Today we remember all the pets waiting at shelters everywhere and pray they find their loving fur-ever homes. We’ve done our part trying to rescue these precious babies with our own little Ninja. But before her, both the sheepdogs came to us from Denver’s Dumb Friends League at different times. Eliot was found roaming on the streets of a very rough neighborhood known more Rottweilers or Pit Bulls. He was picked up and transferred to DDFL. We discovered quickly that he was a fence jumper but resolved the issue by providing him a safe and escape proof home where he never roamed the streets again. Eliot lived with me over 12 years and provided me with love and laughter like I’ve never known. Who knew dogs could be such pawsome comedians?
Continued and frequent visits to Dumb Friends, two years following Eliot’s rescue, another Old English Sheepdog who had been taken from her abusive family through another shelter in the metro area. Puck was horribly thin and such a matted mess, her fur had to be shaved and came off like a single animal pelt. She was so pitiful to look at initially but turned out to be such a character of a dog who loved life, and relished torturing her ‘brother.’ Now there were two clowns who joined our merry little circus. Puck also lived a long life with me until she too joined her brother Eliot at the Rainbow Bridge, no doubt returning to complicating his life at the Bridge just like she did on earth.
These two joyful dogs brought so much love and happiness to my heart and Puck was Sam’s BFF. He still does double takes more than 5 years after her passing. He totally adored her. Both sheepdogs will always occupy a special place in my heart and particularly today, I pause to remember them along with all dogs waiting to be rescued with the passionate hope they may find loving fur-ever homes soon.
Live, love, bark! ❤︎
What a wonderful tribute! I had never heard of #remembermethursday before.
What a beautiful tribute to such great dogs. Shelter dogs rock is our motto. May all animals have a loving home. The ZAB team.
Your story touched our hearts, Monika <3 We hope that all the people get the message and take time to read the stories and decide to adopt…that would be pawsome! Pawkisses for a Happy Sunday 🙂 <3
Thank you. As you might have guessed my personal experience underscores the fact that these special creatures have such a wonderful ability to connect to us humans. I hope more people learn that lesson, for the millions of cats and dogs waiting patiently in shelters to share their love. 😍
We are loving the huge number of #RememberMeThursday posts we are seeing. NOW we can make the world listen!
Marjorie and the Dash Kitten Crew
Let’s hope we can shed a light on this issue and find homes for these sweet pets who languish through no fault of their own. Thanks for swinging by the Ranch-we ❤︎ visitors.
Such wonderful memories! Our very first dog was from a shelter, and she started me on the road to being a crazy dog lady. ♥
😍
They’re beautiful! Thanks for sharing that little glimpse at your fur-loves.
Thanks. You know all about fur-loves and rescues. I’m gonna have to scan prints from my other Standards since I do not have digital prints. Ear scratches to the poodles.
Ducky is the first rescue pup I’ve ever had in my life. I won’t say “only” because I have no idea what the future will bring. I do know that once Shadow joins Callie in Heaven – which I hope is a ways off yet – I want to get another Golden as a playmate for Ducky.
The rescues I’ve been fortunate enough to share time with have been such joyful additions, I will probably check with shelters and rescue organizations first since the need is so great. I had no idea nearly 3 millions pets are euthanized each year because there aren’t enough homes for them. So sad.
I know. I’ve already told Sam that some time after Shadow joins Callie – which I hope will not be any time soon – I will check with one of the breed rescues for a Golden about the same age as Ducky. I’ll want one that can keep up with her and that will be gentle yet assertive.
My neighbor got one recently, who is a very pale cream color. Sweetest boy ever and give Elsa a run for her money. Since he’s a pilot he named him Orville after ‘first in flight’ fame.
This is a great awareness day. Puck and Eliot were adorable! I’m glad you were able to rescue them. My humom loves sheepdogs! I wish all the homeless dogs in the world could be rescued and adopted into loving homes!
We hope the plight of shelter pups gets more exposure so more great dogs and cats find homes, too. They totally deserve it. Some of my favorite rescues were the best pets.
What a great thing to be mindful of as we head into this weekend. All those animals waiting to be rescued and go to their fur-ever homes and families. What a great looking couple Elliot and Puck were. Great faces and obviously full of love and devotion. Our first Golden, Bailey, was also a rescue. He was found wondering in the CA central valley after some major flooding. He made his way to NorCal Golden Retriever rescue and eventually into our home and hearts. He was a birthday present for our 10 year old son and in his later years my best friend. His picture has remained as my computer desk top wallpaper since the day he died almost eight years ago. To the day he died he was deathly afraid of water (re: the flood we assume) and would not fetch a ball to save his life. He did love to chase birds and squirrels however and mostly loved to be “with us”.
Hears to a great weekend.
🙂
Your Bailey was lucky to have found you. He sounded like a very sweet boy (I’m a tad biased toward those non-water lovers 😍). The OES’s were such characters in their own unique ways but I adored them. Sam had big paws to fill and took up the task well. There will come a day when he won’t be with me in the fur, but he will always occupy my heart in a special way. I often wonder with my all rescues, ‘who rescued whom?’ ❤︎ Have a terrific weekend!
Have a soft spot in my heart for sheepdogs…they are the sweetest and deserve to be showered with every bit as much love as they give to us!
They sure hold a piece of my heart but I confess, I don’t miss the drool. 🙂
😉
I feel left out. Kaci, Kali and Kyla were rescues. I came from the bird store.
And we’re grateful all of you were saved by lovely pet parents.
All dogs deserve a good and loving home – I’ll take some time to remember those pups who are still waiting for their homes!
Thank you for sharing your special past rescues. It’s so unfair that we get them for so little time … yet the hole they create lasts a lifetime.
But what an incredible journey while they’re with us.
Three of our past pugs came from homes where they were no longer wanted. My very first pug was older and her family no longer wanted her, some years later we took in a 3 yr old who had been living in the family’s basement or outside. He was with us for 11 yrs.
They all deserve a loving home
hugs
Hazel & Mabel
They do indeed! Bless you for rescuing the Pug babies.
We have not rescued from shelters, except for a lurcher many years ago in England…….and a deaf wheaten coated English setter…..but we have taken two Staffords when neighbours gave their owner problems – two nicer dogs you would not wish to meet – and dogs have always found their way to our door…we think we must have an invisible notice there…here be mugs…
Do you know of Paulette Mahurin? Proceeds from the sale of her books go to rescue dogs from shelters.
I love sheepdogs! Yours sound like wonderful friends. Thank you for shining a light on pet adoptions today.
What beautiful dogs! A wonderful tribute!
Your Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
Only 1 of my dogs was not a rescue dog and I shared her life for fourteen years. My current rescue is, of course, Benji, and next week it will be two years since I brought him home from Mount Gambier, and he has become part of our lives. I think he still loves me, despite my inflicting a Black and White terror on him for sixteen of these months.
Bless you for your past rescue efforts. I can guarantee sweet Benji adores you despite the Wa-Wa’s lengthy stay.
Reblogged this on A Nibble – A Bite – or a Meal! and commented:
…….Remembering Einstein myself……..
Loved reading about your memories of your sheepdogs. They look adorable and sound like they were a lot of fun to be around. Tippy and I pray all shelter animals get adopted too.
You just haven’t lived a great life until a sheepdog herds you through life. 🐶
A pawfectly beautiful post💜
Like all my fursiblings, I came from a shelter/rescue.
HuMom’s motto is ‘Adopt Don’t Shop’ 💜
Nose nudges,
CEO Olivia
That’s the banner we subscribe to around the Ranch, too. 💘
I have 4 shelter dogs, 1 was a back yard breeder stud and was never socialized. He is learning now at age 3 what puppies learn early–humans can be good. I also pull dogs and transport for a rescue–at least 60 last year, probably at least that many this year. when they walk out of the shelter it’s the best day of their life, and seeing them blossom when they are in a home is always amazing.—no dog appreciates a loving home as much as a shelter dog
Kudos for all your rescue efforts. Those ‘blossoming rescues’ fill my heart with joy and happiness.
I hope this awareness gets a pit of critters homes.
A lovely tribute to your furry friends.
Remember Me Thursday is so important and this was a wonderful post! We are signing our comment in Cody’s name (because he was adopted, Dakota was not), and Cody has a post up today for Remember Me Thursday xoxo
We will definitely swing by to see Cody’s post! We’ve been fortunate to have had some of the best dogs ever rescued from shelters and wholeheartedly support them!
I’ve also rescued several. Two were not good fits and I re-homed.One went to a childhood neighbor who gave him wonderful furever home. Another immediately got a loving home with my own mother as her retirement present. Riley has ended up with my son Andrew and is back to living with us and being Lucy’s BFF. And my precious, small dalmation Alice was the best dog I ever had until Lexi. May the discarded, abused and forgotten all find happiness in this life. (Animals and people.)
Love that last sentence in particular. There are far too many of both who have been forgotten.💞
A beautiful post Monika. With my vast experience of only one (rescued) dog… they are the best! To see Ray turn around from being frightened of the world in general, to being Mr. Sociable, is amazing. To see the dog that used to be so withdrawn, now jump in circles with excitement (meal time), and charge around the garden, is priceless. To be woken up some mornings by a large wet nose, being gently pushed by almost 80lbs of fur… heaven!
You can understand why I had to write the book “Who Said I was up for Adoption?” 🙂
Again… a beautiful Post! 🙂
Many thanks, Colin. Rescuing these special creatures was such a joy and a privilege. And every day I’m grateful for what they gave in return.
As you noted in an earlier comment, it was a very selfish thing to do… adopt a rescue, because there is so much pleasure to be experienced. Self indulgence can be a good thing! 🙂
Thanks for taking those dogs in and giving them such a loving home!
It was the best selfish thing I’ve ever done.
we have a candle for all friends in need today and we will remember with you. how great to honor Eliot and Puck ;o) we smiled while remembering how the mama wrote a love letter to a very charmless tv-person, just because of his old english sheepdog. he never answered and the mama was very sad… till her friend said she can buy or adopt such a dog without marrying the guy… ummm… true… ;O))) that’s the downside of being a virgo, we think too complicated…
Complicated and literal is the cross Virgos must bear.
I have never been disappointed in a rescue adoption. Even the most scared animal comes to life with love and security.
They offer so much and ask for so little. Best things I ever did started with a shelter rescue.