Bubba was a shelter find who crawled into my purse while I played with the cat I really wanted. The skinny runt now weighs 24 lbs and is still a big mama's boy. He follows me everywhere and goes bonkers if I'm spending too much time with Foxy, Catfish or Puddy (my fiance).

Champ (the smartest and best black lab in the whole world) was adopted into my family when he was about a year old from an animal shelter. He instantly became the very center of our family of five. I seriously never realized dogs could be so smart until I'd met Champ. The workers at the shelter even told us that he'd apparently figured out how to get out of his cage and even let some of the other dogs out. Genius.

It only took a photo of 3-day puppy for me to fall in love with Georgia Mae. Being both a newlywed and a law school student widow, I knew that I needed companionship in the house. What better Christmas present could I give myself than to get a puppy? Luckily, my husband was equally excited. We went on New Year's Eve that year to pick her up. Who knew that a 4 hour drive could seem like the road trip of the century? I just couldn't wait to meet our new best friend. Georgia Mae did not leave our side for the first few days, whether it was at the dinner table, on the living room sofa, or in our bed. And things haven't really changed since. Interestingly, when I studied English Springer Spaniels, they were classified as "Velcro dogs," and this is truly what my Georgia Mae is. She is literally and figuratively a huge part of the family.

Great stories, thanks for sharing! Mallory, I love the thought of Champ helping his other doggie friends at the shelter. Kate, I didn't know that about English Springer Spaniels -- sounds like she is a perfect companion. And Jen, will Bubba be in the wedding party?

I got my basset hound 3 years ago from a breeder near our place. Before choosing one of the 6 puppies, I promise to get the one who'll come to me first and viola! DJ (his name) won the race and he's been by my side ever since. :)

Sammy was def.. love at first sight.. My husband and i had been talking about dogs for a long time... A mobile shelter unit always across a street from our favorite diner.. so one day I crossed the street and there he was..the cutest 112 lb puppy - 2 weeks later he came home and has been part of the family ever since... now i cant imagine him not with us even now that he has grown into a 73lb puppy...

Pesto is also known as my shadow! For a cat, she has tons of personality. My husband works from home and she curls up next to the air vent on his laptop, but when Mommy gets home, I get the full exposed white belly as well as the talkative meowing--she just wants to report on how her day went!

Unfortunately he's underdressed. Foxy can come because she's a tuxie.

Our older female dog Bailey is a Corgi/German Shepherd mix my husband fell in love with more than 11 years ago at the Nashville Humane Association. Our younger male dog, Jack, (who is a very handsome red Akita mix) was rescued by my husband who found him on the side of the road. He'd been hit by a car and was in a ditch. We never found Jack's owner so he became part of our family.

p.s. LOVE Pugs! :)

The scence: The Atlanta Humane Society (aka: the pound).

The players: Me, Kate (my friend and roommate)and a six to eight week, male Chow Chow puppy.

The story: Kate proposed going to the pound on Saturday, just to look. My then-boyfriend (now husband) said there's no just looking at the pound. I was going to come back with "something." We saw Buddha in the puppy room, which was full of would-be owners looking for their four-legged soul-mates. Puppies were yappering and you could really smell the trademark scent of puppy breath everywhere in the room. We apparently woke Buddha from his nap to inspect him. He was not happy. Four teeny paws, a pink belly, a black "mask" of fur across his face, a deep purple tounge and a very grouchy face. Two hours later, he was sitting on my lap as we drove home. Bypassing orginality, We named him after a restaurant down the street: The Emperor Golden Buddha I. We had no idea what he would look like or what he would be like. Today, he's nearing his tenth birthday, full and round like his namesake. He has a massive golden/red coat and looks like a mini-lion. We've had our ups, downs and all arounds. But, what amazes me about Buddha is that every day I come home, he's there. At the door. Wagging his tail. With a smile, I swear. It's the same scene, each day. And that's why I love him.

I know everyone says their pet found them but I really believe that is true in my case! When I went to check out the new litter at my breeder's, there were 6 beautiful Boston Terrier puppies crawling around in their pen. Imagine 6 teeny, tiny 7 week old puppies... how can one be cuter than the other??? I looked at them all but this one kept coming back to me. Every time I put her down and picked up another dog, my friend would pick her up. She would put her down, I'd pick her up. Eventually we realized we kept picking up the same dog again and again! I knew she was the one for me. I picked her up and never put her down again!

My cousin Cheryl calls me and tells me she needs to go to my old neighborhood to get something for her husband and is not sure where she is going and asks me to "ride along". I agree....we drive to this house and she stops the car and asks me to go in with her because she doesn't know these people. I agree....we get to the door and the women says, "Are you the ladies here to see the puppies?" I looked at her and said you already have 3 dogs, are you getting another? She said "No, you are!" I told her I didn't want a dog...the death of my previous dog 3 year prior had broken my heart. She said just look at them, it won't hurt to look at them. I agree...I peek in the box and a white ball of love jumped out. I caught her....she came to be my Sadie. I had Sadie put down last May after 17 years of her bringing love and joy to my life. My cousin's sneaky trick turned out to be a great blessing.

Read an ad in the paper for
cocker spaniel puppies, just what we were looking for. Our spaniel had just died that past winter after a long 17 years of happy living. We drove to Spring Hill and the owner went to get the pups, around a corner came two darling party pups and she carried a small brown pup in her arms. He turned his head and there was the love of my life (dog wise)! My chocolate brown, blue eyed Valentine present, Chip. It has been a two way love affair ever since.

I am a volunteer for a Lhasa Apso rescue group. All four of our fur babies are rescue dogs.Our 1st rescue dog has a cleft palate but that doesn't slow him down. No. 2 was a puppy mill puppy whose owners didn't understand what we refer to as lhasatude. At only 11 lb, she is quite a character and thinks she can bully the other dogs. No 3 was picked up as a stray. I'm sure he escacped from his home, but no one ever claimed him. He Is a true rescue artist. He is aptly named Rascal. No 4 is an old guy whose owner had severe allergies and could not keep him. No one knows how old he is but he has arthritis. That doesn't keep him from getting excited about his treats or getting on the bed with us. Each is special and warms our hearts daily.

We gained Buddy, aka MensaMutt, our part husky/part who-knows-what from a friend who was moving to Atlanta. They weren't going to have space for the medium large dog at their new place, nor was the climate going to work out well for such a breed.

My son decided quickly that he wanted to take his friend's dog, and that they could visit when they were in town.

The family had orginally gained the puppy from a shelter. This made identifying the breed just about impossible. We only determined the husky part as he refused to come inside, even in the bitterest cold -- and buried himself in the snow.

We tried to supply hay and a house for him, but he refused to use it, so now it's become a shelter for his food and water to stay fresher, no matter the weather.

My daughter was feeling low so she and her boyfriend went to the pound to see if they could find a new friend for her. They talked to the people at the shelter and they were told a whole litter of puppies had been found, they were 4 weeks old, just sitting on the sidewalk. Poor things had no idea where to go so they just sat. Someone had brought all of them to the shelter. She went to their cage and this one just walked up to the door, she stuck her finger through the holes and he just clamped on with his mouth and would not let go. So needless to say, Champ joined our family that day. He has the most beautiful blue eyes and she said when he clamped down on her finger and looked at her with those blue eyes there was no mistaking his intentions. We have all since fallen in love with him, he brings so much joy and happiness to our lives. I recently had a heart attack and he was my constant friend and companion while I recovered.

Nellie came to us as a companion for my husband who was recuping from surgery. My son and I answered a for sale ad in the local paper and went to see the puppy. She came waddling to the door and we were instantly in love. Nellie, a Jack Russell, never left my husbands side as he healed. She wons our heart.

I found Stinkey at the pound. He was the only one who wasn't jumping up and down barking. I thought, now here is a nice calm dog. WRONG! He tricked me on that one...but he's been a wonderful pet, and quite smart. He's a Siberian Husky mix, and we wouldn't trade him for anything. He was about a year old when we got him and he is now about 13, and still going strong.

Our calico cat,Maggie,came to us as a small kitty. I found her on our front porch one chilly February afternoon. Of course, our son and daughter wanted to keep her; however,I first told them we must check the neighborhood to make sure someone was not looking for her. After no claims, she became our kitty. Maggie was very demanding, turning away if I dared serve her food which she did not prefer. She was never a lap cat, tolerating a few rubs until SHE decided time was up. She would also play with you until she became bored. We were warned with a swat with no claws. If you continued, the next swat was with claws out! We had "Miss Priss" for 18 years, when we had to have her put down due to cancer of the mouth.

I'd been divorced for years and my daughter had grown and left home about a year before I went with my good friend and her grandchildren to a flea market in Tupelo, Mississippi. I got separated from them and finally found them over in a section where animals were for sale. My friend and her grandchildren absolutely insisted that I hold this one particular dog. She was a tiny, black Sharpei (the runt of a litter) and as soon as I picked her up she laid her head on my shoulder and completely relaxed. I knew I was done for. That was six years ago. Carly can still get me to do anything she wants. She puts one paw on my leg and looks up at me with her big brown eyes. I ask her what she wants and she has a remarkable way of communicating. She's my best friend and canine daughter. I've even left work to go home if there was a thunderstorm knowing she doesn't like them.

My daddy had died, leaving my mother terribly lonely. She wanted a dog, but with my allergies, she was confined to just a few breeds. She thought a Bichon Frise would be the ideal dog, and called breeder after breeder, only to meet disappointment. Secretly, I was happy that she didn't find the right dog.
We have a family business, and one day, to my surprise, in bounded a scruffy, ungroomed bichon! He made a beeline to me, put his front paws on my leg, and with those big shoe button eyes, looked deep into my eyes, as if to ask, "Will you love me?" How couldn't I love this tail wagging, eyes pleading, smiling bundle of wiggly fur? He crawled into my arms, and I had my first encounter with pure doggy love! Together, we all learned the best groomer, dog food, doggie toys, and the fun of Bichon Bashes!
A year later, my mother had health problems of her own, so I moved into her house to help her out. Buffy still loves his mom best, but he knows that the three of us are a team - one which only God will break up. "Team Buffy" is a solid bond, now and forever!

Our Bert, a long-haired tabby cat was found in the parking lot of a diner in Maryland.He was skinny & soaking wet and had the good fortune to be found by my sister's friend, an ASPCA member. My sis knew I was looking for a new cat as our precious Boots had passed on so she called me & asked if I would bring Bert back home with me during a visit to our East Coast family.So we packed him up, and off we went to Oklahoma. He was so cute, he would duck everytime a truck went by. Well he is now almost 17 years old & a stubborn old man and we enjoy every minute with him. Best souvinear I ever brought back from a trip.

We had lost our 11 year old boxer, Kramer in 2007. When we began naming the wild rabbits in our yard we deciced it was time for a new pet. We needed a pet that would adore our grandchildren so we took our 4 year old KELSY with us to an adoption sponsored by the Stanly County Rescue League. Immediatly this white and brown pup ran to her as if she knew this was her family. After playing with her for a few minutes Kelsy announced that this was our new puppy. Long legs and a curly tail ...Meisha was her name. What a bargain! The vet thinks we got a mixture of every breed. She was such a charmer but quite mischievious. My best friend ,Debi who always bestows a middle name on our pets pronounced Meisha's middle name to be McGillicutty after Lucy because she always has some " 'splaing to do!" Meisha even talked us into another rescue dog 1 yaer later,her little sister Piper. Their antics are better that TV !

My husband was in the pet shop browsing around at the reptile critters he likes so much, and he eventually wandered over to the cat/kitten section. He immediately saw an adorable gray/white cat named Raz lying inside of a cat bed that sat in his small metal cage. He came home that night and told me all about how cute Raz was. It was right at Christmas and I thought about surprising him with the cat, but decided against it because I really wasn't sure if he wanted another cat (we had 1 already). However, right after Christmas we found ourselves back in that pet store heading to the cat/kitten section again, and there he was, cute and cuddly as he could be. We ended up adopting him that day. The woman who was in charge of the adoptions was glad to see a young couple adopting a cat instead of a kitten. He was a year old at the time, but we just couldn't resist. Age never mattered to us. The lady told us that he was owned by an older woman who, for health concerns, could no longer care for him. She told us that the cat bed he laid in all the time came with him. Too cute. We have never regretted our decision to adopt a second cat. He is one of the most loving cats we've ever had. Every now and then my husband will look at me and say, "Thank you for my Christmas kitty!" with a great big smile on his face.

While walking in the beautiful park in downtown Greenville, SC, my husband noticed this pretty little white puppy who was yapping at all of the big dogs. We went over to the family caring for the puppy and asked what kind of dog she was. They told us that she was a Shitzu and American Eskimo dog mix and that she was supposed to be for the husband's sister but the sister never came to get her. We started playing with her and she took to us right away. The lady then asked us if we wanted her. To my surprise, Larry said yes and the rest is history. When we got home we noticed that she had a limp. We took her to the vet and they said her shoulder may have been injured and she would probably walk with that limp for the rest of her life due to arthritis, but every day she got stronger. Larry and I would play fetch with her and let her run all over the yard. Her leg got better and her limp is gone. Her name is Daisy Mae and she is a real southern lady. We love her so much.

Several years ago my husband and I were given a lab/golden retriever cross. He was the smartest dog we've ever owned. After he died, we decided to find another lab/golden cross puppy. Labor Day weekend in 2002 we saw an ad for a liter of lab/golden puppies. When we called all were given away but one skinny "runt" puppy. Well, after seeing him, we immediately fell in love. His official name is Manly, but we lovingly refer to him as "Knucklehead." I've had several dogs through the years but I've never had such a happy dog! He is ALWAYS in a good mood! However, 4 years ago, he started acting strange. After several tests at the vet we discoved he had diabetes. Since that time at the vet's office, Manly, receives 18 units of Vetsulin, animal insulin, two times a day. Once we were able to maintain his blood sugar levels, he became the happy, energetic dog we previously knew. He's such a good sport. After eating his breakfast and dinner, he patiently waits to recieve his shot. He's 7 years old now and we love our beloved Manly,(knucklehead) more than ever!

At one time, we had raised Boykin Spaniels, so after my Bassett was killed, I thought I would return to that unique breed. Not finding a litter available, I turned to the Internet and was linked to the Boykin Rescue Society, complete with photograpshs...she reached out and grabbed my heart. I drove nearly to Atlanta from MS to retrieve her from from foster care. She has been the perfect companion. I cannot imagine why someone threw her away.

Our mutt, Seymour, turned up in our yard after a terrifying weekend when I almost drowned in a river rafting accident. Since my daughter saved me from drowning, she decided that Seymour was a gift from God. He's a sweet Beagle/Rottweiler mix with bushy brown eyebrows; everyone adores him.

It was early morning on Christmas Eve 2001. A neighbor was going door-to-door trying to find the owner of a small puppy she found curled up in her garden hose the night before, trying to get warm. My neighbor had been to most of the other houses that morning and no one claimed the puppy. She said she was leaving town that afternoon and would have to put the puppy in the pound if she could not find the owner. I took one look at this adorable little face, and said, "I'll take him."

He is the sweetest little dog I've ever had.