Layla
ADOPTED in 2012

Hi everyone, my name is Layla and I would like to tell all of you a story. I was born in North Carolina and my doggie mom (Hayley) and I used to live with a really mean man. He was really abusive to us and I never thought we were going to have any other life. This man was so mean to me that he did something to me that hurt my eye really bad. Ever since that day I couldn't see very well, everything was really blurry.

Then one day this man brought us to somewhere you humans call a kill shelter. I was so cold in there and I was really sad that I was stuck in a cage. It was so scary to be in there, I didn't know what was to come of us. I kept hearing the humans saying my mommy and I were urgent and we didn't have much time left. As you can see in the before picture on the left, I was very scared. Then one day a really nice lady named Emily Faircloth came and visited us. She saw that we were covered in fleas and ticks. She was so nice she saved us from the cold cages and brought us to her warm home.

I went to something you humans call a vet and they were very nice there. They said I had things called heartworm and lyme, that my ribs were poking out and said that my eye didn't work anymore. I went to sleep one day at the vets and when I woke up I could see much better, it wasn't blurry anymore. Auntie Emily told me I only had one eye now, but I was happy because it made me feel better.

Auntie Emily took really good care of me and mommy and made it so I didn't have worms or lyme in me anymore. I loved eating all of the food she gave me, she said my ribs weren't showing as much. She and her son were so kind to me, I loved them very much. Auntie Emily told me my mommy and I wouldn't have been saved if it wasn't for Auntie Katrina Kardiasmenos She said what a nice person she is and how hard she works everyday to save dogs like me and my mommy.

After feeling better with Auntie Emily, I took a fun road trip where I met lots of nice people. I then ended up with this lady called a foster mom in a place you call Rhode Island. She was really nice and I bonded to her instantly. I heard her whisper things to me like "I have only had you for 3 days and I love you already". I met two other dogs in this house, Emmy and Jax. Emmy is really nice to me and I look up to her as my big sister. Jax didn't like me at first but now we are best friends and we love to play and snuggle together. It's fun having him as a brother. Even though I had a horrible past, I never lost my sweetness. I love everyone and every dog I meet, I am so kind to everyone and they love me too.

I wanted to tell all of you this story because it has a very happy ending. My foster mom told me the other day she has a BIG announcement, she is no longer my foster mom, she is my forever mom and that I am permanently a member of the pack!!! I was so happy she told me this because I love my new family! My mommy and daddy are so nice to me and spoil me rotten, and I love snuggling with my brother and sister.

I also want to share this story with all of you because I want to thank the ABMC rescue and all of those involved with it because there are hundreds of dogs like me who have been saved because of people like you. I am so excited I have found my forever family so quickly, and I want to thank all of you. You can see how happy I am with my new family in the picture on the right.

Thank you for reading my story!

Jax
ADOPTED in 2010

Jax - An owner turn-in because he liked to hear his own voice.

I got an e-mail from Sherri Brittin telling me that Lyn Harral said I may be interested in a dog she had named Jack. I e-mailed with Sherri then talked to her on the phone about how we would get him down to NC. I had asked Sherri why he was turned into rescue and she told me his owner turned him in for barking all the time. It peaked my interest in him not because he barked but because Sherri said he did like his toys.

Sherri set up a flight to Charlotte NC on Father's Day. My son Jim and I went to pick him up at the airport. Feeling a little guilty since it was Father's Day but that was his flight schedule and bless Joe, my husband he has always been so good about bringing in a dog regardless of the day.

I walked over looked in the crate and my first thought was this is a special boy. He was standing up looking around and at me as if to say it's time to play. I hooked a leash on him brought him out of the crate showed him a kong and asked the people could I play with him for a minute in the cargo area.

Well,as soon as Jim and I got back in the truck with him and he drank some water I called Sherri and said THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU this boy is WONDERFUL!!!!!

When we got back to Greensboro with him he had some time to cool off in the air conditioner on his way from Charlotte to Greensboro so I brought him out in the training area. Showed him the kong and from then on there no sniffing around he just wanted to play with the kong. It was love at first sight for me with this boy.

He showed an incredible ability to use that nose of his. He loved the search games in both drugs and article searches.

Jax was one of the fastest learning dogs I have ever worked with but it wasn't all fun and games. He was a barker and the barking came into play every time he was learning something new which meant when the heel started there was barking when the drug searches started there was barking and then after he learned each new thing the barking stopped. I will say that he did like to hear his own voice for a while.

He was also a t-shirt shredder. I went through three t-shirts Jax's first day of training until he figured out he wasn't going to get his toy back until he learned to control where that mouth of his went. Like everything thing he picked up this rather quickly thank goodness before I ran out of shirts.

Jax was one dog that I had really thought about adopting myself because he had the complete package. He was bratty enough to make him a dynamite search dog with an attitude to only wish for. However my male malinois Nick and Jax just didn't get along. With them it was hate at first sight. Nick is 11 so I wasn't going to do that to him.

My son Jim wanted to start a dog from start to finish on drugs so everyday after work he would come over and worked with Jax on drugs and articles. He learned very quickly what made this dog click and they worked well together.

Seeing this dogs love for searching and the fact that he excelled with working we placed him as a drug dog with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with Marcus Graves as his handler. They have turned out to be a remarkable team. Jax and Officer Graves made their first bust on their first night out together. Jax found cocaine in a car and has since made several more bust for his handler. They really are remarkable to see together and even though we were unable to keep Jax he is doing what he loves with a handler that loves and appreciates him. I couldn't ask for more then that for him.

Inca
ADOPTED in 2009

Inca - Found in a Cancun shelter

We had Inca 1 year on May 23, 2010. She came to us via a Cancun shelter (listed through ABMC rescue) w/ the help of Melody w/ Candi (Cats and dogs international) who flew from Connecticut to Cancun, then to Denver (w/ one other cute dog in his way to a family in NJ). We still cannot believe our good fortune! Our girl who had never walked up or down stairs (and was scared of them), seen a cat (was scared of them) or a ball (was scared of them!!), is now flying up & down the back steps in & out of the dog door into our huge (by urban standards) yard, chasing the cats (still - ugh) and is the ball craziest dog in town! She is also learning agility, and is doing so well learning the different obstacles and contacts.

She gained 10 lbs. in the first 10 months, arriving at 46 lbs., now a very muscular 56.

We are incredibly smitten, in love with her. We have gone through basic obedience w/ her, had a private session w/ our trainer due to her anxiety when we leave her and her fear of, and thus propensity to snap at kids who approach her at more than a snail's pace. She has killed a goose, run 7 1/2-8 min/miles for 5 miles w/ 2 different friends, and is the consummate athlete. She makes incredible frisbee catches, is the best cuddler, wants to work and wants to please.

She is a very sensitive girl, and when I lose my head and raise my voice at her out of fear (like if she bolts out of the car w/o waiting, which is how the poor goose died and what everyone besides Inca nearly needed therapy for) she shrinks and gets scared. I need more training and self control.

We are all working every day on having a better life together, and she has been an amazing bright spot in many peoples' lives. We are certainly the better for having her.

Thanks to ABMC and all who worked to get her to us, we are very much in love!!

Shannon, Suzanne, Sydney the dog, Frida and Diego the cats, and of course, the adorable Inca

Jussie
ADOPTED by the Pisani's

Jussie - product of a divorce

Jussie is an extremely sweet girl with great house manners and some obedience training. She has lots of energy and loves to play but will settle nicely in the house. She is housebroken and crate trained and gets along well with other dogs and cats. Jussie entered rescue as a result of a divorce and would love to find a new family to love her.

Phaedra

Phaedra - who's ears keep trying to stand up :-)))

Phaedra - is 10 wk old female who's ears have not gone erect yet, though they keep trying. Very intelligent and her foster mom is doing a great job training her to sit and watch. She was excellent with our walking group and fit right in. Even with the crowd around due to a movie premiere she handled it well.

Mary

A great companion, A great agility dog.
An easy Malinois to live with that is training for competitive agility.

MARY, was turned in to the Vancouver Humane shelter. She is a young female, spayed. She gets along with other dogs, is not interested in my cat. She rides great in a car and is very calm in the house. She is very responsive to commands, walks beautifully on leash and is a great jogging buddy, matching my pace perfectly. She is a dream to hike with, not interested in chasing wildlife. She has been in agility training for 3 weeks and is already jumping 24" effortlessly and sequencing obstacles. She is medium size, about 23 inches, extremely athletic with great physical stamina. She would train all day if I had the time. She loves to work! Mary does not like being left alone, but is doing better now that she knows the household routines. She wants to please and be with her person. She is an easy dog to live with as long as you have her secure when you are gone. She will be a wonderful agility dog for someone who has time to bring out her best. Mary has LOTS of talent and will repay your time with many blue ribbons.

Jessie

Sensitive Jessie wants to learn what you can teach her.

Jessie is a very sweet dog who likes to play but is very gentle and very teachable, my 12 year old son has taught her to sit and shake hands. Jessie is fine with cats, but, a little shy about meeting new people. She loves people, but, she doesn't want to get in trouble so she is real cautious, and tries to do only what pleases you. Jessie is light fawn with a black over lay and a great size, about 60 pounds, for a little girl. She is living with various dogs, cats, boys and a bird. She is house broken and crate trained, and she will bark if she is in a crate and has a need to go out side. She is about 2 years old and real sensitive, so she understands and excepts verbal correction.

Kayla

Whatever Kayla wants, Kayla gets - one way or another.

Kayla is full of energy and will make a great agility dog. She can retrieve her toys from the top of the refrigerator and is extremely fast. Kayla joined her *new* family Feb 4, 2000.

Logan, the Charlotte NC rescue
was adopted by Sandy Grant.

Logan is doing great. He is learning at an exceptional rate. He has developed even more confidence than what he came to me with. He loves long hikes (5-7 miles) in Umstead Park 3 x weekly and we work downtown Raleigh 4-5 x weekly, to get him used to all different situations. We are trying to become TDI certified. Logan is looking great and behaving quite nicely with 9 cats and a M. Schnauzer to keep him company. My family shared Thanksgiving with me and the dogs and they fell head over heels in love with him.

I want to thank Mal rescue again for the opportunity to have this wonderful new family member.

Logan is doing wonderful and in fact passed his CGC December 14th, only 8 short weeks after being adopted. Sandy Grant and Logan will be going for his TDI in another few weeks.

UPDATE!!!

On February 3rd 1999 Logan passed his TDI!!!!!!! Did this boy find the right home or what?

This is Billie, he has been adopted!!!!! Is it any wonder? Who could resist such a happy, loving Malinois?

Sara was found in a kill shelter in NE Ohio at 3 months of age, rescued and fostered in PA. Sara then entered ABMC rescue, and was spayed. She was adopted 5/14/99.

This is Little Tess and she has been adopted!!!!! Now loved and spoiled by Bill and Merdith Cecil of MO.