Last week, we started asking for "shelter stories:" tales from those of you who have volunteered with animal rescue groups. We wanted to know about the good times, the bad, and what inspired you to do this work.

Our first submission, from Mack, sets the bar high. It made my day and I hope it does the same for yours.

I volunteer for Florida Dachshund Rescue and serve primarily as "intake coordinator.'' My role is to find foster homes for dachshunds that wind up in shelters or are given up by their owners. My interest started merely by being an enthusiast of the breed. I wanted to help. Soon I became a foster home. Who knew I'd gain a family as well?

I received an email in March of 2006 from a young woman who had spotted a black and tan doxie named Rascal at the Santa Rosa County Animal Services shelter in Milton. She was there to pick up a basset hound for her basset rescue group. I was lucky Rascal caught her eye.

She went home and Googled "dachshund rescue'' and up popped my group. Her note was like so many of the 4-5 a week I receive. I responded that I would try to help, but at that moment had no foster home for Rascal.

She told me later that she had about given up when I hadn't gotten back in touch in more than a day. But then we got a break -- a foster home for Rascal. The lady pulled Rascal for me and got him into our rescue.

Rascal is now in his forever home in Auburndale, near Lakeland, one of hundreds we've placed since FLDR's inception in 2003.

The young woman who emailed me that day from Santa Rosa kept emailing -- and calling. There were 11 more dogs taken from shelters in the Panhandle -- all in a course of a couple days a few weeks later.

There was also a personal connection there, a bond that grew stronger. By September, we were married, that lovely young woman and I making our home in South Florida, merging a family of furkids that now consists of eight dogs -- four dachshunds (one from among the group of 11), three basset hounds and a clumber spaniel. And a 13-month-old daughter.

And rescue is still very much a part of us. Without it, our lives would be very different.