Saturday February 14th was the launch date of a new program for DDR and our partner The Rescue Train.  Based on the success of our South LA Shelter Intervention Program, LA Animal Services (LAAS) agreed to allow us to start a pilot program at the East Valley Shelter.

The program will run the same way our program at South LA runs.  Shelter staff members at intake will identify pet owners who are looking for an alternative to surrendering their cat, dog, rabbit to the shelter.  Our counselor Maddy will offer a variety of services to assist more families in the East Valley keep their pets.  Some of the services we will offer are medical assistance, humane euthanasia, dog training, repair of fences/gates, installing dog runs, paying for dog licneses and free spay/neuter + vaccines as just some of the many services that we offer to families in need who have pets.  We also offer to assist pet owners with redemptions, which reunite pet owners with their pets that are in the shelter but they can’t afford to get them out.  Think of all the pets that are in the shelter that have an owner but the owner can’t afford to get the pet back.  Imagine a day we could send them all back home.

Pug was one of those dogs.  The fees to redeem Pug were $147.  Pug, a one eyed, senior dog who had  a senior owner living on a fixed income with only $60.  DDR paid the balance and another dog went back home.  Our total for our first day was 5 cases.  While we will be there just one day a week, our goal is to continue our partnership with The Rescue Train, who is learning how the program runs, and turn the program over to them to run 2-3 days a week by June!  The Rescue Train understands that there are lots of families who need help, that need additional resources, that need more information so they can keep their pets.  Like our Facebook Page and read our stories of success on this program and more!

Rudy is a sweet puppy who is available to adopt.  He is doing great in his foster home with other dogs, loves to come and spend Sunday afternoons at the DDR kennel, playing with a bunch of dogs.

Some of Rudy’s favorite past times, other than playing, sleeping, dreaming and eating. YES he is a couch potato puppy!

So why has this 8 month old pit bull mix puppy not found his forever home?  It’s a mystery to us, but one we can solve together if you share his profile and tell your friends and family members about Rudy  Interested in making him part of your family?  Give us a call today 818-407-4145

Adopt the love of your life on Saturday February 14th Downtown Dog Rescue dogs will be available at a special adoption event at a great new shop in Highland Park called Rosie Bunny Bean.  Stop by and say Hi!

Now through March, Yellow Brick Home Blog is donating a portion of all sales for pet portraits. These are AMAZING portraits that you will cherish forever.

Check out the details here http://shop.yellowbrickhome.com/our-partners

Coming out to Stand Up For Pits on Sunday at the Hollywood Improv?? Don’t forget to bring your new or used items for our first-ever SHELTER DONATION DRIVE! All in-kind donations will be distributed to the homeless animals of the South LA Animal Shelter, to provide them with much-needed comfort and enrichment. We will provide a curbside drop-off at the event for your convenience. The more the merrier!

If you have followed our Facebook page, you would have read Milt’s amazing story, going from living under a freeway overpass for nearly two decades with his dog family to living in a home for the first time in his life. A dog lover all his life, Milt befriended and cared for many stray and abandoned dogs while he was homeless. Raised as a foster child, he had been homeless since he was 13 years old. Now in his sixties, thanks to the assistance of an Los Angeles County Sheriff and DDR volunteers Sandy and her husband Burt, Milt has an apartment that he shares with his dog named “Mama”.
Sandy found the apartment through a Compton Dog Clinic Client, Frank and his wife Annette who both wanted to help find a home for Milt and his dog. Good news! Milt’s other dogs all found loving forever homes, quickly but one dog, “Baby”. really captured all of the DDR volunteers’ hearts. She was very shy when Milt found her and started to care for her. For Baby, Milt’s “home” under the freeway was likely the only home she had ever known. According to Milt he named her Baby because his dog Mama loved her as did the rest of his dogs. When Milt was forced to leave his spot under the freeway, Baby came to the DDR kennel where she was very shut down. Our volunteers all spent time with her, socializing this sweet but shy dog.                                                                                             

(Katie hiking with Scout)
Fast forward a month, Katie met Baby at the NKLA Adoption Center, where DDR leases three dog runs, and she fell in love with this special dog. Katie decided to adopt Baby, renaming her Scout.

We just received an update from Katie, Scout is still shy but is a sweet dog who is experiencing more new things every day. Katie feels fortunate to have adopted Scout and judging by these photos, we think for Scout, the feeling is mutual.