Why do we do what we do?     This link gives data reported by North Carolina animal shelters in 2008. http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/vet/pdf/snreport2008.pdf   20% dogs and cats adopted 70% euthanized Only 5.9% returned to owners! Impounded Dogs- 118,438 Impounded Cats-97,225 Adopted-43,587 Returned-12, 874 Euthanized- 151, 495 *actual numbers are higher; a few shelters did not report      RASCAL'S STORY   Rascal was taken to the Cabarrus Emergency Vet by his previous owners with a rear leg broken completely in half.  They said that he had fallen off their couch.  When they were told how much it would cost to fix this little guy's leg and all the care he would need, they decided it would be easier to put him to sleep.    Immediately, one of the technicians called us and asked if we would take him and have him treated. The owners signed him over to the emergency vet knowing he would be going to a rescue group. Rascal goes to the vet for weekly cast changes and check-ups.  He had x-rays on 2/1/10 and his broken leg is healing very well.  He should be able to have his cast removed in about 3 weeks.    After that he will need some physical therapy, we will be meeting with our vet to try to anticipate what type of therapy he may need so we can try to schedule in advance.   Update: Rascal's cast was removed on 2/10. He cant quite remember how to use all 4 legs and will need a few weeks of therapy. He is very unhappy about having to wear a head-cone, but the cast left his leg very itchy and without the cone he tries to chew it off!   Update: Rascal was adopted on May 1st to a very loving family! His new Vet said that Poplar Animal Hospital did such a wonderful job they couldn't tell his leg had ever been broken.   FLOWER'S STORY   This is Flower on the day we brought her home from the emergency vet. She was Found on March 2, 2009 in Kannapolis  on  the side of the road in a cat carrier.  She had been there for some time because she was sitting in over an inch of her own waste. When she was found she weighed only 10.8lbs. She was very friendly and loved to climb in your lap and lick your face. A month later she was up to a much healthier 26 pounds. After about 5 months at KCCPR, receiving medical treatment, love and socialization she found her forever home. Her new mom calls Flower her "baby" and her kids don't want to go on vacation because "If we left her she'd die!" (of loneliness). Here is a picture of Flower in December of 2009  with her boy and her cousins.    MACY'S STORY   Macy and her two brothers were found in a cardboard box just outside Wal-Mart.  Her brothers were taken by other people and that left poor Macy scared and alone. A woman and her 2 year old son saw that she had been left behind and decided to take her home.  The woman lived in an apartment and had not gotten authorization from her landlord before she brought the puppy home and was told that either the puppy goes or she and her son go.  The lady decided that she needed to find a home for the new puppy. On, January 5, 2009 the local Emergency Vet Clinic and they gave her the phone number to Kreitzer's Critter Corral Puppy Rescue. We took in this beautiful black lab bundle of joy, gave her a bath, got her the first round of puppy shots and had her de-wormed.  As we do with all our puppies we quarantined her for 10 days.  On January 16th Macy was adopted by a wonderful family. However, on January 19th this 10 week old puppy started to get sick. She was taken to the vet and they did some tests and treated her for worms and  coccidia.  The next day she was taken back to the vet as she was still getting sick and very lethargic.  The vet did a Parvo test and much to our sad surprise it came back positive. She spent the day at the vet then went to the Emergency vet for the night.  On January 21st she went back to the vet and stayed there until the 23rd. She was able to go home on the evening of the 23rd.  Her family was so happy to have their baby girl back.  On the 24th she was doing fine and then as the day went on she went down hill fast. She was taken back to the emergency vet and stayed there until the morning of the 26th.  She will be able to go back home for good on January 28th.   Kreitzer's Critter Corral Puppy Rescue payed for Macy's entire treatment because she was adopted from us and became ill so quickly, at no fault of her new family.  Macy has made a full recovery thanks to the wonderful doctors and staff at the Cabarrus Emergency Veterinary Clinic and Poplar Animal Hospital.Her Family loves her very much!     ODIE'S STORY   Odie was taken to Banfield Veterinary in Concord, by his owners because he had Parvo virus.  Once he was better, they never came back for him.  Although many attempts were made to contact them he had been abandoned.  Odie lived at Banfield for 3 months going stir crazy and really wanted to find his furever home.  Banfield then called us to see if we could take him into our organization.  We had Odie neutered and trained him to be a great dog.  He is house trained, and he walks great on the leash.  He is a very sweet pup who wants to please everyone. UPDATE:  Odie has found his furever home, and he loves his new parents Sean & Stephanie very much.