Animal Rescue Stories

Best Friends

Roofus was a stray I saw at the local pound. I had been dog hunting for many months at that point. When I walked up to his cage, I noticed a sign on his door that read, "Please have patience with me. I am shy." When I looked at Roofus, he stuck his paw out under the door as if to say, "Please, take me home!" I asked the employee if I could just come back in the morning to come get him since I had to work the night shift that night. She replied, "Sure...if he's still here." I turned back, saw a couple walk in the door, and said, "Ok, I'll take him now!" That was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Although he is a bit antisocial with other dogs still, Roofus has come a long way. Roofus and I didn't know it, but we met our best friend(s) that fateful day in the pound.

Alicia
Tampa, FL

Just like brother and sister

Measha(L)was rescued from the local shelter by a nice lady who works for Poodle rescue when Chao(R-ShibaInu)was 3 years old. Since then she always has her favorite Big brother that teaching her everything! We're very happy to have both of them in our lives.

Kiyo Brooks
Everett, WA

Little Gracie Sunshine

One early summer day in 1999 my friends and I were riding our bicycles out in the country. We heard a kitten squalling buy couldn't find her. We stopped our bikes and got off to look. I found her in the ditch. She was barely old enough to be away from her mama. Her eyes were glued shut due to a very bad eye infection. It had been cooler in the morning so I had on a sweat shirt. We couldn't leave her there to become hawk food so I tied my sweatshirt around my waist and tucked the bottom into my shorts and placed her inside the shirt. I rode 9 miles up and down hills with her crying and trying to get out. She finally fell asleep for a little while and I could feel her purring. When I got home I took her to the vet. He wasn't sure she would make it. But she did! We named her Gracie for the Grace of God that we found her. She is sunshine in our lives.

Terri Marcum
Hamilton, OH

Little Tom Cat

Difficult to know which of our six kitties to spotlight, as they are all 'rescues" of one kind or another. Tommy was the neighborhood stray who appeared in the garage one day, meowing, meowing. He wasn't interested in food particularly, just in making my acquaintance. It seems several neighbors were feeding and befriending him, but nobody was willing to go beyond that. He became a regular visitor, and once I had him neutered, he never strayed too far, although he had no interest in staying inside for too long. Ultimately, he had to become a total house cat, as we moved to a condo, and he could no longer be allowed outdoors. He's still dreaming of the squirrels though.

bobbie & ed
Jacksonville, FL

The story of a failed foster

Back in April of 2004, I was surfing the web one day and saw Sammy (on the left)on a border collie rescue site. When they brought him over, he came in, sniffed around and then settled next to me on the couch as if to say "I'm home".

Later that same month, they contacted me about fostering Callie to help one of the regular fosters who was overwhelmed at the time. She was so sweet and loving to me and to Sammy that when it came time to take her to first adoption day I just called them and told them the adoption fee was in the mail!

I was having a difficult time when I got Sammy and Callie, so I think they have rescued me as much as I have rescued them.

Delynn
Memphis, TN

Simon the Smiledon

Simon was about 1 year old when his family moved away and abandoned him in my neighborhood. He had an upper respiratory infection so bad that he was having trouble breathing when I took him in. He also had numerous parasitic infections and had not been neutered. After a whole lot of antibiotics and time at the vet's, he recovered and showed us what a magical cat he is! I have never seen a cat levitate the way he does; jumping straight up in the air, all four feet at the same time! We nicknamed him Smiledon because he has the giant ego of those giant cats. He is very comical and entertaining and I wouldn't trade him for anything.
Those previous owners threw away a treasure!

Shawna Plucinski
Barberton, OH

Sweet William

This is my Sweet William, his first day at home, at his very own gate. I was so lucky to find him at Friends of Animals - he'd been in a cage for six months. As I sat with him the next day, considering what to name him, I combined my tradition of English names with the sweet dianthus blooming next to us. So, because he is heartbreakingly sweet, he became Sweet William. All my dogs have taught me something important - one taught me humility, one unconditional love, one patience - and Sweet William taught me kindness. Save a dog, and he'll save you. Thanks, Willy.

Deborah Neikirk
Los Angeles, CA

"Sir Winston" The House Cat

This is our cat "Sir Winston". Now I say that because he came from the shelter. We wanted a cat that would be playful and not hide. We hoped that he or she would want to just be friends. Well after two trips to the shelter still no cat, "the third time is a charm" as they say! He was in his cage in the isolation room; he was new just a few days at the shelter.
My wife walked by the cage (a little too close) and out came this fury paw that latched on to her coat and as they say, "it was all over"! They let her hold him. Well I believe in my heart, he spoke to her and said, "that's right I'm the one you are looking for!". He turned on the motor, rested his head on her shoulder and worked those eyes. It was pitiful to say the least! He came home with us! He looked around for an hour, then I swear he said "nice digs!" and that, as they say, is "the rest of the story". This is now his home and we do what he wants. We don't know how or when, but it happened. Sir Winston is a great mouser. He plays with them and until they touch his food bowl, then all bets are off! It has been really bad on the rodent population. We have an internet business and he is, what you would call, the Boss and Mascot so he is the "big cheese" to everyone else. You know we love him and God has seen fit to give us a really great cat. PS. For God's sake don't tell him that (he gets a real fat head)!

Doris Canova
Jarrettsville, MD

Sophie

When the time came for a family pet, we went right to a local Pet Guard Shelter. We found Sophie, an abandoned 4 month old Collie/Chinook mix. We took her out to the parking lot where she promptly peed on my older son's lap. It was love at first sight. Fourteen years later, she is still the light of our family. Our sons have grown and have homes of their own but when they come to visit Sophie is like a puppy again. Eager to please, smarter than any dog we've ever known, loyal to the end and a source of love and companionship for us all, it was a match meant to be.

Lise Russell
Kent, OH

Destiny

I never go out to lunch. This 110-degree day I was meeting 2 friends when I heard what sounded like "Help." Under a truck was an 8-week old kitten waiting for someone to save her. Her paws were burned by the hot pavement, but she recognized the love in my heart as she came right to me and let me carry her to the car.

We named her Destiny because in saving her, she saved us and our older cat Charlie, who was grieving over the loss of his 16-year-old sweetheart last Christmas. We can't imagine life without her sweet playfulness to keep us smiling. Every day we're glad that Destiny saved us all.

Cassie Benson
Las Vegas, NV