Rescue Stories
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Jamie is a sweet, loving pup, probably less than a year old, who was saved from death row in the Stark Co. Animal Shelter in Ohio just hours before he was euthanized. Dedicated rescue angels (Jamie has an international fan club) got him out of the shelter and transported him hundreds of miles to safety all the way to Baltimore. These are photos of Jamie from the shelter.
Jamie, now Talon, got adopted and lives happily near Washington DC with his mom Robin who sent us the following update with Talons fall photos:
"Just wanted you to know that Talon is wonderful!! He passed his Basic Obedience class with honors and is now ready for the advanced class. I am training him to be a working dog. He is going for his Canine Good Citizen certification.
He is even more beautiful and loving, if you can believe that's possible, and I am desperately attached to him. He has traveled with me, gone swimming and has a social group that meets every Sunday to run around a huge open field and play until they poop out.
He has brought so much joy to me, that I cannot adequately express it in words!!
It should please you to know that he has gained just a little bit of weight. He weighed 68.8 lbs when I first got him, and is now a beastly 96 lbs!!!!!! He sure to break 100 very shortly. The vet has given him a clean bill of health.
I want to thank you again for allowing Talon to be part of my family. He makes me look forward to everyday with a huge smile on my face. Attached you will find the most recent pics of him that were taken professionally at PetSmart.
He is a dog who is truly loved by everyone who meets him, and who couldn't possibly be loved anymore by me!!"
Shadow comes from us from the Mason County Animal Shelter in WV. The wonderful shelter staff and volunteers do everything within their power to save the dogs that end up at the shelter. Adoption rates are low and pet overpopulation is high in WV. Big black dogs, unfortunately, rarely get adopted from the shelter. Shadow spent 8 months at the shelter and, in spite of the best efforts of the staff, his time was up. Desperate pleas were posted in the rescue community to find a rescue for this boy. Unfortunately, after all these months at the shelter, he started developing shelter stress and aggression towards other dogs. This made him even harder to place.
Several rescue volunteers felt that Shadow deserved a second chance and pulled their resources together to save his life. We decided to accept Shadow into our program, train him, work with his aggression issues and find him a home. We did During the transport to Baltimore we discovered that Shadow loves children and he had no aggression issues with other dogs in the temporary foster home. We soon discovered what a sweet, friendly and smart dog Shadow is. Of course, he is also strikingly handsome with his shiny black coat.
We were not the only one's to fall for Shadow. His luck turned very quickly after his arrival in Baltimore. We soon received an application and Shadow met his mom and Rottweiler brother Bear. It was love at first sight.
Shadow, now Shaman, lives in near Baltimore with his human family and his Rottweiler brother Bear. He enjoys hikes, chasing squirrels and his toys. He attended obedience class and was a very good student. Shadow only needed a second chance.
Skylar is a big, beautiful girl who was found roaming the streets or Baltimore and ended up in the shelter of the Baltimore Co. Animal Control in Baldwin, MD. At this shelter stray dogs only get for days to be reclaimed or adopted. We were contacted by the shelter staff about a black GSD that ran out of time. When we arrived at the shelter, Skylar was also there. Her family never showed up to reclaim her and she quickly ran out of time too and we took her in.
This is her description from the web-page:
"Skylar is strikingly beautiful, with unusual black&white (silver) markings. She has beautiful, big brown eyes. Skylar loves human company as well as playing with other dogs. She appears to be housebroken. Skylar is very active and athletic and would make an excellent jogging partner or agility dog. She is well behaved in the house. She is very smart and is picking up obedience commands quickly."
Skylar was adopted by a wonderful family and recently we received the following update:
"Just wanted to give you an update on Skye. She has adjusted well to her new home and sisters. She has gone through her obedience one training and she will be starting obedience two on November 23. We walk three miles every night with my friend and her two dogs, (which I believe Skye has a crush on one of them.) Bailey is still top dog and Skye respects her. She does get a little rough with Elke sometimes but she is still learning to not be so rambunctious. My parents just rescued a 2 year old beagle which gives Skye a run for her money. One Saturday they played non-stop for four hours. She is still very protective of me and our home. We are just so very happy that she has become a part of the family and want to thank you once again for allowing her to be placed with us. I'll give you an update after she has passed her 2nd obedience. We hope to get her CGC and TDI after that."
Little GiGi was rescued from a high-kill shelter just hours before being euthanized. She was boarded awaiting transport and then made her way to Baltimore with Nina. GiGi spent a month in her foster home gaining strength and learning to be a puppy. She found her forever home in New Hampshire and got on the road again to meet her mom.
This is the update we received from GiGi's mom:
"She is doing fabulous and everyone is wrapped around her little paw. I wasn't sure if she had experienced snow before and it had snowed up here this weekend. She didn't seem to know what it was (or remember it, whichever is the case). At first she just stood there. she doesn't have a winter coat grown and seemed to shiver so I got her a little sweatshirt from Petsmart. She hated that at first but then when I put it on her to go in the snow she must have realized "I'm toasty now!" and started running and romping all around. She has grown somewhat and definitely looks filled out. She is 40 pounds! The vet is pleased though and says she is the perfect weight. She has visited all my family and loves my nephew, who is 3. We visit once a week and he throws his little body at her in a hug yelling "I love you GiGi!" how cute! and there's a huge yard there so GiGi can run free and do "crazy dog". 
For Halloween we got her a bumblebee costume! I have a roll of pictures to develop and there's one on it that I hope somes out so I can send it! She was so adorable! We are traveling next week to see my husband's mother in VA so she will be coming with us (we drive). She has a big yard too so G will get to run there as well. We are enrolling her in obedience in January after the holidays, since most nights we could do were full well in advance. Unfortunately when she was sick we had to wait week to week to get the clear from her vet to be active and with other dogs and by the time we got that everything was full. So we figured after the holidays we would start. We have been training her on our own though to be a little lady. She is doing well! We decided on a birthday for her, going from her paperwork and estimated age we guessed her to have been born in December and since her spaying paperwork said the 7th and we got her on the 7th (and my best friend is on the 7th!) we thought that would be a lucky day! so December 7th it is for GiGi and we will party it up!"
The Mason Co. Animal Shelter in WV - the same shelter our boy Shadow, now Shaman, came from - contacted us about Duke. Duke, a sweet, friendly boy came in as a stray with serious eye problems. He had no chance of getting adopted from this rural shelter with his health condition. The shelter contacted many rescues and Duke 's time was running out. These are Duke's photos from the shelter;
We decided to help Duke. He was transported from WV to Baltimore on Nov. 21. This is the report on Duke a week later:
"The good news is that, according to the ophtalmologist, his eye problem can be managed. He needs eye drop twice a day, he has a condition called dry eye. He can see VERY well: I was stalking him for two hours to try to get a good sofa photo of him and he moved every time I pointed the camera at him. I guess he does not like the flash.
He has a wonderful temperament and tolerates very well me torturing him with eye drops. He is a sweet big teddy-bear.
Dec. 11 - Update
Today was a big day for Alex. His future dad traveled all the way from CT to Baltimore to spend a day with him. It was love at first sight, of course.
What would the holidays be without Santa! Our first trip took us to Santa. Alex was somewhat surprised by Santa and his outfit, apparently this was his first meeting with Santa. However, they soon made friends and we documented key moments of this important meeting.
Our special boy Bravo celebrated his 11th birthday on June 6, 2005. He recived a big box of toys in the mail addressed to him personally. Bravo loves to open packages on his own.
Bravo is finally receiving the love and attention he deserves after serving our country loyallyfor many years. His health has been gradually improving. His mom loves him and spoils him and tells him how special he is. He eats special food that his mom orders for him and his mom holds his bowl and talks to him while he is eating. Bravo loves stuffed toys that don't last long as he loves to shred them. Luckily he has many fans who send him stuffed toys in the mail. The mailman already knows that Bravo receives his own mail. Bravo has a little doggie sister, Emma (in the photos below), whom he spoils rotten. Emma likes to help Bravo with unstuffing the toys. Bravo enjoys relaxing on his orthopedic bed and does not enjoy being outside during the hot summer days. Occasionally his friend, a local police officer, will arrange a fun search for Bravo.
This smiling boy is Bravo, a retired narcotics dog. Bravo served our country loyally by sniffing out narcotics for the US Customs Service.
During his time working with Customs, Bravo was responsible for 35 seizures in the following amounts:
42 lbs. marijuana188 lbs. of cocaine
95 grams of heroin
14,260 pills (ecstasy)
$3,426,739.00 in smuggled U.S. currency
Bravo Mr. Bravo!!!
After retiring from this job, Bravo was donated to a jail, again to sniff out the narcotics hidden by the prisoners. After reitiring from his second job, at the age of 9, he was adopted by his handler. A year later, the local pound received a call ...