HeARTs Speak recently put a call out to all their members asking for some stories and photographs that illustrate a time when a pet found a home specifically because of the work we do. I got in touch with a couple of the groups I work with and was so touched by the responses. I decided to share some of them with you here.

Shift (adopted from Fetching Dogs)

“I started looking at the PetRescue website for a new furbaby. I came across Shift’s photo and just something about it stuck in my mind. I didn’t remember his name or who even had him up for adoption, just his big beautiful eyes. We lost our boy Rocky in July. I knew my husband wasn’t ready yet so I didn’t say anything to him straight away. I dropped a few hints and he said he would have a look at some profiles. It took me a while to find Shift’s profile. He was the only one out of thousands that caught my eye. I was convinced that he would have already been adopted because the profile was a few months old, but I sent an email to Fetching Dogs anyway. I got a phone call that night from both the organisation and his foster parents. We arranged to meet him and drove 4hrs up and back for the pleasure.

I knew I was already in love from his photo, I just had to convince my husband. Shift was a little cautious at first but warmed up quickly to us and won my husband over. We arranged to take him on a trial so after another 8hr trek to pick him up we presented him with a new collar, complete with his name and our details, and off we went. I knew he was meant for us just from the photo Ruth took. That photo spoke to me and it was the only one that stood out on the website, the only dog we met and adopted without waiting for the trial to finish.

I call him my miracle dog. He changed our lives more than most people would know. He brought back the sunshine after loosing Rocky. Most people don’t know we had been trying for a baby for five years without success.  I told my husband we should take a break and focus on settling Shifty into our lives and try again in six months. Little did I know that I fell pregnant to our now beautiful daughter a week after we picked Shifty up. He would curl his head around my bump each night (he may be 70kgs but he is so gentle). He was with us as I went into labour and tried his best to lick the pain away before I went to hospital. He now supervises bath time and lets me know if I need to change a nappy. He also tries to soothe little miss when she cries by licking her toes.

Our lives changed in so many ways the moment I saw his photo, he was meant for us. I always wondered if it wasn’t for Ruth’s photography, and how she captured his beautiful nature, if I would have overlooked his big eyes and what would our lives have been like.

I have always thought things happen for a reason when they do, and seeing that photo, and the fact I couldn’t get it out of my head for two weeks, I knew he would be a part of our family. I didn’t know how much he would change our lives for the better. Its been a little over a year since we adopted him.

Thank you to Ruth and Fetching Dogs for all that they have done, not just for us and Shifty but for all those out there with similar stories.”

Cali (was Bungee) (adopted from Fetching Dogs)

“When my partner and I moved into our first home that we had bought months prior, we both knew that what we needed to complete it was a pooch! I had grown up with American Staffy’s and Dobermans throughout my childhood and knew that I wanted some sort of boo-headed dog.

I also knew that I wanted to adopt a dog and save a life, this was very important to my partner and I. Once the time was right we started looking on PetRescue for a face that would catch our attention. We looked for some time and I was looking on the website at least 5 times a day because I wanted a dog so badly.

One day I came across the cutest face i’d ever seen. A puppy named Bungee. Her and her brother were up for adoption through the organisation Fetching Dogs. I emailed my partner straight away with the link as I could not get over how beautiful this little girl was. I put in an application with Fetching Dogs straight away and was so nervous as I knew there would be heaps of interest in this puppy because of the photos and how gorgeous she was.

The photos were unlike any of the other animal photos I had seen before. Everything was so detailed from her cute little wrinkles on her face, to her beautiful yellow eyes and tiny little paws. It would be impossible for anyone not to fall in love with a dog after seeing the photos that were on the website.

My partner kept telling me not to get my hopes up but I knew this little girl would become part of our family. We then went to visit her at her foster carer’s place (which was Ruth, who had photographed her) and we both fell immediately in love. I wanted this dog more then anything. The photos were exactly how she looked in real life.

I then remember picking my partner up from the station after work one day and I got a phone call from Sonja with Fetching Dogs who told me the house visit went perfect and that Bungee was ours! I couldn’t believe it, I was so happy. We then picked her up and took her home and it has been amazing ever since.

Bungee is now Cali and she is 3 years old in late December of this year. She is a princess who loves nothing more then to curl up on the lounge/bed and sleep. She loves to wrestle with her many doggy friends and most of all she loves her big brother Spencer the cat. They play together all the time.

Cali has changed our lives in the most special way. I don’t have children yet but she is certainly my fur baby. I can’t imagine life without her and can’t imagine loving anything more.

I am so grateful for organisations such as Fetching Dogs and in particular people like Ruth who take the time out of their own lives to ensure these beautiful dogs are going to get the best life they deserve!!”

Rosie (adopted from Arctic Breed Rescue)

“What captured our hearts was Rosie’s ice blue eyes. In all of your photos you always let them tell their stories with their eyes, and their eyes always say that there is much more story to come. This was certainly the case with Rosie.

She joined an existing pack of two (Red dog and Blue) who then became a pack of four with the addition of Sasha after a year of Rosie being a pack of three.

Like all of your photos portray beautifully, all four had very different personalities and a different dominant husky traits. Just as your photo of Rosie captured she was indeed a gentle soul, with beautiful blue eyes that just wanted humans of her own. She found them with us and had three skin brothers who adopted her the moment they saw her. To them she was never a foster fur baby, she was forever. That forever turned out to be only two years in the end but we are very glad that we got to call her our Rosie and your initial photos were what made us take the leap into fostering. A leap I vowed I would never make because I couldn’t possibly give the foster kid away. Turns out I was right!”

Koda (was Skoda) (adopted from Fetching Dogs)

“I adopted this beautiful girl on December 21st 2013 and couldn’t have asked for a better companion. Her name was Skoda in the rescue and we slightly changed it to Koda. Ruth’s photos tugged at my heart strings so hard and I knew this girl was meant to come into my life. A photo speaks a thousand words and I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing dog ever.

She was my first inspiration into rescue and I now own 7 beautiful dogs, run my own doggie rescue and do behavioural training to assist other families. Koda is the assessment and therapy dog and an ambassador for Bull Arabs.

She’s now just over 2 years old and I adore every day with this goof. She’s my soul mate in doggie form.”

Keeya (was Halo) (adopted from Fetching Dogs)

“After the sudden loss of my little scruffy terrier girl I knew I needed another dog in my life to love and help fill the void in our family. I went in search of a rescue dog that was around 12 months, male, Staffordshire type and the kind of dog I could do dog sports with. I didn’t want a girl, I didn’t want a huge dog and I certainly wasn’t looking for a one eyed dog. But then I came across Ruthless’ photos of Keeya … wow! She was magnificent! So regal and elegant, yet strong and serious; Ruth captured her in the most majestic way imaginable. Then there was the flip side of Keeya which was well and truly shown in the following pic with her head tilt, dopey, goofy face, huge “smile” and that permanent “wink” of hers…I was hooked, I HAD to meet her!

I came home two weeks later with newly adopted gorgeous 12mth Staffordshire cross boy … AND my 2.5yr old, Mastiff cross girl Keeya. Yes, Ruth got me with her stunning pics!

Keeya had an instant bond with my family and especially my kids. So goofy and playful, yet so nurturing and protecting of them. The slightest cry has her running to their side to check up on them. Such a gentle soul that even my 5yr old can walk and elderly family members can cuddle. She comes to every footy game the kids play, every road trip we take and snuggles up alongside every sick kid in need of hug; then jumps in the pool with them to romp and play when they are better! Everyone that meets her, even people afraid of big dogs, falls in love with her. I could not imagine out life without her now.”