The Reason I Rescue Dogs

Dog rescuer blogs about how she got started
By Beth Bates

I love dogs, probably more now than I did as a kid. Growing up I had a peek-a-poo named Bimbo. Back then Bimbo was not considered a designer dog--just a mutt. He was small and cute and I loved him dearly. It was, without a doubt, his scrawny little personality that cultivated my love for animals. After Bimbo, my family had an assortment of dogs--an incessantly barking Irish setter, a scraggly little runaway terrier, and my first dog as a grown-up--an introverted Chow named Sushi.

As an adult I moved to the Metro D.C. area and decided it was time to give back to the pups that had filled my life with joy and unconditional love. So I joined a local rescue organization and performed home checks for them. It was my job to check on dogs that were once homeless and who were now in their new homes. It doesn't get much better than that. Dogs, in most cases, were happy to finally be in a loving environment: running, jumping, and playing. What an amazing feeling! Really-that was priceless. Unfortunately, some of these dogs got returned, which happens more often than you think. Maybe they would chew up a shoe, or bark, or poop in the house, or shed--or any number of animal-like things. I wondered, "What's going on here? There's nothing wrong with these dogs. How can I help?"

In 2003, I founded GoodDogz.org, a national animal-welfare nonprofit that supports dog rescue and, equally as important, fills some of the educational gaps experienced by potential and new dog parents. Before getting a dog, future owners need to educate themselves and evaluate their lifestyle. You need to ask the right questions to decide if you are fully prepared to be a new "mom" or "dad". We help support new dog owners in anyway we can, be it providing the proper resources to solve a canine catastrophe or just answering the simplest of questions. We also host large adoption events that bring local rescue groups, shelters, and dog seekers together in a fun environment so that dogs have a better chance of being adopted. So far, we've helped hundreds of dogs find and stay in their new homes.

When it comes to dog rescue, I've seen it all; the compassion for animals in crisis during Hurricane Katrina, the joy when dogs are adopted from a hoarding situation, and the pain of dogs that have been used for fighting. I look forward to sharing not only my personal experiences but also stories of other rescue workers and their undying compassion for homeless animals.

In addition to my work with homeless dogs, I have four rowdy rescue dogs of my own: two crazy Jack Russells named Katie and Willy, a quiet but regal mutt named Max, and a big, boisterous 130-pound mastiff named Gorgeous George. From time to time I'll throw in a few tales about their exploits too!
I hope that you find this blog fun, helpful, and inspiring. And if you have something to share, I want to hear from you! No bones about it!