Kalani was left in the back of a pickup truck wrapped in a blanket; that is where a friend on her way to work found her
wimpering. Since I had no pets at that time I offered to take her so she wouldn't end up at the pound. Kalani was 3 months old. She is now 14 months and just finished High School training. Some things I guess are meant to be, she is my number 1.
Ohgr & Luna came from a kill shelter in West Virginia when they were about 6 months old. They were very sick with terrible chest infections that took us months to treat successfully. The shelter had no heat, no blankets and no medications. They had never been given treats, toys, or anything to call their own. Luna was also mistreated at some point during her young life. The day we went to meet them, Ohgr put his feet around my neck, kissed my cheek and "hugged" me for 5 minutes straight and Luna clung to my husband's chest as he held her. How could we say no? Ohgr and Luna became best friends quickly. They are extremely spoiled and couldn't be happier! We cannot imagine our lives without them and the special "smiles" we are greeted with daily.
During a rescue operation in the north of the Philippines, Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), together with our mother organization, International Wildlife Coalition Trust (IWCT)-United Kingdom, rescued a weak 3 month old dog together with scores more from a slaughterhouse in Baguio City, the main dog-meat market in the country. Sweet, as we named him, was found cowering in a corner of a very cramped cage along with others without food and water. Earlier, 40 other dogs were brutally slaughtered in front of him, their heads smashed with a wooden club. Perhaps it was his soulful eyes amidst all the carnage that caught the attention of IWCT Director Charles Warternberg that lead him to decide to personally take care of Sweet and bring him to London.
"It is likely that Sweet was more of a family pet who was either stolen or sold to the dog-meat traders as he was in fairly good physical condition when we rescued him", Charles said.
After undergoing rehabilitation for a month, Sweet flew to London with Charles. He arrived at Gatwick Airport on August 2, 2002, to begin his new life with the Wartenbergs.
After just 2 years of living with Charles, Sweet became the United Kingdom's Dog of the Year for 2004. The contest is an annual event sponsored by Daily Mail Weekend Magazine.
Sweet bested over 8,000 other entries coming all over United Kingdom and romped away with a silver trophy, a gold medallion and a grand prize of 1,000 pounds. Prominent members of the British press judged the contest.
"We never thought Sweet would become a celebrity abroad! All we want is for him to have a happy home, now, he is a Pinoy superstar in London!" AKF staff exclaimed.
We lost both of our dogs to old age in 2007and were heartbroken, and it was six months before my son decided that my wife needed a new dog buddy for her birthday. We went to the pound and after checking out all of the dogs, we picked Cooky, a Rhodesian ridgeback mix. We made a good choice, she is a really pushy member of the family who guards our house and makes us laugh with her craziness! When she gets excited, she runs at full speed around the house and when she wants to play ball, you'd better be ready to play or she will start making the weirdest noises until you give in! We love her and couldn't imagine the family without her now. Cooky is best buds with my wife, but she chose me as her person and is now my shadow. We call her Cooky monster because she has such a strong personality and is very pushy, but in a nice way. Please get all of your pets from the pound or from rescue groups, they will love you for it.
Angel arrived in my Mom's backyard in 1996 along with her 3 kittens. When the kittens were old enough we took them to the Humane Society where they all found good homes. I decided to keep the mother. My Mom named her Angel for the little white fur that showed in her wing bone area.
Angel loves to be held like a baby and when you ask her for hugs and kisses she bends her head forward so that I can nuzzle my nose on her head.
She is an absolute cutie and loves to play catch with a ball of paper and also loves to roll her ball back and forth to me.
She sits beside me every night while I watch TV along with her sister Tara. I would be lost without her. She brings me a lot of love and joy and I am so glad she picked my Mom's yard to visit nearly 13 years ago.
Since the first day she came to our home our lives became brightly and happy. I usually say that she adopted us and give us such love as a small dog can do with a big hearth. But, some years ago, unfortunately she left us so suddenly that we couldn't say goodbye to her...so, this is a way to say to you we will never, ever forget you because you are in our hearths every single day! Love you!
Dexter is a two year old Beagle that I rescued from a local shelter on November 1, 2008. You could tell that the people who had him before me didn't give him the love and care he deserved. He was under weight and starving for attention. He was given up because they couldn't give him the attention he wanted. Of the many dogs in the shelter that day who needed a forever home, Dexter stuck out the most. When I first saw him, he was huddled in the back of his pen with a cautious look on his face but a waging tail. I knew he was mine. I can't imagine not having him around! He's the sweetest dog and he's now my shadow; everywhere I go, he has to follow me. Who knows how many homes he's been tossed in and out of but I do know that he's found his forever home right here with me.
We found Pepper at our local Animal Rescue Center. Our other (rescued) cat was a girl and quite the queen but we felt she might appreciate a playmate. Everyone told us that we should adopt a male kitten since they would probably get along better together. I saw "Peppy" and it was love at first sight. He was so soft and loved to cuddle. When we took him to the vet two days later, we discovered that he was a she but we were already hooked! Pepper, as we now called her, had a few health challenges when we first brought her home, but as she healed we discovered how she had gotten her name. Our previous cats had all been older and more settled but Pepper was another matter indeed. Pepper is everywhere and into everything. If she's not teasing her sister by nipping at her tail or threatening to jump down on her back, she's on the highest ledge in the house adjusting the speed of our ceiling fan!! Pepper is a year old today and she is looking forward to her second summer aboard our boat with her sister, Nosey. While most people view dogs as "boat animals", our cats love their boating life. They are easy to care for and you don't have to walk them in a storm!
We celebrate the kind people at the Animal Rescue Center who found Pepper for their work and their selfless dedication.
When Frida was 12, she was diagnosed with leishmaniasis and her owner decided to have her put down. Unable to do that, the vet took her home, although she already had 6 dogs of her own.
She knew that I was crazy about setters & that I had lost my English setter Dolly 2 yrs before, so she called me hoping I might want to adopt Frida. I did & my dog Regina accepted her, too. They are best friends today.
Although we already had a Cockapoo named "Hanna" we often went to Animal Services to give treats to the dogs waiting for a home or to donate food, never intending to adopt.
I should have known better! There she was putting her paw out of the cage and as soon as I touched her paw she rolled over on her back so I could give her a "Belly Rub", and I was hooked. She came home with us that day ! We named her Maggie and she is a joy to have ! She and Hanna are slowly becoming friends ! It was a lucky day for all of us!
