Animal Rescue Stories

The Dog from France

I was feeling my maternal insticts kicking in and just needed to share the love I have for babies. At 53 you do not want another child, just to hold one and rock it to sleep. Then I decided I should get me a puppy to love and occupy my time. I have never had a dog that was only mine. A friend of a friend had adopted a tiny white furry dog from the Denton Humane Society and decided their family didn't want her any more. The friend asked if I would baby-sit the dog for a few days and if I decided I wanted her, I could keep her. If not, I could return her. Needless to say, I fell in love with her. She had been discarded, abused and did not look healthy. I felt as if I saved her life mentally and physically. She needed the love I have to give her; I needed what she has to offer. She is very loving and precious. Since she is a mix of a poodle, I named her Paris. She is my baby at 5 lbs.

Connie J. Dill
Denton, TX

Jojo

We had lost our dog, Sophie, of nearly 14 years a year before Jojo showed up. He walked into our lives onto our front lawn June of 2008. He's a full bred Miniature Pinscher and weighs about 10 pounds. At first he wasn't too sure about my husband who was trying to coax him over to him and Jojo kept barking at him. When I came out of the house, he started hopping on his hind legs and just jumped into my arms! Over the first month we tried to find his owners by contacting the Houston SPCA, and local veterinarians in the area. We put posters up everywhere, but no one claimed him. We didn't think we would keep him, but as time wore on we fell in love with him. We'd been thinking about getting another dog, and wanted a big dog. However, Jojo has a big personality in a little package. He plays with one of our cats and chases the other around the house! Now he sleeps with us at night -- a mistake, but one we love!

Jamie
Houston, TX

Lucy Agatha

Lucy Agatha was abandoned on a very busy bridge in 1996. I noticed her as I looked across the bridge at the on-coming traffic. I cannot imagine her fear as cars and trucks straddled her or veered into another lane to avoid hitting her. Nor can I imagine how I managed to go across the bridge, turn around and come back to rescue her. I was sure that she would be dead by the time I got there.
I picked her up gently and headed straight to the vet's office. She found a comfortable position on the car floor, stared directly into my eyes and started to purr, loudly. She had a severely fractured leg that required amputation. Our vet recommended euthanasia, but my husband said "If she was meant to die today, she would have been killed on the bridge." We took her home, wearing a hot pink cast, for a week so that she could stabilize and adjust before the surgery. The surgery went well and she was soon hopping around on three legs.
Thirteen years later, she is a happy, snuggly ball of love. I still shudder every time I think about that tiny kitten trapped and alone and I thank Saint Lucy for protecting her until I could reach her.

Nancy Steil
South Williamsport, PA

Our Hemi girl

This is our Hemi. She was in a kill shelter when we found her. We were looking for another dog for our Cuda May to have company. When we found Hemi, she was going to be put down the next day. She has an Immune disease and we think that is why she was in the shelter. We tried everything except surgery. The doctor didn't want to try steroids first but he listened to us and did it anyway. So, every 3-5 days she has a steroid pill. You can tell when it is time for one also, she won't eat her goodies and her tummy has the loadest rumbles. It sounds like she is hungry but isn't. We have had her now for about 8 years. Not sure of her age but she was between 1 & 2 when we got her. We think she might have had pups at one time but not sure. We found the tinyest kitten and brought it home and then found it a good home. She would not even let us near the kitten. That was her baby while it was here. It was neat. She likes to run all over if we let her. She got off the leash one time and ran in the woods after something. Our horrible relative/neighbors shot her. Said they were target practicing. She lived and it was a good thing. Only got her in the leg but she made her way through the back of the woods to our house and we drove (fast) to the hospital. She doesn't even seem different. She sprung back really good. Sorry the story is a little long but she is worth it.

Dawn
Branson, MO

She rescued us

We had just lost our pet Australian Blue Heeler after 14 years and we were devastated. We found Sadie Samantha through the on-line site of our local Animal Rescue organization. When I met her at 11 weeks old, she was recovering from beginning her life under a mobile home and being covered with fleas. She stole my heart and eventually rescued my husband and me from our sadness. She is a joy!

Amy Faulkner
Liberty, NC

Rosie and Gibson

In September of 2003, our cat of 11 years - Francis - died after a long but non-suffering illness. We have always had a cat in our lives and by December, we knew we had to adopt a new kitten. We went to adoption day at PetsMart looking for a sweet kitten. My son was immediately drawn to a beautiful female Maine Coon mix about 9 months old. She was so sweet and immediately started licking his hand. Though my husband and I were sceptical of a more mature cat that had already had another human companion, we agreed. As we were walking out, I saw an orange and white male, 1 1/2 years old sitting so regally in his cage - nothing moving except his eyes following every person that walked by. As I looked into those eyes, I knew he had to come home with us.
So contrary to all reasonable thought, we adopted two older cats and brought them home. From the first moment, Rosie and Gibson became lifelong friends and watch over us and each other with loving hearts. We have since adopted 2 kittens and 3 other older cats. The kittens are fun and loving but the older cats not only demand attention, they give attention unconditionally and seem to appreciate it more because of their past - whether loved or unwanted. I recommend adoption of older cats to all my friends!

Cindy Cook
Macon, GA

My Teddy

I had just lost my chow/shepherd mix dog named Pooh Bear, so my son and I went to Protectors of Animals and met Teddy. He had a reputation for running away, jumping fences, dashing out of doors and roaming. He acted as if he had been abused but he was so loveable that we brought him home. At first, he dug under the fence, and we were always worried if we couldn't find him. I almost returned him. But he is the best buddy and is now attached to me .... he seemed afraid to trust us...it took awhile. But you can see from the picture that Teddy is a wonderful boy. He seems to be a chow/golden mix.

Ann Snow
Portland, CT

Smokey's Story

I am in the Marine Corps and was serving duty, (24 hour post). The next morning when I got home, I noticed a pet carrier on the side of the road in the rain. I looked in as I drove by and hoped I wouldn't see anything. I thankfully didn't see anything, but boy when I parked my car and I heard the meowing coming out of it I thought the kitty was going to die. I picked up the carrier and brought it into the house, keeping it away from my other cat. I brought this one into the bathroom and dried her off the best I could. She was a real mess; kitty litter all over her, and she was soaking wet. I started calling around to different agencies trying to give her a good home. When I learned pet stores wouldn't take her without knowing her history of shots and exams, and the local humane societies were full on cats, I decided to adopt her. I brought her to Petsmart/Banfield, and it turns out she had worms but that was it. So I waited a few days until my fiancee came home from visiting her family in Maine to introduce the cats to each other and her to the cats. At first they fought quite a bit but since then they have become sisters neither knew existed. They were both born around mid August of '08. They are both doing great together and are for the most part inseparable. She is the cutest kitten and I have no idea how anyone could be so heartless!

Daniel S.
Jacksonville, NC

Pumpkin

We moved into a second-story apartment, and a calico kitten climbed up the fire escape - and never left. We can't add her to our family, I said - we already have 3 cats! - but Pumpkin had adopted us. She went into heat and brought us her boyfriend, too, so then we had 5 cats... and Pumpkin never left, until she died at last, outliving all the rest, aged 19 1/2.

Marion Carroll
Arlington, MA

Cassie

Cassie is a rescue dog that had a pretty rough start. She still has her moments when she will duck even though she would never be hit here. She is the perfect fit with our other rescue dog. True best friends. She is our little angel!

Susan Wood
Aberdeen, WA