Animal Rescue Stories

How I met Ollie

A little kitten was walking by a stone wall near a church up the street from where I live. He was struggling to get back up the wall without much success. He was teeny tiny and on his own. I picked him up and looked into his bright blue eyes and saw right away that unless I could find his mommy, he was coming home with me.

I never was able to find mommacat or any other kittens near the place he either jumped down from or fell from.

9 months later, he is the amazing Ollie cat, full of surprises and sweet mayhem and little brother to his 17 year old sister JellyGirl.

Ruth
BALTIMORE, MD

Only Kitten Left

Chino was a true rescue. I found him curled up on top of the rest of his dead siblings. Mama had been killed by a dog that had been trained to hunt down and kill other animals. Chino was about 6-7 weeks old at the time. I scooped him up immediately as there was NO WAY I could leave him behind to starve or be killed. It did not matter that I already had 2 indoor cats at home. I got kitten food and took him home where he ate then went to sleep like he knew that he was finally safe at last. He got along great with the other two cats and ended up being my heart kitty. He was kitty # 3 and he had a long and happy life and passed away after 15 wonderful years. I am on kitties # 6 and 7 now and love them as I have all my cats, but Chino will always have that special place in my heart.

Chris Casebeer
SHERWOOD, OR

From Chaos to Chaos

There is never a dull moment in our house. Some call it chaos--we call it family! Our family included a terrier mix with unknown history that left him with PTSD and aggression when scared or confused, a senior Chow-Shepherd mix going to the vet for laser hip treatment twice a week, and three adults with different jobs and schedules, including running a vintage radio repair shop. On the way home one night, I saw movement in the left lane of a busy street that I thought was a blowing piece of paper, but it was moving like an animal. When we got closer we saw it was a teeny tiny kitten. Without discussion, my partner got out of the car and scooped her up. By the time we got home ten minutes later, she had a name and a vet appointment. Radiola was a mere ten ounces and six weeks old when she left the chaos of the streets to live in the chaos of our family!

Diane Earhart
BELLEVILLE, IL

Cemetery Angel

There was a cemetery near Xenia, OH where a local farmer used to take his "excess kittens" and dump them. It was a favorite hunting ground for owls, foxes and other hungry critters. My son lived across the road from this cemetery and one day. as he was headed out to go to work, he saw what he thought was an oddly colored squirrel. When he got closer he saw that it was a tiny kitten, no bigger than his hand, but quick! After much dodging among the headstones, he finally captured her and brought her to me. Xenia was my love for 19 years and though I have loved other cats since, she will always be my angel.

M. K. Allen
MILWAUKEE, WI

Boyfriend vs Cat

I was notified that a cat was trying to get into peoples homes in the RV camp where I live. Park policy is trap and take to the ASPCA. I went to check out the cat and found a skinny, very hungry Ocicat! I kept him in a dog cage outside while I looked for his owner by posters and word of mouth. Day 5, it's pouring buckets and even though I covered the cage, he's getting wet. I wrapped him in a towel and put him in my bathtub to dry him off. He starts purring and let me give him belly rubs! I'm in love! My other cat is not!
My friend and I set out to a local vet to see if he is chipped. Yes, he is and the owner is local. I'm feeling sad because I love this sweet boy but I know that the owner must be frantic with worry. I give them my phone number and go home to await her call. Three days later, no call back and no answers to messages from vet or Petfinders. (FYI-Petfinder will ask for your number for contact but will not release owners info.) Petfinders finally give me the number of the place she got the cat from. They agree to contact her and let me know what's going on.
Finally! She takes the call! It turns out that she dumped the cat 2 months earlier because her new boyfriend DOESN'T LIKE CATS! What!?
I am trying to get the information changed on his chip but I can't without her permission. They do have a statement from me saying that she will NEVER get him back! I would have thrown the boyfriend out. Not the cat! She is not a person that deserves to own an animal. EVER!
"Ripley" is filling out now after not being fed for a while. He is presently sitting on the back of a chair, in a sunspot, and purring! He IS home now!
My pets are family! Ripley has joined our family as a furever pet! He and my other cat are becoming friends. As far as I am concerned, he can have all the love and belly rubs he wants! He deserves them!

Anne Barnes
PITTSTON, PA

Braveheart

Braveheart was already a seasoned veteran of the outdoors when he showed up in my backyard with a a youngster, Mickey, in tow. I invited them in and Mick (what a doll!) came in within a few days and stayed. But Braveheart was just too fearful, he felt he knew better. Over the next two years he slept in a warm bed in my Florida room and was 'my' cat but wouldn't let me touch him. In nice weather with the door open he'd come in to watch TV with us, lounging on the carpet watching the other cats laying on me -oh, but not him! Then one day, as I lay on the couch, two cats jumped off me and left to get a bite to eat. Braveheart strolled over, blinked, and jumped on my stomach, curled up and took a nap. I was so startled but didn't move, so happy this old boy was finally happy to be home.
I had named him Braveheart because I thought he might be part Scottish Fold - his ears were laid flat down. The vet said, no, it was the result of years of ear mites, which we remedied. He also had a broken tail. I still thought Braveheart fit him, sometimes called him Willy-Wally as a nick name (for William Wallace, the original Braveheart), or often just BH for short. He lived out the rest of his life happy to have have a home and always ready for a cuddle, making up for all the years he had no one.

Kitty
FORT WAYNE, IN

Helped give Oreo a second change at life

This is the story of how I got my kitty I named Oreo. He looks like a walking Oreo cookie hints his name anyways It was just before Christmas last year cause this December he'd been with me for a year now and my parents and i were at a local church here in our town were there is a Pokemon stop and gym as we play it and there's a field right next to it since it's a major highway going through the town there's like billboards advertising the local business. We were about to leave when we heard this noise at first we thought it was a bird cause he sounded like one. Luckily we decided to go down and investigate and there he was stuck up on a billboard we figured he'd gotten up there cause he got scared and couldn't get down at first we tried to get him down but he was to high so my dad had this idea to go get the truck and drive it through the field and he put the tailgate down and got on top of it so he could reach Oreo and he hesitated a first cause he was so scared but my dad managed to get him down as animal lovers we don't like seeing them suffering. When he put him in my arms it wasn't long after that Oreo started purring and he did the whole way home at first they won't let me have him i live in my own little place connected to theirs and already had 2 other cats but it wasn't long on the road he decided to to let me take him home so that's his story and I know he's one grateful kitty he purrs so loud and is so loving. I don't think he would of made it out there if we hadn't decided to go and investigate the noise and I am so glad my parents are such animal lovers and let me give him a chance.

Jessica Brittton
DOUGLAS, GA

Spot the Cat

In 1976 my BF, Jerry and I were in the backyard as we saw these kids literally dragging this poor cat tumbling down the alley on a rope. He casually walked up to them, said Hi, and picked up the cat and asked them about their day while he surreptitiously untied the rope on the cat in his arms. After a few minutes the kids said they had to go home so Jerry said goodbye and turned away, still with the cat. "Mister, that's our cat!", to which he replied, "Not anymore." We named him Spot for the black spot on his side, thinking it was funny because it's a dog's name. This sweet little Angora mix was my companion for the next 20 years, with me through all sorts of turmoil in my life. He was happy to have a loving home (no more ropes!) and I had the best friend you could imagine, always there to comfort me or play.
Spot was so intuitive; he knew when someone needed help. Years down the line we had a mentally challenged cat named OC. Spot would patiently spend hours with him teaching him to catch voles and chipmunks. When I was sad, he knew, and curled up with me.
Spot's gone now, but he was my (well, Jerry's) first rescue, the first of many and the best cat ever.

Kitty
FORT WAYNE, IN

Our big boy Bradley

In April 2013 we lost our Dobie/GSD mix to seizures and my heart was shattered. We still had our beagle Patches who missed her fur sister very badly. On May 28, 2013 we went to Petsmart to "LOOK" at the dogs up for adoption and THERE he was. His original name was Brantley and when I went over to his cage-he put his paw up to my hand and looked at me with those big brown eyes- He is a husky mix and we took him home the same day. At the time-they let anyone adopt dogs who have husky in them but now only experienced owners. The reason is they are big escape artists-which Bradley showed us the 2nd day we had him but now-after 5 1/2 years later and losing our beloved beagle in May 2015-he is a comfort and a joy in my life.

Jean B Burkhardt
DOVER, DE

Left Out in the Cold

"Are you the Chihuahua rescuers?" asked the woman on our doorstep. She and her kids had been trying unsuccessfully to catch a loose Chihuahua in our neighborhood and our neighbors, knowing we had fostered dogs (mostly Chi and Chi mixes), directed her to our house. My husband heard the beginning of the conversation and was already at the door with crate in hand when I turned to call him. We jumped into the truck and arrived on scene just as the poor terrified baby had been caught with a blanket thrown over her. Good thing, because the temperature that December night would be below freezing, and at less than five pounds I shudder to think what may have happened to her! We brought her home and I sent my husband and our dog into the man cave (garage) while I set the open crate on the dining room floor with tasty treats leading out of the door and retreated to the family room. About half an hour later, this little sweetheart jumped onto the couch and into my heart. No collar, no chip, no response to the flyers I plastered all over. We think she had been dumped on that chilly December day, but she landed in her forever home where she has ruled the roost for the last eight years and will for hopefully many more!

Janice
SAN RAMON, CA