I’m pretty sure my journey into rescue started before I was born. As long as I can remember, I wanted to save all the dogs I saw, because I always felt so good and peaceful when a pup was around. I drove my parents crazy with the constant begging and pleading for a dog. In 8th grade, all the students had to pick a charity to volunteer with, and, I chose an animal rescue, of course. That’s when the campaign for what would be a second pup became much more serious and targeted, complete with letter writing campaigns. That campaign was ultimately unsuccessful, but I like to think the determination and perseverance I exhibited laid the foundation for my volunteer work with Lucky Dog Animal Rescue!

My journey into rescue with Lucky Dog began when I lost my beloved hound dog, Hurley. I love hound dogs---their quirky personalities, their stubbornness, their intelligence, and, of course, their sweet voices. If you have ever loved a hound dog, you know what I’m talking about. I was absolutely devastated by the loss, which happened when Hurley was far too young. I knew I wasn’t ready to adopt again, but I missed the peace I feel when I have a dog, so I signed up to volunteer with Lucky Dog on a whim.

It started with handling dogs at events. I’ll never forget the first dog I handled. He was painfully thin and wouldn’t interact with anyone. I remember leaving the event thinking he would never get adopted, but he did shortly after he arrived in the DC area. That gave me hope! Energized, I started driving as many dogs and cats as I could to the adoption events, turning my SUV into its own Animal Express. I was so happy to play a small role in getting these pups adopted.

Then I got the email that changed my life: puppy fosters needed! It had been a long-standing dream of mine to be in the middle of a puppy pile, and this was my chance. My first litter was comprised of four 25-lb fluff balls who were quite shy and scared. It was a lot of work, but life truly doesn’t get much better for me than seeing a bunch of puppies play all day. My brain gets quiet and I go into a state of puppy zen.

When the pandemic hit, I took on more roles within Lucky Dog: screener, adoption coordinator, puppy screen, puppy adoption coordinator. Most importantly, I used the extended work from home period to adopt my very own Lucky puppy, Clara, a giraffe-like Foxhound mix, who is now my sidekick in life and the BEST foster sister to the puppies that come through the house.