Reader Rescue Stories: Cleo and Artie

This week’s reader rescue stories are about two dogs rescued from dire situations by people willing to fight for them. We hope you enjoy reading their stories as much as we did.

If you are the pet parent of a rescued dog, we want to share your story, too! For information about submitting your story, click here.

From Puppy Mill Dog to Pampered Pet, This is Cleo’s Story
By Misti Ferguson

In February 2011, I took my 9-year-old Mini-Schnauzer, Caesar, to the vet for a check-up and to update his shots. I mentioned his separation anxiety and she suggested getting another dog so he wouldn’t get so lonely. I immediately dismissed the idea because I didn’t think my husband would like it at all. He loved Caesar, but was very content with him.

To my surprise, when I told him what the vet said he encouraged me to start looking. Since Caesar was a rescue, I knew that I definitely wanted to rescue another dog and began searching area shelters. I finally found a shelter whose fees didn’t price us out of the adoption process.

The first dog we visited was totally not for us – cute, but extremely hyper! I told my husband I wanted to look at the other dogs in the shelter and as I came to the cage where Cleo was, and my heart stopped.

She was so little, alone and sad. She was curled up into a ball in the corner of the cage, shaking uncontrollably, and wouldn’t even look at us when we called to her.

I told my husband, “That’s the one.” He was surprised, to say the least. “Really, that one?” he asked. I said yes, so he went to find an attendant.

When he asked to see her, the attendant asked the same question: “Really, that one?”

Cleo was a neglected 2-year-old Schnauzer/Jack Russell Terrier mix who had been rescued from a puppy mill. She had been in the shelter for two months.

When they brought her to us in the visiting pen, she immediately curled into a ball again and cowered in the corner. She wouldn’t interact with Caesar at all – just sat trembling and avoiding eye contact.

We filled out the paperwork, and a week later we took her home with us. She was frightened of everything and spent large amounts of time in her crate for the first few weeks.

At first she wouldn’t eat or potty in front of us. She wasn’t housebroken at all. We’ve had her for a year now and she’s not even the same little girl.

She absolutely adores Caesar and loves to pick on him and steal his toys. She has put on a little weight, and though we’re still working through some socialization issues, she has come so far, and is an absolute joy.

When she wakes up in the morning she is so happy for a new day! She bounces out of her crate and begins to dance and run and jump all over the house.

When we go for walks, she keeps her head up and her tail wagging happily. She is our baby girl and we look forward to shamelessly spoiling her just like we have with Caesar!

Scheduled to Die, Artie is Pulled from Death Row in the Nick of Time
By Kelly Ann Thuet

We adopted Artie from the Missouri German Shepherd Rescue (MOGS). MOGS was there to pick up another German Shepherd when they noticed Artie. He was scheduled to be put down in one hour, but they saved him and added him to the Petfinder website.

I had recently lost my Alaskan Malamute and then my other dog, Kouga, and I felt the loss. I waited a couple of months until I was ready and began searching for a dog to add to our family.

I came across Artie on Petfinder and applied to adopt him. We passed the home check and our references checked out, so we got in the car and drove the five hours to get Artie.

He was immediately excited when he saw us, despite the warnings that he takes a while to warm up to strangers. It was as if he knew we were “his” people.

It’s been a month and he is learning to his basic commands. Last week he passed his temperament test with flying colors. We are so proud of how much he has learned. Artie is a real love bug.

People tell Artie he is a lucky dog, but we think we are the ones who are blessed. He has been a great addition to our home.

PHOTOS: Misti Ferguson and Kelly Ann Thuet

i Love Dogs, Inc.

i Love Dogs, Inc.’s three websites – ilovedogs.com, ilovedogfriendly.com and findavet.us – provide information and up-to-the-minute news to keep pet parents aware of all things dog. A premium canine vitamins and lifestyle company, i Love Dogs is famous for its line of diamond dog collars. The name says it all — at i Love Dogs, we are committed to the health and happiness of our canine companions.