Animal Rescue Stories

Boo-Kisses

After living in my apartment for a few months, I finally decided that I needed some companionship. I spent, literally, months on petfinder.com looking for "the perfect pet." Then I found Boo.

Boo had a few pictures posted by the rescue group FURR who had saved him from a trash dump where he had been the only adult cat abandoned with several kittens. His online description impressed me, so I drove two-and-a-half hours to visit him. During my visit, he was not very affectionate, and he ran and hid. But, for some odd reason, I adopted him on the spot.

When I got him home, Boo hid under the bed for days. I was afraid he would be an introverted cat who wanted nothing to do with me. I was completely wrong.

Now adjusted, Boo is the most loving cat I have ever met. He follows me everywhere and "talks" to me by making a slight undulating meow when I address him. Oftentimes, he gives me "Boo kisses," little licks on the face to show his approval. He also thinks he is a dog. He absolutely LOVES belly rubs. When I walk through the door he does the "stop, drop, and roll [over]." And he likes to drink out of the toilet (only after it flushes and he gets to watch it go around in circles) and go for walks on his leash. (Yes, he has a leash. I live right on the interstate. Thus, he has a leash.)

Today, too many pets are homeless, and many of these animals must spend their lives in cages or be euthanized. That is simply not fair when so many of us have the option to adopt. To me, Boo has easily proven why adoption is such a great choice.

Rachel Rowe
Fayetteville, AR

Muddy Mollie

We needed a hypoallergenic dog and I was determined to get one from a rescue or shelter. After just a few weeks of searching, we found a miniature Schnauzer at a rescue. She was very sick our first couple of months together and she almost didn't make it. Our vet stuck with us and made her healthy. Now she is all puppy. I call her Mollie Love because all she wants to do is give and get love.

Eileen
Morristown, NJ

Richey is a Really Special Dog

We adopted Richey almost 3 years ago (April 1, 2006) when he was a 3-month old puppy from the Richardson Humane Society in Richardson, Texas. We had lost our over 13-year old dog Oreo a couple of months before and were looking for a new friend. Richey is a Pomerian/Italian Greyhound mix. He is around 25 pounds. I took this photo a few months ago after my husband had already gone to bed. He just looked so peaceful there in the corner of the couch that I just had to capture the moment.

My husband taught him to shake or give-me-5 for treats. Now he will jump up in my husband's lap and hold out his paw as if to say "give me a treat."

My husband is retired and he and Richey are almost inseparable.

Winona Turner
Garland, TX

Riley the Rescue Puppy

I saw Riley's photo on a rescue website after we lost a beloved dog to cancer. His little fuzzy face captured my heart and I was thrilled to meet him when his foster mom and her son brought him to our home. He was the last puppy in a litter of mixed German Shorthair Pointers and German Wirehair Pointers who had been dumped on the rescue group because the puppies were not purebreeds. Little Riley was the litter runt and the last to be adopted - thank goodness for that, because we adore him and he adores us! He loves to stretch out on our bed at night and snuggle with us and our cat, who thinks she's a dog too! We are blessed to have him in our life.

Barbara Pringle
Scottsdale, AZ

My Princess Blue Eyes

We adopted our beautiful Bengal Snow cat who we named Abby (after Abby in NCIS) on the 3rd February 2008 from a private rescue home here in my hometown of Sheffield, England. This all came about after we had to have our beloved cat Chippy who was almost 18 years old put to sleep 4 days before Christmas 2007 he too was a rescue cat.

We said that we wanted another cat but would wait until the summer time to give us chance to get over losing Chippy however that went out of the window & we lasted all of 6 weeks before going to get another cat, the house was so empty & seemed so silent, the minute i saw Abby's eyes i just fell in love with her. She loves to play & is so happy with the middle out of a sticking tape roll she will play with it for hours & if there is any mischief to get into Abby will get into it.

She is coming on lovely shewas all skin & bones when we first got her but now she's filled out nicely & we love her to bits.

Bev Flude
Sheffield, United Kingdom

Love at First Sight

I went to the shelter dead set on getting a kitten, but when this beautiful 4 year old Tabby walked up to me I was totally taken. Believe it or not when I sat down to see if she'd sit in my lap, Miss Kitty came over and wrapped her paws around my neck and began licking my nose! I adopted her right then and she has brought me so much joy over the last 3 years she's been with me. Miss Kitty has had such a positive effect on me that I even became a volunteer at the shelter where I adopted her.

Jenn Rhoads
Chicago, IL

Eggbert the Pigeon

I took my dog Tucker outside this morning (March 22, 2009) and he ran up to a grey thing in the snowbank by my house, and I thought it was a rock cause it wasn't moving. But he only acts this way toward other animals......The closer I got, I then realized it was a pigeon. Tucker was nudging it with his nose and it wouldn't move, but when I got up to it, I realized it was alive. I couldn't leave it there to die in the cold. I realized I would rather it die warm if it was dying, than freeze to death outside.....so I brought it home, and put it in a box and wrapped him up in my sweater. I realized that the more he warmed up, the more life came back and he began moving more. He fell asleep and I called the Walden Animal Hospital because they have a wildlife sanctuary, and they told me to bring the pigeon in for them to care him back to life. So off we went this morning, Al and I to the wildlife hospital with the poor injured pigeon in the box and I bonded to him so much I named him Eggbert lol. I brought him to the hospital and filled out a rescue paper and I gave them my email address and requested someone keep me updated to see what was wrong with him and if he survives and the head of the hospital agreed to! So, Tucker saved his life cause had Tucker not began to act the way he did toward it, I would of simply thought it was a rock! The moral of this story too, is that all animals deserve a second chance.......in my eyes, anyway....Update--Eggbert is going to be ok!

Stephanie Dumoulin
Sudbury, Canada

From Tombstone to Rusty

My spouse and I had discussed adopting a dog but couldn't come to an agreement, until fate stepped in and gave us the best pooch in the world.
I was working and on my way back from a sales call when I decided to take a short drive through a really big, old cemetary. I drove along the path looking out the drivers window when I glanced up and saw this skinny, dirty blondie trotting my direction. As an animal lover I had to stop & make sure he wasn't lost. I opened my door and this mangey dog, wagging his tail the whole time, sat at my feet and just looked up at me, as if to say "I'm a good boy, please pet me" He didn't have any tags or even a collar & had the biggest brown puppy eyes I've ever seen. Two guys working at the cemetary drove up behind me and tried to tell me he was their dog. But as they approached him, the dog wanted nothing to do with them, barked & ran away. They men told me that he had been there for a couple weeks and they had tried to feed him. I really didn't believe that, given the dogs reaction to them. As they pulled away, off to do their duties, one of them yelled out "If you want him, take him" I opened my passenger door & the dog immediately jumped in. He took a last look at his surroundings and with a big, relieved sigh, layed down in my front seat. My spouse, who couldn't believe I put this dirty dog in my new car, fell in love almost instantly. 1 year, 20 pounds heavier & with the name Rusty, we couldn't be happier & neither could he!

Jessica Seamount
Joliet, IL

Tootsie

I got my dog, Tootsie, a mutt, about 3 years ago at a Pet Drive for Animal Friends, and I have to say she keeps me entertained.
She is a little bit of a brat, if you stop petting her she will bark until you do, she gets as much of the bed as she wants and no buts about it! LOL
But I love her and my cat Julia, shes 7, I cant believe it, she is one of the best cats I have ever seen. She likes to be picked up and is great with kids.
Tootsie on the otherhand... well lets just say they might take a few "falls" haha

Geneva
McDonald, PA

Rock-A-Billy's Story

It was late September 2007. My trips from Maine to Long Island, NY were becoming more frequent and longer in duration due to my mom's terminal illness.
The night before this one visit, my mom called. Tearfully she told me about a little puppy that had been tied to her fence with a wire. The wire was around his neck and it was so short that he was unable to touch the ground with his front feet. She was able to untie him and bring him in to her house. I told her that I would leave early the next day and would contact a local homeless shelter and bring him there when I arrived.
The next day came, the drive was horrific and what at best was a five hour drive turned into an eight hour one. My mom met me at the door of her home in Roosevelt with her old dog and this dirty little ball of fuzz with legs.
I knew right away that I would be taking this puppy home, taking him to my vet, and ultimately finding him a new home.
My mom called him "Rocky", because of his rocky start in life. He was malnourished, had parasites and the worst ear infections that the vet had ever seen. He shadowed my every move and fearlessly played with our two (130 and 140 lb) dogs.
My mom passed away the following January. I did find the puppy his forever home. He now lives in our hearts and under our roof.
Our other dogs come from pedigreed stock. They have their registered names, and call names. It was only fitting that "Rocky" have a fancy name as well, in spite of his humble beginnings. So "Roosevelt's Own Rock-A-Billy" was coined ........and it fits, doesn't it?

Onneke O'Brien
Scarborough, ME