Helping Furry Friends Find Hope!
Amazing pictures and inspiring stories of rescued dogs that will encourage and warm your heart. Discover how you can help make a difference in the lives of many wonderful dogs that would otherwise not be given a second chance.
Hello, my name is Mark Little and my wife's name is Donna.
Let me explain the reason for this site. My wife and I have five dogs, three of which are rescues. Donna has one of the biggest hearts I have ever seen when it comes to animals, especially dogs.
As far back as she can remember she has always had a passion for animals. She spent 21 long years as a hairdresser and was able to retire in Dec. of 2002. She began spending time volunteering at our local humane society and immediately found her calling. At first she would go to the humane society and spend hours giving attention to the dogs there. Even though they had been saved from the pound, she felt they needed more companionship. She would spend time getting to know each one personally, giving them extra time in the play yard and endless love and attention.
The more involved she became, the more pro-active she became. She began to go into the dog pounds and discovered how desperate things really were and how huge the animal overpopulation really is. She then became actively involved with the rescue community. She plugged in, and has never looked back.
We purchased a digital camera and she began taking pictures of the dogs in the pounds and sending them to the rescue groups. This led to transporting and arranging foster homes for these animals and it has blossomed into quite a successful rescue program.
Over the past two years she has personally been responsible for the rescue of several hundred dogs.
I have been bewildered by all the work she, and the others like her, put into the rescue effort. It is an overwhelming, usually thankless job. I have now become painfully aware of the enormity of the problem. There are so many irresponsible pet owners that abandon their "beloved" pets in the pounds and there are many more dogs that are picked up as strays. I couldn't imagine one of our pets getting lost and having to spend one minute in a pound. All the animals that aren't fortunate enough to be reclaimed or adopted are put to death. The kill rate is around 80% in our area.
There are countless senior dogs, 8-15 years old, turned into the pounds because they are no longer wanted and are killed in the gas chamber or by lethal injection. They have no one to hold and comfort them at the most vulnerable time of their lives. I cannot understand this. Donna has witnessed on numerous occasions owners dragging their terrified pet in to dump them off because the cute puppy grew up or the novelty wore off, just like a used toy gets thrown away. What a lesson to teach their children.
I have often wondered how funds might be raised to support her efforts even though she always reminds me that it's about the animals, not money. While that is certainly true, there's still never enough and it puts so many limits on how much can be accomplished. Donna had an idea to write a book about her experiences in the rescue world. Stories about the dogs that she's helped to save. She picked out the ones that had really touched her heart. She took the "before" pictures of each and wrote a very short story, maybe a paragraph or two to go with it. They were all written from her perspective and from her heart. When you read the words you can feel her emotions in them. She then started collecting the "after" pictures once the dogs were placed in their homes and wrote a short "after" story. I must say some of these stories are astonishing, and it's almost hard to believe you're looking at the same dog. Many would never be recognized if the story was not with it.
What unfolded before me is what I believe to be an awesome opportunity. We could take this book and make it available to the community of dog lovers just like us. It would not only give everyone the opportunity to read these heartwarming and eye opening stories, but it would also give each of you that purchased a book the ability to participate in future rescue efforts. The book for now is in a downloadable e-book in Adobe PDF format. We are attempting to get the book published but are having difficulty getting it done affordably. Because we want to keep the pictures in color, the retail price of the book will simply be too high.
Let me give you a sample of how awesome this book is. Some of the stories are truly amazing. If you had wandered into the pound and seen some of these dogs you would probably have thought they were hopeless cases and been deeply saddened by their condition. The incredible transformations of some of them are nothing short of miraculous. In the before pictures you can see hopelessness and fear, and you can tell that they know their lives are about to end. It's almost like they look at Donna and know she's their last hope. The after pictures tell a much different story.
Meet Marvin:
Marvin-Mastiff Mix
Marvin was so incredibly weak, that for the first few days at animal control he had to be picked up by the officers just to relieve himself. I was shocked at his condition. I wondered how long it had taken him to become this thin. How long had his belly been painfully empty? It was heartbreaking to imagine the misery he had endured. After a few days of being fed he had regained enough strength to stand on his own. He then stayed at the front of the cage, wagging his tail, seeking attention from everyone that passed by. All he wanted was to be loved. He had such a gentle, easygoing nature that all the employees there had fallen for him. Everyone that met him thought he was special. A local rescue group saw his picture and felt the same way.
When Marvin’s foster mom first met him, she too was stunned at his condition. She took him home and began the daunting task of introducing him to her other canine companions,and helping him to become whole again. I received word a few months later that Marvin couldn’t be put up for adoption because his foster mom had fallen in love with him and just couldn’t let him go. He sleeps in the bed that he received for Christmas and is learning to play with his toys. He's never had such luxuries before. Marvin had found his forever home. She said he’s perfect and thanked me for bringing him into her life. What a gift.
Isn't that awesome? And there are 20 additional stories just like Marvin's in the book. With every victory comes the sad reality that some are beyond saving. The neglect and abuse some people put their pets through is sometimes unimaginable. It's often quite heartbreaking. The success stories are what keep her and the other rescuers going.
In the book you’ll meet Cody, shown here in his “before” picture.
Cody-Shepherd Sheltie Mix
I received a call one Saturday morning asking if I could take pictures of a young dog that had been purposely dragged behind a truck. They needed documentation of his injuries, and needed it quickly to allow the vets to begin working on him. Needless to say, his injuries were so horrific, and the pictures I took so graphic, I simply could not include them in this book. I felt oddly detached as I looked at his fragile battered body. I had a job to do and I couldn’t allow my emotions to get in the way. As I walked out the door afterwards though, tears streamed down my face. I can’t imagine the pain and fear he must have experienced at the hands of his abuser. I’m simply unable to wrap my mind around that kind of cruelty. I knew in order for Cody to survive he would have to be a fighter, and I didn’t think he had it in him. He’d probably never experienced love, so I thought he wouldn’t feel he had any reason to live. This picture was taken about a week later. I’m very thankful Cody decided to prove me wrong.
When you see his “after” picture I promise it will put a huge smile on your face, almost as big as his! Purchasing this book will help support Donna's rescue efforts and you will be participating in future rescues like Marvin and Cody.
You may want to receive our free monthly newsletter. It will have a new rescue story along with other news, tidbits, and information.
The newsletter will allow you to stay in touch with the current rescues and you will know you are a part of something wonderful and exciting. You can unsubscribe at any time, however we know you will love the stories and information provided in the newsletters.
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We are excited about the days and years before us and we have some awesome ideas for the newsletter and additions to the site in the months ahead. I hope you are excited as well after seeing the "after" picture of Marvin and are encouraged to want to order this book and see how great Cody looks along with the 20 additional stories available.
By purchasing this book for only 9.95 you will be helping other wonderful dogs just like Marvin, Cody and all the many others you will come to know and love. We use PayPal so the process is easy, private and secure, you do not even need a PayPal account to order. To purchase this wonderful book for just 9.95 click the up coming link and you will be taken to our order page and it will explain the easy ordering process and how you will access your e-book.
We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping support Donna's rescue by purchasing this e-book. It goes without saying that the dogs you are helping save will appreciate you even more.
P.S. - Here are some before and after pictures of several other rescues that are not in the book. We hope these pictures are encouraging to you and touch your heart like they did ours.
Love and care overcomes
Neglect and abuse!
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Eliana |
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Sara |
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Cisco |
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Copyright 2005.