Animal Rescue Stories

I decided to rescue two

About a year after the death of my dog, Cinnamon, I decided I needed to get another one. I like Golden Retrievers, so I wanted to adopt one from a rescue. My local pound and humane society didn't have any goldens, and the local golden rescue only had one dog who didn't show any interest in me. I contacted the Golden Retriever Rescue of El Paso (GRREP) and they had several. After talking with their director, Connie, we decided there was one that would be a good match named Sasha. A couple of weeks later I made the 200 mile drive down to El Paso. She had me look at several dogs who were being fostered in Las Cruces, NM as well as some in El Paso. Of course, I wanted to take them all. When I got to Connie's house she had several foster dogs there, including Sasha. She showed me Sasha and then showed me Sophie, who was 3 years old. Sophie and I had an instant connection! It turns out we also have the same birthday! Sophie had been surrendered by her original owner because that person was having some mental difficulties. I adopted Sophie and asked about adopting a second dog, one I had seen in Las Cruces. Connie said she'd be happy to get me a second one, but that I had to wait two weeks so that Sophie and I could bond. Connie called me a couple of weeks later to say the dog I was interested in couldn't be adopted out due to a medical problem, but that she had another dog she thought would be a nice match. So Sophie and I drove back down to El Paso to meet Jaden, who was two years old. He had been found wandering the desert outside of El Paso and was skin and bones when they found him. Sophie and Jaden got along fine in their first meeting, and I adopted him. That first night they didn't get along. Sophie didn't want him coming near me. The drive back up to Albuquerque the next day was a bit tense, but once we got home they started playing together and have been great friends ever since. We love to hike, and on our first hike together Jaden found a patch of snow and began rolling in it. He was so joyful that I couldn't bring myself to interrupt him. It was obviously a great thrill for him after his time wandering the desert. To this day he never passes up a chance to roll in any snow he finds. Sophie developed allergies about a year after I adopted her, but we have that under control. And Jaden developed Cushing's disease a few months ago, which we've started treatment for. We still hike, do two walks a day, and spend time cuddling on the couch or floor. Sophie will turn 11 in a few months and Jaden will turn 10. We celebrate Jaden's birthday on the day the rescue took him in, which is the day before Sophie's and my birthday. They're the best friends anyone could ask for and they're wonderful family members. It's true that when you rescue a pet, they rescue you, too!

Randy Lantz
ALBUQUERQUE, NM

Who saved whom?

My beautiful Provo had passed and my heart was broken, I was sure. My husband knew I was devestated and finally put his foot down - go out to the SPCA and see if you can save another dog! He is tough love!
At the pound, since the month before, was this crazy looking youngster, with HUGE standing-up-straight ears! Black with white, spotted socks that continued up the inside of his legs, he was quite handsome. I took him out on leash and quickly discovered why he was still there - he was a CRAZED animal on a lead! Thrashing on the ground, for several minutes, I simply waited him out.
Finally, he stood up, shook and looked at me, like, hmmmm. We continued walking, then went to one of the runs, where we played with tennis balls, chased each other, and finally he tired out. I sat on the ground, watching him and finally, he came over. Without a moments pause, he climbed onto my lap, head on my arm and heaved a huge sigh. He was mine, I was his, and Radar became my new best bud!

Judith Higgins
WINDSOR, PA

Foster Failure

I volunteered to foster dogs at my local animal shelter. I got a call and was asked if I could foster a special-needs dog and her litter of tiny puppies until they were old enough to adopt out. She is an American Staffordshire Terrier, looks like a pit bull. I was somewhat afraid of pit bulls from all of the attacks I heard of in the media.

Violet had been seized, along with 6 other dogs, from a breeder. This was her third litter of puppies and she was only 2 years old. The worker who delivered them to me said to be careful of my other dog, and that she was very aggressive with her dogs. As soon as she left, Violet jumped the baby gate and I was afraid of what would happen! Next thing I know, the two of them are running around the house together. I opened the sliding door to the back yard and they ran around the back yard together. They bonded immediately.

When it came time for them to take the puppies to a Pit Bull shelter up in northern Oregon, I couldn't stand the thought of Violet being stuck in a shelter for who knows how long. So I adopted her. She is a really good girl and a total love bug.

2 weeks after I kept her, it was time for my homeowners insurance to renew. I got a letter in the mail that they had driven by my home and saw a "bully breed" in my window so they canceled my insurance. My insurance broker found a company that would cover me but the price more than doubled. Can you say discrimination?! I found out that my car insurance company would cover my home with no dog discrimination and it cost less than the previous company I had paid in full for a full year! Win/win situation. :)

Jennifer J. Adcock
CRESCENT CITY, CA

She begged me not to leave.

I was headed on an overnight RV trip with my family, who were waiting at my parents' place, a block down from my house. I walked outside with my luggage to find a small white cat with a grey toupee, who was crying. I checked the food bowl to see if she was hungry, but it was full. I sat down to see if she wanted attention, she came right over. After a few minutes of talking to her I told her I had to go. She followed me, crying for about half a block but I told her to stop and go back. She stopped and watched me leave her. By the time I reached the RV, I was in tears. I cried for a good ten minutes as I explained to my mom that if she was there when I got back I had a fourth inside cat. Which I did not intend, 'cause three was already a crowd. Sure enough, she came back the day after I returned. After 2 weeks of quarantine, the vet visit for a clean bill of health, and flea meds, she was introduced to the other cats. They all got along fine but after another 2 weeks, she became a little terror to all the cats but super loving to me. I started to suspect she might be pregnant, but she was only 7.5 months old. Sure enough, exactly 1.5 months after taking her in, she made me a household of 8; 7 cats plus me. All identical in color to Momma Storm. I kept them all because how could I possibly choose? Sukai, Yuki and Rein are lovable little terrors, and we are slowly adjusting to the new additions the past year. I couldn't part with them and never will, until God decides it's time.

S Beachy
MIFFLINBURG, PA

Just when we needed each other the most.

Charlie was a formerly-owned stray who wandered into our backyard and into our hearts. He would lay out on our deck and accept cuddles and snacks day after day during the summer, and we would frequently see him come out from under our shed to greet us whenever we went outside in the fall. He wore a collar at the time so we "knew" he had a home to go to, until one very cold, winter night when we found him at our back door around midnight. Afraid that he might freeze outside at night, we brought him in and gave him a meal and a warm place to sleep. We noticed that he no longer wore a collar and feared that his owners may have moved away without him. We posted his picture online and when no one came forward to claim him, we took care of him, allowing him to go outside whenever he wanted and bringing him in whenever we thought necessary. He never left our yard. He was an older cat and he developed some issues so he wanted to go outside less and less. He became more affectionate as time went on and spent time sleeping beside us and creating daily routines. He had the best manners of any cat we've ever owned. He gave the best kitty kisses with his eyes. It was obvious that we were meant to be because he came to us just as he needed us most. He had teeth that needed extraction. He developed diabetes and needed twice daily shots of insulin. Charlie never "complained." He kept us company through the first three years of our retirement and throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. We spent much of our time taking care of and loving him. Charlie finally succumbed to cancer this summer, five years after our initial meeting. He was the sweetest and will always be in our hearts.

Shirley Tammick
PEMBROKE, MA

The Billion Dollar Cat

We’d been feeding and sheltering a big gray cat that showed up right before the fires in Gatlinburg, so we named him Smokey because of his color and because we are Tennessee Vol fans. He had plenty to eat with a heated food station and was warm in his heated igloo through the cold winter in South Bend, Indiana. When he showed up with a gash in his throat, we drop trapped him, got his injury addressed, got him fixed, and as many shots as we could and then released him, as he wouldn’t let us pet him. Within a month and a half, I guess I finally gained his trust, and he let me pet him. He has been living in our house full-time now for the last three years with our two 10-year-old females, Sweetness (named after Walter Payton) and Snickerlicious. He is estimated to be about 5 years old, weighs over 16 lbs., and had we known he was going to be ours, we’d have named him Butkus. We didn’t want a third cat, a big cat, or a male cat. We got all three, and we wouldn’t sell him for a billion dollars! He loves my chair, as you can see, and will never have to live outside again!

Patty Waite
SOUTH BEND, IN

Dixie Chick

I took my Dana (IS) to the dog park and noticed a young dog (pittie mix) hanging out at a truck stop. I saw her a couple of times and said, if you are still here the next time I'm getting you. I think the truckers had been feeding her, but no one took her. I bought a McD cheeseburger, and she hopped into the car. I was concerned because she did look a lot like a pit bull. My vet said she was a hound mix. She was good with the other dogs (I was fostering chihuahuas for a rescue). She was the sweetest girl, and I never regretted bringing her home. She was not chipped, and had no collar. At this time, there was a lot of propaganda about pit bulls being dangerous, and if I had taken her to the shelter, she would have been put down. So glad I didn't. She lived with us for 10 or more years and developed lung cancer. I was with her to the end.

Brenda Boutin
CINCINNATI, OH

3rd Times A Charm

Since retirement in 2016 and moving to Florida we had lost both our Shiz Tsu, Bruiser, and my walking buddy Sox, a hound, to cancer. After 6 months or so after Sox passed away, my wife and I started talking about another dog, or maybe fostering small dogs. Another 3 months and we hadn't decided anything. Then on a Monday night a little after 8, we had a knock on our door, and there stood our landlord Heidi holding an adorable little Dachshund. His story was his original family couldn't care for him anymore because of health issues, and family number two just didn't want to care for him the way he needed. A rescue took him in, and the lady sister of our landlord. She knew exactly what the little guy needed, and that was us! He's been with us about a year and a half and we renamed him Eli from Levi. We knew the moment we opened the door he was at his forever home. It's a perfect match!

Tom Timlin
COCOA BEACH, FL

SHE 'CHOSE ME'

I went to the local Animal Rescue to adopt a kitty. ~~ I was looking for a "Russian Gray" kitten, and was shown a room full of "Beautiful Kittens." ~~ One particular black-&-white fur baby came immediately to me and sat on my lap. ~ Soon she ran away, but came back several times and sat on my lap. ~~ After nearly a hour, the woman asked, "Did you pick your kitty yet?" ~ I looked at her and said, "~~I THINK I'VE BEEN CHOSEN, ALREADY!~~" I had Minzy for nearly 15 loving, treasured, awesome, precious years. ~~ She passed away from a blood clot. ~~ A month after her passing, a cute "Russian Gray Kitty" appeared out of nowhere and I kept him. ~~ His name is Kaipo, "sweetheart" for males in my Hawaiian language!

BOB ANI
PORTLAND, OR

Pumpkin finds his own home

I called him O.J. He was a skinny starving male orange kitty when he showed up to eat at my managed feral colony. But he was not a feral cat, just a starving stray. As the months went by he was less afraid, grew into a beautiful ginger boy. I took him in for his surgery, eartip, and rabies shot. I wanted to eventually find him a home, but I already had other cats I was trying to adopt out. In the cold winter around Christmas, O.J. was no longer coming to eat. I was upset, grieving, and second guessing myself for not getting him safe. It is part of managing a feral colony of cats, the unknown of what happens when they disappear. Fast forward a few years. I am feeding another orange tabby who is feral. I pull up to feed & water my colony, and there are two orange cats there! I look closer, one is wearing a collar & tag. It is O.J.! I put him in my car and call the number on the tag. He has been gone a week; got spooked & ran out the door, and they could not get him back inside. He remembered where he had always found a meal, and came to me to help him. They told me he had followed them from their car to their apartment daily in the cold winter until they let him inside, and that was all it took. So sometimes miracles happen, and you get to be a part of them.

Sherrie Heskett
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK