Rescued by a Dog

 Before Zach Skow devoted himself to his dog rescue organization, Marley's Mutts, he was a committed alcoholic with a rapidly-dying liver, and all the doctors gave him 90 days to live. But Zach's dog Marley refused to accept this diagnosis.  Rescued by a Dog - Patreon Membership! To support the podcast with $5/month (cancel anytime), go to patreon.com/rescuedbyadogpodcast! Disclaimer: Th...

When a pug arrived at a Laredo animal shelter with a broken pelvis, heartworms, and multiple tick-borne diseases, Jacqueline knew she needed to save him, despite having only $20 in her bank account. She worked two jobs to pay for Puglas's medical care, and at the same time, her own health issues were spiraling and she found herself in need of a service dog. As soon as she started auditioning...

When a series of tragedies leaves Jonathan homeless, he and his beloved pup Evelyn spend three winter months sleeping in his tiny car, using the engine to keep themselves warm. One particularly cold night, the engine breaks down, leaving them without heat, and Jonathan decides his life is over and passes out from the cold. But Evelyn refuses to let Jonathan go.

Andre grew up hustling for money by caring for the dogs of the drug dealers in his neighborhood, and working in the heartbreaking Quarantine areas of dog shelters. Through the love of three dogs--a shelter Rottweiller, a stray shepherd, and a pitbull puppy, his life is saved. 

When Rebecca stops breathing for two full minutes, pup Ulysses tries repeatedly to rouse her. When that doesn't work, he knows it's up to him to figure out how to get help fast. 

In this story, we'll hear three beautiful stories from men who overcame deep hardship and depression through the love of their dogs. 

In the middle of the night, Ms. Sherry took a tumble in her bathroom, wedging herself between the toilet and the bathtub. Unable to move for many hours, she uttered weak cries of help, uncertain whether anyone outside the house could hear her. From down the street, inside another house, pup Milo came to the rescue. 

Louise has an infectious love of life. But Multiple Sclerosis has caused her to fall to the ground many times--sometimes when she's out of reach of her cell phone. But with service pup Moonie around, Louise knows she always has a superhero by her side. 

After a brutal and unfair custody battle, Emiko suffered a serious stroke that left her unable to even travel to visit her child. Emotionally broken, she adopted Victoria - a mangy, diseased shelter dog with behavior issues. Like Emiko, Victoria's pups had been taken from her before she arrived at the shelter. Emiko and Victoria embarked on a beautiful healing journey, mothering each other wi...

At the Christmas parade in 2020, Abby collapsed from an episode of POTS ( Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome ). Picaso, a shelter dog walking in the parade, pulled his handler into the crowd to save her. Then, she saved him. 

Today, we'll hear two moving stories from young women. First, bereaved sister Mags tells the story of how pup Cici showed her brother endless joy and grace as he grappled with mental illness. Now, in his honor, Mags and her family have started an organization, Paws for Patrick, that transforms other people's lives through the love of dogs. Next, Morgan tells us how, with the help of Paws...

On September 11, 2001, Michael was working on the 78th floor of one of the Twin Towers, with his guide dog Roselle by his side as always. Since Michael is blind, his best friend Roselle constantly acted as his eyes. When the planes hit the Towers, Roselle and Michael had to work as a team to get down 78 flights of stairs and out of the path of danger. 

After surviving three sudden cardiac arrests in one night, Drew's rescue pup Lucky found a way to keep him alive.  Rescued by a Dog - Patreon Membership! To support the podcast with $5/month (cancel anytime), go to patreon.com/rescuedbyadogpodcast! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

At 28 years old, Kate's doctors told her that because of her many psychiatric conditions - bipolar disorder, agoraphobia, an eating disorder, and severe hallucination - she could only survive inside a locked psychiatric ward. But then Kate met Waffle, a fluffy Bernese mountain dog who figured out that Kate needed help discerning reality from hallucination.  Sodapup Fun, durable and innovative...

In the middle of the night, little infant Harper stopped breathing entirely. The family pup, Duke, knew just what to do. 

Rescue puppy Vanya suddenly shows a remarkable ability to know when her owner Morgan is on the verge of a diabetic coma. 

When military working dog Layka loses a leg while saving the life of her handler, Army Ranger Trent McDonald, he vows to give her all the love that she deserves in retirement. 

In his twenties, before he became a nationally-renowned dog trainer, Matt Beisner was a jobless, self-loathing alcoholic with a rap sheet. And he was scared of dogs. When he went to the shelter one day and unexpectedly adopted a Jindo pup with a rap sheet of his own, Matt's life began to change. As Matt got clean and sober, he and Renge rode out some heartbreaking lows and euphoric highs, and...

Re-release from Season 1: Danelle, a professional endurance athlete, was out for a run when she fell off a cliff, plummeting 60 feet to the ground and shattering her pelvis. Unable to drag herself out of the canyon, her pup Taz refused to leave her side. Until she told him to. 

While I work on episodes for Season 4 of the podcast, I'm re-releasing some of my favorites from Seasons 1 and 2! This week: When Maddie stepped over a rattlesnake, her new rescue pitbull, Mr. Jones (newly-rescued from Austin Pets Alive) risked his life to save hers. 

While I work on episodes for Season 4 of the podcast, I'm re-releasing some of my favorites from Seasons 1 and 2! First up: In 2021, Brian was home alone with his new rescue German shepherd, Sadie, when he suffered a stroke. He couldn't get up and his phone was across the room. Desperate to help her new papa, Sadie came to the rescue. Tooth and Tail Dog Services Human-focused dog trainin...

As a teenager, Brian had been involved in a brawl that resulted in the loss of a man's life, landing him in prison for life. Twenty-five years later, Brian enrolled in the Pawsitive Change Program, where inmates train undersocialized dogs so that those dogs can find a home. The moment Brian met his assigned pup, Flynn, his entire life changed.  Nature Gnaws Nature Gnaws Chews Provide Mental S...

When Julie's pup Marley starts acting strange, refusing to leave her side, she takes him to the veterinarian - and Marley gets a clean bill of health. So she goes to the doctor to get some blood work done on herself. And that trip to the doctor saves her life.  Lil' Archie's High-quality, USA-made eco-pet products like durable compostable dog waste bags and chic bandanas. Disclaimer:...

After his military service in the Gulf War, John's crippling PTSD forced him to withdraw for the world. Until the organization K9s for Warriors stepped in, introducing him to a newly-trained rescue pup named April. Can April's love help John re-engage with family and friends?  Operation Good Boy Better-than-military-grade gear, treats, and tons of experiences to share with your pack mate...

[Personal note from the host Laura Thomas] Hi friends! I feel a bit uncomfortable about this, but today I'm going to share with you my own story about struggles with debilitating chronic illness, and how my pup Cody has kept me alive and grateful and grounded through all of it. I feel humbled by this opportunity to share a little bit of my life with you. And I'm wildly grateful that the...