Animal Rescue Stories

Our little angel Kyah

New friends had previously sold a Maltese-Shih-tsu puppy from their litter to some distant relatives. Upon visiting her at 3 months, they discovered the poor tiny girl shivering and hungry, tied up outside and very neglected. They immediately took her back and gave her to us. Although she was very shy and scared at first, she has since blossomed into a happy, healthy, beautiful 4 year old, who loves playing and is inseparable with her big sister Sindar (also a maltese shih-tsu). She is always protective and very gentle with her baby (human) brother following him around the house like a guardian angel.

Hayley
Sunshine Coast, Australia

My Best Boy

Eight years ago we adopted Tommy at a local shelter. He had been left outside for 5 years, which broke my heart. After he was neutered he came home with us and spent the first evening laying by me on the floor, and he hasn't left my side since then. He has been a loyal, goofy guy who snuggled into my heart that first night, and will always be there. In the first few months he was very clear about wanting to sleep snuggled between my husband and I, on his back. Fortunately my husband liked the idea too, and that is where Tommy has slept every night for years.

He had to have an e-collar when he was neutered, but he made the best of it by using it to catch the ball! And when I tried to discipline him by using a spray bottle, he learned to catch the spray in his mouth,and thought I had come up with a great new game to play. He's made us laugh so much and feel loved in the way that only a VERY special dog can.

Jane Jones
Arvada, CO

Itty Bitty Kitty

I had been feeding a pretty orange feral cat for about six months, he wouldn't come in the house, so I fixed him up a nice sheltered spot in the garage, where he could come and go. Later that summer Orange Kitty, as I called him, came walking up to my house with a black, tiny, furry ball, it was a kitten, barely six weeks old. I scooped him up and fed him and took him to the vet where he was treated for ear mites that were so severe they left his ears scarred. I have had him for over seven years now and he is such a sweet kitty. He sleeps with me curled up in my arm. He didn't grow to be very big, so I named him Baby. I think Orange Kitty brought him to me because he knew I would take very good care of him, because after he brought me the kitten, I never saw him again.

Wendy Sawyer
Saint Paul, MN

Kovu - the happy SMILING gentle giant

Kovu only joined the family later in his life. Up until that point he was part of a family who did not care for him properly. He arrived looking very thin, and his coat was not in good condition. He was very scared of us, and spent the majority of his time with his tail between his legs...He was also abused as he hates water! This is very unusual for Alaskan Malumutes!! The 2 other Alaskan Malumutes that we do have [Shanzi & Rushka can never get to the pool FAST enough!] ;-)
Kovu is now comfortable and as you can see by the photo... he is absolutely gorgeous, healthy and HAPPY! I took this photo just after giving him a kiss on his snout and wrapping my arms around his neck for a gentle but loving hug. He is my absolute pleasure! I recall the day that Kovu decided to make friends... I was seated on the couch and he was looking at me... came closer, and then paw by paw he eventually landed on top of my lap - it was and has been love since then!

miche'le
East London, South Africa

Having That Chance

I was volunteering at my local animal shelter when a foster family brought back a mother cat and her kittens. I noticed one of the kittens, named "YardStick", had three feet. My heart immediately went out to him because I knew his chance of finding a home was slim. I talked with my family that night and the next day we adopted him! YardStick has now been a part of our family for about 8 years, and he is the best cat we could ever ask for with his loving and comic nature!

Courtney
Jamestown, NY

MissKitty

One day, me and my dad were at church, and we were walking in the door. We heard a meow, so we stopped, trying to figure out where it was coming from.
There was a yellow mail truck in the parking lot, and all of the sudden, a blue-gray cat jumped down from it's tire, so skinny, and so fagile-looking, it came up to us. We started petting the cat after a few seconds, and then we had to go into church. After the sermon, the cat was waiting at the door. We went back in and got a coffee-creamer. The cat lapped the creamer up like it was water in a desert. It just so happened that my grandmother had some dog food in the back of her car. It wasn't cat food, sure, but it was something. We went and got a coffee-cup full of water. The cat gulped the dog food down in a few bites, and drank some of the water. Once we got ready to leave, I called the cat over to our truck. It happily came over to me, and I picked her up, and we rode home.
Misskitty, as we named her, was happy, and then she had two litters of kittens, and then her kittens had kittens, so the list of names grew to 10.
All the kitties are living happily ever after.

Des
Tyler, TX

Lily, the big black dog

Six months losing my beloved maltese, we decided that our golden retriever was lonely and decided to adopt a rescue dog. We took our then 4 year old daughter, Madison, to the shelter and started looking at the puppies. She made a beeline for a cage 1/2 way down the row. Madison fell in love with the 5 lb, 9 week old, shelty mix who inhabited the cage. Not wanting another big dog, the volunteers told me not to worry. The puppy's mom was a shelty, so the puppy wouln't get more than 25 lbs...MAX! We adopted her and named her Lily. Lily is now 3 1/2 and a whopping 60 lbs.....who knew she was mixed with Clifford the big red dog! Just like Clifford, the little girl who owns her loves Lily so much she grew and grew and grew. She is one of a kind and she is all ours.

Kerin Smith
Naperville, IL

Story About Tasha Amber

Here is my baby girl Tasha Amber. She was owned by Rachael for 5 years. She was a Service Dog to Rachael as she has mild Cerebral Palsy as a disability and is not deaf. She came from Dogs For the Deaf (DFD) to Rachael in July 25, 2003. DFD works with people with disabilities and Tasha was ready and eagerly awaiting to go to a new owner. Tasha was the perfect match for Rachael. Rachael also has depression and anxiety and helped her around the house alot and she went with her to public places when needed. She stayed by Rachael's side all the time until she was needed for something. She was 5 years old and her birthday is December 15th, 2002. She is a flat coated black Retriever & part Aussie mix.

Way to go Tasha!!! Momma wishes you all the best in life and a whole lot more. Mommy is also very proud of her little girl and all she did for mommy. Tasha is now retired and living a regular normal 'doggie life' on a ranch somewhere in Oregon. Rachael cannot see or hear about Tasha anymore as she is with new owners. (DFD Laws & Regulations.)

I miss you sooo very much my sweet baby girl. My heart is just breaking inside and I love and care and miss you a great deal! I loved you with all my heart & soul. It really is killing me inside to know that I can NEVER get you back in my life. If there was a way that I could get you back, you know I certainly would!

Many hugs to you sweetie!

Love,

Momma

Rachael
Medford, OR

My guardian angel dog

Bentley has been my guardian angel dog for the past 10 years. He has saved my life more times than I can count, and the paramedics have told me I would not be alive today without him. He has never been trained as a service dog, but has made himself one. We rescued him as a puppy, and he has been paying me back ever since.

Sheri
Overland Park, KS

How Oscar became a "she"

My girfriend's children witnessed a bag being thrown from a car. The bag was moving, and they went to investigate. Inside was a 3 week old kitten. Sue could not keep the kitten, and she called me. I took the little guy in, and the name Oscar ,seemed like a perfect fit. I took Oscar to my vet- who gave him the once over and started the kitten shots.
6 months later, I took " Osc" to get neutered. The vet took a look and said "No can do- Oscar is a little girl." Stupidly, I said "How did that happen?" When Osc was only 3 weeks old, the sex was almost impossible to tell- the little kitten only weighed 4 ounces. Needless to say- Oscar got spayed, and she is still with me- 13 years old, and cuddles with me every night. My life is so enriched from the cats who have adopted me.

Brenda Bushley
cheektowaga, NY