Animal Rescue Stories

Read heartfelt stories of rescue, and share your rescued animal stories with others.

Cassie

Cassie

We adopted Cassie from the kill section of our local shelter 2 days after losing our Cocker Spaniel Sparky. She was just 4 or 5 months old and full of energy. She's one of the most loving, and yet stubborn, dogs I've ever known. She snuggles right up next to us on the bed sometimes with her head on our pillows.

Gayle
LaGrange, GA

Gus

Gus

We adopted Gus from a local animal shelter that had picked him up recently as a stray. He was so matted when they found him that no one could even see his beautiful eyes!
We had just started looking for a new pet after losing our beloved shih tzu and mini-dachshund within 8 months of each other. Being empty nesters, our house was very lonely.
Gus is the happiest and sweetest little guy and has truly brightened and livened up our home. He loves everyone (and especially us!), and we feel so fortunate that we found each other.

Lynda and Howard
Lenexa, KS

She picked us

She picked us

I took my dog Shiloh to a local rescue group, a New Leash, to find a playmate for him. While I was looking at another dog, Rosie started playing with Shiloh. He has never taken to any other dog like he did to Rosie so I knew who we were going home with. She has taken over the household and our hearts!

Caroline Kelly
Huntsville, AL

My little Miracle

My little Miracle

A Catahoula Spotted Leopard Cur, slated to die, because statistics stated she had a 86% chance of being blind AND deaf, due to her white coat and 2 blue-aka glass eyes, there was no choice but to pull her from her Mother, at just 4 weeks of age. She is approaching 6 weeks old now--6 weeks being the age that hearing and sight are normally fully developed--and she can hear and see. She does appear to be impaired in both areas but to what degree, time will tell. She has a forever home with me, regardless. Love doesn't need hearing or sight, to be a Miracle.

Freda
Shreveport, LA

Bob & Eve

Bob & Eve

Bob is a rescue from the animal shelter and Eve came to the house on Christmas Eve. Both were abandoned and needed lots of love and attention. We didn't know what we were missing until they came into our lives. They both bring so much joy to my husband and I.

Mary
Houston, TX

Zoey the Border

Zoey the Border

After the loss of Frannie, my last dog, I was at a loss myself. Going to the local shelter, I was faced with 4 puppies from the same litter. Zoey was in the back jumping up and down, as if saying, "Me, me, me!". Needless to say, I took her home and we have been great companions for the past 5 years.

Jackie
Silver City, MI

Rescue Story

Rescue Story

We adopted Gracie, a pure bred Lhasa Apso from a kill pound. When we brought her home she hardly looked like a dog, much less a pure bred. She was a filthy, starving mess. Three years later she is a happy, healthy, beautiful companion to our Shih Tzu and to my husband and I.

Doris Stegall
Scott City, KS

Tank Finds a home!!

Tank Finds a home!!

Last summer I visited our local shelter to spend some time with the animals... I had no intention of bringing one home... until I saw him. There he was sitting quietly in his pen while the other dogs were jumping around and barking. I instantly felt a connection to him. I opened his cage door and he practically climbed up into my lap. It was a done deal!!! I picked him up the next Monday and he has been a huge part of my life ever since! He is the sweetest dog i have ever had and I am so blessed that that he picked me! Tank is a little over a year old and full of energy. He loves other animals, pig ears, and sleeping on my bed. He is quite the escape artist... due to his "beagle" personality!! I wouldn't change a thing about him. I wish I knew his story and how he ended up in the shelter, because someone truly is missing out! When anyone asks me where to go to get a dog I always tell them to visit the local shelter... those dogs deserve to be loved and I have found that they are extremely grateful. It's almost like they know that you rescued them.

Courtney McElwee
Charleston, IL

Helping save a family

Helping save a family

I saw Daisy jumping into our dumpster at work trying to find food. She looked so bad that I started giving her food and water trying to gain her confidence. After carefully watching her for a few days, I noticed she kept going back to the same patch of shrubs. My boss brought his son in one weekend and they carefully examined the shrubs. He called me to report they had found 5 kittens! We moved her and the kittens inside our building and after several weeks of TLC and vet trips they were all worm free and healthy. Several employees adopted the kittens and I took Daisy home with me! She is so loving and "talks back" when spoken to. I cannot imagine trying to go to sleep without her snuggled up against me.

Wendy
Alpharetta, GA

Ringo

Ringo

We lost two poodles due to the dog food poisoning last year. I have to have four little feet following me, so I went to our rescue center and got Ringo. He is the smartest, sweetest, fuzzy friend we have ever had. He is a long haired dachshund, three years old, who was mistreated. He understands everything we say to him. He is my shadow, everywhere I go he is right with me. He loves to go bye-bye in the car and wants to wear his doggie clothes everywhere he goes. Rescue centers are the only way to go!

Martha & Bob Jones
Floyds Knobs, IN