is now a happy, healthy hellraiser who's a bit klutzy for a cat but we love her with all our hearts.
Search for "Mojo the Magic Kitten" on YouTube to see more.

Russell Mills
Tulsa, OK

Meet Bo

Bo was rescued along with 38 other dogs from a farm in Alabama. I took him and another in to foster care. Bo was heartworm positive and had been shot at least twice. We took him through all his treatments and it became evident very early on that this was one foster that would not be leaving. It is now 8 years later and I cannot imagine my life without my boy!

Linda Goranson

Linda Goranson
San Antonio, TX

Leopard changes spots

We rescued Luna from Wake County Animal Shelter in Raleigh, NC. She was huddled quietly in the corner scared, I knew she needed more. As a Catahula Leopard Dog the breed is not that outgoing but, she was extremely shy. We got her home and she would not get out of the car until a loud car went by - and then I learned how fast they are as a breed, as she shot by me! Luckily she came back when my wife called her. She got on the couch and would not move, and she kept her tail tucked and head down on walks. She had many accidents on the floor from fear. Now she runs, plays and walks well on a leash, goes to the door to go out and sits for a treat. Some days I wish she would go back in her shell! But we would not trade her for anything, she's a member of our family to the end! She's still scared in strange situations but getting better outside her comfort zone. At least now she has a comfort zone. She is proof that leopard dogs can change their spots with time, love and a slow hand.

Kenneth
raleigh, NC

Dory the Wonder Dog!

My husband and I had heard there was a puppy living down at one of the Native Indian Reserves 30 minutes from our home that was being terribly neglected and abused. People had tried to catch the pup, but could not as she was terrified. Several people had seen her eating dirty diapers out of the garbage in order to survive.
One day my husband and I were on a little drive, and low and behold, there was this little puppy following a tractor (my father was driving it). We stopped and I got out of the car. The puppy looked at me and leapt into my arms and gave me that "look". Well right there and then we named her and brought her home. No one ever came looking for her, which was fine with us. We took her to the vet for a checkup and a few months later we took her to get spayed, and she has been a wonderful loyal member of our house ever since. Gentle and sweet, she will do anything to please....and loves to harrass the cats!

Jens and Amanda Bretthauer
Clinton, Canada

It's got to be Shasta!

I found Shasta at Friends of Cats in Lakeside, CA June of 94. When I sat on the floor of the kitten cattery, he was the first one to walk right up to me as if he had been waiting for me to arrive. He climbed up on to my lap and immediately a loud, almost brassy purr erupted from this tiny kitten that could fit on the palm of my hand. There was no doubt but that we had each found our other half. Shasta lived to be almost 16. Not a day went by without his loud purr blessing my day, even up to the final moment of his last breath. I miss him he was my true friend.

Laura Redhawk
Hatfield, PA

From sorrow comes joy- and Jade :)

My husband and I moved to Oklahoma in December, leaving behind (reluctantly) our two 14 year old cats, Sophie and Scruffy. They settled into their new home with my two daughters, who share an apartment in NJ. One month or so later, my oldest called us, in tears, to tell us that our much loved Sophie had fallen ill, diagnosed with a tumor. Shortly thereafter, she passed away. (I flew home to be with her before her passing, and I will always be glad I did.)
I cried for days, and grieved deeply, until one day my sister suggested I might try searching Petfinder. At first I said no to the idea, as did my husband, but one night when I couldn't sleep, I tried it, and the 3rd or 4th picture that popped up on my screen was Jadee, aka Jade. She is a 1-2 year old cat, who was trapped in an abandoned building, having just had kittens. She had been at the shelter for several months.(she was spayed and tested, of course) Something in her eyes reminded me of Sophie, and we went to meet her the very next day. It was "like" at first sight; we signed the papers and took her home with us!
Now it's been a week.. and she is a joy and a delight. She "talks", and plays and is learning to trust us and cuddles next to me on the couch. I am so glad we opened our hearts, to this new cat Jade who needs us :) And we needed her, just as much!

Cassi Jensen
Oklahoma City, OK

I love my Grandogs!!!

My daughter rescued Sawyer (left) from a construction site in 2006 when he was only a puppy, wandering around covered in dust and dirt. No one claimed him after waiting weeks and she knew that he was meant to be with her. Then last October, one week before she and her fiancee' left for their wedding in Austin, TX from DC they rescued Bob (right-formerly known as Higgins) from a high kill shelter in the DC area knowing that if they didn't act quickly he may not be there upon their return 2 weeks later. They are funny dogs that she and her hubby, John, love dearly. Both are now healthy and give them many hours of pleasure. I only wish that we lived closer so we could babysit for them!

Gayle Whitmire
Marietta, GA

Abbe the Rescuer

Abbe, a Border Collie mix, had been at Dallas Animal Services for 5 months when I adopted her. You have never seen such a happy dog, when I put her in my car. To show her gratitude, she is very protective of me and the cats that share our home. Recently a stray mother cat had kittens under our deck, which became flooded after heavy rains hit the area. The mommy cat couldn't get all her kittens to a dry spot in time, but Abbe the Rescuer gently carried 2 mud covered kittens to safety.

Kris Wyman
Dallas, TX

Diamond in the Rough

Fangorn was about 40 lbs underweight when he was found and, once I got him home, he barked and lunged at everyone we passed on the street. All I had to do was learn how to be a good handler and he sailed through his Canine Good CiItizen! Senior dogs can not only "learn new tricks," they can teach us much greater things.

Mary Southworth
Boston, MA