Who Rescued Who?

By Annie Blaylock McQueen, Staff writer | September 1, 2012

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Marc, Harry, Kate and Michael Lucrezi (from left) knew right away that Maddie, a Golden Retriever, was their dog when they spotted her at the Houston SPCA 10 years ago. (Photo: www.scottkohn.com)

Humans rescue animals every day. But look closer at people and the pets they’ve rescued, and you will find that sometimes the “rescuing” happens in reverse.

I found my 9-year-old hound mix, Lucky, in Weimar, Texas, on Interstate 10. Even though she was dumped in the snow, starving and pregnant, from Day 1 she loved without reservation.

The experience inspired me to sign up with Lucky Dog Rescue to foster a feisty Australian Shepherd mix named Sealy. After a month at the city-run animal shelter BARC, Sealy’s time was almost up, but volunteer Teena Davis pulled her out with only hours remaining before euthanasia.

When Sealy came to live with me, I was in a very small apartment. Not even a week passed before Lucky and Sealy had their first fight after Sealy attempted to eat Lucky’s food. Sealy was high-energy; Lucky was calm. The two were oil and water.

One day in January 2011, I decided to take Sealy alone to the dog park to give them both some space. I wrote on a piece of paper in purple marker, “I am a foster dog looking for my forever home. Will you adopt me?” and hung the sign on her collar.

Kate Lucrezi takes comfort knowing her dog, Maddie, a Golden Retriever, is by her side through difficult times. (Photo: www.scottkohn.com)

As she played, retiree Dell Bryant, with his Anatolian Shepherd, Rio Bravo, noticed the sign and smiled. His wife Denise had been looking to adopt an Australian Shepherd.

The Bryants now say that paper sign was a literal sign from God. Sealy has since been renamed ‘Sassy’ and is loving her new adoptive family. “The good Lord brought us together the day we met Sassy,” Dell said.

The experience motivated me. Since then, I have fostered about 20 homeless animals who now have homes. Animal rescue has enriched my life and “rescued” me in so many ways. It has helped me relearn to share my home, open my heart, and remember I have the power to make a difference.

I have talked with several others who say their rescued pet rescued them back.

Sometimes, the act is heroic. In 2011, Buddy the Lab kept his owner, Ted Moss, who had collapsed in the snow on a below-freezing Wisconsin night, warm for hours, barking nonstop until help arrived.

Other stories are less dramatic, but just as impactful.

Robin Lindberg takes her dog Peaches, a poodle from Poodle Rescue of Houston, to work with her every day to greet customers at her antique-jewelry store, Queen of Heirs. (Photo: www.hartphoto.com)

Kate Lucrezi and her family found Maddie, a Golden Retriever, at the Houston SPCA 10 years ago. “She was sitting in the corner of one of the kennels with this little sad look,” Kate said. “When we got to meet her in the meet and greet room, she was wonderful, gentle, and we could tell she was really smart.”

She said Maddie has repaid her family by, among other things, teaching her kids, who are now in high school, about aging.

“Many little things that sometimes we as parents can’t teach, because they have to experience it, Maddie has taught them,” Kate said. “Maddie needs a little extra help coming down the stairs [and] is losing some of her hearing, so needs a little extra calling – but her playful spirit, unconditional love and watchful eyes are what remind us each day of the joy she has brought to our family.”

Kate recently lost her mother, and Maddie stayed by her side during those difficult days.

“I believe dogs really do have a sense of what’s happening. After my Mom died, Maddie knew I was sad, watched me cry and was there to nudge me, make me smile and just ‘be’ with me during the silence…. rescuing me from being ‘alone,’” said Kate.

Another story involves a brave, 6-pound poodle named Peaches, adopted in 2011 from Poodle Rescue of Houston, and her owner, Robin Lindberg.

Jordan, Allison and Natalie Goldberg (from left) enjoy spending time with their purebred rescue dogs, Lucy, a Golden Retriever from Golden Beginnings, and Torres, a black Lab from Houston Lab Rescue. (Photo: www.scottkohn.com)

Peaches, born crippled, cannot jump up on things – let alone get in and out of the car.

Lindberg takes Peaches to work every day at her antique-jewelry store, Queen of Heirs. One day this summer, she said, “I put Peaches in the car and went to the trunk to put my purse in it, closed the trunk, and then turned around and tripped over a step in our garage.”

She went down hard and couldn’t get up. Nobody was around. Except Peaches.

“I was lying on the floor, alone. Peaches cannot even go up steps, but she jumped out of that car and was licking me, licking me all over my face,” she said. “I drive a Volkswagen Bug, which is not big, but to her it must look like Mount Everest. I was finally able to crawl across the garage floor and reach my phone to call someone. I was trying to tell her like, ‘Lassie, you have to go get somebody!’ But she didn’t leave me the entire time I was on that floor,” Lindberg said.

Allison Goldberg, a life coach, and her husband Joel, a law partner, have two rescue dogs, Torres, a black Labrador from Houston Lab Rescue, and Lucy, a Golden Retriever from Golden Beginnings. Their children, Natalie, 12, and Jordan, 15, are growing up quickly. Caring for pups Torres and Lucy has helped ease the transition to adulthood that can be tough on a mom, said Goldberg.

“I am a natural caretaking type of person. It’s really difficult when your kids start to grow up,” she said. “For me, having Torres and Lucy gave me more power to let my kids grow up a little bit. And it gave me something to take care of. I am in love with the dogs, and it has allowed my children to have a mom focused on something other than them.”

Christopher Gardner and Gary Tinterow (from left) take pleasure in viewing life through the eyes of their two rescue dogs, Peter, a shepherd/collie mix, and Emma, a greyhound. (Photo: www.hartphoto.com)

Former antiques dealer Christopher Gardner is adjusting to life in Texas. He recently moved from New York City with partner Gary Tinterow, director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

They have two rescue dogs, Emma, a greyhound retired from hare coursing in Ireland and saved by a Boston group, and Peter, a shepherd/collie mix from the streets of Queens. “Peter still acts like a stray. He is 15 years old and still looking for pizza crust,” Christopher said.

Christopher says the dogs have reintroduced him to nature and, recently, his new neighborhood near Rice University.

“I rescued my first dog [Peter] when I was living in New York City and feeling like I wanted a companion,” Gardner said. “I was all of a sudden exposed to a whole new New York because of my dog. I had never experienced the parks and nature in my neighborhood like I had before I had a dog, and now, moving to Houston, I have been able to slow down and observe my new neighborhood. It helps me appreciate the trees and to go slowly and walk with the dogs.”

He also says traveling with dogs has allowed him to see the world differently. This summer, Christopher and Gary packed the car with the dogs for a long road trip to New York’s Hudson Valley. Christopher uses his iPhone to find dog-friendly hotels along the way. “We checked into Keswick Hall in Virginia, and the dogs had their own bathroom with water and food bowls, giant martini glasses full of dig biscuits, and two very generous sized dog beds!”

Road tripping with Emma and Peter has its perks. “When we have the dogs, we are not seeing a grand sweep of the city but the details like the parks. We look at neighborhoods differently,” Christopher said.

Dana Lepow shares a special connection with Charlie, a tabby cat, after rescuing him off the streets. (Photo: www.scottkohn.com)

Dogs are not the only ones who can impact a human.

Charlie, a tabby cat, has proud new owners, the Lepow family of West University.

The family of four had never been particularly fond of felines until they met Charlie. As 17-year-old Garrett Lepow said, “Cats don’t come to you like dogs do, and that just turned all of us off to them. But Charlie came to us.”

Mom Dana Lepow said, “We found Charlie roaming around our street. He let me pick him up. We didn’t know anything about him and couldn’t find his owners, so we took him to the vet. We started crying after we got the x-ray – there were BB pellets in him.”

Charlie is affectionately referred to as “the human cat” because of his outgoing and humanlike personality.

“This cat is so funny. He has such a sense of humor,” said Dana, laughing. “We truly feel in our hearts that Charlie picked us – he rescued us, and he has made himself a family member. This cat has brought love to our story.”

Millicent Gerdes, founder of Lucky Dog Rescue, helps find dogs like Janey and Mighty Mouse (pictured, from left, and currently available for adoption) permanent homes. (Photo: www.hartphoto.com)

Millicent Gerdes, founder of the non-profit Lucky Dog Rescue, says, “We began this work to rescue dogs, but what we’ve seen time and again are adopters who end up feeling ‘rescued’ themselves by innocent souls with a tremendous capacity for unconditional love. Their ability to live in the present and hold no grudges for all they’ve endured provides a powerful lesson. We end up really striving to be the person our dogs think we are.”

Local Rescue Organizations

Looking to add a furry friend to your family? Save a life and consider adoption first even when looking for a purebred dog or cat. There is a rescue organization for most popular breeds, and the adoption costs are typically more budget friendly than purchasing an animal through a breeder.

Local banker Walter Finger adopted his purebred Golden Retriever, Buddy (pictured), from Golden Retriever Rescue of Houston after buying his first Golden through a breeder years ago. See below for a list of some rescue organizations in Houston.