Lakeisha Ethans

MacKenzie Witbracht was very worried that when her dog, Malice, saw her, she wouldn’t remember who she was., She even thought Malice might be mad at her for being away so long. Why all the worry? Two years ago, Malice was taken from Witbracht by animal control because she was believed to be dangerous. Witbracht had been fighting for her ever since. Malice was named after band, but that didn’t stop her name from being a factor in her imprisonment. Court records show that Malice was taken by animal control after someone reported her to be dangerous based on a post that Witbracht made. It suggested that Malice had attacked other pets in her home, but Witbracht suffers from PTSD and does not recall making the post. So Malice was taken away to stay in a kennel at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa until her fate could be decided. At the end of last month, a judge finally decided there wasn’t enough evidence to hold the dog, and she was allowed her first visit in twenty-two months. Witbracht and her two daughters had missed Malice desperately, but weren’t even allowed to see a picture of her. When the big day came, Malice came through the door and immediately got excited. She kissed her owner’s face and wagged her tail so hard, her whole rear end moved. Malice had developed arthritis, and grayed some, but was still the same dog. To help other dogs being held while their owners challenge it, donate to Bela Animal Legal Defense and Rescue here. Images & Feature Image Source: MacKenzie Witbracht & Facebook / Mark Tauscheck

Brandi Guillet decided to bring home a formerly abused, deaf pit bull named Ellie from the local shelter. They thought they were helping her out, but it turns out that she helped them so much more. Just two weeks after Ellie was brought home, she has formed an amazing bond with Guillet’s son Connor. Connor is special needs and has to communicate through sign language. The amazing part is, that is how Ellie was taught to communicate as well after her rescue from the abusive Florida breeder. Guillet shared a picture of the two inseparable buddies online and wrote some moving words about why to consider adopting special needs dogs. She said, “I adopted my son at birth knowing he had a genetic disorder. He is now 6 and non-verbal but uses sign for communication. We are fostering a beautiful deafie boxer girl (soon to be adopted!). She is amazing with my son. She is the most gentle, loving girl ever. The most BEAUTIFUL part of this adoption is my son and his dog can actually talk to each other! I highly encourage adoption of deaf dogs … She is such a perfect addition to our family. We have been blessed with Ellie <3” It is wonderful to hear how a family gave a dog a chance and the love multiplied in their home. Ellie has finally found out where she was meant to be all along and is extremely happy at her new home. If you want to learn more about adopting dogs with hearing difficulties, check out Deaf Dogs Rock. Images & Feature Image Source: Brandi Guillet

Boo was left outside with the trash when his previous owners left him after moving in Detroit, Michigan. For a month, Boo stayed on the family’s old mattress waiting for them to return. Mike Diesel, the founder of Detroit Youth and Dog Rescue, finally heard about the homeless pit bull and decided to help. Fifteen hours of fried chicken trails and hamburgers later, Boo finally gave up on his old family and decided to put his trust in Diesel. The dog quickly found new hope in Diesel’s kindness, oh, and Sausage McMuffins and Diesel promised Boo that everything would be alright. Soon after his rescue, Boo found a foster home with a woman who spoiled him rotten and decided that he absolutely had to stay so she’ll be adopting him. He even upgraded on his food and now loves his new life. He eats a diet of rotisserie chicken and filet mignon regularly and his new owner is home with him 90% of the time. He is still being treated for heartworms but his recovery is going well and he’s energy level Is increasing. His loyalty is now to a good person. Boo still gets visits from Diesel and loves seeing his friend from the curb. He has been able to visit Boo about seven times since he was fostered and Boo seems happier every time. Check out Detroit Youth and Dog Rescue’s Facebook page and you can keep tabs on their work as well as click on the “Donate” button if you wish to help out with their mission. Share away, people! Images & Feature Image Source: Detroit Youth & Dog Rescue

Elizabeth was a student when she heard about Yana, a kitten who needed a home after her elderly owners were no longer able to care for her. Elizabeth had experience with rescues and was happy to adopt the two-month-old kitten. Elizabeth immediately noticed Yana’s coloring which is unique. According to Elizabeth, people call her “nature’s miracle.” The young kitten is mostly black and white. Mostly, because half of her face is totally orange. Yana’s mother was black and her father was orange and somehow, she ended up with the best of both worlds. Elizabeth has a theory that “when nature decorated her an orange color, there wasn’t enough paint, so the rest of her was decorated black.” Another explanation is that Yana could be a feline chimera, which is a cat whose cells have two different kinds of DNA. The condition is created when two embryos are fused together in the womb. Venus, another cat who is famous because of her colors like Yana’s, has two different colors on her face as well as two different colored eyes. Yana is now seven months old and is much beloved by many in the world who love her gorgeous face. She likes making mischief and loves walking on a leash and playing fetch just like a dog. She is very playful and loves goofing around but she also loves to snuggle with her mom. She just looks a little different than most cats, but that’s what makes her so special. You can see what Yana is doing by following her on Instagram.