“One day, Sandy sat by my bed. I hadn’t walked 50 steps in over a year. She was DONE. ‘What’s up, Sandy?’ She looked right at me and barked! ‘What is it?’ She barked again! I said, ‘Oh, please. What in the world are you doing?’ She was egging me to get up, to move. She wouldn’t quit until I walked. Once I took just a step, she stopped and laid down! Sandy started me on my journey back to life. She took away my fear and, in return, let me give her something I so desperately needed: unconditional love.”
‘A 3-legged dog and a one-armed wife? We even each other out!’ Sandy was always meant to be mine.’: Woman with anxiety disorder, limb difference finds ‘angel’ therapy dog
‘This kitten isn’t going to sell.’ He had a cleft lip, crooked jaw, and one eye. She was going to kill him.’: Animal lover opens her home to special needs kitty, says ‘He opened my eyes to a whole world that deserves more attention.’
“I fell in love the second I saw him. He was just skin and bones and clearly malnourished. The breeder didn’t want her buyers to know her cat had genetic issues or was bred too soon. I could tell Cricket would fit right in with our crew.”
My Dog Has Been Tormenting Me For 7 Years, But I Love Him Just The Same
“I picked that a-hole out of a whole litter and made him a part of our family, and you can’t un-family someone just because they poot in your shoe.”
‘It’s just anxiety. It’s all in your head.’ I was on the floor, barely conscious. Something wasn’t right, and Ruby knew it.’: Woman diagnosed with POTS, genetic mutation with help from psychiatric service dog
“My dog Ruby was acting extremely odd towards me. I didn’t think anything of it. Then, paramedics arrived. By then, I was barely conscious, being rushed to the ER. I didn’t expect it: ‘The tests came back. It is life threatening and life expectancy is 38 years old.’ That hit me hard. I gave the doctor a nod and a quiet, ‘Okay.’ I was speechless. I didn’t know how to break the news to my fiancé.”
‘I feel something.’ Not a single OBGYN had ever touched me above the shoulders. Now I am different.’: Woman diagnosed with thyroid cancer after switching doctors, ‘I panicked’
“My gynecologists had never touched me anywhere except the obvious pink parts. This exam was different. I felt her palpate the right side of neck. She returned to that one spot 3 times. I was frantic. Then, I let go and let life happen.”
‘I ran inside and found my sweet boy gashed up. Grandmom was rocking him, absolutely horrified.’: Mom warns parents to be ‘vigilant’ of pets around children after dog attack leaves infant son in stitches
“They had their back turned for just one second, and my oldest son came on the porch yelling for them. They ran in and found the lamp laying on the floor next to my son, bleeding. Later that night, people messaged me questioning the type of wounds my son had. I hadn’t thought much of it until others pointed out how much it looked like a dog had attacked him. The doctors agreed. By this time, my son’s eyes were swollen shut.”
‘I was living in a tiny NYC apartment, working long hours.’: Woman quits job at bank to become ‘professional kitten cuddler’
“I wasn’t really aware how big the need for kitten foster homes was when I started. I missed having a pet, but with working long hours, having a tiny apartment, and my love of travel, I figured that adoption was out of the question. I requested kittens from the shelter and it’s been a revolving door ever since.”
‘I smashed my head on the glass coffee table and woke up with no idea what month it was. In tears, my mom called the geneticist. If I wanted to keep living, I NEEDED a service dog.’ Woman recalls how dog has saved her life ‘countless times’
“The last thing I remember was yelling for my mom. She raced up the stairs, only to be shocked. My tiny puppy had grabbed onto my sweater and was pulling with all of his might in the opposite direction to keep me from falling off the toilet and getting yet another concussion. If you talk to any dog mom they’ll tell you their dog is their world, but my dog GAVE me my world.”
‘I rushed him to the vet. I never imagined what would happen next’: Pet owner discovers 19 pacifiers lodged in bulldog’s stomach
“He started getting nauseous before meals. Then, he stopped eating altogether. I thought it was acid reflux. Boy, was I wrong.”
‘She laid there. I told her one last time, ‘I love you so much.’ I filled my pockets with tissues and walked out.’: Man fills dog’s last day with favorite activities, encourages others to cherish every moment
“A lady behind me in line was excited to see her. After a few head pets, the lady told her to ‘have a good day.’ I almost lost it. I almost fell to the floor. The cashier went to hand me my receipt and I missed. The tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t grab a receipt. I couldn’t speak.”