We have an epidemic in our community…

An epidemic of neglected, abused, and abandoned dogs being dumped in the streets or surrendered to animal shelters. Shelters are currently overcrowded, underfunded, and overwhelmed. These beautiful animals are not getting the care that they need. Thousands are being euthanized.

Our community is desperately in need of more shelters. But not just the traditional shelter, where the dogs spend all day in a cage, with little or no interaction.  These forgotten animals need a place where they are cared for and provided the training and socialization necessary for them to have a successful transition into their forever home.

At One Dog at a Time, our mission is to rescue neglected, abused, and abandoned dogs, and foster an environment where they can ‘thrive’ rather than merely ‘survive’.

You see, when a dog is abandoned at a traditional rescue, they are surrounded by fear, anxiety and stress. When a dog is stuck in a cage and doesn’t receive proper stimulation, human interaction, and necessary socialization, the behavior of the dog usually drastically declines. This decline in behavior frequently results in the dog being labelled as reactive or aggressive, making it much harder for the dog to get adopted. In a high-kill shelter, the dog is likely to be euthanized. In a no-kill shelter, the dog may never leave the shelter, spending the rest of his life in a cage, surrounded by fear, anxiety and stress.

One Dog at a Time wants to change all of that. We are creating something different. We want to create a shelter that offers an improved quality of life, in which the needs of each dog are evaluated, and an individual care, training and socialization plan is implemented to provide each dog with the best quality of life possible while here, thus giving them the best chance of  being adopted into a loving, forever home.

What does that look like?

• By having spacious kennels that provide sound and visual barriers and have adequate space between them   This alone will drastically reduce the dogs’ fear, anxiety and stress. These kennels would be made as comfortable as possible, giving them a temporary ‘Home’ where they can feel safe and comfortable, and where they can decompress.

• By providing the dog with ample time out of their kennel:

  • Going for walks.

  • Playing outside in a play yard, interacting with humans.

  • Play groups, socializing with other dogs.

  • Field trips, going on an adventure away from the shelter to a new and exciting environment.

This variety of stimulation in different settings with different humans will create an atmosphere where most of the dog’s needs are satisfied, creating healthier and happier dogs.

• By providing proper nutrition. Evaluating each dog and creating a nutritional plan that takes their individual needs into consideration.

• By having an on-staff professional trainer. This is a necessity to evaluate each individual dog and identify any challenging behaviors.  Many dogs are surrendered due to unwanted behaviors.  A professional trainer will help provide the behavioral skills needed for these dogs to be adopted.

• By having an on-site vet that can evaluate each dog and provide the medical care that they need, to include administering all vaccines and microchipping.

• By having an on-site vet, we will be able to serve the community by offering low-cost wellness checks and vaccinations to pets in low-income homes. 

• We will spay or neuter each of our shelter animals. This would further serve the community by helping to curb the pet overpopulation epidemic.

By donating to One Dog at a Time, you will not only be saving the lives of many dogs, but you will also be providing them with the best care and the best quality of life possible. You will literally be giving them the best possible chance to be adopted and to live the life that they deserve.

Please help.