Adopted Pet Heroes Contest 2nd Place Winner!
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In September 2003, Hurricane Charlie hit the state of Florida. Families were evacuated and pets were abandoned. A wonderful organization, Canine Castaways, took it upon themselves to rescue some of those abandoned dogs. My dog, Rusty, was one of those dogs they rescued. I will always be grateful to this wonderful organization for rescuing him. My son Nathan is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD. He was struggling in school, with depression, and low self-esteem. He had been telling me for some time that he wanted a dog. One morning, I saw a pet adoption advertised at our nearby PetSmart. When we walked into PetSmart, Rusty immediately caught my eye. His golden brown eyes, beautiful rust-colored coat and gentle demeanor melted my heart. When I told Nathan to walk him around the store, he also fell in love with this lovely dog. Rusty was still recovering from the terrors of the hurricane. We took him to the vet, got him some medication and good food to eat. His coat became beautiful and he was quick to learn commands. My son was so proud of him. Nathan started to volunteer for Canine Castaways, he was so impressed with the wonderful work they were doing. He would dress his dog in "GI Clothes" and Rusty became known as the "Official Canine Recruiter for Canine Castaways." Nathan never would have done something like that if Rusty weren't in our lives. I know that I am very partial to my dog, but my son and I can’t help but feel he is the most wonderful dog in the world!

Lottie
Bradenton, FL