It takes a little patience and a huge heart to rescue a dog in need, but giving an animal a new start is incredibly rewarding.
According to the American Kennel Club Rescue Network, the country’s largest network of dog rescue groups, the top three reasons owners surrender a dog are change of lifestyle, a breed that's not the right fit and lack of time to spend with the pet.
Re-homing a dog can be very difficult, depending on a variety of reasons, including age, behavioral issues and health conditions. AKC's Canine Good Citizen program, a certified standard in the U.S. for training, has helped many dogs transition out of traumatic experiences to become outstanding pets, with some even giving back to the community as therapy dogs.
The program has helped many aggressive dogs that had never received proper attention or training become adoptable. Several of Michael Vick's pit bulls were rehabilitated, trained and now live happily with their new families.
We asked AKC to share some success stories of formerly struggling pups that are now living the good life.