There’s a whole heck of a lot that goes into rescuing a dog. Whether it’s a boxful of abandoned puppies or a poor soul abused and neglected, we thrive on giving credit where it’s due. That’s why we’re celebrating February’s most heartbreakingly beautiful stories, and giving a great big thanks to the people who made them happen.
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From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making us sob like babies, and for giving these dogs a chance to find happiness. Please click the blue links for the full, teary-eyed tales.
1. Pit Bull Pup Gives ALL The Kisses After Just Losing Her Leg In Train Accident
Officer Kevin McMullen figured he would be retrieving the body of a dog struck by a train one day, but what he found was nothing short of miraculous. When he lifted the Pittie who’d just lost one of her legs and some of her tail, she used whatever strength she had to give him many gentle kisses.
Since the accident, Molly has endured the recovery process beautifully. And of course, she now calls Officer McMullen her adoptive dad.
2. Puppy Tossed Over Shelter Fence In Sub-Zero Temps Makes Remarkable Recovery
Vespa’s owners decided that when they no longer wanted her, the best choice was to drop her over the closest shelter’s fence. She had nothing but a jumprope tied around her collar and no other option than to sit and wait in the freezing cold. What shelter workers don’t understand is that they would have opened within the hour, but this person just couldn’t wait.
One employee happened to arrive early and heard her cries, and now Vespa has the greatest big puppy brother and two of the best pup parents around.
3. Officer Falls Hopelessly In Love With Puppy He Helped Rescue
Unexpected circumstances brought Officer Montgomery to his local animal welfare society, but even he didn’t expect what he would get in exchange. In a story more about the love between two beings, this man fell utterly in love with one black-and-white cutie.
Dubbed “Kylo” (to aid the relationship between brother Vader, of course), the little pup was left with his siblings in a box outside overnight. Somehow he survived the freezing temperatures, but now he’ll never know what cold feels like again.
4. Senior Spaniel Finds Comfort After Family Leaves Her Behind For A Younger Pup
Elderly pup Cookie and her younger housemate ended up in the shelter when they got loose from their home. In a disastrous turn of events, the owners decided to take their other pup and leave Cookie behind, perhaps no longer wanting to oversee her care in her golden years.
Poor Cookie’s face when she realized what happened shakes us to the core every time, especially knowing she was battling cancer and other health concerns. Luckily, she is finally in a stable, permanent foster situation to live out her days in comfort.
5. Lost Pit Bull Rescues Herself By Hopping Into The Nearest Police Car
Ah, yes. The age-old case of lost-dog-goes-looking-for-helpful-police-officer strikes again. I’m joking, of course, but this big red Pittie certainly knew just what to do when she couldn’t find her humans. In the equivalent of a grocery store clerk calling for the mother of a missing child over the loudspeaker, Officer Taylor took it in stride and was able to find the pup’s rightful human.
6. Pup Waiting For A Home In His Sweater Is Adopted After Months In A Kennel
Bobby and his Christmas sweater took the world by storm when Miami Dade Animal Services posted his dejected photo to Facebook. He was surrendered by his family just before the holidays, and the shelter thought giving him a nice sweater would attract potential adopters. Months went by, and Bobby was soon listed as “code red.”
Within days of the Facebook post, a woman came forward to take him home, and now he has the best job in the world: getting loved on all day long by folks at a local senior center.
7. Dog Found With Her Paws Frozen To The Ground Gets The Care She Needs And Deserves
Tied with a chain to a tree in Brooklyn, New York, Bindi was subject to freezing temperatures and no food or water. When a woman walking her dogs saw the nearly-invisible pup, she realized the pup’s feet were bleeding and frozen to the ground. She wrapped her in a coat and took Bindi home, where Sean Casey Animal Rescue saw her Facebook post and gave her some much-needed care.
Vets discovered Bindi also had anemia, a stomach ulcer, cherry eye, and bits of metal in her stomach, but she is improving every day.
8. Vet Comforts Frightened Rescue Dog To Show Her Everything Will Be Okay
A little Pit Bull pup named Graycie narrowly avoided being euthanized due to her dire situation. She was starving and dehydrated, and suffered from hypothermia and a painful vaginal prolapse. After emergency medical care, Dr. Mathis brought her back to his clinic where she began an unusually quick recovery.
He warmed everyone’s hearts with a video posted by Granite Hills Animal Care, in which he sat with Graycie in her kennel to eat breakfast. His company was comforting in such a strange, unfamiliar place, and his level of dedication simply astounding.
9. Deputy Stops Bulldog From Bleeding To Death With His Bare Hands
Almost another casualty of a domestic dispute case, Daisy the Bulldog had her throat slit by a woman after she had already killed her roommate’s Pit Bull. When Deputy Gonnelli arrived back to the scene that same day, he didn’t hesitate to staunch the bleeding with his bare hands, ultimately saving the dog’s life.
Daisy instantly relaxed until help arrived. She is forever grateful to her deputy hero and is now safe and living with one of her former humans.
10. Dog “Turned To Stone” Completely Transforms Thanks To Rescuers’ Kindness
A severe case of mange had almost literally turned Petra to stone before a multi-day ordeal led to her successful capture. She’d been roaming the streets for years and never found comfort in the human touch; it was no surprise that she was quite fearful of people.
One volunteer made it her mission to get this pup ready for a forever home, and before we knew it, Petra was on her back for belly rubs and giving thankful kisses. She eagerly awaits the day a family chooses her as their next best friend.
11. Dog Left Tied To A Tree When Owner “Wasn’t Interested In Taking Care Of Him” Finds A Miracle
Ganesh, named for the god of overcoming obstacles, lived his days chained in a yard by himself. You could see every bone in his body, though all he wanted was someone to show him the slightest bit of compassion. Four nearby roommates came to see the pup and ended up taking him with them.
Baths, coconut oil rubs, and tons of hugs and kisses are just a few things he’s enjoyed since his rescue, and the funds raised for Ganesh’s care far surpassed their goal. His rescuers love him dearly, and plan to donate the excess to other animals in need.
12. Puppy Shot 18 Times With BB Gun Has The Best Friend A Little Guy Could Want
Itty bitty Brody laid bleeding near an apartment complex after two teenagers shot him repeatedly with a BB gun. They have since been found and charged with cruelty to animals, but Brody has so much more to be happy about. He’s the talk of the town, and with over a hundred applications for adoption, one rose above the rest.
The shelter found the family unexpectedly quickly, but when they saw the instant bond between the puppy and the 10-year-old girl, that was that.
13. Biker Intervenes To Save Dog Being Brutally Beaten
When Brandon Turnbow passed a man punching and flinging his dog on the side of the road, he turned his motorcycle around to do something about it. The cruel owner drove away, but what he left was a little dog struggling to breathe from the attack and about to walk into traffic.
Turnbow spoke softly and pet him for a bit before loading him up on his bike and heading home. His father called the pup “Mr. Davidson” to complement their dog Harley, and the three have been inseparable ever since. Best of all, Turnbow wants to use the positive response to Mr. Davidson’s story to begin an organization called Bikers Against Animal Abuse Global.
14. Tiny Puppy Left In The Cold Wears Kids’ Socks To Stay Warm
Little Arthur is certainly a sight in his chic Tweety Bird sock coat, but that’s because he’s too small to fit in much else. He was abandoned at 6 weeks old and ran far below the normal temperature for a dog. Searching for a way to keep him warm, the RSPCA deputy manager cut holes in some children’s socks and fixed Arthur right up.
He’s certainly stylish with his new threads and great head of hair, and now he’s all ready to settle down in his new home.
15. Depressed Dog Put On Euthanasia List Is Rescued After Someone Sees His BarkPost Story
One shelter’s longest resident was about to lose his life simply because he was depressed. He began banging his head against the walls in despair, and it seemed that he had lost hope of ever been rescued. Well, Coffee is a people pleaser, and after his post gained attention on our site, a rescue stepped forward to help him.
Some dogs just need a bit of a nudge to be saved. And Coffee, once so close to being euthanized, won’t ever need to fear for his life again.
