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Above: As a care for life sanctuary, Home for Life does not often have many puppies and kittens in residence. But Ben, a young German shepherd cross puppy, was a special case.

It's a sad truth that homeless black dogs and cats are adopted at lower rates and euthanized at higher rates than their more brightly colored shelter mates.

Bianca, whose name was originally “Charlee" came to Home for Life from a private home who surrendered her when they were compelled to move from their house due to economic hardship and a breakup of the family.

Autumn had a conscientious caretaker on a hobby farm in Hudson, Wisconsin who fed her and about 30 other cats. She had undertaken a TNR project for the cat colony with the help of a local rescue, but she didn’t think Autumn, who was born on the farm and was about age 1, could survive another winter or survive period. Autumn's original name was Wisteria.

Editor's note: The first chapter of Benjamin's story is told below by Eve E. Franks of The Animal Rescue Alliance (T.A.R.A)

Unwanted cats, even when they are healthy and well-behaved, still have a terrifically tough time finding new homes. When a cat is old, has a special medical condition, a disability or a behavior problem, the opportunity for that cat to find a new home is slim. Cats make up the majority of the five million unwanted animals euthanized in the United States each year.

Schroeder was a farm cat who somehow got tangled in a piece of farm machinery and sustained terrible injuries, as can be seen from the scar across his nose. His injuries also required amputation to one of his front legs—a high amputation to the shoulder.

Athena is a beautiful black cat who was found on the side of a Minnesota Highway as a small kitten. She has severe balance and coordination problems due to a condition known as hyperplasia cerebellum (comparable to cerebral palsy in humans) caused in felines by a prenatal distemper infection, and it appears to be this condition which led to her abandonment all those years ago.

Valentina, so named because she arrived at Home for Life® on a cold, blustery February day just before Valentine's Day, is a young female silver and gray tabby. The name suits her gentle, sweet personality, her pretty feminine appearance, and her musical meow as well.

Named for his blue eyes, and because he was saved near the birthday of Frank Sinatra, Frankie was found along a rural highway in Ohio. A concerned citizen saw him lying in the ditch, unable to move. Three days later, the same good samaritan saw the dog again, still lying there, in 20 degree winter weather, and decided to do something about it.