“Rescue Me” is a recurring column by Samantha Randall, editor-in-chief at Top Dog Tips. She’ll provide personal anecdotes and perspective about her life as a pet lover with a passion for cat and dog rescue. Today, she tells us some stories about real rescue dogs to demonstrate the life-changing effects of adoption.
7 Heartwarming Dog Rescue Stories from 2019
Adopting a rescue dog is often a life-changing event for both the dog and the new owner. When done properly, it is a rewarding experience itself and your new companion will appreciate getting a new forever home, so you are bound to have a friend for life.
To inspire you to consider adopting a new pet this year, here are few heartwarming dog rescue stories from 2019 that left a strong impression on me. I hope you will enjoy these touching stories as much as I did.
Adopted After 400 Days at a Shelter
Thanks to the animal advocate Scott Poore, Queen, a three-year-old terrier mix, was finally adopted after spending over a year at a shelter in Great Plains, Kansas. This happened a week after Poore moved into the shelter with the dog and announced that he would live there until she gets adopted.
Poore runs an organization named Mission Driven Goods whose purpose is helping homeless pets, especially those who have been repeatedly passed over for adoption. The activist lived with Queen in her 10’-by-7’ room in the shelter in an effort to take her situation viral, but it turns out that Queen’s new owner, Tony Puluso, actually had no knowledge of the campaign when he decided to adopt the dog.
After a week with his favorite “roommate,” Poore walked Queen out of the shelter and into the new owner’s car, followed by cheering and confetti marking the happy ending to Queen’s plight and Poore’s campaign.
Surviving Dorian
When Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas, it brought devastating consequences to many people and animals. One of the victims was a dog who miraculously survived for a month trapped underneath rubble in the hurricane’s aftermath.
The dog was saved by the Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Palm Beach County, Florida, and aptly named “Miracle” for surviving in such harsh circumstances for so long. This organization saved more than 100 dogs in the Bahamas after the hurricane, and Miracle stayed at the shelter until he recovered, waiting for his family to claim him.
When his original family never arrived, Miracle was adopted by a new family, finding his new forever home in North Palm Beach.
Paralyzed Rescue Dog from Iran Finds a New Home
Pani was found in Tehran with a severe injury to her spine that left her back legs paralyzed. The cute little dog was sent to Animal Haven in New York to receive proper medical attention and rehabilitation.
Luckily, she was at the shelter for just one night before Tedi Sarah picked her up. Sarah is a blogger and a child life specialist who had fostered many dogs before, and she thought she could foster Pani until adoption. But Sarah fell in love with the dog and wanted to keep her. There was just one problem — high medical costs.
While she was discussing Pani’s plight on her blog and social media, she received an offer for help with the costs. Then she received many more from people who followed her online, so she set up a GoFundMe campaign. In the end, Sarah decided to keep her new best friend, and medical costs were covered.
Rescued Just in Time
After spending most of her life in a cage and a shelter, the six-year-old Journey finally found her new home in 2019. She had been kept in a cage in rural Virginia until her owner died and she was sent to an overcrowded shelter, expected to be euthanized the next day.
Luckily, Amy Creel, a board member at the Knine Rescue in Ashton, Maryland, heard this story and arranged for Journey to be transported to Ashton. Journey was transported to Maryland by several volunteers who took turns driving on the, ahem, journey.
Only a day after Journey arrived at the rescue group, they hosted an adoption event at Sunrise Senior Living Center in Silver Spring. Journey was the featured guest at the event, and she charmed the residents and staffers until they decided to adopt her as an official “house dog.” Now Journey spends her days walking with residents and welcoming visitors, spreading joy and comfort all around.
From Shelter to Hollywood
Like some movie stars who lived in poverty before they made it in Hollywood, one Arizona rescue dog went from being homeless to starring in a major Hollywood movie. A two-year-old terrier mix, Monte became a movie star in the biggest way, playing Tramp in the live-action remake of Lady and the Tramp.
Monte was first found in New Mexico and sent from a municipal shelter there to HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix back in 2018. After spending some time in Arizona, the adorable pup was adopted by a Hollywood animal trainer, which marked his foray into the movie business. Less than a year after his time in Arizona, Monte was chosen to play the Tramp due to his rugged appearance and lovable personality. The movie hit the Disney+ streaming service in November, so you can see a real-life fairy tale play out inside a fictional one!
Saved from Certain Death
Bryant Fritz was fishing on the Kaufman Lake when he spotted something unusual. It turned out that it was a cage floating in the water, and Fritz saw that there was a dog locked in the cage. Quickly, he jumped in the freezing water and waded for about twenty yards until he reached the cage.
When Fritz reached the shore, he saw that the dog inside was hurt and probably had spent several hours in the cold lake. Fritz put the dog in his truck and went to the emergency clinic at the University of Illinois Veterinary Hospital. The vets said that the dog had hypothermia and that it was wounded.
Luckily, the dog recovered and Fritz decided to adopt her since his dog had recently passed. The pup was named Dory and went to live with Fritz and his fiancé in Champaign.
The Hug of Gratitude
Gregory the beagle was only two days away from being euthanized at an animal shelter. The dog had heartworm disease and the costs of treating him were too high for the shelter. Luckily, Gregory was saved when Joe Kirk decided to bring the dog home and treat him.
Joe and his wife, Schenley, co-founded the Hound Rescue and Animal Sanctuary. Their nonprofit organization is based near Findlay, Ohio, and helps abused, neglected and stray dogs get adopted. They also provide a lifelong sanctuary to senior and “unadoptable” dogs.
The story of Gregory quickly became viral after photos of the grateful dog giving his savior a hug started circulating online. After Gregory was treated for his disease, he was adopted to his new forever home with a family that has another beagle.
No matter the story or media coverage, every pet adoption changes multiple lives. Visit your local rescue today!
