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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteRescued pets are usually described as the beneficiaries of adoption: a homeless animal gets a home. Best Friends Animal Society’s collection of supporter stories, published April 7, 2025, argues the relationship runs the other way too. Its contributors describe rescued dogs and cats that steadied them through grief, kept them company during serious illness, and in one case were trained to help with a medical condition. This guide walks through those accounts, explains what they can and cannot show, and lays out the practical ways readers can act on the idea, whether that means adopting, fostering, or supporting shelters in their community.
Who rescued whom?
The article opens with that question, and it is the editors’ own framing rather than a line from an outside expert. The point is reciprocity. Adopters give an animal a home, but the contributors describe the animals as improving their own lives in return. Each account below is attributed to the person who told it, and the outcomes described are that person’s experience, not a general rule.
The six named accounts
The article names six contributors. Several other adoption and companionship stories appear in the collection without additional detail, so the list below covers only the named accounts. Details are as the source states them; the stories were edited for length and clarity.
Sharon Rosati and Mr. Tiggs (service dog for seizure response)
Sharon Rosati says she trained a rescued dog, Mr. Tiggs (also called Tigger), as her service dog after her previous service dog died. She describes him placing his head on her knee when he senses a seizure coming. This is her account of his behavior. It is not evidence that dogs in general can detect seizures.
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Gary Slusher and his Chihuahua-corgi mix
Gary Slusher adopted an eight-year-old Chihuahua-corgi mix after losing his wife. He says the bond between them grew over nearly two years. The account is about companionship over time rather than a single moment of rescue.
d’Anne MacNeil and her small rescued dog
d’Anne MacNeil describes her small rescued dog as a source of affection and purpose while she was fighting cancer. Her story concerns emotional support during treatment. It does not claim the dog had any effect on her illness or its course.
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Donna Larney and Casey
Donna Larney describes Casey comforting her after the death of her husband. The account is about grief and daily companionship.
Bara Swain and Melinka
Bara Swain describes Melinka as a companion. She says the dog’s leash was sometimes dropped when Swain fell, and passersby then stopped to help. Swain presents this as her own experience. It is not a guarantee that a pet will summon help in an emergency, and readers should not plan around it as a safety measure.
Rank #3
Swain also recounts her response when a staff member asked whether she would foster a sick Chihuahua: “Of course, I will.” Quote that line only with her name and this context.
Suzanne and Zorro
Suzanne describes her adopted cat, Zorro, as a comforting presence after her husband’s death. Like the other accounts, it is a personal description of comfort rather than a measured outcome.
What these stories can and cannot show
The collection is valuable as first-person testimony. It is not a survey, it does not report a population-level statistic about pets and human wellbeing, and it contains no controlled study or independent verification of the individual stories. The article itself does not cite any expert or research authority establishing a general health benefit from pet ownership.
That gap matters for how you use these accounts. They illustrate what adopters report: companionship after loss, a daily routine during illness, and a sense of purpose. They do not establish that a particular pet will produce any particular result for you. The ages and durations in the stories, such as an eight-year-old dog and nearly two years together, are details of those individual lives, not findings that can be generalized.
Three ways to act on the idea
The article’s calls to action are adopting from a shelter or rescue group, fostering, and advocating for pets. Each one carries a different level of commitment.
Adopt from a shelter or rescue group
Adoption makes the animal a permanent member of your household. Start by searching for shelters and rescue groups near you, since availability and adoption requirements differ by organization and location. Expect an application and conversation with the organization before you take an animal home. Details such as fees and eligibility are set locally and should be confirmed directly with the group.
Foster a pet
Best Friends’ companion piece on fostering, “Lifesaving tales: The joy of fostering pets” (April 15, 2025), describes fostering as temporarily opening your home to pets in need. Fostering can be the right step for someone who wants to help but cannot commit to long-term ownership, and it frees shelter space for other animals. Foster arrangements, including length of stay and who covers supplies and veterinary care, are set by each local organization.
Advocate for shelter pets
Best Friends states the principle directly: “Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community.” Advocacy can be as simple as sharing adoptable animals, volunteering with a local group, or supporting shelter programs in your area. It is a way to take part even if you cannot adopt or foster.
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| Factor | Adopting | Fostering |
|---|---|---|
| What you take on | Permanent ownership | Temporary care of a pet in need |
| Length of commitment | Ongoing for the animal’s life | Temporary; set by the local organization |
| Source description | Article: “Adopting a pet near me” | Article: “Foster a pet”; Best Friends describes fostering as temporary care |
| Costs and supplies | Not stated in the source; confirm with the adopting organization | Not stated in the source; confirm with the local organization |
| Where to start | Local shelters and rescue groups | Local shelters and rescue groups |
Whichever route you choose, the stories suggest the most lasting benefit comes from a match between the animal and the household. Ask the organization about the pet’s temperament, medical needs, and living requirements before you commit.
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