I rescued a human today

[queenlives]

(over the years on prime there have been many pet-related threads. i can't remember the last time i read one here, so i thought i would share something that passed by my desk yesterday. my wife and i have four rescue animals, two cats and two dogs.)

"I RESCUED A HUMAN TODAY by Janine Allen

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.

I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today. Sometimes the overworked shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms.

I would promise to keep her safe.
I would promise to always be by her side.
I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.

I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

http://rescuemedog.org/dog-blog/i-rescued-a-human-today-by-janine-allen/

This was written by Janine Allen CPDT, Rescue Me Dog's professional dog trainer. Janine's passion is working with people and their dogs. She provides demonstrations for those who have adopted shelter dogs, lends email support to adopted dog owners that need information beyond our Training Support Pages, and aids shelter staff and volunteers in understanding dog behavior to increase their adoptability. Copyright 2011 Rescue Me Dog; www.rescuemedog.org"

 

[LMR]

Great article.:smile:

 

[yojack1]

Great little story!
We took in a stray cat awhile back and and I guess that makes us having been rescued, five times presently. He is an older guy who slept on a garbage can lid in our neighbors back yard. I talked to him one cold morning after noticing him in is sad state. The next morning he was in our backyard and the rest was history! Neuman's a twenty pounder!

I really think, that they think they're doing us a favor by hanging around, eating all they want, sleeping where they want and over all, just being seen.
In fact, one's sitting on my lap right now!

I think they're right! :smile:

YoJack

 

[Kyras]

I loved it, Queenlives! It brought tears to my eyes. Reminds me of the book "A Dog's Purpose."

 

[TURBO2GO]

All my animals have always been rescues. I don't know why anyone would prefer to support an industry that sells animals for profit instead of saving the life of a perfectly good dog or cat. As of 2010 110,000 animals are killed EACH DAY in shelters for no reason other than no one was willing to take them. It is incredible. I am astounded that people will still go and buy a pet. This often happens to ones that aren't sold:

 

[passline]

my wife and i have four rescue animals, two cats and two dogs.

That's a wonderful story Hal. Thanks for that. :wink:

Here are the Dog 10 Commandments:

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment...but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you and yet I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there because I love you so.

Take a moment today to thank God for your dog. Enjoy and take good care of him. Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters. We do not have to wait for Heaven to be surrounded by hope, love and joyfulness. It is here on earth and has four legs!

 

[LMR]

That's a wonderful story Hal. Thanks for that. :wink:

Here are the Dog 10 Commandments:

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment...but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you and yet I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there because I love you so.

Take a moment today to thank God for your dog. Enjoy and take good care of him. Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters. We do not have to wait for Heaven to be surrounded by hope, love and joyfulness. It is here on earth and has four legs!

Thanks for posting this. Number 10 hits home for me as I had to put down one of my dogs a few years ago:frown:. Even though it was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do I was with him till his eyes closed. I had to make sure that the last thing he saw was me. Not looking forward to having to do this with either of the 2 dogs I have now but will do so without hesitation.

 

[queenlives]

glad the piece was appreciated yojack, cute story and pic of the cat who adopted you guys - they've really got the be-my-food-slave routine wired, don't they. richard, thanks for that reminder piece, too ... over a recent two year period we had to say goodbye to our first-generation of TwoBigCats, Delilah and Pandora, and each was in my arms ... it was a terribly painful experience for me, but i couldn't let them go alone.

nice to see some pet lovers raise their hands again.

 

[gleibig]

We picked up a yellow lab from a rescue about 6 months ago. She's a wonderful dog.

 

[Kyras]

queenlives, just wanted you to know that I shared your first post here, on S2ki.com, in the Vintage Owners Forum (over 40 year-old crowd) since we had been talking about rescue animals. People there liked your post, too.

http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/756948-shootin-the-breeze-2010-2011-version/page__st__1650__gopid__20357735#entry20357735
^Here's a link to the thread.

 

[Jetpilot3]

I know I have mentioned this to Queenlives but here's our rescue cat Auto.

 

[queenlives]

We picked up a yellow lab from a rescue about 6 months ago. She's a wonderful dog.

yellow labs are great dogs. our former next door neighbors had a female yellow who used to come to our house and visit / play with our female golden. when they weren't romping around together outside, they were next to our shared fence "talking" to one another ... what a hoot they were

 

[queenlives]

queenlives, just wanted you to know that I shared your first post here, on S2ki.com, in the Vintage Owners Forum (over 40 year-old crowd) since we had been talking about rescue animals. People there liked your post, too.

thx for that, kyras!

 

[queenlives]

I know I have mentioned this to Queenlives but here's our rescue cat Auto.

yep, i remember! great pic and great name, cam

this is a photo of the two maine coon's who rescued us last year after we lost pan. the one on the left is a female named cherry (her nose turns bright red @ times) and the one on the right is calvin. they were rescued by a woman 7 years ago when they were kittens, grew up together. due to her changing circumstances, last year the woman felt she had to surrender them to the shelter she where she had adopted them.

they are *wonderful* creatures - we can't believe our good fortune!

 

[SFNSXguy]

"Beans" (as in "full of beans") adopted us... literally. Moved in from a neighbor's house a block away and refused to leave.

 

[Kyras]

^Is Beans an Abyssinian? I've wondered about their personalities.

 

[jukngene]

Here's my rescue story: In 2004, my wife suffered a stroke, about 9 months after we had rescued our Westie, Maggie. During my wife's rehab, I took Maggie every night to the hospital where my wife was recovering. We both credit her miraculous, almost complete recovery to the fact that Maggie was there every night. So, like the OP, our dog rescued us. Maggie is now 15 years old, almost blind and deaf, but she is still my wife's constant companion. Here she is before she lost her vision:

We both are dreading that last trip to the vet, whenever it may occur.

(Thanks for posting this on S2KI, Patty) :smile:

 

[SFNSXguy]

^Is Beans an Abyssinian? I've wondered about their personalities.

Yes! ...a "ruddy" colored one. They're nuts! Much more like dogs than cats. He's our second (we had our own ruddy Abyssinian that went to kitty heaven a few years ago)... we think Beans is Clawed (Jean Clawed Kitty) reincarnated! If the two were seen side-by-side you couldn't tell them apart! Abyssinians are quite fabulous and interesting cats... very smart, demanding and involved -- not "kitty passive."

 

[queenlives]

Here's my rescue story: In 2004, my wife suffered a stroke, about 9 months after we had rescued our Westie, Maggie. During my wife's rehab, I took Maggie every night to the hospital where my wife was recovering. We both credit her miraculous, almost complete recovery to the fact that Maggie was there every night. So, like the OP, our dog rescued us. Maggie is now 15 years old, almost blind and deaf, but she is still my wife's constant companion. Here she is before she lost her vision:

We both are dreading that last trip to the vet, whenever it may occur.

(Thanks for posting this on S2KI, Patty) :smile:

maggie - what a rescue(r) she turned out to be, eh?

i have a somewhat similar - but not quite so dramatic - personal story like your wife's. after suffering from an illness for ~25 years, in '08 i required a fairly "routine" but serious surgery to address the problem. complications followed and i remained in the hospital for 11 days, then came home to recover. of our two maine coons, pandora remained by my side for weeks ... only leaving me to eat and use the, er, powder room. later, i came down with something that kept me in bed, practically comatose, for a couple of days. my wife told me later that pan never left my side during that time.

(btw, we have two dogs, too - i think they see me as their ultimate food source and the provider of their toys; they see my wife as pan saw me

 

[jukngene]

Here are some more human rescues: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/news/2011/03/fourth_annual_dogs_of_valor_winners.html

 

[queenlives]

Here are some more human rescues: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/news/2011/03/fourth_annual_dogs_of_valor_winners.html

great stories, thx for those ... i found myself laughing @ the name of the pomeranian named Gangsta.

 

[Kyras]

Yes! ...a "ruddy" colored one. They're nuts! Much more like dogs than cats. He's our second (we had our own ruddy Abyssinian that went to kitty heaven a few years ago)... we think Beans is Clawed (Jean Clawed Kitty) reincarnated! If the two were seen side-by-side you couldn't tell them apart! Abyssinians are quite fabulous and interesting cats... very smart, demanding and involved -- not "kitty passive."

I've always been interested in Abyssinians but have never owned one. I think they are similar to Siamese cats in being very vocal, intelligent and demanding.

I've been a Seal-point Siamese owner since a teenager (about 40 years). I confess to never having rescued a cat or dog from a shelter. I bought my Siamese (Zoro) 13 years ago from a home breeder. The other cat I have was a pre-rescue cat. There was a pet supply store in Palmdale, California that would take kittens off your hands, if they had space, for $5 a piece. Then they'd sell them for $16. I got my second cat there and she's 12 years-old.

 

[queenlives]

I confess to never having rescued a cat or dog from a shelter. I bought my Siamese (Zoro) 13 years ago from a home breeder. The other cat I have was a pre-rescue cat. There was a pet supply store in Palmdale, California that would take kittens off your hands, if they had space, for $5 a piece. Then they'd sell them for $16. I got my second cat there and she's 12 years-old.

"pre-rescue" - great term! joanne used to breed and train dogs before we met and we'd never adopted until we adopted penny (border collie mix) 11 years ago. pandora and delilah came from show catteries because we were interested in learning the maine breed via pure bred cats. with sooooo many wonderful pets - purebred, included - easily discovered and available via the internet, we see no reason to use a breeder again - we're "pet", not show, people.

 

[Dcypher]

That's a wonderful story Hal. Thanks for that. :wink:

Here are the Dog 10 Commandments: edited...

Dang those were rough. I have had my dog since '99. She was around before life in the military, before the wife, before the moves between TN, VA, HI and MS, and before children came along. In the past 2 years (our son is 2) I have paid less and less attention to my dog and at times even been short with her. She is starting to show her age. I struggle to give quality time to everything in my life, but my dogs seems happy with the least little bit of attention.

I think I will try to love my dog better. (I should probably try to love my wife and kids better too, but since this was a post about dogs... we will keep it at that)

 

[queenlives]

I think I will try to love my dog better.

good for you, your dog and your entire family!

i'm guessing your dog will appreciate your re-kindled interest and never bring up how she's felt the past couple of years. dogs are pretty good at being "in the moment".