My Nonprofit Reviews

The smell of urine and feces in the enclosed cement building was so strong that I had to cover my mouth to stop from gagging. It was June 7, 2013, and dozens of dogs were scheduled to be euthanized in this one Georgia shelter. I sobbed as I walked the line, realizing that so many innocent lives would be lost, all due to no fault of their own.

I tried my best to find Jake. Yes, I had come to transport one dog, but I wanted to save them all. When I found him, he was the only animal in that overcrowded facility that was not barking or jumping to gain my attention. In fact, he stood sheepishly in his small cage with a worried face, an anxiously wagging tail, and uncontrollable body tremors. He was terrified.

Little did I realize at that moment that Jake’s stress was only partially from being at the shelter. After greeting him, I reached gently into his kennel to secure a slip leash around his furry neck. Upon seeing my motion, Jake closed his eyes, flinched, dropped to the floor and froze in anticipation of being hit or kicked.

This furry, gentle giant had clearly been abused.

It was at that moment that I knew Jake would never leave my side unless he wanted to. Humanity had failed him, but I would not. I resolved to build trust with him and work at whatever pace he needed. His submissive nature had clearly been taken advantage of. Despite repeated beatings, he showed no aggression; just a desire to trust, but fear was holding him back.

Little milestones to the average pet owner became huge victories for us. It took three long hours for me to encourage him to shimmy out of the shelter on his fanny, with me sitting beside him every step of the way. It took four months to get a real leash on him. He refused to go through doorways for more than a year, swam out of rooms at the sight of humans, and remains terrified of loud noises and sudden movements. But, he never stopped smiling, and his tail wagged at all times, which gave us hope.

To many, Jake may be "damaged goods." To us, he was a hero. In an era of instant gratification, it was very hard for our children to understand why he was so fearful to bond with them when they had so much love to offer.

Fortunately, Jake has taught our children a crucial life lesson; that all good things DO come to those who wait, and through their careful approaches and unwavering patience, they now have a true soul dog. Jake's greatest joy is waking the girls up each morning and putting them to bed at night. He loves the bus stop, car rides, and his fur sister, Luna, our other rescue dog, who is balanced and we feel has also helped to rehabilitate him.

To think that Jake could have died that day is more than we can bear. He lives today because a rescue named ANGELS AMONG US didn't allow his past history to become his future destiny. His time was running out. Angels was willing to do whatever was necessary, medically or with positive training and rehabilitation, to restore both physical and emotional wellness. They are an organization that doesn't discriminate based on breed, background, or medical malady. This is a rescue that gives animals who would otherwise have no second chance a completely new destiny.

To know that Jake FINALLY knows love; well, that’s truly extraordinary. We will forever be indebted to Angels Among Us for saving not only his life, but more than 10,000 others.