Thanks to everyone who entered our 'Rescued Animals' Photo Contest

What fun it is to read about happy endings for animals!
Choosing the winner and runners-up was tough. But here they are:

THE WINNER!
smiling sparklestarSMILING SPARKLE
 “Sparkle’s a pit bull mix I rescued from a Brooklyn housing project. People had thrown her out because she was a sweet-tempered female, and they wanted males for fighting. She was thin, dirty and scared but friendly. Now her favorite pastime is sitting in the lounge chair on our deck and catching some rays …Catch that smile!”
 Margaret Negron, Coram, New York
A basketful of goodies from Pet Aromatics is on its way to Sparkle and Margaret.

starMIGUEL’S STORY
Miguel“I found Miguel in Puerto Rico begging for food and drinking from puddles. He was very weak and had almost no hair left on his raw skin. When I put on gloves and picked him up, he could not stop wagging his tail and trying to kiss my face. As we Migueldrove to the vet’s office, he faded in and out of consciousness. He had both types of mange and was full of worms. When the vet released him, he and I flew home to Phoenix. Now he’s fine, and all his hair has grown back. He is a constant reminder that we can all make a difference.”
Kari Nienstedt, Paradise Valley, Arizona
starsaving rustySAVING RUSTY
“Early one morning, my husband, Keith, noticed a little orange cat in our garden, curled up in a ball, wet with dew. He saw Keith and ran. After we spotted him there every morning, we realized that he slept there. One day, he came to me and I scooped him up. We named him Rusty, took him to the vet, then brought him inside to meet our cat, Boots. They became friends instantly.”
Cindy Sutherland, London, Ontario
queenie opossumstarQUEENIE OPOSSUM
“I belong to the Opossum Society of the U.S. and am the proud guardian of Queenie, a dainty nonreleasable opossum. She was rescued after she fell off her mother’s back as a baby. Queenie loves radishes, tofu and classical music. Whenever she hears Pavarotti, she is fascinated and her ears stick straight up!”
Katrelya Angus, Sierra Madre, California
staramazing graceAMAZING GRACE
 “Grace was one of many tortoises from Jordan taken from the wild, packed in tight cases and trunks and shipped to America for sale in the pet trade. Our New York Turtle and Tortoise Society received a few of these tortoises who were beyond the legal limit allowed for resale. I adopted Grace, a spur-thigh tortoise, because she was majestic and elegant but pitiful. Her shell had been badly burned from grass fires, and she had parasites and a respiratory infection. With medication and love, she healed. She enjoys listening to oldies music, basking in the sunshine, doing acrobatics and reaching her head out for a kiss.”
Diane Michele Petrillo, Hamden, Connecticut