These Beautiful Pet-Rescue Stories Inspire Animal Adoption

Every rescue animal has a harrowing story, and when a pet finds its forever home, it’s nothing short of inspiring. 

Check out these pet-rescue stories about animals that have gone through some of the toughest times imaginable, but with a little human kindness, they have not only survived, but thrived! 

Christin Schubert rescued Lamb Chop, a shy Maltese, in December 2014. When she adopted the small dog, she had just been rescued from a puppy mill. Lamb Chop suffered from mammary tumors, a cauliflower ear and had to have all her teeth removed — she was also afraid of people and other animals. 

But after some necessary TLC, Lamp Chop blossomed, so much so that she won PEOPLE magazine’s 2020 World’s Cutest Rescue Dog Contest. You’ve come a long way, Lamb Chop. Congratulations! 

Harley, a Syrian mountain dog, got a second lease on life when she was rescued by airmen stationed in the war-torn country. The starving stray was found by troops who heard her crying — she was the only living puppy of six. They nursed her back to health and refused to leave her behind. 

She came to the U.S. courtesy of Paws of War, an agency that reunites soldiers with rescue dogs from the battlefield. Harley has finally cleared quarantine and will soon be reunited with her new owner, Amjad Kirrish, who is currently fighting wildfires in California.

A 30-pound chonk named Zack captured hearts on social media and has found a family to call his own, according to the Michigan Humane Society. When placing a call for adopters, the organization required that his new owners help him lose weight. 

Zack is about two times the size he’s supposed to be, and his new family has since committed to helping this “absolute unit of a cat” shed those unwanted pounds. 

An Ohio potbelly pig waited four years to find his forever home. That was when Wilby arrived at Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary in Ravenna. He was a shy, scared and overweight pig, but came out of his shell with plenty of love and care. 

A family who lives close to the sanctuary saw his Facebook live story and fell in love with him. His new mom says, “I’ve taken so many pictures of him, he’s filled my photo album now. He fits into our family perfectly.”