My husband and I went to the Humane Society because I found a puppy online that we wanted to give my daughter for her 14th birthday. When we arrived someone had already claimed the puppy so we decided to look at the older dogs. We saw many really cute dogs but one in particular caught my husband's eye. In a kennel with 6ft walls there was 1 1/2yr old Zeus. He was jumping straight up in the air, higher than the top of the gate on the kennel, we took him out and went to the meeting room. Our first and only test with Zeus was giving him a treat and then taking it away from him. He passed with flying colors! We knew he had to go home with us. My daughter didn't mind that her present was not a puppy! The Humane Society had him for over a month so his days, I'm sure, were numbered. He is "Our Boy" and we are so glad to have him in our lives. We call him the lap dog in disguise!! :)

George, an English Springer Spaniel, came into our family less than a week after we lost our dog of 12 years. Our Jack Russell mix, Girl, and our Border Collie, Paris were moping around after their buddy died. We went to the shelter to "look around" and I saw George. He was whining and panting, just eager to get out of the kennel and see people. We asked to see him and fell for him right away. Now that we have a little boy who he loves dearly, we know we made the right choice for our family.

Gypsy was heartworm positive and narrowly avoided euthanasia when an independent foster group saved her from the local pound. They had a tough time adopting her out with her condition. But the moment I saw her photo on Petfinder.com, I knew that she was my little girl. We got through her treatment and only a year later the vet called her "the healthiest Min Pin he had ever seen."

We had just lost our best friend of 12 years, our beautiful weimaraner Hannah. We were still broken hearted but really felt the need to start looking for a dog. We walked into the Friends of Strays in St. Petersburg FL, and this little guy was the last of a litter that was dropped off four months prior. He was so cute and I couldnt believe he was not adopted out, I immediately said to my husband I dont want to think about it I want to take him home today! We did and he is the sweetest, most loving little guy ever. I absolutely adore him, he mended our broken hearts in no time, and I really thought I would never smile again after losing Hannah. He is a wonderful pet, and I might add our first rescue and our first mixed breed, it is a wonderful thing!

I found Spaz one night when I was catering. She was maybe 6 months old and had been sorely neglected. The pads on her little paws were scorched from walking on the hot Nashville pavement. I took her home with me, thinking that I would find her a good home because I just knew that my other dog would not tolerate another one in the house. Ten years later we still have her while our other dog, who is now 17 years old, barely tolerates her.

Little Roxy came to us at about 5 weeks old, so young and needing her Mama. My sister's neighbor was in the process of putting her into the car to take her to a shelter when my sis grabbed her and said, "Wait-I think my sister might take her!". So she brings her to me at work, all wrapped up in a towel like a little baby! Even though we had just adopted a pup from a shelter, we couldn't stand the thought of her going to a shelter too, so I put her in a box and took her home. She is so sweet!

Little FoxyGirl is now a 35 pound Tn bred Mountain Feist squirrel dog. We got her from a young college girl who could not care for her and her energetic needs. Wild would be the word..

We hoped she would keep our much older Lab/spaniel mix Becky, active and prolong her life with us.

FoxyGirl was happy to take the job of being #2 dog in the house, and played happily with the old girl. After a year Becky developed cancer and FoxyGirl was at her side constantly until we had to put her to sleep. Since then FoxyGirl has taken on the role of #1 dog. She loves it. Has her own hand made afghans on chairs, couch, our bed and her pillows. Loves her comforts, and is spoiled beyond words. She is surely heaven sent and has filled our hearts with "puppy love"... She really has it made, but we are the lucky ones..

She appeared behind my husband's truck one day two years ago, starving and scared. We fed her for about two months and then had a friend rescue her for us. Although still frightened by many things, she has become very attached to me. Miss Woodly Ann came into our lives right after we had lost two of our cats and just before we lost the last of our original "family". She has filled the void left by their passing. She is the sweetest cat and we laugh out loud watching her play with all her toys.

Missy escaped from an exceptionally abusive community but in doing so collided with a passing motorcycle. The nerve endings in her leg were badly damaged but fortunately the SPCA was able to go forward with the amputation.

We adopted her 2 weeks later & she was already dashing around without any problem.

Since then she has saved at least one of our lives during a bungled burglary & continues to surprise us every day with her intelligence, kindness & sense of humour.

Icon is the 3rd boxer I have owned. The last 2 I got from our local Adopt-A-Pet. I got him when he was about 6 months old. He had been chained outside with not much human contact. He had never been inside before his rescue. He came with many issues mostly being very strong willed. He has absoulutely nothing but love to give and only wants to please. He is very food driven so not to be trusted when there is any kind of food around. He brings so much to my life, we have been through a lot together.