My friend Margaret and her daughter Jill are devoted animal lovers. They never met a creature they didn’t feel compelled to take in. Here are their stories in their own words, of the wonderful animals that they have loved and given a better life.

Jackson – As a 14-year-old girl, I absolutely adored dogs, so when my dad asked me if I wanted a gangly 6 month old Border Collie puppy of my own, I was ecstatic. Someone my father knew had taken him in and Jackson (previously known as Nutter) kept killing the pet chickens on their farm. He had told my father that he was looking for a new home for the dog, and that if he didn’t find one soon, he was going to take him into the woods and kill him. The moment he saw me, he ran to me, and he knew he was home. Almost 14 years later, I couldn’t ask for a better dog. He’s loyal, attentive, and the best friend I’ve ever known. He’s slowing down now, but he still loves to run with me down the block and will do anything for a cookie.

Teddy – At work one day, I saw some photos of a friend’s new litter of puppies. I immediately fell in love with a cute little blue merle Australian Shepherd. When we went to pick him up, his smallest litter mate, a Tri-Colored collie looking runt, climbed into my lap and would not leave. We ended up taking them both home! We went to adopt his brother, but Teddy adopted us. Now, at 11 years old, he has grown into a handsome, smart, Velcro dog.

Roxie – I went into a pet store with a friend who was picking up some pet supplies and saw this terrified 3 month old Papillon puppy on the counter. She looked scared and abused. I wasn't looking for a dog but, when I took her in my arms, I knew I couldn’t leave her there. I told everyone to back off because I was taking her home. My dad wasn't real happy. We already had 4 dogs and with him growing up on a farm, he thought 1 was more than enough. Oh well. It took her 3 days to even work up the courage to walk around but once she did, she started to become the boss of the house. Now at 8, she is whip-smart and loves to learn, adores sitting in people’s laps, and loves to have her back scratched. She also loves to boss all the bigger dogs around, and they always listen to her.

Stitch – On an overnight float trip, my family and friends stopped on a sand bar to eat lunch. While we were there, a friend noticed a tiny, dirty apparent terrier mix puppy in the tall grass. He was crawling in fleas and covered with scabs. Deciding that he couldn’t be left behind, I brought him home with me and discovered that he was about 3 weeks old and was only about 2 ½ pounds. He had very few teeth, and couldn’t eat regular food. I had to put his food in a blender with a little water for several weeks. He has grown into a playful, energetic, adorable 1 ½ year old, and loves his home. As you can see from his photos, he has a huge personality!

Zoey – I saw Zoey in a Facebook post shared by a friend and fell in love with her. She was up for adoption from a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed specific rescue group, and was a breed I had been interested in for a while. I had been looking for a senior dog to adopt, and she fit the description as a 9-year-old. I knew she would come with some difficulties including diabetes and developing blindness, but soon discovered she had more hidden health problems. She has full blindness, full deafness, severe arthritis, very poor dental health, and her diabetes is difficult to manage. Even getting her home was difficult as her foster family was not cooperative as she did not want to let her go. Even with all of her limitations, she is able to navigate the house and the yard, and always seems to have a smile on her face. She loves to be scratched behind the ears and slaps at you when you stop petting her; her way of demanding more attention. Despite all the unexpected issues, she came with, she has been well worth the hassle.

Link – I went to the shelter one day, looking for my first shelter rescue dog. I wanted a dog who was about 3-4 years old to be a play mate for my puppy at home. I spotted a Miniature Pinscher/Chihuahua mix in a kennel by himself. His name was Peanut, and he was part of an 11-dog owner surrender. We hit it off great at the shelter as he was equally attentive and able to explore on his own. All that changed when I got him home. He has a habit of screaming when he goes outside, has a marking problem, and shows signs of previous abuse. After visiting the vet, I learned that he needed to have 26 of his teeth pulled from dental hygiene neglect, and that he was actually closer to 7 years old. Even though he turned out not to be the dog I was expecting, he has been a loving addition to our family, and spends most of his time snuggled in my lap or under a blanket.

Kate – After signing up to foster with our (sort of) local shelter, we were asked to care for 3 four-week-old puppies that came from a 7-dog litter. I immediately fell in love with Daisy’s sister Kate, a tiny, white, 3-pound pit bull mix. She was a snuggly, sweet, smart puppy, and I had wanted a pit bull for years. When it came time to return her to the shelter, I couldn’t let her go. Since then, she has gotten so big, but her favorite place to be is still my lap. She is gentle, attentive, and loves meeting new people and dogs, and fits into our family perfectly. Growing up in the summer, she loved to splash around in the kiddie pool in our back yard, but now that it’s gotten colder, she has found a new hobby. She loves to blow bubbles through her nose in the water bowl and will entertain us with it for a laugh. Having 2 puppies in the house has been a lot of work, but we wouldn’t let them go for anything.

Daisy – After signing up to foster with our (sort of) local shelter, we were asked to care for 3 four-week-old puppies that came from a 7-dog litter. Kate’s sister, a small, 3-pound hound mix caught my attention right from the start. As she grew, she became adventurous, fearless, attentive, and loving. I named her Daisy. She was the first to realize she could climb the stairs on our front porch, the one who always went the farthest exploring the yard, and was always floppy and happy-go-lucky. I dropped her off at the shelter to wait for adoption when she was 8 weeks old, and immediately regretted the decision when I got home. I called the shelter the next day, and told them I was going to become a foster fail, and she came home with us the next day. Having 2 puppies in the house has been a lot of work, but we wouldn’t let them go for anything.