Animal Rescue Stories

April -- Our Perfect Match

Thanks to Petfinder.com we found April at the Elmbrook Humane Society in Brookfield, WI. It was instant, mutual adoration. She is a 3 yr old Maltese mix who was found as a stray. She is the sweetest dog! When our 9 yr old son, Johnny, has seizures from cerebral palsy, April lays at his side or puts her head by him on his pillow just to let him know she's there for him. She can then turn around and play outside with us and our 5 yr old daughter, Briana. She knows just when to comfort and just when to play. She is our newest family member and perfect companion. Thank you, Petfinder.com!

Pam Honisch
West Allis, WI

She's Hope!

This is one of our four dogs, Hope. What makes the story of her coming into our lives extra special is how we came to "find" her. Nearly four years ago, I was in a mad rush to get last minute items at the grocery store before Thanksgiving the next day. As I walked to the front door, there was a man and woman sitting next to a box full of puppies, I looked (you had to, they were so cute) and there were about 3 or 4 left and they were free. Well, I knew we had a lot on our plate with the 2 dogs we had at home ( both saved from the pound) so I went about my shopping, praying all those puppies would find loving homes. As our family began to arrive from out of town, to stay for the holiday, I realized I'd forgotten butter at the store. So, back out I went and when I got to the store, I noticed the people with the puppies were gone and for a moment I felt relieved. Then, I noticed a little figure in a grocery cart in the lot next to the store. I went over to see what it was and there she was.......Cold, shivering and the most honest, beautiful face I'd seen in a long while! I took off my scarf and wrapped her up in it and although I was furious for them for leaving her like that, it almost felt as though she had picked me! We were destined to find each other and she treats us as though she's so grateful everyday! She symbolizes the importance of compassion, faith, respect for life, love and when the going gets tough, hold on to Hope!

Danielle C.
Irrigon, OR

The Gift

CeCe was just a tiny feral kitten in a neighborhood of feral cats. We do what we can, but the cats are wary of humans and rarely came near us. One stormy afternoon the day before Hallowe'en, we heard loud mewing out in the yard that went on for hours. We couldn't find her at first and got soaked trying, worried she might get sick. Then my husband looked out of the basement window and saw a skinny and scraggly bedraggled kitten shivering under a bush. When he saw my expression when I saw her, he immediately got a plate of food (from one of our 3 cats-don't tell!) and s-l-o-w-l-y coaxed her to come in the window, knowing I was already in love. It took some time for us and nurturing from our 19 year old Sasha, but CeCe has become an adorable, loving member of our family, who teaches our older girls new tricks every day. She was a gift and a blessing as we lost Sasha New Year's Day...when we're sad, CeCe is here to make us laugh again and fetches her toys just like her big sister did. She is mischievous, smarter than a 5th grader and eats all of her vegetables-asparagus and green beans are her favorites!

CeCe's Mama
Edgewater, NJ

My Eva

I was at work one summer and a coworker brought in his new puppy, a $500 female pit bull. She was incredibly adorable, but I couldn't believe he had spent so much money for a pure bred dog. About a month later, he had plans to move to New York, but had nothing to do with the puppy but give her back to the breeder, who actually bred pits for fighting. I had no intentions of bringing another dog home, as we already have a cocker spaniel/border collie mix from the Humane Society, but I didn't want her to be fought or used to breed other fighting dogs. I offered to take her home, and now, 6 months later, she is one of the most loving and caring animals I have ever met.
Today I met a student outside of Coastal Carolina's dorm halls with an English bulldog on a leash. The dog had deep scars all along his back, face, and a few on his legs, and the poor thing was hiding behind his owner. I asked about his scars. The student had adopted him just the day before from the Humane Society. He was less than 14 hours away from being euthanized. What got me was the scars. They were from the dog being used as a warm up for fighting pit bulls. I was horrified to think that Eva could have been used for that as well, and I feel even better about bringing her home now.

Carmen R
Myrtle Beach, SC

Our Sophie

I finally talked my husband, Bob, into agreeing to getting a dog. We travel fulltime for work and live in an RV 5th wheel. So, while we were in Biloxi, MS, after Hurrican Katrina, i visited the Humane Society to check out the animals they had. They'd just gotten a stray Shih-Tzu, female, about 8 months old. She was in horrible shape, skinny, matted, and full of fleas. Bob wanted to go see her, and commented how pathetic she was. He asked me why i didn't get a "real" dog, (you know, a "man's" dog). I wanted her, cause when she looked at me with those big eyes, i couldn't resist. So, we brought her home. I made her a fleece coat because she was pretty much hairless at the time and it was January. Sophie has been the best dog anyone could ask for. She is the most loving little girl. When Bob comes home from work, she greets him at the door dancing around. He has to pick her up, and she gives kisses all over his face. She doesn't do that to me, just her Daddy. Sophie is in one of our laps when we are sitting and loves to ride in the car or truck with us. Mention the words GO or RIDE and she beats you to the door.

Sophie was born without a socket in her right hip. The vet said it was a birth defect. The only thing holding her leg in place are the tendons and muscles. So, we try to keep her from jumping off things or up on things too high. She walks fine, you would never know she had a handicap.

This little girl has brought so much love into our home.

Janie Jones
Cleveland, TN

My little dumpster baby

My little Misty was found by someone in a dumpster, in a cereal box duct taped shut. They took her to a shelter - she was only about 2 weeks old. She was fostered and I got her when she was 8 weeks old. She rescued me and I rescued her! I can't imagine life without her!

Susan Perry Dejnozka
Monrovia, CA

Chicago

This is Chicago. We had left Chicago after a wedding on a Sunday morning to drive home to Ohio. We were on interstate 81 out of Chicago. While driving I noticed something small and black walking the white line. I pulled the car over the first chance I had and walked back.vShe was still walking the line when I got there! She had some road rash on her nose and paw. Always having dogs, I wasn't sure about a new member of the family, but the ride home on my shoulder hooked this dog lover. She weighed 1 pound when we found her she is now 8 pounds of love. She is now a pack member and loved by her "brothers"!

Marilyn Buskirk
Cincinnati, OH

Collar the cat

We had lost our other two cats recently, one died, we put the other up for adoption. When we heard my mom's friend's cat had kittens, we were going to take Rose and Ginger, but when we got there to pick up the cat, Ginger was nicknamed "Jumping Ginger" for a reason! We ended up getting Hershy instead. We renamed our cats, Rose to Calliapie (aka Calli) and Hershy to Gwenivere (aka Gwen). Both had a knack for losing their collars, which made it worse when Calli disappeared two weeks before her first birthday. We still have Gwen today (that's her picture) and we finally set a record for having her collar on for over a week! Calli is missing a year later, and we have a new, small gray and blonde tortie, with a double kinked tail and the most adorable face! They have finally started getting along a little bit, and A-nonny-mouse (aka Nonny), which is derived from anonymous, likes her collar! If her collar starts coming off, she will rub something until it is back in place.

emma kate (aka emma kitty)
Everett, WA

I gave him hope once, and now he gives me hope everyday.

I adopted Obie from a local animal shelter when he was only around 6 weeks. The chief of the fire dept. found him abandoned behind a dumpster all alone and wasn't really old enough to be separated from his mother. I fell in love the moment I saw him! He was so playful and cute! Shortly after getting him, he became deathly ill from an upper respiratory infection. I really did not have the extra money to take him to a vet and I had just recently lost a kitten prior to him (that's why I got him) and I didn't want to go through losing another one. The shelter told us we could bring him back and get a different one, and I bawled the whole drive over. I did not want to take him back, but my boyfriend convinced me. The man at the shelter said he probably wouldn't make it through the night. As I was walking away bawling, he meowed very weakly at me and that's when I lost it. I couldn't leave him! He was so weak and sick that he hadn't even been able to sit up, and it took all he had to get that little meow out! I scrounged up enough money to take him to the vet, and he even had the stay over night because he was so sick. He had dropped down to only one pound! Once I was able to bring him back home I planned on keeping him in the house until it was warmer outside and he was strong enough to be out there. :) Needless to say, he won all of our hearts and is still inside today, going on five years! He grew tons and is extremely spoiled!

christina
Waye City, IL

Sonny Boy!

Before I got married I had 2 cats and after we bought our first home my husband begged relentlessly for 6 months for a dog. Finally I gave in and agreed only if he agreed that we would adopt. I had adopted both of my cats and believe no one should pay for an animal with so many animals in this world needing loving homes. So the search began. It lasted for about 3 months and we found our Sonny boy! We got Sonny at just about a year old from our local shelter. We couldn't be happier or luckier. He is a lovable and playful pup. He immediately found his place in our home and our hearts. It was if he had always lived there. Our kids absolutely adore him and spend countless hours outdoors running around with him. My biggest fear was introducing him to our cats. Our cats chose to hide out in the basement for the first couple months. Since then everyone has come around and is doing great. The picture is of Sonny and Smoke. It was really the first time Smoke let Sonny get near him. He's our scaredy cat and it took him the longest to come around. Rocco our other cat is a bull and he is always one to stand his ground. No matter how many swings he takes at Sonny or how many hisses come out of his mouth Sonny's tail never ever stops wagging. We love all our adopted boys!! Thank you for all your hard work and efforts made helping animals everywhere.

Shelly Hetrick
Kersey, PA