I love the little mini-essay below, I’m a sucker for rescue critters.

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.

I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today. Sometimes the overworked shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms.

I would promise to keep her safe.
I would promise to always be by her side.
I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.

I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

Written by Janine Allen CPDT, Rescue Me Dog’s professional dog trainer. Janine’s passion is working with people and their dogs. She provides demonstrations for those who have adopted shelter dogs, lends email support to adopted dog owners that need information beyond our Training Support Pages, and aids shelter staff and volunteers in understanding dog behavior to increase their adoptability. Copyright 2010 Rescue Me Dog; www.rescuemedog.org

Every year the MD SPCA has a March for the Animals to help raise funds for its animal rescue efforts. Although they are a Maryland area charity, they lend aid to rescues all around, taking in rescues from neighboring states and sometimes even further afield. If you hang around here often, you know animal charities are a cause near and dear to my heart and that we donate a portion of the profits from this website to those causes.

If you’d like to help us help the beasts, please consider helping us out for this fundraiser and making a donation. Every little bit helps, and as always purchases on this site help us raise funds for the animals.

We’ll be collecting for the March For the Animals fundraiser now through April 17th. Look for some special fundraiser merchandise to go on sale in the next couple of weeks.