The story of Grateful
Rescue & Sanctuary
The dream of Grateful Rescue began the day I walked into a overcrowded, understaffed, and high-stress shelter to adopt a dog.
One dog, a white Dalmatian & Lab mix they called “Big Boy”.
But when I walked in, I couldn’t believe what I saw…
Dogs crated everywhere - in the hallways, in the laundry room, in the storage rooms… stacked on top of each other.
The stench, the stress, the despair.
It was all too much.
As I passed each dog, they would sit pretty and straight, wagging their tails
...but when I would walk on, they would erupt in fierce barking.
It was if they were screaming, “Please help me!”
It was heartbreaking.
I had to get out of there, I couldn’t bear it.
But as I was leaving, I saw him, cowering in his cage, shaking and terrified.
A small coonhound with droopy ears and the saddest eyes I’d ever seen.
He wasn’t making a peep... Just trembling.
My heart was breaking!
I left the shelter with Big Boy, but I couldn’t get the terrified little coonhound off my mind.
I cried for him and all the others that night.
I went back the next day and adopted that little coonhound.
But that wasn’t enough.
"What about all the others?"
There must be a better way to keep these homeless animals...
We began setting up a living space for dogs on our 22-acre property.
We sectioned off four different yards for group play and added a climate-controlled home set at 70 degrees year-round.
This way all of the animals could live in a joyful space where they feel safe and loved.
