Animal Rescue Stories

Max The Cat (1989-2006)

When I found Max at our local shelter, he had just been separated from his brother. Since he was already 1 1/2 years old, he was not as likely to be adopted as the younger kittens. The shelter told me that this was his last day. He was to be euthanized the next day. No way was I going to let that happen. What a beautiful cat! I took him home and we had 17 wonderful years together. He finally passed away in his sleep at home from a long bout with cancer. He was my pride and joy and not a day goes by that I don't miss him and thank my lucky stars that he was in my life as long as he was!

Robin
Long Beach, NY

Maggie Mae

In February 2007, my husband, my two-year-old mini dachshund Venice, and I drove from Cape Cod, MA to Ohio to adopt 14-year-old Maggie Mae, who had been given up by her owners when she went blind. When we first adopted her, Maggie was very shy and would shake whenever she went out in public. She soon overcame her fears, and is now a very spunky and happy Cape Cod socialite who loves the attention she gets from her admirers (and everyone she meets becomes one of her admirers!) She now loves sailing, going to the beach, and traveling to New Hampshire and Vermont. She also joins Venice, and me at work every day, along with our third dachshund Marie (also a senior rescue we adopted last October).
I bought Maggie the little string of pearls she's wearing in her photo when we first adopted her, and she gets so excited every time I put them on her that she "talks" and does a little dance because she knows it means she's going someplace fun and exciting. She also recently became a "supermodel", having been chosen to participate in the Canine Couture Fashion Show on Nantucket Island, which raised money for the local MSPCA shelter.
Maggie Mae will celebrate her "Sweet 16" birthday on April 3. She is the perfect "poster girl" for senior/special-needs adoptions!

Phoebe Mossey
South Yarmouth, MA

Daisy, a special Cocker Spaniel

Daisy (a purebred Cocker Spaniel with a wonderful temperament) was rescued off the streets in Indiana where many homeless dogs live. Hope regularly brings food to the street dogs and spotted Daisy running on the streets and called to her and she jumped right in her car. Hope brought Daisy to Karen, a groomer, because she smelled very bad and when Karen started to groom Daisy, she noticed someone had tied rubberbands around her ears and the ears were filled with maggots. I was called because I rescue, transport and find homes for animals. They needed help with medical treatment for Daisy and I called my vet, Dr. Kim and Daisy was brought to Dr. Kim's immediately. Daisy had to be on antibiotics and all the maggots had to be removed before her ears could be removed. Dr. Kim donated most of her time for this surgery and only charged for the supplies. Daisy pulled through the surgery and was fostered by Karen during her recuperation period. Daisy found a wonderful home with Nancy, a nurse. Daisy's new mom knew Daisy was special and enrolled her in therapy training. Daisy is now a therapy dog and has a wonderful home with Nancy, her mom and her cocker sister.

Jean Lazzaro
Cedar Lake, IN

Bringing a New Outlook on Life

This is a picture of our rescue pup, Mocha. She was named Sunshine when we got her, but we thought Mocha fit her coloring. She is black with lots of brown underneath, so she glows in the sunlight. We think she is a black lab, beagle mix, thus the awesome personality and perfect size. In the picture with her is our 12 year old cocker, Nillie who has a renewed outlook on life since Mocha came into our lives. They are constant company for each other, Mocha has taught Nillie that running down the street is much more fun than walking. We call her nurse Mocha quite frequently as she tends to Nillie like one. When Nillie was recovering from surgery, Mocha was right there to help. She loves to snuggle with people, she loves to lick, she loves to curl up in bed with us and try to pretend she belongs there. She has brought so much joy to our lives in the year she has been with us.
Mocha is quite an acrobat too. When it is time to go out for a walk, she jumps up with all four paws leaving the ground, waiting for her leash to be put on her. She is capable of getting at least 3 feet in the air! She loves to fetch a tennis ball and return it, as well as throwing it for herself. Her goal in life is to catch a squirrel, she is very entertained by them. She sits in our bay window and watches them jump from tree to tree for hours.
I will always be greatful for cruising the web and finding Mocha.

Melinda P Wise
Severna Park, MD

Cuddles Joins Diva

We bought Ms. Diva (on the left), as we wanted a Seal Point Siamese. A year later while getting her manicure at the vet, we met Cuddles (on the right). She had been abandoned by her owner when she was brought in for a C-Section, and had been living at the Vet's for four months. One would think she was Diva's identical twin. She immediately settled down in my arms and I knew she had to come home with me. We had to put a collar on her to tell her apart from Diva. They are now great friends along with our Golden Retriever, and will be with us forever.

Jenny Ebner
Springfield, OH

Finding Oliver

Once I retired, I started seriously thinking about adopting an adult or senior dog. When I saw the picture of this forlorn little black Chihuahua in the paper I knew I had found my pet. Oliver was a 7 year old male Chihuahua who had recently lost his right eye to cancer. If ever there was a dog that needed me and a forever home, he was it! The problem was that when I contacted the shelter listed in the paper, I was told that the newspaper had made a printing error. Oliver wasn't in that shelter! Where was my Oliver? I began to search in ernest for "my" dog by calling local shelters. When I had no luck, I turned to the internet and began searching shelters further afield. After a month of frustration and searching, I found my special pet in a shelter almost 50 miles away! It took me no time at all to make applications, provide references and pay the fee necessary to adopt this little dog. Oliver and I have been together for three years now. He is a beloved member of our family and I can't imagine a life without this perfect little guy.

Joanne Ciesluk
Holden, MA

Just for a few days...

My son called frantic, in addition to his own dog, he had two additional dogs to care for (one was a very large chow pet sit and one was a bichon puppy), "Could I take the pup - just for a couple of days?" Courtney had spent her early life in a crate most of the time - she was a gift to someone who never had a dog. Kind friends were looking for someone to rescue her as the owner was taking her to the pound when she returned. My son, knowing his mother as well as he does, knew I'd fall in love with her and I did. That was 15+ year ago and I truly believe she has rescued me from chronic illness and severe depression. She gives me a reason to get up. There is no coincidence dog spelled backward is god.

Mary
Willoughby, OH

Sweet Pea

This my St.bernard/Spitzer Spaniel mix I rescued from a shelter I found here on the Animal Rescue Site.She was 2 months old and was immediate partof our family. We have two other older dogs and 2 cats, since we live on 5 acres there is plenty of room for animals and we love them all.I recently lost my Chow/Shepard mix at 8 years old suddenly to cancer we didn't know she had and was devasted, she was my baby from the time we got her from a shelter.My husband and I met and he had two dogs so the family of animals was born.We then found two stray kittens.After losing her , I wanted to save another animal, so we got the adorable Sweet Pea.She loves the older dogs and they love her, as do the cats she plays outside with all of them.She is a lover and kisses anyone who holds her, she loves to cuddle, of coarse will be to big eventually to be a lap dog.We are thankful for your website and think the work you do for shelter animals is vital.We are thinking of adopting more adult cats from that same shelter soon.
Christine Kochanowski

Christine Kochanowski
Oxford, OH

Martini Olivia

Ready to adopt a furry friend, I went to see a previously declawed cat at an adoption event. He and I were like a bad blind date! As I was leaving the event (feeling sad), I walked by a man with a cat on his shoulder. Before I knew what hit me, that cat jumped into my arms and I heard, "Let's go home"! We did and for the last 10 years, she has been the light of my life and a very demanding taskmaster!

Stefani S
Pacific Palisades, CA

Archie from NY to WI

Archie was born in a puppy mill in Canada and sold to an 83 year old man in New York sight unseen. His dear neighbors quickly realized he was "too much dog" for an elderly man and took him under their wings. The family had other pets and decided to do the right thing in putting Archie up for adoption on the Beauceron (rare breed) rescue site. I had had another Beauceron for 12 years and they picked me to be his new mama. He was the love of my life and I spent numerous hours and dollars on making Archie a "good boy". He loved me and my mom, but was a bit standoffish to others. Beaucerons are VERY loyal to their owners. The family that had him met me and my best friend in Cleveland for the official adoption and from then he became by beloved Archie. Unfortunately, the story is sad...I only had Archie for 16 months, but they were the best 16 months anyone could offer a dog. His main compassion was spending numerous hours fetching soccer balls in the yard. He even broke my humerus bone as his leash wrapped around my ankles one snowy morning in April. He would sleep with his head tucked on my shoulder with his sad eyes saying he was sorry. Archie died in June of "08 of kidney and liver failure. There was NOTHING I could do, but I spent thousands of dollars to save his life. He forever sits on my shoulder as my Guardian Angel. He is buried looking over a beautiful lake in Northern Wisconsin where he loved to romp in the woods and wade in the water. He led a great life, albeit too short.

Marianne Case
Appleton, Wisconsin

Marianne Case
Appleton, WI