Celebrating the human-animal bond with photos and captions submitted by readers:

Me with Shorty at home in Ashland City, TN. Our special needs Pit Bull/Bassett Hound boy from a litter dumped on
our road. – Karen Josephson

1/4/12 – Merlin napping with (and on!) me. Merlin is a cuddlebug who never misses an
opportunity to cuddle, even if you’re out cold and don’t realize it. Picture thanks to hubby.
– Carol in Alabama

This is Mallymkin getting her first bath at her new home about two weeks ago. She was seized, along with a pit bull puppy, from a bad situation by animal control. The puppy was adopted, but Mally languished in the shelter. Twelve years old, toothless, plagued with skin problems, her prospects were not good. But when my husband, Frank, and I saw her photo on Facebook, we fell for her and fell hard. We went to the shelter and adopted her the next day. – Denise Mulliken

My father and Chichi in TN. Chichi was a senior chihuahua at a high kill shelter. She is the light of my dad’s life. She is celebrating her rescue with her party hat on. – Andrea

This is a photo of me and Chloe. Chloe and her eight puppies were dumped at a high kill shelter in Merced, a rescue pleaded for a foster home and we offered ours. After the puppies were weaned and went on to their foster/forever homes we kept mom for some rest and rehab. We ended up falling in love with her and ‘failed’ at fostering : ) – Loran

“Sheldon” after 14 months in foster care with me, Dot Kirby, Yanceyville, NC. This tiny 11th hour rescue has an adopter! His new Mom will be flying from Canton,OH to NC to meet him for the very first time on Jan 8, 2014 and flying him back to his forever home.

“Dandy” – Very shy little JRT mix, another foster baby since Dec 30, 2012. She is still waiting for her forever home. – Dot Kirby, Yanceyville, NC
Thank you to everyone who sent in photos for this post. It was a pleasure to put all these pictures together. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope everyone is having a happy day celebrating the bond we share with our four-pawed family members.
originalwacky
/ December 25, 2013I hope everybody has a wonderful holiday with their families and friends, furred, feathered, or otherwise.
mikken
/ December 25, 2013A very merry Christmas to all!
lita
/ December 25, 2013Thank you for all you do Shirley and Merry Christmas to all!
Dot Kirby
/ December 25, 2013Merry Christmas everyone! All the pictures are wonderful.. I especially love the two senior Chi’s
Denise Mulliken
/ December 25, 2013Merry Christmas, Shirley, and to all your devoted readers, a group to which I proudly belong!
Tina Clark
/ December 25, 2013Thank you for posting these wonderful pictures! Happy Holidays to all!
Karen F
/ December 26, 2013Merry Christmas, Shirley and the whole YB community!
Buddy2Blogger
/ December 26, 2013Reblogged this on Sherlockian's Blog.
Buddy2Blogger
/ December 26, 2013Very inspiring and heart warming post to read. Thanks for sharing.
B2B.
Roberta
/ December 26, 2013Thank you for sharing these, Shirley. I need to remember to send one in next year :). Have a blessed day.