[Noel]

Well, I guess you could say we rescued Noel.
See, she showed up in our yard, and we were going to take care of her and put up signs until someone claimed her, but nobody did, so we kept her.

[Emerson00]

Lady (RIP), a beautiful Chocolate Lab, was living in deplorable conditions in our neighbor's back yard when we bought our house in '99. My wife (then fiance) and I couldn't bear to watch, so we "borrowed" her during the day to exercise, feed, and water her, and clean up her kennel - she'd be left for days on end, we were told. The neighbor caught us one day, and agreed to let us "share" her. It turns out she was his kids' dog before his son died, and the family was ripped apart in the aftermath and he barely kept sane. He was a good man who could no longer really understand that treating Lady(bug) that way was unfair.

We kept her for 2 years until she passed away from an undetermined illness in 2001 at 7 years of age. She was a core part of our lives, as the house was the first time either of us had lived away from home; she kept us balanced as we learned to live on our own, and her presence was the only thing missing on our wedding day. Losing her was unbearable.

7 weeks later we were desperate for the companionship of a dog and as I was looking for a rescue for labs, I happened upon the MAGDRL website.

July 24 2001 we adopted Summer, she looks like a GS/Lab mix or a Ridgeback with no ridge. She'd been abandoned in Richmond and was living in a halfway house of sorts for dogs and being lovingly cared for by a SAINT of a woman named Barbara. That woman deserves so much praise and appreciation. Blind, barely self sufficient, she managed to provide loving and individual care for an unbelievable number of dogs. Summer missed her badly for days.

Summer is now 8 years old and the apple of our eyes. A real daddy's girl, and she can play people like a finely tuned instrument. A quick look at her "aren't I beautiful" eyes and anyone falls prey.

Summer needed companionship because we still both commuted and always felt bad for Lady. We met Teddy, a Great Dane / Lab mix. He and Summer instantly fell in love and have been soul mates ever since he came home to live with us September 16 2001. The boy is an 8 year old big teddy bear, and tries so hard to be a good boy it'll break your heart if you have to scold him for counter surfing or sitting on a child's lap.

We eventually felt we could take good care with three and my wife happened to look at the MAGDRL site and see Simba (RIP), an 8.5 year old pure Dane. She was unhealthy, and had been badly neglected by her people. She was a real basket case and when we adopted her 23 August 2003, we expected to give her intensely good care for a few months before she couldn't hold on any longer. 4 years later she passed away after having regained a little weight, the shine in her coat, and a serious spring in her step. She simply quit one day, and wouldn't get up, eat, or take interest in anything. Her arthritis had worsened over the years (she was a 12.5 year old 130 lb dane, after all), and she told us in her eyes she wanted to rest. The dog we were not expecting to have time to bond with ripped our hearts to shreds when she went to rest last year, 9 June. To this day Teddy will get very sullen if you say the name "Simba".

Rusty, (RIP) a Chesapeake Bay Retreiver, we adopted alst Labor day weekend, 3 months after Simba's passing. We missed the rewards of a special needs dog, and still think Simba contrived to put us in touch with Rusty. He had severe colitis, which turned out to be a mass in his colon wall. He'd been abondoned, adopted, abandoned, adopted, and abandoned again before we found him. He was scheduled for "destruction" that week, because the board of the shetler said he's using resources w/o hope of adoption.

My little shop buddy, yard buddy, car buddy, cycling buddy, and night-time partner in crime (he had to go every 5-30 minutes round the clock, so we didn't sleep much since September, especially me, until last week). He and I were inseperable. We loved him like he would live forever. He got sick 03 July and passed 12 July after a major surgery to fix what we thought was the only problem he had, healthwise. After the surgery he had a setback and on the ensuing trip to doggie ER, they found his poor chest was full of metasticized cancer. He had no chance beyond "a couple weeks to a couple months" and still had weeks of painful recovery to survive from having 5" of colon removed. At 03:00-04:00 Saturday, we put him to sleep while I held him in my arms crying uncontrollably and inconsolably. I miss him so desperately, I can't think of anything without thinking of little Rusty. Every time I feel a nice breeze, or see a duck, or eat good food, I think "Rusty would have liked this" and I can't stop thinking we made a mistake. he was supposed to be with us still.

We're eventually going to adopt again... likely another special pup. Rusty will tell us when it's time and probably help us choose. We're considering another Dane, or a Chessie, or a Lab, or a golden, or a mix, or...

[Amber_Girl]

I have an Anatolian Shepherd mix named Amber.
When we got her from the shelter at age six months, she had had five different homes before ours.
Apparently she was given as a present, taken to the shelter, adopted, taken back, adopted, taken back, etc.
I love her and we have had her for seven and a half years.

[pajamajes]

I don't know if my dog is considered rescue or not, but I certainly didn't buy her. Someone I knew has a purebred Great Pyrenees bitch that they hadn't spayed for some reason and she somehow got knocked up. She was looking for homes for the puppies and I said I'd take one. I really wouldn't consider it rescue because she wasn't in immediate danger of being euthanized, but I thought I'd post anyway.

[crowscrew]

Little Miss Delilah Rose...we rescued her a week ago today
She's a purebred maltese and 4 yrs old. She was at the vet on Friday and had her checkup and rabies shot and went and was groomed and completely trimmed on Saturday(the mats were terrible, they couldn't even comb them out!) Plus, her nails had to be trimmed they were so long. She only weighed 6.5 lbs, but it looks like she is gaining a little bit.
We also have Spike, a pugapoo, who we have now had for 12 days. He's great
Rescues we fostered were a yellow lab named Sunny for a bit and Hope, who was an Am Staf terrier/boxer mix.

[Kat_O_Nine]

I had always wanted a great dane, and though I work as an animal control officer you'd think eventually I'd find one to just take home... I ended up looking on petfinder.com and found Darwin. He was posted with Aransas County Animal control. The picture they posted was heartbreaking.



I went just to look.... I brought my own snap heartworm test with me thinking that if he was positive I'd keep looking and not adopt. When I got there I saw his sad eyes.. covered in ticks.. he weighed only 60lbs. He turned out heartworm positive too. Darwin also had a few cuts and what looked like a cigar burn on his side. The officers said that they found him abandoned out on a country road, and that they had had him for a week. I found myself filling out the paperwork and giving a donation with my adoption fee. We must have picked off a hundred ticks before I loaded him into my new car. I pulled out of the shelter's parking lot with the afterthought of ... OMG, I hope he's not car sick! LoL

The first stop we made was to get a burger, which he woofed down in seconds. Darwin rode in the backseat with dignity, as if he were merely waiting all this time to come home with me. I went straight to my vet.

My vet told me Darwin was approximately 4 years old. He was loaded with all kinds of worms too... I scheduled his neuter & dental and went home. My fiance (soon to be my loving understanding husband) just did a double take at the state the poor dog was in. I think we both would have tortured the people that did what they did to poor Darwin if we knew who they were!

We had several months of nightmares - where Darwin would be sound asleep and just start screaming.

Our vet removed two big handfuls of bird-shot from Darwin's neck and shoulder from where someone had shot him. There are a few pellets that are too deep to remove, so he has a couple of hard lumps. He also had his heartworm treatment once he had gained enough weight to have it done.

Darwin had only one potty accident upon arriving home. He's not had one since, as I think it was probably because of being severely infested with worms at the time.

A few months later we got our new house built with the design of enough room for a happy dane. (extra wide hallway, doors, large rooms, ect.) Darwin has his own couch to sleep on, but shares his couch with any company that will give petting. He's filled out to his full weight of 110lbs. Still on the small side for a dane, but he's perfect in my eyes.



Darwin just does not have a mean bone in his body. And he still loves going for rides in the car too! He's gone with me to work when I'm called out late at night for 'moral support'. And he's been there for me when I come home totally at wits end to hug & love on. I would reccomend a dog from animal control to anyone looking for that 'one' special dog to share their life with.

Has anyone ever looked at the Darwin Awards? I'm a big fan of that particular website. (Stupid people taking themselves out of the genepool) We named our dane Darwin, figuring with such a big dog guarding our home - he could hand out his own awards to any burgular types that might meet him.

I look at Darwin as I type this and see that the gray is showing around his velvet muzzle; his eyes still light up when he catches me looking to him. Maybe it's time to go make his peanut butter cookies now... or maybe he needs a new couch? I love spoiling that guy! We've now had Darwin for 3 years.

- Kat O Nine

[Clare]

I got my Gypsy from a rescue 18 months ago, I was just about to leave as they said they only had dogs and I needed a bitch, just as I turned to go, another staff member walked out and said "Wait! This one's actually a bitch, not a dog!", and Gypsy walked into my life! When I paused to take a closer look, I had no idea that waiting those few extra seconds would be the best thing I ever did!

She's a lurcher and the rescue guessed at 6 yrs old, the vet approximated her at about 10/11 yrs, so I'm compromissing on 8/9! She was so skinny all her ribs and vertebrae jutted from her skin and her eyes had a dull look, as if to say "I just don't care anymore", as I looked at her, she jumped up and just stared into my face, I was in love! Immediatly I arranged to pick her up the following week, as I collected her I discovered a bit more about her.

Apparently she'd been tied up on a railway track with a Jack Russel and left to be hit by a train . Luckily a warden saw her and got her to the rescue. She has quite a few scars, including one on her hind leg that looks as though she was tied up with string.

When I got her home she lept straight into her new bed and started chewing on a rawhide bone as if she'd been there forever, I couldn't imagine life without her now!

I'm so glad to see from this page that there's so many people willing to adopt dogs, perhaps with so many kind hearted people out there we're finally winning the war on cruelty? It's a nice thought anyway.

God bless everyone who's let a rescue into their heart, or even donated to an animal charity!

[dobs1984]

I remember the first dog we saved...I was 4 years old, my dad was in the army and stationed in germany. We tried to find her owners for a very long time, but no one ever claimed her. She ran into our house and made herself at home that cold winter day and she was a turning point in our lives. We had Dotty until she died peacefully when I was 14. And she paved the way for so many other strays. After we got to the states we lived on 200 acres and we never double thought how we were going to utilize that space.

Dotty, Boomer, Bandit, Missy, Blue, Champ, Bella, Cody, Dakota, Rosy, Whiskey, Soko, Spike, Jake, Charlie, and my very special Brandy (my sweet, sweet girl you were always the brightest light in my life i miss you so very much)

There were many other strays that we were able to reunite with their families. Those were always my favorite, the ones we returned. There is nothing better then watching a families releif as they see their special babies are well and safe.

[carrie_griffes]

First was Snowlady, a samoyed that we ended up with instead of the poddle my grandpa was going to get for my mom after he couldn't give back the one he had kept when she went over seas with my father. Then was Charlie, a beagle who followed me home from school. Then came a maltees? that also followed me home from school. The next was a runt pup Lady, rottie that I hand fed from 3 wks. Then came Airborn, a flame point simeez? cat. Then Spicy, a Chow/ Pit mix. Then Aussie, an Astrailian shepard and all 7 of her pups. Buddy, a Mackinzy river husky. Duke, an Alaskan husky (a basic mut with long legs used for sled racing). Two doves. Chewy, a chow chow. BB & Jack, tan short haired german shepard/ pit/charpie mixs. Currently, we have Colt, a german shepard, Sammy, bk/tan short haired mini dachsund (graduation gift from my parents), Abbey, dappled/brindle long haired mini dachund, Annie, piebald long hair mini dachsund, shotgun, grey tabby and maggie, bk/white cat. We also Susha and Red, both waiting for their new homes to be ready for them.

Ok, so the mini dachsunds were not rescues because I was looking for them after spending time with my moms mini dachunds. But most of the others were headed to the eutinasia room because of illness, temperment, or abandonment issues. (My sister worked at the shelter and brought me many to "fix up" for readoption).

I kept them all as long as it took to readopt them and some just plain stayed. I don't dare go into a shelter because I am maxed out to the limit on the allowed number of animals in town and know I would have to take home all the hard luck cases.

[MsStars]

i rescused a prue bred puppy black lab last year in june of 2007 his my baby his name is sherman he was a stray found very weak. he was gonna be put down 2 days later wouldnt have adopted when i did . im so glad i saved his life. he is the best friend i have ever had. do recommed some one adopting cats and dogs from the shelters these animals dont know why they are there. I think though that if people cant afford to take care of themselfs they sure have no means of taken care of animal they are just like humans they need food and medical care and exersize. i have been a big supporter for animal rights . i would never give up my dog unless of course the good lord takes him home. I'm looking forward to the best years to come with my best friend Sherman

[Wynpyp]

My first rescue dog was a pure bred GSD. A friend of mine said that someone she kind of knew had a beautiful Shepherd that needed a home. She was extremely underweight and was a handfull lol. When we got her she was only 45lbs and about 10 months old! We had her for about a year and a half before we lost her. She was truely amazing!! She was the reason I fell in love with Shepherds. All my life I had wanted either a Rottie or a Pitt but never got one. Now I will probably have a shepherd till the day I die. I miss her sooo much!! If I stop to think about her, I usually end up crying. I still can't look at her pictures... they are packed away. That was 3 years ago.

I now have a new one named Bayne. My son and I decided to go look at the local shelter one day just to visit and play. Shortly after getting there we saw Bayne. I had to do a double take. He looked sooo much like my baby... he could have been her son lol. He was so sad looking but was very affectionate. He was also the only dog that wasn't barking when we came in. After about a half an hour I decided that maybe it was time to bring another dog home. We left after talking to the ladies at the front desk. I had told them that we were very interested in him but that I needed to bring my husband in to see him as well as the other kids. We had also noticed that he was favoring on of his back legs and the vet was gonna be seeing him.

So a few hours later, we all went to see him. My hubby looked at thim and said" Yup, he's ours!". We couldn't have him yet though... the vet wasn't going to be able to see him till the next day and they also weren't going to be open that day. So we told them that we wan't him no matter what. The next day we got a cal from the shelter saying that the vet came and looked at him and figured that he either had early HD or a birth defect, but that an x-ray would be needed to confirm. We said ok... we still want him. So she told us that we could come and get him that day!!

We got him home and looked at his legs and hips. The only thing that bothered him on inspection was his one pad on his rear leg. I took him to my vet the next day. He had a cut on his pad and that was it. We had his hips checked and the are fine but will recheck in another year. The shelter said he was 1-2 years but my vet figures he's barely over a year. While I was at the vet we got a call from the shelter... I guess a couple of puppies that had been brought in had parvo. So I told my vet and he didn't think that he did but we would wait about a 2 weeks and check. So I had him neutered last week as well as we had his rear dew claws removed and all the tests that we could think of. He came back with a clean bill of health!!

He is amazing!! I don't know what else to say lol. He is intelligent and loyal. He is awesome with kids, dogs and cats. I think it was fate that we got him. I just found out this last friday that all the dogs that the shelter had at the time we got Bayne were PTS. If I had waited even another day, we would not have been able to get him. I thank God every day since then that we were able to get him when we did.

[Abbymarie]

Sasha...She is a jack russell mix that we adopted from a local rescue. She was 12 weeks old when we got her. She had been on death row just because there wasn't enough room at the first animal shelter she was at.

[tharper]

Oreo, black and white border collie rescued 1 day before being put down in January 2005, passed away September 2008

Rocky, black and white Aussie/Dunno mix, rescued February 2006, still kicking along.

Pickles, black and white border collie/blue healer mix, rescued September 2008, 9 weeks old.

[MoonStr80]

Johnnie Girl at 12 weeks old


I don't really have a exact storyline about Johnnie's past. All I know she was a Oops litter, that the mother dog was pregnant the owners did not know when they adopted the mother dog whom was the (beagle) so the people who had the mother dog and the littler dumped them at the pound, and the father dog (unknown stray was the lab) And the no kill animal shelter rescued the mother dog and the litter. That's how I got Johnnie the rest is history