Animal Rescue Stories

Third Times the Charm

I just lost my boy, Noah to cancer. My husband's boy, Benjamin was grieving and lost without companionship. I started looking on PetFinder. Her eyes said "please give me a home". So I made arrangements with Guernsey County Animal Shelter to spring Lydia from jail. Literally, she was in jail. Noble County Prison's program with inmates to help dogs become more adoptable. We found out she was in 2 other homes before coming to us. Did you know that puppies are a lot of work?! Lydia now has her furever home with us!!!

Donna
MIDLAND, PA

Miss Gigi Girl

Gigi is a rescue from the Trenton Animal Shelter in NJ. I was in search of a rescue, and one day I was on my Facebook page and Gigi's picture showed up on the page (from the animal shelter). Have no idea how, because I was not friends at that time with the Shelter page. Well, my heart sank. I had just put Cinderella (a rescue poodle) over the rainbow bridge due to severe seizures. Cinderella was my Aunt's dog who I took in when my Aunt died. We had Cinderella for 2 years. A year before that we put two dogs Jet and Bugzy over the rainbow bridge due to cancer (12 years old) and due to age (17 years old). Anyway, after two months of searching for another rescue we went to the Trenton Animal Shelter to look at Gigi, and we fell in love. Gigi had been found wandering the streets in downtown Trenton, and animal control scooped her up. We first called her "Angel" as we just knew she was heaven-sent! We changed her name to Gigi after a vote; believe it or not, all our friends and family seemed to love the name Gigi. She is the sweetest angel and was truly meant for our home.

Cindy Vitella
TRENTON, NJ

My Beautiful Princess

On December 29, 2008, my baby brother, Cocoa, a toy poodle took his last breath in my arms as my dad turned the car off in the vet's parking lot. The whole car ride, he was looking out the car window towards the sky & I knew he was watching an angel ready to take him home to Heaven! I was beyond devastated! We were inseparable! He was my world for 13 1/2 years, since I was 8 & he was a baby! I carried him around everywhere like a baby on my hip & he thought our butts had to be touching when he sat next to me! Less than a month later, unbeknownst to me, a beautiful little chihuahua princess was born! On April 8, 2009, this little princess became my new baby sister! She's my world! In fact, one night a few months later, I was bawling thinking about how much I miss Cocoa, when all of the sudden, I could feel something his shape, size, & weight laying on my side & I heard a voice as clear as day saying, "I'm ok! I'm in Heaven with Jesus now & I'm doing great! Go be with Chloe now." Even though I knew all of that, to actually hear him say that & feel his presence gave me such a sense of peace! I grabbed Chloe (she was by my legs) & held her close! Everyone who knows me knows all about my precious Chloe! When I did student teaching, those children asked me about her every single day & their precious little faces lit up every time I referred to her in a test, assignment, or game! One thing Sissy's little princess loves is clothes! I can't resist buying her clothes! She has her own closet & will come running from another room & stick her head in if she sees me holding up a dress! She especially loves dresses with frilly skirts (she walks with her little butt swishing around when she has on one of these dresses & presses herself into the couch & makes herself weigh a ton when I try to take it off of her)! My little fashionista even likes to choose her outfit (I give her a few choices)! We love to watch tv together (although she can't stand insurance commercials - she barks like a mad woman at those) & she loves it when I read to her, especially children's books & devotionals! Chloe loves to go shopping, to a restaurant, or anywhere like that and she's all about riding in her stroller! We're cuddle buddies & kissy buddies (she will hardly ever kiss anyone else but full-on kiss-attacks me)! Perhaps her favorite "use for me" is to have me be her secretary, writing whatever she tells me to on her Facebook page! My favorite thing is when she cuddles next to me in bed & lays on my face! She doesn't do that too often, but when she does, I don't even care that I can hardly breathe because all I can think of is how much I love that little Booger Nugget! My other favorite thing is to pretend like I'm going to mess with Daddy or take her cookie/toy/food! It drives her crazy & she "attacks" & it's a favorite game for both of us because we both know we're just playing & being silly! She will even yell the actual words, "No, Laura!" (I know that's a hard one to believe but it's true! Ask my parents, who have heard it many times!) Too cute! There is no smell in the world better than Chloe when she's sleepy! I always say that I want to bottle it & wear it as a perfume! My mom says sleepy Chloe smells like Fritos, but I say she smells like love! LOL! She gets so embarrassed when I sing The Poopoo Song when there are people outside & she loves to steal socks & stuffed animals just to irritate me, but that's the kind of things sisters do & we couldn't possibly love each other more! Sissy loves you, Booger Nugget!!!!!

Laura
PENSACOLA, FL

My Rhue

She climbed into my car at Food Lion parking lot; an employee had just told me about her. I told him he had 2 weeks to find this dog a home, and if he had, it would have been the biggest mistake of my life. This beautiful lab-shepherd mix I named Rhue not only stole my heart but became the love of my life. As I tell Tony, I love you, but I'll never love you like I loved my Rhue. I lost her in spring of 2005, and I will never, ever get over this loss, never. I guess that's why I have so many, I just can't fill that void. Tears!

shari gibson
AHOSKIE, NC

My two shelter pets touch my heart

My past 3 animals have all been shelter rescues. Mocha passed away a few years ago from cancer. I was blessed to have her for 12 years. She was the gentlest dog I've ever had. She always knew when I was in pain from my spinal arthritis, and stayed close to me on those days. After she passed, we adopted a shelter cat named Sade. She always seems to turn up when you need a little bit of comfort. A month after we adopted Sade, we adopted my dog Tinley from a shelter. They play together every day & keep each other on their toes. I've been blessed more than I can say by shelter animals. They're so happy when they know they have a forever home. I'll continue to adopt shelter animals as it seems to me they tend to make the best companions. I've had dogs all my life, but there is just something special about shelter animals. They tend to forget their past when they know they are loved & in a forever home. They tend to be dedicated & loyal and just a bit more loving. As I've said, I will continue to adopt shelter pets as you can find a loving & loyal companion there.

Sherry Fredericksen
AURORA, IL

My Missy

I adopted my Missy cat just before Christmas 2017. I learned that when she was 4 weeks old she somehow rode to work with a nurse at a local hospital. The nurse got to work, parked her car, got out, shut the door - and this little kitty fell to the ground. She called the local rescue group and they came and got her. The night I took her home I became Mama Kitty. She wrapped herself around my neck and stayed that way all night. On the way home the day I adopted her I lifted her up to my nose and touched her nose to my nose. Now that is how she wakes me every morning. In March I will be flying to Colorado and she will be flying with me.

Donna Lynch
TEXARKANA, TX

My angel

In 2004, I got my angel, Pippin. He was a tiny puppy, smallest I had seen; he looked me in the eyes and chewed on my hoodie string. A few months after I got him, my husband at the time started abusing me. It started small and kept worsening. I would curl into the smallest ball and cry. Pip would wiggle in and lick my tears or just lay down with his head under my chin. His love was this amazing light in my darkness. Pip would always have to be by me. Whenever my ex was saying how horrible I was or how unlovable I was, Pip was there to say I love you and you are awesome. So many times after my ex was done I would hold him and whisper my angel you are my strength. And he let me, no matter how long I needed him he was there. Years later I eventually found the strength to leave. My Pip was always there to pull me through the hard times. Everyone who saw us said we inseparable. This fall I had to make the decision to separate, but I know my angel is a real angel now who watches over all of us. Our bond was that strong. Pippin, my angel, my light I will love him forever.

Ruth
GREENVILLE, MI

Rescued

I love cats. I always have. Living alone, I couldn't have pets in the apartment. I bought my house and rescued Caddy. I found him on my mom's farm. He was so scared, alone and 6 weeks old. I had to feed him canned food to get him to come out of the car motor. Took him to the vet and he had an upper respiratory infection. He is so sweet and loving. He acts like a puppy, meeting me at the door. I work long hours and Caddy was lonely. I rescued a second kitty. That just started me on the path of rescuing. I have rescued 17 cats all together. I found homes for some, but kept 13. I rescued a stray I named Spike. I had him for 6 years until he passed away. My baby, Cuddles, I rescued because I have nephews who at the time were 2 and 3, were "loving" her to death. She ended up getting FIP and passed at 6 years old. I still have 11 furbabies. Baby, Blackie, Caddy, George, Oreo, Punkin, Scratch, Skat, Stormy, Urban and Yoda. Baby, George, Punkin and Skat are all brothers and sisters, Scratch, Urban and Yoda are all brothers, Stormy and Oreo are brother and sister, Blackie and Caddy are singles, but they are all my family. I love them all so much.

Betsy Colclasure
WILLIAMSFIELD, IL

The Only Bug I Ever Loved

Along came a spider... Nah, not really--along came a furry little savior when I really, really needed him.

My husband and I lost our two Boston Terriers in January 2015. They were brothers out of the same litter, grew up together, did everything together and were our constant companions. We loved them with all our hearts. As they aged and lost their sight, hearing, balance, we knew the time was soon. The dreaded decision. But we did it, trying to put what was best for them before our selfish feelings that came from our deep love for them and the hurt inside knowing what we had to do. But, we did it and I swore I would NOT have another dog.

In March of that same year I lost my job. I was depressed and lonely and spent a lot of my days on the internet looking at pictures of dogs, mostly Boston Terriers, usually while crying over the deep pain I felt inside. Eventually I started perusing rescue sites, still mostly Bostons, but not necessarily. I was so lonely, no work to keep me busy, nobody to talk to all day, and was really kind of wallowing around in my own self-pity. Sad, but true.

One day I looked at dogs for adoption at a vet (our vet, Hope Animal Hospital) in town. There were so many beautiful dogs with stories that needed a home. But I was drawn to one--a Yorkie mix. I don't know why because I never wanted a small (frou-frou) dog! But I called and made an appointment to visit. I went armed with doggie toys, squeaky toys, balls, etc. I filled out an application and then was introduced, and spent about an hour with the sweet little dog.

I also got the full story on him. He was approximately two years old. He had been brought in by a man who found him wandering on the local highway. This good Samaritan's name was Doug and the very good people at the vet/rescue kept the name. Doug was adopted. But the people who adopted him brought him back--said they worked all the time and couldn't house train him and couldn't put up with his accidents. I went home and thought a lot about Doug. In just a couple of days, I called and made another appointment to visit. During that visit I was given the news that Doug could be all mine if I wanted him and I did!!

He went right home with me that very day. When my husband got home, I took off to Wal-Mart for a shopping spree. Food, treats, toys, collar, bed everything I could think of that he might need or just want. He had a past that could not have been very pleasant for him. In the next days I worked with him on house training and he learned very quickly. Just needed patience and consistency. We played fetch together a lot, and started taking walks together every day; went to the local city golf course often and let him meet people. He was scruffy, so he went to the "purty parlor" and was washed and trimmed. I know he was grateful to have someone spoil him and I was SO happy to have a friend to be with and talk to during my day.

Over the almost 4 years that we have had him Doug really blossomed (though to this day he still has some nervous-inconsequential habits); we bonded and he just meant the world to me, and he knows he is in his forever home.

My husband and I often called him "Dougie, Dougie doodle buggy". Eventually, it just became Bug. Then I began to call him Love Bug, Cuddle Bug, Stink Bug.

And, I always tell him that he is the only bug I have ever loved!!

Jann Pittman
SHELBY, NC

Life on a log chain

Ollie's a maltizhu! Such a loving boy. Approx 9 now. He was on a log chain year-round in a grandmothers backyard in Mt. Carmel, IL. If the woman had any leftovers she threw them out to him. If not, he got nothing. One of our girls who delivered her prescriptions tried for months to get her to let her have him so she could find him a good home. Finally after about a year, on the day the old woman was going to take him to be euthanized, she was delivering her meds. The girl took him home and cleaned him up and brought him to the grocery store that my husband was the manager of to see if anyone would want him. He saw my husband coming down an isle and took off after him. Hence, guess who he came home with!!! You could tell he'd been kicked around cause he has bad hips. Pestered by kids on bikes etc. He has been the best little guy. We already had a maltese, but he was so good with her as she had health problems. When we had to let her go 4 years ago, it was so hard on him. About 6 months later we adopted a shihtzu senior and they've been best friends. She has scarring on her eyes real bad so he's been her protector. He's had Cushings Disease for at least a year now and December 2017 he had to have surgery for 2 discs in his neck. The doctor at Purdue University felt it was caused by being on a log chain when he was little. His recovery was awesome! However, the Cushings is breaking down the tissue in his hips and knees. But he remains the most loving baby. He's on meds 6 times a day and he's the best taking it. When we got Ollie from the hospital after his neck surgery it was Dec. 23rd!!! We were broke and he was our Christmas present and is still a gift!!!! Imagine a small white puppy with thin hair left outside year round on a log chain. I don't look back as it angers me so. I look at the life we've given him and see this loving, happy baby. And yes, he's a baby.....our baby!!!

Jann Luchini
INDIANAPOLIS, IN