What We Do At Who Rescued Who

Did you rescue?  Were you rescued?  Probably both.

You’ve probably seen the magnet on a car.  Maybe you thought for a moment about just what it was saying, that small slogan with such a big meaning.

Who Rescued Who?® is a re-brand for a company called Imagine This.  It’s a company that has the audacity to imagine a world in which all homeless animals are adopted and euthanasia is a thing of the past.  They went a little further and considered the impact that adoption has on the adopter, or rescuer.  The rescued becoming the rescuer.  They knew right away they had stumbled into the ultimate symbiosis; a mutually beneficial relationship more powerful than the relationship between the humble little shrimp and the goby fish.  The shrimp and the goby live together in a burrow made by the shrimp, but not rent free, no indeed, for the shrimp is nearly blind.  When danger threatens, the little goby touches the shrimp with his tail.  He is essentially the shrimp’s seeing-eye goby.  The goby didn’t ask the shrimp if he could shack up with him.  It just happened.  The shrimp was probably so excited that first time the goby gave him a little tap with his tail when a predator came swimming around.  He had just figured the goby would eat a lot of his food and leave dirty dishes in the sink. You didn’t tell me you’d do that, thought the shrimp.  You rescued me.

But I digress.

Everyone who has adopted an animal from a rescue group or shelter knows the feeling.  You rescued an animal.  You have saved the life of an innocent being and at the same time provided a much-needed service to your community.  But the love you get back is so much greater than you had ever imagined possible.  Your life is altered by the new family member you have brought home.  My own dogs are adopted from Virginia rescue organizations FURS and Angels of Assisi (working with Deaf Dogs Rock).

I am rescued by the experience.  On the surface, no one may have noticed that they rescued me.  They are by no means Lassie.  Lassie would not have eaten my television remote.  But when I open the front door of my home after a day of work, they leap and dance, kissing my face and crying with joy as if I had been out to sea for weeks, months even.  They plunge their faces into my briefcase, certain I work at a beef jerky factory.  Each day is a celebration.  The first greeting in the morning feels like Christmas, and like the sea anemone and the clownfish, when night falls I wrap my tentacles around them as we drift off to sleep. (The clownfish eats the critters that are dangerous to the anemone and in turn the anemone protects the clownfish with its stinging cells in symbiotic bliss.  Don’t ask me the additional benefit reaped by the anemone – you’ll have to Google it).  They may not know if I was in mourning, or stressed, or waiting on test results.  It’s pure, unconditional love they hurl at me, and it is scientifically proven to keep me healthier.  And it’s not meted out in little doses when they feel like it.  They can be asleep and they are still keeping my stress levels down, my heart healthier, my state of mind more peaceful.  Who really rescued who?

Imagine This Company has been manufacturing Who Rescued Who?®branded items for years. They have helped with the fundraising efforts of thousands of rescue groups around the country. In addition to Who Rescued Who® merchandise, an amazing collection of car decals and magnets, jewelry, clothing, beautiful pet urns and more are available for purchase at www.imaginethiscompany.com

And then there’s the TV show.

Reality TV That Matters

Who Rescued Who?® is reality television that matters.  It showcases the profound impact a rescued animal has on the individual or family who adopted him. Visit ahttp://www.rescuedwho.org/video.php to see a sample video to get the gist.  We will bring you moving stories from across the country about the flipside of animal adoption; the young man bullied at school who finds a friend in formerly homeless cat; the elderly man who lost his wife and can’t face the remainder of his life alone, until he adopts a hound whose companionship gives him the strength to go on.  Some stories will be small and some will be large.  We want to hear them and then we want to share them with the world.

Share your story.  Your story can make things happen.  We may publish it on our social media sites, share it on our website or maybe even put it on TV (we are working on that, do you know a guy?).  Have you rescued?  Have you been rescued?