Animal Rescue Stories

RV Park kitten

While we were vacationing at an RV Park, we befriended a beautiful calico kitten. She quickly learned to come around for a bite of left over eggs and bacon in the mornings, and a plate of broiled fish in the evenings. She'd finish her evening meal, make her rounds of appreciation and purrs, and fall fast asleep in someone's lap. After five days, it was time to pack up and go home. Our new friend had come around for her breakfast, but we hadn't seen her since. We got on the road a little saddened that we didn't get to say a proper goodbye.

After we arrived home, we did little more than park the RV and prepare for the next day before we both went to bed. Early the next morning, while I was having coffee on the front porch, I heard the fainted mewing. I got up and walked across the yard, following the sound. As I approached the RV, the mewing became loader. After a thorough search, I found the source of the mewing coming from one of the storage compartments. Apparently our little RV Park friend was pretty sure it was time for breakfast, and she really didn't care if it was served at the RV Park or this new place ... she was going to keep up her mewing until breakfast was served.

After breakfast, I called the RV Park to let them know that we had accidently brought their kitty home with us. The Park owners said they weren't aware of any kitten, but they took my name and number in case someone called saying they had lost their kitten.

That was over two years ago, and we can't imagine life without our little Pounce, the Princess.

Sandie Lee
Cat Spring, TX

Champ's story

On June 3, 2008, a man and his dog walked into my office at the Police Department. The dog was a Fox Red Lab that was nine months old. He started off by asking me, "If I take my dog to the pound, will he be put down?" I told him to tell them that he didn't want him put down and if they didn't adopt him out to call him. I then asked him why he wanted to get rid of him. He told me that his 5-year-old daughter had cancer and he just couldn't afford to take care of him properly anymore. I decided to take him home. My six-year-old son and Champ are now best of friends.

Kristi
Smithfield, VA

Loving Loyal Trooper

I rescued Trooper after he was left in front of a large pet chain in a cardboard box matted and full of fleas. The vet thought he was caged his entire life, his health neglected, and was used as a stud dog. After 3 flea baths, neutering and having several teeth pulled he has become the darling of our household of three dogs and 5 cats. He is very protective and loyal and is definitely the leader of the pack.

Laurie Crane
Greenlawn, NY

Midget Survivor

My cat Pippy was old now; she spent most of her days in a patch of sun on the snow-covered back deck. One day, I heard faint meows at the front door and looked out the window to see the tiniest fuzz ball sitting hunched over on the icy street. She looked very cold, very hungry and awfully small. For days, I set out food and watched her cautiously approach and eat as fast as she could. One day she looked to be in extreme pain; I could see large sores on her tiny back. I bought a live trap and finally caught her. The vet said she had 4 abscesses (probably coyote attack)needing intensive care and might not survive due to her condition. Ten days later, I brought her home, released her and watched her run off for dear life. Next day she was back with her shaved back demanding her dinner!

Sadly, it was time for my lovely Pippy to "leave town" for kitty heaven. This was on a Thursday. Friday morning, guess who walked straight into my house? Little Midget Survivor. She decided she liked this place after all. Now, three years later, I am lucky to have a place to sit on the couch! Midge, still tiny, is learning faster and faster to trust me. She talks up a storm, loves her dog, Gladiola and we all sleep together. I am told "thank you" with at least three head butts before she eats her food while perched atop her kitty tree with a view of the world. What a brave little survivor. I am so glad she chose me.

Susanna Gascoine
Zephyr Cove, NV

A Dog's Healing Love...

I lost my beloved Rottweiler last July while I was recovering from a serious surgery in the hospital . I was completely and totally emotionally devastated and my recovery was affected by the loss of my Rottie who had been my constant companion. Due to my mental state, my family insisted that they take me to the shelter to look for a new dog companion where I found a blue eyed Queensland/Jack Russel who caught my eye, I adopted her and she has been my new little dog companion and has literally redeemed my life, both emotionally and physically!

Janet
Templeton, CA

Pye's Angel: Daisy!

My beautiful, wonderful companion, Pyewacket (a rescued fur person), became seriously ill after 13 very healthy years. Three months of 24/7 care seemed to revive her, if only for a few more seasons. Suddenly one February night she languished, and died. My beloved friend and soul mate through very challenging times was gone, and I was inconsolable.

Returning from a reluctant vacation to Mexico, we walked into a house with no Pyewacket greeting us with her purrs and velvety caresses. In tears, I couldn't endure the painful emptiness, so immediately surfed animal rescue sites. I couldn't replace Pye; still I wanted a Tortie to remind me of her. At PetRescueNet.org there she was! An adorable 5-month old who looked so much like Pye, and needed a home. Within a few weeks of losing my beloved, this kitten came into our lives and stole our hearts, a soothing balm for our grief.

Her name is Daisy--Pye's original "shelter" name when I rescued her so many years ago. Coincidences convince me that Daisy is "Pye's Angel" come to comfort us. Daisy was born as Pye was leaving us. Pye had very unique behaviors, and, at 3 Daisy has adopted every one of those marvelous idiosyncrasies. Even more remarkable: in Mexico we purchased a clay sculpture of a cat, with Tortie colors to remind us of Pye, but with yellow-ish eyes instead of Pye's sea green eye color. As you can see from the photo, our Daisy has the yellow-toned eyes of the statue, purchased a week before we found her!

Daisy is a delight! Playful, intelligent, sweet-natured. She's brought smiles and laughter back into our home, a wonderful companion for our Dusty. Daisy has rescued my spirit, salving my wounded heart and returning joy to our lives.

Christina Pitts
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

Jaimsters

Jamie was found chained up to a fence in a 3ft by 5ft pen, in someone's backyard and the grass was overgrown by 2-3 ft. You could barely see Jamie back in the pen. She had no food or water and she was skin and bones. I took her from the yard and went straight to my vet. She was only 20lbs she had full blown heartworms and on the verge of dying. But I told the vet I would pay for anything she needed and i would keep her. It's been 4 years since that day and Jamie is now 92lbs,healthy and strong!! She's the smartest most lovable dog I've ever been lucky enough to have! She's very protective of me and our home. She runs the house, with all of her stuffed animal toys that grandma brings over for her. For Christmas I got my dad a t-shirt from the Rescue site that reads "Ask me about my grandog!" He loves it!!

Teresa
Pembroke Pines, FL

My Jardine Parrot Sam turned out to be my Hero & Guardian Angel

I'd like to submit my Jardine Parrot Sam as my animal hero and Guardian Angel. I'm a breast cancer survivor and without him I wouldn't have made it through all the tough times that were ahead of me. Sam gave me a reason to get up everyday, even when all I wanted to do was pull the covers up over my head and stay in bed. When ever I was scheduled for surgery or a difficult procedure I would think of him and know I had the strength to get through it. I always looked forward to coming home and having him cuddle up on my chest, right over my heart... that was my favorite thing. He has given me such unconditional love and given me the strength to get through what I thought was the most difficult time in my life. The most difficult time though was still awaiting me, I lost Sam in May of 2008 during a medical procedure. My animal hero has now passed over the Rainbow Bridge but I still feel the comfort of his wings wrapping around me when I need him.

Donna Smith
Taunton, MA

Mikko's Rescue

She came to the MAGDRL when she was 1-1/2 years old. I adopted her after my other Great Dane passed away. I was very heart broken. I read Mikko's story and thought, "There's a dog that needs someone to love her".
So here's Mikko's story. Mikko was born in Kentucky. When she was a pup her owner kept her in a 8x8 room and left her out to do her business 1 hour per day. She didn't have anything to play with. The owner also clipped her ears to look like a pit bull. He wanted a mean dog to guard his property. If he would have taken some time to get to know Mikko, he would have discovered there's not a mean bone in her body. She's a very sweet girl. Anyway, because he couldn't make her mean, he took her to the ASPCA. That's where MAGDRL picked her up.
So after I read her story, I told my husband that she's the one. We went to pick her up in West Virginia. She jumped right in the backseat of the car and rode like a perfect lady. When we picked her up she weighed 150 pounds and you could see her ribs. Now she's a very healthy 180 pounds. She has all the toys she would ever want and she loves running in the large yard. She teases the neighbor's dogs because she can run farther than their fence allows them. She's found her forever home.
Thank you for letting me share Mikko's story. Keep up that great work you are doing.

Jamie Masser
Smithsburg, MD

Smarty Jones

On a trip to my local feed store early one Sunday morning, I was approached by the owner, who asked if I wanted a kitten. It seems a mother cat had wandered into the storage area of the store and given birth to five kittens, three little tuxedo kittens and two orange ones.

She brought out the two orange kittens for me to see and one of them put his little paw out to me immediately.

He was really too young to be away from his mother, but the store owner was very concerned that the kittens would be accidently killed by the forklift operator, as the mother cat kept moving them around.
She gave me a nursing bottle and formual and Smarty Jones and I headed for home.

Even though he got off to a rough start, he grew into a beautiful strong cat, who loves to snuggle in blankets. I'm so glad I "rescued" him!

Spug34553@aol.com
Shamong, NJ