THE STORIES OF RESCUED DOGS
Wiley is a special case because we are his fourth home. He was found as a stray by Friends with Four Paws Rescue in Oklahoma, was fostered there until he was sent to Brooklyn, where he was fostered again. After I met with one of the rescue’s other adoptable pets and wrote an email about how I didn’t feel the connection but would love to keep trying, the animal rescue’s president, Leah, gave me a call, and we struck up an instant bond. The next day, she texted me and told me they had a rare, emergency situation: They had a “return.” She sent me Wiley’s picture, and I just had that feeling. I took it as a sign. So, we went to pick him up from his old home and bring him to ours without meeting him first. He was nervous in the car and left a little present outside the building after the car ride, but he adjusted phenomenally, like he was still a puppy and we were his first set of parents. It was like he instantly imprinted on me. We signed the adoption papers two days later. I believe Wiley and I understand each other in a special way because we both had it pretty rough during our early, formative years, and we are both very resilient. We came together at a time when we both finally felt safe in the world. He knows we’re a family and that I’m not going anywhere. Writing about him in my memoir, After 9/11, helped me realize just how similar rescue dogs and rescued humans really are…and made me a stronger-than-ever advocate for the rescue community as a whole. Keep reading for a glimpse into more amazing stories of dogs who were rescued from tough lives and brought to a new beginning by humans who cared enough to say, “Your little life matters just as much as mine.” These are the 30 things your dog wishes you knew.
Bonnie Derhay of Jackson, New Jersey, first encountered Pogo, a nine-year old scrappy terrier mix, at a dog park. His owner at the time was with him, a woman who told Derhay that her husband “did not like him” and she planned on abandoning Pogo at the dog park if no one wanted him. Derhay just couldn’t let that happen. Derhay believes that Pogo was abused by the husband because he was very skittish and frightened when she took him home. Derhay welcomed Pogo to her family, cleaned him up, and showed him a lot of love. Because Pogo was so friendly, she took him to classes to become a certified therapy dog. Pogo is now a wonderful volunteer for Caregiver Canines of New Jersey. As part of the program, he visited with senior citizens Fran and Doug in their homes weekly for one year after Doug suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on his left side. They couldn’t own their own dog, but Pogo brought them such joy and brightened up their lives. This spry terrier had a rough start in life, but holds no grudges. He makes people smile wherever he goes.
T-Rex was born with a heredity condition that caused a deformity, and the man trying to sell him outside of a grocery store simply left him there when nobody wanted him. Luckily, a kind lady brought him to a shelter, and thanks to California Animal Rescue, he was able to find Karen Rogers, who offered to house him temporarily then quickly fell in love with him and adopted him herself. Initially he had some trouble getting around, but three surgeries later, he walks on three legs with ease and lives like a puppy in a five-year-old dog’s body. He lives up to the name T-Rex by tearing into his toys, chasing the other dogs around the house, and playing fetch like his life depends on it. He’s also offered Rogers a ton of support. After all, empathy is one of the superpowers all dogs have. “My mom passed away three years ago from lung cancer; she was diagnosed and died within eight months,” Rogers says. “T would sit on my lap for hours in the evening, as I went through my mourning time. He has so much energy, but if I was sitting at my computer, he would curl up on my lap and just let me be sad.” T-Rex is also philanthropic, taking part in Paws for Love every year, using his tail instead of his paws (like the other dogs) to paint pictures and raise money for their cause. “They support rescues by awarding grants to them to help with vet bills,” Rogers says. “They paid $1,000 towards T’s surgery, so every year, T paints for them and they sell it at the gala. He tries to help them raise money by showing people how donated money is used to help dogs and cats.” Check out all of the other health benefits of owning a dog.
Denise and Frank Sebastianelli’s deaf therapy dog Bo is proof positive that with the right training and socialization, deaf dogs can do a good job at being there for others. “When we went to pick out a new puppy after losing a very special dog, we could not have imagined the journey we were about to begin,” says Denise, who lives in Mason, Ohio. “We wanted to do therapy dog work and decided to get a Flat Coated Retriever for their fun, silly, sweet personality. We went to look at the last two puppies left in the litter; one was said to be outgoing and confident, a really great pup. The other one, we were told, is quiet and shy and will be the last one to go.” They played with the “best” puppy while the other puppy was left over in a corner, sleeping. The first puppy was adorable, but they asked to see the other one, and the handler said, “You really don’t want this one. The other one has a great personality and you can’t teach that. This one is shy.” The “shy, quiet and not so great pup” crawled into Frank’s arms, put his head on his shoulder, snuggled in and never left. A few weeks later, the couple knew for sure he was deaf. They were worried at first, but quickly realized he was the same puppy as before: happy, confident, outgoing, silly. The couple did their research, found Deaf Dogs Rock, and learned that Bo can “hear with his heart” as well as any other dog can hear with his ears. Bo passed his Canine Good Citizen Test at one year and just became a registered Therapy Dog at the age of two. Bo will soon be visiting local hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes, and working with veterans at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center and St. Rita’s School for the Deaf. “It’s not always easy. There are challenges and obstacles, but that’s okay because you just have to keep working and keep loving,” Denise says.
Samantha Parker was at work at a vet clinic in Memphis when MidSouth Animal Rescue League president Linda Money asked if she could help her get a new rescue out of her van. The old yellow lab was in really bad shape, unfortunately in more ways than one. When Parker walked out to get her, she knew that she’d be taking her home. The dog’s owner had passed, and his son took her, but didn’t really want her. She had been chained to a tree with only a small wire kennel as her shelter with no food or water, and she could barely even walk. Parker didn’t know how she would act with her family, but was willing to find out. It was love at first sight: The dog, now named Lady, became fast BFFs with her children. “She acts like she has always been here and feels that way for us too,” says Parker. “Lady has taught me that the love of a senior dog is like no other. She needed me, she needed TLC, she needed a lot of medication, and most of all she needed a family and she has all of that now for however long she has left.” Lady is estimated to be about ten years old and especially loves when Parker’s daughter, Caroline, has her friends over for sleepovers. As for Parker’s son, Jack, he didn’t even like dogs until Lady came around. “She just lays and lets the kids do whatever they want to her,” Parker says. “It stands out to me because everyone hesitates to bring in a senior dog to there family but she has taught me to never hesitate again. She is completely dedicated to us. She would do anything for us.” Here’s exactly how to tell if your dog trusts you.
All the beautiful articles and pictures sources is : https://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/rescue-dogs/
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