Animal Rescue Stories

She Waited for Me!!!

Lucy was rescued by a West Memphis shelter in August 2002. One of my own sweet dogs was diagnosed with cancer in August 2002. Lucy languished at the shelter for 18 months with no one trying to adopt her. In February 2004, my dog died. I went on Petfinder.com to look at dogs. Lucy was still there waiting for her forever home. I adopted her. I truly believe she was waiting for me. She has fit into my home and with my other dog perfectly - as if she were meant to be here!! We love her.

Ellen Ziskind
Memphis, TN

No Voice

This is KiKi. When I found her in a corn field, she was about six weeks old. She was cold, hungry and lost. She was starving and had an upper respiratory infection.

I took her to my vet, had her checked out, got her the treatment she needed and set a date to have her neutered. She has no voice due to the infection but can purr extra loud. She lets you know what she wants with that loud purr of hers.

Judy Bresson
Tyler, MN

BOXER BABIES

We already had Frankie, our yorkie, when we decided to adopt Gunner (a brindle), a very thin run away one-year-old boxer boy. We immediately fell in love with Gunner and his fighting spirit to overcome hunger and a weak immune system that left him ill. You can never have a bad day around Gunner. As soon as you walk in the door, he is ready to jump in your lap and give lots of kisses (no one told him he grew to over 70 lbs). At first thought you would think a boxer wrestling a yorkie would be bad news for the little guy, but Gunner allows Frankie to win each time, rolling over on his back and "giving up". They keep us so much company. We love Gunner so much we decided to foster Lisa (also a brindle). She is an older girl who has had a less-than-perfect life: found barely alive in a backyard, she stole our hearts and has become part of our family. Despite her inability to hold her bladder, she is happy to wear a diaper and enjoys the best things in life now, like a good night of t.v. on the couch!! And there is Mya (a fawn); we took her into our home when her owner deployed to Iraq. She is a super sweet heart who just makes the whole gang complete!!! Adopt your next best friend, you will have a friend who is forever grateful...

Tara
Mt. Washington, KY

My best friend!

Charlie was found running along a Georgia highway with a broken leg. A nice couple picked him up and brought him to the nearest vet (my vet!). One day I was picking up medicine for my cat and bragged that I was ready to adopt a BIG dog. Two minutes later I was in love with little Charlie! He's an enormous blessing and so much fun to spoil. I love taking him to the beach so he can chase crabs, dig holes, and go swimming. He makes me so happy!

Jenn
Virginia Beach, VA

Salty

I adopted Salty, who I have nicknamed "Miss Saltine," from my local Humane Society in October 2007. She was ten years old at the time and had been at the shelter for over a year. I took one look at her and knew I needed to give her a home. At first she was very shy and quiet. Today she is quite vocal and pretty much rules the household!

When my husband and I arrive home from work each day, Salty greets us, rolls on her back, and runs to her scratching post. After she gets her treat, Salty goes right to her "play station," which consists of two large paper bags, a few sheets of tissue paper, and her favorite toys. She is never happier than when playing and has invented remarkable ways to keep our play time interesting.

Salty also brings me a "mousey" every day, delivered to my bedroom, as her gift to me. I look forward to receiving that toy mouse and once again hiding it somewhere in the house for her to find the next day. It is our little game.

My husband, who was originally not too enthusiastic about adopting a cat, is now very fond of Salty. Some nights he even gives up his recliner for her, which seems to be her favorite spot to relax in the evening.

Salty is my first pet and, having no children, she is truly my "fur child." The assumption that cats are not affectionate is definitely incorrect! When Salty curls up next to me in the evening and purrs, it makes my day complete.

Susan Corriher
Charlotte, NC

Long on Love

Katie KooKoo is a mini, long-haired, dachshund, 8lbs. soaking wet. What she lacks in weight she sure makes up for in LOVE!
She turned me into a "foster flunky" when she came into my arms because I wouldn't let any potential adopters even see her until I adopted her myself!
Being a foster/volunteer for my local Humane Society I have to keep from falling in love with each and every one of them till they find that forever home but Katy was my downfall!
I am owned by 4 rescued dachshund girls of one type or another.....1 wire-haired, 1 red-smooth-coat, 1 red smooth, chi-weenie (Chihuahua/dachshund mix), and then there's Katy!
I could write a book on her cute antics (like why I call her our "Houdini weenie"!), and the joys she brings each and every day. She's the happiest little dog on the planet with boundless energy and kisses. I could never wish for more reward in life than Katy and the love and joy she brings us all.

Susan Kilgore
Dallas, TX

sweetie

My roommate and I saved this cat from outside. It was very cold outside, and she looked so cold and hungry, so we took her in, and we are now looking for a home for Sweetie. She is a very loving cat. We try to save all cats and find homes for them; we also save some dogs and find homes for them, too. We are animal lovers...

jeanette
elyria, OH

Our brave Japanese

Japanese is a 7-year-old domestic black and white cat. She was found in the street sick and with one eye smaller than the other. Someone abandoned her there and she was only a baby who desperately needed help.
She had two surgeries : the first one, when the vet tried to cut her eye lid of her deformed eye so that she could see a little; the second one, when he decided to remove her eye completely because it was swelling often.
After the second surgery, Japanese wanted to walk so badly. She was falling on her face (the anesthetic made her feel dizzy), but she was still trying to walk in spite of the pain she must have been feeling.
Today, she shows us how happy she is, even with only one eye, by making funny "I'm-happy" sounds, giving us the most adorable kisses and running around. We adore her and admire her courage. Japanese's story could be a lesson to a lot of humans.

Olga Zaric
Montreal, Canada

Precious Baby

In June of 2007, my mother found a kitten in her front yard that still had his eyes closed. I fed him with a kitten bottle for almost 6 weeks and now at over a year and a half, he is huge and healthy and a joy in my life daily.

Nelwyn
Buffalo Junction, VA

The Guardian

We adopted Bruno 10 years ago from the no-kill shelter Noah's Ark; they take unwanted cats and dogs and foster them, then put them up for adoption and carefully match them with new homes.

We adopted Bruno when he was sixteen months old. He was both mother and father to our six other dogs. He would stand in front of me if someone came to our front door. When I was at work he would lay across the front door inside the house and guard our handicapped daughter. When our long-haired chihuahua
fell into our pool, Bruno made me follow him to help pull the dog to safety. Another time he rescued a small sparrow that fell out of its nest--Bruno brought it to me to save. This wonderful dog became sick with bloat and our good vet tried to save him, but he was euthanized February of 2008. I grieve for him now. He was a credit to his breed: Rottweiler.

annette lennon
glendale, AZ