Animal Rescue Stories

Moxy

After the loss of a very special dog I decided to try and find another. We always adopted from shelters so I began my search on Petfinder.com. It took several months of looking but after seeing that irresistable face I knew Moxy was the one. We drove from Pa to NJ to meet her at a pet adoption clinic. It was love at first sight and we took her home that day. She now spends her days on our farm swimming in the pond, rounding up chickens, and playing in the pasture with our pony and donkeys. Moxy is a wonderful companion and great playmate to our grandchildren who adore her. There are so many animals out there that are waiting for a home. Thanks to Moxy's sponser, Lori and all the other people who provide love and a home to dogs like Moxy.

Judy Sist
Lehighton, PA

Come in out of the rain.

My son found these two under the wheel of his car in a driving rainstorm. What a miracle that he saw their tiny huddled forms before he got in to drive away! Eli, the one in the scale, weighed in at 4 oz. His sister, Moonshadow, was 8oz. Of course I said, "We can't have any more cats! They have to go as soon as they're old enough." Then, no surprise, after bottle feeding them for a month there was no way I could give them up. My husband calls them the "misguided missiles"as they go careening up and down the stairs and hallway. Eli's now twice as big as his sister, but it makes no difference to her, she's fearless.

Amy Steffee
Boiling Springs, PA

CUSTER - The trick Cattle Dog

We found 6 month old Custer, a Corgi/Cattle Dog scared & hiding in the corner of a kennel in the Humane Society in Rapid City, while vacationing on our Harley's. In the visitation room, Custer ran to my husband when called, sat on his foot & looked up (& did the same for me), it was that moment we knew he had to come home with us. Two days later we arrived at the shelter to take him home in a kennel firmly strapped to the back seat/trunk of my Road Glide. The 18 lb. pup fit well & we were off on his first ride with a stop in Sturgis (post rally) for a walk & a bath at a water faucet on Main Street. We jumped back on the bikes to reach a tent site in Miller, S.D., a few hours later. The next morning at dawn, we were awaked to Custer happily pouncing on each of us inside the tent. On the road heading home; Custer played with toys inside his crate or he was a site going through towns with his head popped out the top of his crate watching John on his Harley. We made it home safely; Custer adjusted quickly & became a true character in our family.

Now at 2 years old, our smart little dog is performing over 35 tricks at birthday parties & local events. A few of his best tricks are catching a frisbee in the air & returning it by hooking it on your foot, get a root-beer out of a cooler, walk thru legs, jump trough hoops or on your back & much more. As you can see - his expression says it all; he is a happy rescued dog & a true love for all of us!

Carolyn Mastin
Big Falls, MN

A real home at last

The picture is one of my 140 lb rottie, and my female rottie, she's about 70 year old. Dec 12, 2008 we had to put our female rottie down due to cancer. The smaller one in the pic is her replacement, we got her from the rottie rescue. The male we adopted from the shelter 6 yrs ago. I don't know what kind of life they had before, or why someone would just toss them away but I do know they both have a home at last. Chance, the male, is so passive it's not funny! My granddaughter did tummy time on him! He always asks if he can get on the couch or bed by placing his head at the end and waiting till you say it's ok before he comes up now. How many rotties you know do this? Trying to keep bones and toys on hand is not an easy thing with 2 rotties and a german short hair, but they have them all the time. Our female rottie, Stormy, is learning so much from Chance; she knows how to tip the water bowl over when they need more, open doors(which is not a good thing), and she's learning all sorts of naughty things from the short hair (too many to mention). She was the wildest one at the rescue, and she's the one I picked! They love to run in the fenced in back yard and play and they all wait at the back door for feet to be cleaned. I wouldn't have them any other way, they are my extended family and home at last!

Judy
Oshkosh, WI

Mr. Ray

Ray came to me in a very unexpected way.

I was working for a furniture store in Atlanta, GA and one day my manager came in with a story. She was walking in a park downtown and passed a group of kids tormenting something in the bushes - throwing rocks and poking it with sticks. She went over to investigate and found they were teasing a cat. He was laying there, really skinny, not moving on the verge of death. She scolded the kids, picked up the kitten and brought him home. Three weeks later after lots of food and playtime he came back to life. He was the cat that wouldn't give up...

She brought him into the store, and said you have to see this beautiful kitten. He is a Siamese short hair mix, with a beautiful jet black coat! I went to the back room, sat down and opened the carrier door. Out sauntered this confident little kitty, meowed hello, and sat on my lap. I was done...from the instant I saw him I was in love. I named him Ray after Ray Charles as I lived in Georgia at the time and love Jazz music.

Ray is now four and has made the move back home to the Northeast. He continues to be a very outgoing and chatty kitty. The more people over to entertain him and climb on the better!

He now has a little friend, Casey who I adopted from a shelter in Connecticut last summer. They are best friends and often chase each other at playtime and snuggle together at nap time (which is all the time!)

Lisa Kay
Wilton, CT

Brandy!

We had just moved to Florida, from connecticut. My mom was a supervisor for mcdonalds, she was making her visits to each of the stores when she heard some of the ladies talking a bout a puppy. My mom being the person she is looked into a truck and saw our baby Brandy she is a chow golden mix who was the only puppy left in the litter and was unwanted. Mom surprised me and my brother by bringing out new puppy to our school. We have had this 'unwanted' puppy for fourteen years and she's still out little baby!

Chelsea Hart
Cape Coral, FL

Mr. Kitty

In December 1997 a cold & rainy day, my daughter and I went to pick up a prescription. When I got out of the car, there was a lady shooing this black & white cat away from the automatic door - he was trying to get in. As I approached the door he turned, looked at me as if to say - there you are! He came right to me. I picked him up gave him to my daughter to hold while I got the medicine. I was concerned about our dogs reacting to him. But I carried him in and he became the dogs' cat.

He is very dignified, a tuxedo cat with a white stripe wrapping around one leg with a multitude of white whiskers - like Koko in the Cat Who books. He knocks on the door when he wants in. If he wants out he will sit on the arm of my chair - look at me - look at the door - until I get up and let him out. But if it is raining, cold, or a storm is coming I won't let him and I shake my head and say no. He gives this little sigh, as if he needs to work on my training. Or I open the door and show him that is it raining and he gives me this look like "Can't you fix this?".

When we found him we thought Mr. Kitty a female since he had no dangling parts and would not let you touch his stomach - and he is quite fluffy. Years later - he decided to have a bath on the coffee table and was washing his "parts" in full view, so we had to change his name from Miss Kitty to Mr Kitty.

Sharon Barfoot
Eustis, FL

Huckleberry my angel

I was looking for a buddy for my Buddy (5 month old Shih Tzu) on Petfinder. I saw a pup named Mr Mooney and inquired. They said he was already in process of adoption, but would I be interested in his brother Huckleberry. He's been a buddy to Buddy ever since and truly my little angel!

Connie
Dundee, MI

precious

About three years ago my husband's friend took him to a party where he didn't know a soul.Well,during the night he notice this 5 week old calico kitten running around like crazy.When he went into the kitchen where the woman of the house and some other people were partying here they were feeding this kitten COCAINE!!!! MY husband picked up the kitten and said
"My wife wouldn't like that very much.She's coming with me." they all just
laughed at him and off he went.He brought her home to me and it took me about 2 weeks to calm her down and another year to put weight on her.
Everytime you picked her up you thought you would break her. But now she is happy and healthy and my little sidekick.She follows me everywhere just bossing me around.I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT HER.

dawn dodson
coatesville, PA

Beau - the Best Dog on Earth

We have 4 dogs - two planned and two rescued. Beau showed up in our neighborhood as a stray. He was extremely thin - about 35 pounds - and had obviously been on his own for a while . He was so weak that I had to literally carry him into our backyard. We decided to look after him until we could find him a forever home and named him Beau. Five years later he is in his forever home - ours - and has been renamed "Beau The Best Dog on Earth". He is a healthy and happy 70 pound dog who gently takes care of our other three dogs and guards his backyard domain. He remains a bit skittish of loud noises and people he doesn't know, but has made wonderful strides since he has been here. I truly can't imagine life without him.
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Amy Harrington
Harlingen, TX