When we finaly bought a house it was decided we would have a dog. I've always wanted A golden Lab and was on a mission.On one of my day off I went around in shelters and even petshops in the city without any luck.I entererd in a petshop almost at closing time,not so much to look,but to get info on where I could find a place to go to in order to find that specific breed.when I enter the petshop,way in the back...here he was!!!! I was drawn to the puppy in that cage way in the back of the store.the clerk told me that he was previously adopted by a family but their baby was allergic.it was love at first sight!We named him BUBBA (mostly because of a cop tv show I was watching at the time ). that Blond Labrador was totaly awesome...joyful,playful,lovable! and very intelligent ! all those years he passed with us ( close to 15 years ) he was faithful and gentle.When my father passed away he followed me anywhere,sitting next to me...giving me the paw almost has if he wanted to say...I know you have pain and I'm there for you.... and he did the same thing again when my mother left us in march 2010. and on march 16th 2010 I arrived home only to find him laying on top of the stairs....it was his time to go... We have other dogs now that we love and cherrish...but BUBBA will always be my main guy my friend and protector...

Pierre Beauchemin

I lost my "big girl" Mercedes to sudden illness at the age of 12- her baby brother Cooper was inconsolable the day I returned from the vet without her. He started to become introverted and I knew he needed a brother/sister to bring him out of his shell again. One evening, I spent hours looking on petfinder.com and was drawn to a grey kitten at a local shelter. The next day, I decided to see if he was still available for adoption.

As I approached the main cat room, there was a little white and brown fluffy ball of happiness in a cage at the door - as I got closer, she crouched down in a pouncing stance, wiggled her butt just waiting for me. I got to the cage and she plopped over onto her back and let out the loudest purr I had ever heard in my life! My heart melted - I immediately asked to take her to a private room where she graced me with numerous head bumps and face rubs. The shelter worker told me Winnie (her shelter name) was 13 months old and surrendered with her litter of 5 kittens 3 weeks prior. All of her kittens were adopted out immediately.... There was no doubt in my mind that she would be coming home with me, she had me at the first butt wiggle.

It has been close to 2 years since she became part of our family; Darrby and Cooper are the best of friends - they love to play "attack" through the curtains, run around sounding like a small herd of elephants (often at 2 a.m.) and sit in the window and watch birds together. She not only brought more happiness into my life, but she also brought my Cooper out of his shell again.

I wish someone would tell me, what it is that I've done wrong.

Why I have to stay chained up and left alone so long.

They seemed so glad to have me when I came here as a pup.

There were so many things we'd do while I was growing up.

They couldn't wait to train me as a Companion and a Friend,

And told me how they'd never fear being left alone again.

The children said they'd feed me and brush me every day.

They'd play with me and walk me, if only I could stay.

But now the family "hasn't time," and say I often shed.

They do not want me in the house--not even to be fed.

The children never walk me. They always say "Not now!'

I wish that I could please them, won't someone tell me how?

All I had, you se, was love. I wish they would explain

Why they said they wanted me, then left me on a chain!

I have left many copies of this posted wherever I see stray cats or dogs. Each time I repost it, I cry all over again.

Please!! Microchip your pet, and NEVER leave it unattended. Find your local animal shelters, and wildlife services so you have the phone

numbers should you need them. Also, make your voice heard by voting intelligently, and calling your Congressperson. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard is:

(202)224-3121.

Annie M was rescued from a high kill shelter by the good people at Lucky Dog Retreat/Rescue, Indianapolis. She was then adopted and shortly returned to them by a couple who said she "sadly didn't match their carpet." Fortunately for me she came into my life soon thereafter. This smart, sweet LabX passed her Canine Good Citizenship test first try and now has been certified as a therapy dog with Love on a Leash spreading joy to people needing canine comfort.

While serving as a U.S. diplomat in Kinshasa in 2006, I met a scrawny, skittish, big-eared pup on who lived on the banks of the Congo River. She had a grey patch on her hip where, I found out, Congolese soldiers had tried to set her on fire. The local kids threw rocks at her, and the other street dogs beat her up. Worse still, she had just had a litter and was starving. After months of trying to tempt her to me with treats (she never got closer than a few feet away), I decided to trap her. I fashioned a lasso from a dog leash and when she got close enough, I tossed it over her head. She bucked and thrashed for about 30 seconds before going completely limp. I scooped her up and drove her home (after pulling her one remaining puppy from the sewer where she'd hidden him), depositing her on my porch. She spent the next week there, on a fluffy bed with bowls of food and water, while the vet treated her for fleas and tapeworm.

Her name is Labi, short for La biche (the deer - because of her giant ears) in French, the language of Congo. Labi took to being a pet like she'd been born to the life. She was housebroken in a week and stopped trying to eat the cat in only six months. Since she left the streets, she has lived in Montreal, Canada; Washington, D.C.; and now La Paz, Bolivia. This spring, my husband and I published her autobiography, A Street Dog's Story: The Almost 100% True Adventures of Labi, and started a blog with street dog news. Labi considers herself a street dog ambassador because no one can believe such a gentle, tame creature came from such a horrible background.

By the way, Labi's puppy, Bambi, was adopted by a missionary family in Kinshasa after he was weaned. Until we moved away in 2007, he and Labi had play dates every weekend.

A friend of mine had two mama cats who had their kittens at the same time, for a total of 13 kittens. She tried to give them away, but not all of them found furever homes. she had to take the ones left to the pound (can't remember how many), anyway there was this one little runt of the bunch that the pound wanted her to sign permission to let them put it to sleep, for she was so small and sickly looking. She called me crying and I said okay I will save her, so I went to the pound the next day and saved her and we named her Lilly. She was just over a pound, so I got her took her to the vet and come to find out she had a bladder infection, and UTI. I got her the medicine, took care of her and when she was old enough we got her spayed. Now she is a healthy, beautiful big girl, 3 years old and weights about 12 lbs. She is one of my babies, for I now have 4 cats.

I was the animal service officer in Foley, Alabama when I received a call on a stormy day. I was told there was a dog in the service bay at the local Crystler dealership, so I headed out that way. It was pouring down the rain when I arrived to pick up this very large white and gray dog and once I opened the door of my truck he jumped into the passenger seat and looked at me with a look of "Are you taking me home". He was shaking and panicked from the storm and he seemed really friendly despite the fact that he was extremely under weight and dirty. He and I drove back to the PD where he had to spend four long days in a small cage. I check on him throughout my work days and then had someone at the department check on him at night. Over those four days I became really close to him and he to me and I knew that he was going to go home with me even though I had vowed not to get another after the loss of my 21 year old Flat Coat Retriever that had been part of our family since she was six months old.

My Chief gave me permission to take him home for the remainder of his 7 day stay in custody, and my kids fell in love with him. We decided that if he was not claimed that he would become part of the family. On the seventh day Maximum or Max as we call him was taken to the vet for a check up. Who ever his former owner was they were smart enough to have him neutered, but he was heart worm positive, so the long treatment process started at home. The vet told us at the time that Max was between 6-8 years old but other then the heart worms he was healthy and that was 3 years ago.

Max is not just a dog but he is family and was lucky to find his forever home with us.

A friend was selling puppies, and I had to had one. I went to their house and saw Brianna. She was tiny and very very sick. The other puppies were running around; very big and healthy. The owners said that she was on deaths door (and she was) so don't look at her. I took that puppy; they didn't ask for money as they figured she was a goner. Brianna had pneumonia. After months of living in a house filled with humidifiers and lots of meds and love, this 4.5 year old is one of my best friends. Never count out the under dog; they just might surprise you. She may not have been dumped some where but she had been given up on.

While looking through some photos of kittens to adopt from Purrfect Friends, I came across Boo Catarina. I immediately went to see her. In a room full of kittens, she was the only one hiding under an armoire. I knew she was meant to be mine. It took Boo a couple of months to get comfortable but now she knows this is home. She is my Boo. She rescued me. Please help these little balls of fur. In return, you will receive joy and laughter daily.

Max showed up at my house in the summer of 2000, when he was a baby. After a few days, I opened the door and he came in. I asked everyone in the neighborhood if they were missing a cat. Thank God no one was. Max helps me with everything. Here he's doing his taxes. He is my best fuzzy friend. I am so thankful he rescued me.