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This page is dedicated to the pals that are in our lives, or have been in our lives, that have been special to us in each of his or her own unique way. Use this page to tell us about your pal because they are as special to us as they are to you and we want them to be recognized, or remembered, as such! Enjoy the stories below about our pal. We have picked our WINNER for The Pet Pals contest. Let me tell you, picking a winner was one of the toughest things we have had to do in a long time. There were 5 judges who all had their favorites. So, we expanded the prize pool. Last June
 Cuda is a rescue from a backyard breeder. She has numerous physical traits that may be associated with inbreeding including a tilted rib cage, rear "hocked" legs, a fused neck and tail and a tiny stature. She is healthy and happy and a testament to survival. We created a page for her that boasts close to 5000 fans. We have done fundraisers for many animal related causes. We will be attending the ComeUnityNOw Music and Arts Festival in Raleigh on July 30th to help raise money for the tornado victims from April 16th. We know personally some of those victimes and are thrilled to be part of this! . Thank you!! - Julie LeRoy
Rescued from a home with another dog who terrorized her, Layla came into our lives as a young 12 week old pup. She's the sweetest, happiest and trick-loving pup...she's a big snuggler, curious, and loves to talk to us with her big brown eyes. :)
Last June  something just told me to look on the Harnett County Animal Control’s website. If you are not familiar with this shelter it is high kill (every Wednesday they are closed because that is the day they euthanize the animals.) I saw this picture of a dirty looking Great Pyrenees and the next day we loaded up the family and went to the shelter. When we first got there my husband went in first just to make sure he was still there before we unloaded two dogs and a toddler. I still remember his face and the tone of his voice when he came back to the car and said “that dog has had a hard li! fe.” I quickly found out that was an understatement. Bones had probably been tethered his whole short life, was malnourished, an abused. We loaded him up with our family and took him home. It took him almost a week before he would come up to us in our backyard- he was terrified of people especially men. I have taken him to some basic training classes and we are socializing him more with people but he is still a work in progress but he is slowly getting becoming a more balanced dog. He has now put on 20 lbs and is a more healthy weight and his coat is beautiful (with Holistic Growth & Performance dry food.) Bones is a true Pyr and a gentle boy and is a sweetheart with our toddler. Bones has come a long way in one year with us but he is still a work in progress. It does my heart so good to seem in running all over his back yard playing with his toys and his buddy, our other HCAC rescue, Lucy. He now has his tail up and seems to bounce around “guarding” his area of an! y birds that dare try to eat at the bird feeder. This is my sweet lit tle Pyr my Bone-Bones.
WORLD'S BEST DOG! We rescued Walter in 2007, and he is truly special. Walt is very affectionate and will spend the evening on your lap, with his arms around your neck. He gives great hugs. Walter was originally found with an injured eye, which had to be removed. Despite that limitation, he is the best ball player ever.
[Jersey] is 3rd old full blooded rott who I got for my disabled husband and he has done wonders for mh husband. He knows when my husband is hurting or having a bad day. He is very vocal and shows his emotions by his sounds. He has a great disposition and on top of that he is a great protector to our kids. To this day this 110lb rott sleeps on my husbands lap in our recliner. Best friend we have. -Kimberly Balsamo
I adopted my furever friend, Austin, about 2 months ago. He is a rescue from Red Dog Farm in Greensboro. It is one of the best things I have ever done. He is a great pal and a joy to be around! He is a Lab/Golden mix, very intelligent, and has the most wonderful disposition. I would highly recommend Red Dog Farm to anyone who wants to adopt a dog, cat, or one of their other animals (they also rescue horses, goats, sheep....). I am looking forward to a long, healthy, joyful relationship with this big guy. - Annemarie D'Andrea
I foster bassets for Carolina Basset Hound Rescue. Fostering is the step in between the actual rescue of the dog and their permanent adoption. Twinkie came into my life as a foster but she stole my heart immediately. Before she came to me, arrangements had already been made with a family to adopt her so, when she was healthy and ready to go, she was adopted by that family. I was very sad to see her go. Fortunately for me, the adoption didn't work out so I was able to get her back. She brightens my day every time I look into those big eyes. She loves traveling and meeting people, and is an ! excellent am"basset"dor for her breed. She's also an excellent "foster" sister to other bassets that pass through our foster home on their way to their permanent homes. I consider myself very lucky to have her in my life. - Bonnie Bloch
 When I studied abroad in Chile, I went for a run and was attacked by a pack of wild dogs. I had PTSD and was afraid of dogs for years. When I got Kio as an 8-lb ball of fur, he was so gently playful and loving that we just bonded immediately. Now he is a beautiful, elegant, muscular 90-lb doberman. People think he looks scary, but he still thinks he is 8 lbs and tries to be a lap dog. He loves being my running buddy and now I feel safe on my runs. I am not afraid of dogs anymore- I love them so much I am that person who gets more excited to see your dog than to see you! I just started grad school ! and I live alone so he is my best friend and protector. He has helped me heal and we can't stand being away from each other. He goes everywhere with me (except class of course- but he would SO be there if they'd let me!). He is such a happy dog because I pay so much attention to him, and he is the best thing that has ever happened to me- I couldn't live without him. He really has saved my life.
-Sarah Keilson
I got Riley when she was about four weeks old. She had been rescued from a dog fighting ring,
Chamois is a very sweet mixed breed. We adopted her from Wake County Animal Control because she looked like a beagle. As it turned out, she doesn't have a bit of beagle in her and has gotten quite long-legged. When she was adopted, she was very fearful and would run when approached. She's made wonderful progress and now gladly greets people and loves to give you kisses on your face! A trainer recently told us that she is a good therapy dog candidate so we plan to begin working and researching this option. -Vicki Schoch
Squeegee is my (almost) 3-year old beagle boy. He came from the Person County Animal Shelter when he was a puppy and has grown to be the sweetest, most snuggly dog! Beagles tend to be overweight and keeping him on Pet Pantry has helped us keep him at his healthy, handsome weight! - Vicki Schoch
- Patty Tuohy
 Bella is our 18 month old Great Dane. We adopted her at 6 weeks, she is the oldest of 13 puppies. She was born deaf as were some of her brothers and sisters because her mother and father both have the merrel gene. Bella is the love of our lives. She is the most affectionate, devoted, loving and biggest lap dog you will ever see. she always has a smile on her face and will warm your heart with the look in her innocent eyes.
 I have so many things I can say about the love of my life, Hooch. He was a shepard/husky mix and I was his momma for 14 fantastic and fun years. There was an old pear tree in our yard and when the fruit would fall to the ground, I would tell him to get a pear and wash it off (in the natural spring we had). And he would! He'd run right to the water and roll it around to get the sand off of it. Hooch was also a great explorer but always came home. I could never get him to stop chasing cars even though he managed to "catch" one of them which resulted in a broken leg. You should have seen us going ! for walks with a plastic bag wrapped around his cast to keep it from getting wet and dirty. He was even great when we brought home his "brother" Bandit, a blue-heeler. Hooch loved his squeekers and especially enjoyed his treats. He kept me company through my divorce and let me cry on his shoulder. :-)When the time came to make the decision to have Hooch's life end due to complications from an enlarged heart, it was so difficult. I took him to the vet in the morning and went back that evening after work. Dr. J had his technician bring Hooch to the exam room and fully expected him to give the tech a hard time with jumping and being excited, but Hooch had already begun his decline. Dr. J was shocked because Hooch was active and barking just 30 minutes before. I believe that Hooch knew it would be a difficult decision and made it for me. With God's blessing I was able to have my best friend for 14 years and I thank Him for this. He was nicknamed Hoocher Koocher and was loved by all of our families and neighbors. I couldn't bring Bandit with me after the divorce, but I was able to bring Hooch as I had him cremated. I am a mommy to another dog now, her name is Molly and she is a Collie mix. I expect to have her for just as long and can love her as much as I loved Hooch because he taught me how. Pets are such a huge blessing from God and they make our lives so much more enjoyable. - Karla Skelton Deogie has been an amazing dog! In my opinion he's just about perfect. He's a corgi mix boy, but he's my big dog in a l  ittle dog's body, a perfect pocket sized pal. I adopted from a high kill shelter just a few days before he was due to be put down and when I first brought him home he was so scared and timid that he didn't eat for days. For a while I was worried he would never be happy with me, but after several months of bonding with him and gaining his trust he really opened up! Now he is my shadow and my life. I take him everywhere possible and plan special trips to the dog park and dog pond wh! ere he loves to boss/herd the big dogs around. A few months ago I had a scary accident at home that really put his love and loyalty to the test. I was attempting to deep-fry chicken for the first time without a deep frier, and left the oil to heat up. Before I knew it there was nasty black smoke billowing out of the kitchen. I didn't have a fire extinguisher, and in my stupid fear of the house burning down I attempted to carry the burning oil out of the house. Well, I didn't get far before I dropped the flaming pot, spilling the boiling oil on my leg. As I sat on the back deck nursing my leg and waiting for the ambulance to arrive, there was my boy by my side, trying to lick my leg all better. Even now, when I'm sad or crying, he's there giving me kisses, trying to lift my spirits. He always seems to know when I need him the most. I don't know what I would do without my sweet boy there, supporting me. I'm so glad I saved his life, so he could save my heart.
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Brittany Whitaker
 Our sweet Bella is a 2 year old Lab mix, that we rescued when she was 8 weeks old. Her mom was a stray and was rescued when she was pregnant with 8 pups. Bella is also known as "mohawk" because she has a mohawk along the back of her neck! She loves people, loves to learn new tricks and adores the snow! Her favorite trick is catching a treat from off her snout!  Tim belonged to a stray pack of dogs who were dumped in the woods. He ran in front of my van years ago and jumped in immediately when I stopped and opened the side door. He was accepted into my "pack" of two dogs and three humans when I brought him home. Since he was able to jump our five-foot fence easily to wander around the neighborhood, all of our neighbors got to know Tim very well and liked him a lot. Tim is a great alpha pack leader, watchdog, friend, and companion. He has always been well-liked by the numerous foster kittens I have brought into our home over the past few years. - Barbara Sambol-Curran My mother found Beaujohn when he was just a pup wandering around the apartment  complex they lived in. Beau has been with her for 17 years, lived the majority of them in California. Unfortunately he was not home when my dad passed, he had had emergency surgery and was still in the hospital. I was so glad he was there for my mother during her grieving time. Him and my mom are now living in Texas with me. Beaujohn has had his health problems that most Dalmations face, including kidney stones and Pancreatis. He has a third lid problem with his eyes, but until recently this was never a problem. I! know make sure he is on the bed with his mom, and come home at lunch to take him down for him to go outside for a short period then back up on the bed. He is deaf and blind now and dealing with arthritis. He has always been a gentle dog, tolerating the other critters in the family. - Katy WatermanXander is our four year old short haired black and white cat. We've had him since he was a little kitten. At the time we had a dog and had agreed to not get a cat yet. I had my heart set on an all black one, and probably a girl. My husband dropped our dog off at the vet for a visit and saw this tiny little fur ball. One of the  workers had found him by a dumpster by himself. My husband came home gushing about this kitty, knowing what I would say. I decided to humor him and go see him for myself. He was nothing like I was looking for and completely perfect! His markings were unique and he h! ad the sweetest disposition that melted your heart right away! From the beginning I was his momma! We named him Xander after a character on Buffy (her friend - more of a lover than a fighter ;). When he was little, he would wake me up in the morning laying on my chest meowing. I called him my kitty dog, because he would come running when I called him just like a puppy. He's grown into a very handsome cat. He loves to hunt and lounge outside, and comes home for long naps and quite a few meals! When I got pregnant with our daughter he was especially cuddly and when she was born, would even lay quietly beside her in front of the fireplace. He's tolerated all of the classic kid stuff. Including her putting stickers all over him! I look forward to winters, because he is on my lap every evening, especially when there's a fire going. I don't know what I would do without my handsome guy. I absolutely love my Xander. (and the best part is that I'd always been more of a do! g person! ;D
Mandi Chada Izzy, our lab/german shorthair pointer mix, is the love of our life! She came to us from a litter of 14! Izzy loves tennis balls, and her couch. This picture is of her as a pup, she has grown to a lean and mean - 65 lbs. -Marion McHale
Ivey Godfrey
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Eight months pregnant, the heat of summer, and our elderly dog was not doing well. This was NOT the time to look for another dog to add to our family. But I saw an ad on Craig's List for a St. Bernard so we went to "look" at her (we love the big breeds.) One look and we knew we were going to get her to a better life. Lexie was in a pen right beside a cornfield and was burning up in July! She was matted, had horrible fleas, ear mites, worms, etc... We put her in the SUV and drove away- when we got her home we would not get her out of the air conditioned car- she wanted to stay in the cool air! Ou! r Lexie was house trained and crate trained but had NO manners- and for a 120# dog that is not good. She was my bulldozer. Training at K9- Solutions helped a lot with her manners and no socialization with people. The Pet Pantry food gave her the most beautiful coat. Our love we gave her has come back to us tenfold. She is definitely a “momma's girl” and my dog of the four we have. My big girl- Lexie “aka- Bulldozer, Hambone”- Leslie Eudy Carwell
My handsome hound boys are former rescue pups who now enjoy couches, a private zoo of stuffed animals, a chauffeur driven Jeep and hotels! Yep, they have made some long car trips and really enjoy the hotel part of the journey the best . They are ‘paying it forward‘ by being fabulous foster brothers and sharing some of their Pet Pantry chow! - Andrea Norton 
These two pups were both adopted from the APS of Durham. Scorch is afraid of everything and Fugazi is smarter than most people. Because of these awesome dogs, we started volunteering with another local dog rescue and we even adopted a third dog with special needs. They have become the more important than anything else in our lives and have taught us that the more love and kindness you give to something, the more you get back. -Jenn Sanville
"The worst dog ever" joined on family on Mother's Day of last year. Winnie is an English Bulldog and is full of sass. The reason we got Winnie was to fulfill a "bucket item list" of my husband's. He has wanted an English bulldog ever since he was a little boy. I gave the "green light" to go ahead and get one even though we had two small boys at the time. The thought of a new puppy just about did me in...but then we met Miss Winnie and all that changed. What a dog!! If you're looking for stubborn, sassy, silly, full of energy, and just a darn funny dog, then you've already met Winnie. While I tell ! people jokingly that she is the "worst dog" we've ever owned she by far has been the one of the best because of her shining personality and amazing loyalty to this family, especially our boys. We just passed the one year mark with Winnie and if it's anything like this last year, I know we are in for the ride of our lives with this fun lovin' bulldog! 
Bodie is our 5 year old "Marley". He has so much character and still gets into things, steal things, and shows off for guests. His favorite thing to steal are shoes and hats. He doesn't chew them anymore, just steals them and runs around the house showing off. When guests come over, he greets them and then starts running through the house like he's saying - Look at ME!! I love the sign I have in my kitchen - "Dogs are not our whole life (well maybe sometimes), but they make our lives whole!! AMEN. I couldn't get through the day without kisses and love from my dog!!
-Linds Veraldi 
where he little self was being used as a bait dog. She was covered in fleas, full of open wounds, and just a bag of bones. My husband and I nursed her back to health and she is now almost two years old. She is the best friend I could ever have. She knows me so well and she always manages to put a smile on my face. Riley has taught me how forgiving dogs are. Humans had mistreated her and even so she allowed me to take care of her. She trusted me when she really did not have to. I often wonder if I ! rescued her, or if she rescued me fo she has taught me how amazing the bond between a dog and a human can be, and she taught me how much unconditional love she can give. - Rebecca Nakutis
I am so lucky to have had Lily in my life for almost 13 years. She was the best dog anyone could ask for. She was potty trained in 2 days as a puppy and the worst thing she ever did was chew up some toilet paper. She was the most gentle, loving, and grateful dog I have ever known. I got Lily in my sophomore year of college at NCSU. Someone found her in a trailer park eating garbage. She was only 12 weeks old. At first my parents were furious with me because I was in college and not responsible enough for a dog. The first time they laid eyes on that little black and white fur ball their anger quick! ly dissipated. Anyone who met her could not help but love her instantly. She went everywhere with me, lived in and she literally changed my life. I took her to her vet appointments as a puppy and begged the vet and practice owner for a job every time we were there. Several visits later, he gave in and gave me a job and I still work there today. This job led me to my husband because I ended up marrying a long time client! Lily was always a little fearful of men and I suspect she must have been abused as a puppy but she was never afraid of my husband Matt! She fell in love with him as quickly as I did. We lost Lily last month to pancreatic cancer. We miss her sweet spirit everyday and always will. She was not the lucky one, we were. - Mary and Mat Daniels
Rosco was found in the middle of a cold/rainy night by my husband, as he was on the ramp of I-40. He called me and i rushed over, but Rosco was too scared to come near us. He was completely emaciated and his front leg stood almost straight up. I opened a can of dog food and he came right to me. I honestly didn't think he would be w/us long, as he just looked like he had lived through hell. That was 8yrs ago!! Rosco gained all his weight and his leg healed on it's own with time and love. It is amazing what lots of love will do. He is extremely grateful and always happy and smiling! He likes to lay ! in the sun and eat and get lots of love and back scratches! He is a walker hound and i soon learned the way these beautiful creatures are mistreated and starved to make better hunters. Rosco warms my heart every time he looks at me w/those big ole sweet eyes and smile and reminds me to be grateful for the simple things in life.
We have had Cody (light colored) since he was a pup. God knew he needed to be with us because as it turns out he is allergic to almost every tree and plant outside! We have spent years giving him allergy shots and meds. I believe your food has helped him, but it is always a struggle. As he grew up, he became very protective and not very friendly to strangers. When he was about 4yrs old, we were looking at dogs for my mom and Hope (the dark one) pulled at our hearts. She had been at a vets office for a year trying to find a home. She was dirty and had been shot in the past, but was the sweetest thi! ng. My mom couldn't get her, but I just couldn't leave her. I made a deal with my husband - if we took her home and Cody reacted badly she would go back. Since Cody is so grumpy and protective he thought this was an easy one. We walked in with Hope and it was a miracle - Cody took to her immediately and they have been best friends ever since! Cody is 12 years old and Hope is about 9 years old. Best Friends! 
My sweet boy Bear, whom my mom has dubbed Monster and it stuck, was found on highway 85 near Kerr Lake on the VA border. My husband and I had just returned from doing a dog transport and saw this small black puppy running back and forth on the highway. I stopped my car, drove in reverse up the on-ramp and my husband chased him on foot, as I was rolling forward slowly to come down the ramp I then discovered he had run around the back of us and was hiding under my Honda Element! I jumped out of my car, forgetting to put it in park and reached under the car where Bear nipped me, realized the car w! as still rolling, jumped back in and put it in park. Got back out, grabbed him from under the car and he has been my shadow ever since. The smartest little devil ever, he's devious and mischievous and horribly clever. His expressions are almost human, including the eye rolls and heavy sighs of a teenage boy. He and his sisters are his mama's soul mates! - Lisa Ammirati
Matilda Jane was the very first dog I ever had on my own. Yes, I had many dogs growing up, but Mattie was mine. I brought Mattie home when she was 6 weeks old and that was the beginning of a wonderful friendship. We went everywhere and did everything together. She loved to visit PetsMart, or as the family called it “Mattie’s Store.” Mattie would sit in the co-pilot seat in the car and watch the world go by while hanging her head out the window. Once we got within a block of the store she would start to cry. Sometimes she even paced from the front seat to the back if she was really excited. Mattie always came home with a chewy. She never ate it, but she loved to carry it around and show it off to company when they came over. If myself or the visitors didn’t acknowledge the chewy or tell her what a pretty chewy it was, Mattie would pace back and forth in front of the person until they said something. She also had a love for fruits and veggies. I never gave her chewies, except for the ones she carried around, or table food. Mattie ate fruit and veggies for snack her entire life. She especially loved bananas and strawberries. Although, grapes came in a close third. One time I was unpacking groceries and all I saw was a brown butt sticking out of the fridge. Mattie had found the bowl of grapes and was eating them as fast as she could. She jumped a mile when I said her name and turned around to look at me. Her cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk and she had grapes falling out of her mouth. I laughed so hard I cried. As you can tell, Mattie ! was my world. For 9 years my whole life revolved around her. Mattie unexpectedly passed away of a heart attack on May 29, 2008 at the age of 9. I miss her every day, but I am extremely grateful for the wonderful memories she left me. 
Izzy, our lab/german shorthair pointer mix, is the love of our life! She came to us from a litter of 14! Izzy loves tennis balls, and her couch. This picture is of her as a pup, she has grown to a lean and mean - 65 lbs. 
Gracie, is my best friend goes everywhere with me. she is a amstaff pit bull terrier that is very docil and sweet loves everyone and is a very social pet. 
. My mom took him in and he quickly became my dog. As I grew up he was my buddy. When no one else would go out and play in the snow with me, he was always happy to join! We would take "winter wonderland" walks together and he would never leave my sight.
He would always run ahead and stop just ahead of me and look and see if I was coming. Although a grumpy dog at times, I knew just how to "do with" him and we got along great. Dusty had a lot of funny quirks that made him special to me. He layed down like a lazy dog when he ate, he turned his head sideways and listened when I talked to him, he slept behind the couch or under the bed, always. He followed me from room to room, inside and outside, everywhere. We were always together. When I called home from college I would always ask how my buddy was doing. When I got married, I brought him with me to North Carolina. When our first daughter was just 6 months old, he was diagnosed with liver cancer on Feb 6th, my birthday, and then had to be put down on the 10th. He was 14 years old. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, carrying him into that office and not being able to talk. I had a great dog and special memories of him. I thank God for the comfort and gift he was to me in my life. 
