Animal Rescue & K9 Charities Inc

ARK Charities found me the perfect companion. I could not be happier with the adoption process. I will definitely adopt from ARK Charities again in the future.

I cannot thank ARK enough for saving and bringing Zulu(left) into our lives! They were extremely kind and knowledgeable! If you are thinking of rescuing a GSD, ARK is amazing and will help find a dog that fits with your lifestyle.

I found ARK through a friend who had previously adopted 2 dogs through them. After having to put my shepherd down in December I knew I wanted to rescue another. Everyone at ARK was amazing and beyond helpful with their effort to find the right dog for me. When the initial dog I had interest in did not turn out to be the right fit, Tina made sure to match me with one who met all my necessary criteria. When I met Aria (formerly Helga), I knew her sweet personality and demeanor was the right match for me and my family. She has settled in so well and is already so loved. I’m beyond grateful to Tina and everyone at ARK who found me the perfect match ☺️.

We wanted to honor the loss of our previous rescue dog of 14 years by helping a Texas shelter dog. After seeing Salems photos and reading his bio I knew I wanted to meet him.

After our 1st meet and greet I knew he was the one…he’s been with us for just over a week and has really settled in as part of our family.

Going through ARK Charities gave us piece of mind as they have already vetted the dog and have a better understanding of the dogs personality.

Really happy we went through ARK Charities and would adopt through them in the future.

Thank you to the whole Team!!!

I am now a two time adopter from ARK, and both dogs couldn’t have been a better match for each other or for myself and my lifestyle. Tina and Edwin’s (and Kelly’s) dedication to all of the dogs that they take in is amazing and their commitment to finding the best match for both dog and human is unparalleled. I have recommended them to friends and those who have reached out had the same experience, one will be taking an ARK dog home this weekend!

I feel so blessed every day I get to spend with my dogs. Both times I did not end up with the dog I had originally asked about, but I did end up with the perfect dog for me both times. And additionally blessed that they gave me a little nudge and the confidence to take on a puppy the second time.

Another added bonus is that I now use Edwin’s business to do all of the embroidery for my business. I love that a portion of the proceeds goes back into ARK.

If I could give them 10 stars, I would!

We had a great experience with Ark adopting a sweet 6 month old German Shepherd. He is wonderful dog that Ark saved from being put down due to having pneumonia at a shelter in Texas. Ark cared for him and brought him back to good health. They really care about their rescues and take care to ensure they find a good home. They made sure he was the right fit for our family and our other German Shepherd. He has quickly become a loving member of the family and the two dogs are soul mates. We feel so lucky that he is part of our family. Thank you Ark.

Rescuing a dog from ARK Charities has permanently changed my life, in the absolute worst way imaginable. I am now terrified of dogs because of the negligence and reckless endangerment by ARK/"T", her volunteer "K" and their affiliate "B" with The Puppy Coalition. ARK was responsible for the murder of my dog Mocha, she was revived with my money.

In September 2021, I reached out to B who had an ARK courtesy listing for a dog named Brando. My email was full of pictures of my dogs on paddle boards doing all sorts of great activities for dogs. He did not initially respond to me, so I followed up again and he suggested we meet up the following week. I drove 9 hours across the state to meet this dog, and everyone (volunteer K, boarding facility owner "U" and affiliate B) seemingly dropped everything for us to meet between Palm Springs and Los Angeles with less than a few hours notice. That probably should have been a red flag.

During the initial meeting, Brando appeared friendly and relaxed. Both K and B expressed their satisfaction with how the introduction went via text message. I submitted an adoption application while my husband drove me home, and T even sent me an email expressing gratitude for adopting Brando.

A couple days later, B brought the dog to my home and we did a neighborhood walk to re-acquaint the dogs. Everything was going great. B unleashed Brando on my property and let him play. B emphasized at how he was surprised ARK founder T didn’t import the dog back to Connecticut as she always does with all black German shepherds. Why was this dog left in Southern California and not imported to Connecticut? Was this not business as usual? Could it be that CT has strong dog importation regulations and it would risk ARK’s importer license?

On day 15, Brando completely changed. After getting 100% of the human attention, he ran across the yard full speed to attack one of my other dogs, Mocha. I stopped the attack and I picked up Mocha. Brando ripped Mocha out of my arms again. I brought her inside, and Brando chased us inside for an attempted third attack. He was placed back outside and the dog door was closed, but it was not latched, so he came back for an attempted forth attack before he was kenneled.

We immediately rushed to the emergency vet and had to spend $5,000 to save Mocha.

B returned to retrieve Brando but mentioned that he needed to stay in a hotel as he lacked the space for the dog. He and K later sent an email expressing surprise at the sudden change in Brando's behavior, citing that everyone at the shelter had only positive things to say about him (later proven to be false per the shelter records).

To my disbelief, ARK re-listed Brando the next day as family/child-friendly on their website without conducting a proper evaluation. Instead, K took Brando to a restaurant, allowing the dog to crawl on a table and even sharing it on social media. I have included the screenshots of how ARK altered their listing info, removing dog and cat friendly when they re-listed him, but leaving child friendly, days after Brando ripped Mocha, a baby-sized dog out of my arms.

To get a better understanding of what had gone wrong, I filed an open records request with the LA City shelter where ARK obtained Brando. ARK renamed him from Blackie to Brando. This open records request yielded an 18-page report detailing the dog's dangerous behavior and heavy medication needs (250 mg trazodone/day) during his time at the shelter. (My other GSD takes only 50 mg for long car rides.) There were linked Youtube shelter videos with notes on Brando’s kennel stating that the dog cannot come out to play/walk with volunteers. I suspect that Brando's vet paperwork, which volunteer K was supposed to send but never did, would have indicated the extent of his medication, and his physical ailments which could prohibit importing him to CT. I was never informed and never medicated Brando with trazodone, so I have to believe he was withdrawing while with my family.

When confronted with this information, T initially claimed she had no knowledge of our adoption, despite her previous email thanking us for it. Later, she asserted that boarding facility owner U had (falsely) reported aggression during the initial meet and greet between Brando and Mocha. This left me questioning why I was allowed to adopt Brando if that was T’s impression. Remember: B and K had conveyed written positive feedback after the meeting.

ARK denied any responsibility, asserting that Brando was not their dog, despite my completion of their adoption paperwork, ARK vetting of my references, and payment of a $470 adoption fee via Venmo directly to ARK. Strangely, ARK used language from the report in their initial listing and re-listing, indicating that they were aware of the dog's behavior issues: “…benefits from a calm demeanor and patience, so he can feel reassured”, “nods for a treat”, etc.

Ultimately, I had to take legal action against ARK in small claims court. ARK brought their attorney, which is generally not allowed in small claims court, so he claimed to be acting as a board member. However, based on ARK’s Forms 990 filed with the IRS, he is not listed as a board member, which means he committed perjury. Despite presenting over 100 pages of evidence, the court ruled in favor of ARK, leaving us without any compensation.

This experience has left me with the impression that there are insufficient protections for families adopting dogs. ARK suggested (via Tweet) that adopters should conduct their own open records requests directly with the shelter that ARK acquired the dog from, placing the onus on the adoptive family rather than fostering transparency within the rescue organization.

In my opinion, ARK Charities poses a danger to society. While they may have had positive reviews in the past, their practices will catch up with them eventually. I hope it never results in harm to a child. I am committed to continuing my efforts to hold ARK accountable and have consulted with several attorneys regarding potential courses of action. This is a well-funded organization taking in over $200k in donations annually (per IRS 990s). With that kind of budget, how many more families can they harm?

It strikes me as ironic that had we only fostered this dog, ARK would have been responsible for the damages incurred. The situation raises concerns about what could happen if even more, less reputable rescues place animals in homes without thorough evaluation. This experience has transformed me and my family, and I believe ARK should be held accountable for their actions. I suspect ARK will try to delete this review somehow, so you can find more information about my experiences on my Instagram account - just add “negligence” to ARK’s instagram handle and you will find my account and more evidence. They have already shut down reviews on their Facebook page because of my review. They wouldn't even refund me the donation fee when presented with their enormous volunteer negligence (despite saying I didn't get a dog from them, but they took my money?), so I guess I am one of their donors for the purposes of this review.

I reached out to Tina looking to adopt another dog that we would train as my daughters emotional support dog.

Tina and Ed were amazing! They explained the adoption process as well as their extensive background with rescue dogs. They take very good care of the rescues. They explained what its like having a large dog and provided recommendations for training and obedience classes. The background check was effortless and the turnaround time for approval was 2 days!

I had selected several pups to meet and Tina had one more that she wanted to include. His name was Lenny. When Lenny saw my daughter it was love at first site.

All of Lenny’s paperwork and medical records were in order, and when we took him to our vet for heart worm and flea & tick medicine the staff fell in love him. He got a clean bill of health from the dr and the staff looks forward to seeing him again. They never saw a rescue so well behaved and sweet. He is very gentle for an almost 9 month old!

Lenny has become a welcomed addition to our family. The love, energy and support he has brought had been amazing. He already attended 4 weeks if obedience training as well as daily reinforcement activities. He is currently doing a 30 mile walk for St. Judes with me as he has a wonderful stride.

I highly recommend and support Tina and Ed’s rescue organization and all their work with the dogs.

One of the best, sincere, and knowledgeable charities that I have a privilege to support. They are not just a rescue…they are family.

This rescue doesn’t just adopt to anyone and then leave you without support. They continue to offer their support, knowledge and guidance throughout the dog’s journey.

Tina, Edwin, and Kelly are the most genuine people I’ve met and care for the well-being of the dogs AND their new owners. They are helping us make a positive change in high kill shelters where people don’t understand the breed.

We need more rescues with their heart where they leave drama at the door and lead and inspire from their heart. I truly love them and their passion and compassionate hearts.

I highly recommend Ark charities if you want to rescue a German shepherd. We lost our 15 yr old and our 13 year old shepherds this past year and we were just lost. I have followed Tina on Facebook for years and knew she really cared about rescuing and giving dogs the best homes possible. They are not the type of rescue to just grab a dog from a shelter and adopt it out. They take the time in foster homes to get to know the personalities, rehabilitate if necessary and spare no expense when it comes to their medical needs. My husband and I adopted a 1 year old named Ransome. He’s enjoying his daily walks, golf cart rides, learning to swim and enjoys his training sessions. He’s a very smart boy. I would like to thank Tina, Edwin and Kelly for always being there if I have a question and for all that they do for these dogs. They truly do care. Teresa S.

Guiness joined our family just before Thanksgiving in 2022. We couldn’t ask for a better boy! Tina worked with our daughter to find a perfect match for us. Guiness had serious medical problems after arriving at Charities from California which were immediately taken care of. Tina actually kept him with her and her husband for almost two months until she gave him to us. He arrived with food, toys, supplements, prayer blanket and detailed instructions! Tina has been available from the beginning to answer all our concerns and questions. We are a very happy and grateful family!

I've known Tina since we met, in mutual rescue circles, in 2014. It was around the time I started in rescue in Southern CA. She has always been so supportive of my efforts. A real trust and true friendship blossomed. She intrusted me to transport dozens of Greman Shepherds from shelters to boarding, vet offices, fosters, other transports, and airports. She insisted on the very best care for the dogs bound for her rescue in CT. She made sure both the dogs, and the people helping her, were always taken care of. We've celebrated the "Happily Ever Afters" and have cried over the heartbreaking realities we've both experienced in animal rescue. I can honestly say, she has helped me as much as she's helped any dog in her care. The dogs, the behind the scenes folks, and the adopters are truly blessed by her and this stellar organization!

You won’t find a better place to rescue a shepherd than Ark Charities. Our first rescue with them was about 8 years ago. When we were thinking about adding a 2nd dog to the house we called and Tina had the perfect dog for us! The process is very easy and even years later they are a great asset in knowledge with training solutions or vet suggestions! I would highly recommend them for anyone looking to adopt a shepherd into their family.

Ark Charities’ Tina and Edwin are true Angels on earth. They love every rescue pup unconditionally and ensure each is adopted into a loving and safe home.
We welcomed Austin seven months ago and I can’t imagine our family without him. He brings us so much joy and happiness. His zoomies are the best.
I would not hesitate to recommend Ark Charities to anyone considering pet adoption.
Because of your compassion and generosity countless dogs are living better lives today. Thank you Tina and Edwin for giving them that precious gift.

ARK has connected us with a great dog that has been a perfect fit for our family for years. Their guidance in placing a dog with us that matched the dynamics of our family was so thoughtful. As we have grown as a family, so has our dog!

We adopted an incredible male Malinois from ARK Charities. From the start, Tina has been unbelievably kind, helpful and now a family friend through this adoption process. I could not have asked for a better animal rescue to help find our new family member and still to this day Tina prays for us and is there for us. ARK Charities is seriously a gift from Heaven, and our dog has made our family full of joy with his friendly personality, and even our other dogs have become more playful and opened up, releasing their insecurities. This Mal has helped everyone in our family become more confident and joyful and has been the biggest blessing!!! We love ARK Charities and hope to be a lifelong partner. Thank you Tina for everything you do!! May God continue to bless ARK Charities.

This rescue is not only dedicated to saving dogs,, but it is managed by the most amazing group of human beings I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, in any format. They truly care about everybody involved. They go to any length to be sure their animals are matched properly, and to support the new families all the way through the adoption process and beyond. It has truly been my honor to meet and be associated with this nonprofit.

8 years ago Tina matched us with the best boy in the entire world, a black German shepherd my husband and I named Jax. Tina had saved him from a shelter in California and brought him all the way to CT to us. He was the love of my life and we recently lost him. I have always kept in touch with Tina since his adoption. She was kind and supported us when we first took him home and needed help getting him settled, and she supported me when his health started failing by sending us supplements and offering equipment such as a cart to help with his mobility. She was the first person I notified when I had to make the most difficult decision of my life and let him go, and she gave me the kindness, grace, and support I needed at the time. Throughout the years, I have watched Tina save countless other dogs like my sweet Jax. She has saved them from high kill shelters, parvovirus, distemper, and severe neglect and physical abuse. They all get the absolute best medical care regardless of their prognosis and then she matches them with families that will give them the life they deserve. Her dedication is truly inspiring and I am so grateful to have met her. When my heart heals from the loss of my best friend, I look forward to fostering for her so I can help her on her and honor my sweet boy.

My name is Andre Alexsen aka "The Adrenaline Man" and I have had many years of experience with K9s, Shepherd rescue, Rottie rescue, animal handler/trainer. When I first saw Sirus in a riverside, CA kill shelter after all of the fires in CA, I realized that he was a special catch of a black tan and charcoal colored Belgian shepherd Malinois. Extremely rare. I knew we had to get him out. I thought it would be impossible being in Texas. We prayed over it and ARK Charities; Tina got him on "the ark" and rescued him the morning of his execution date. Not only did we get him out in time, but Tina and the whole team got him all the way to me in Texas! He is not only an amazing dog but he's everything you would imagine Mals can do from K9 work to a flying dog leaping up onto my roof on my second story to find me and back down safely lol. He's a wonder dog. Shortly after he arrived, my K9 male rottweiler rescue's cancer advanced and I had to put him down. This was a divine appointment; Sirus fit right into the pack and took his position as lead male K9 to protect, serve, and bless our household. Sirus has officially become the Adrenaline dog and will be on our TV show on Discovery Channel + coming soon! God bless you Tina and America and all of your family and pack! Thank you for making our dreams come true and giving Sirus a new life.

ARK Charities is an incredible rescue organization truly saving the lives of abused and abandoned dogs. I had the utmost pleasure of meeting Tina Zinn July 2022 when her Black German Shepard ( then called Clark ) was scheduled to be euthanized and ARK Charities swooped in and literally saved his life and flew him in from LAX airport. Once I met Tina and took one look at Zander I knew he was the one for me . Rescuing a shelter dog is completely different than adopting a puppy and the entire Team at ARK Charities profoundly helped me navigate the process to transition Zander and teach him to completely trust. Their help has been instrumental to develop the bond I have now. You become a part of the ARK Charities family forever. How truly blessed both Zander and I are to be able to be apart of such an inspiring organization and for both of us to be healed on a level that only a human/dog can experience.
Forever Grateful ������
Jennifer Mucci-Cruz and Zander the Great ....aka "Z"

Heartfelt thank you to Tina and Kelly for working so hard to save Kiah for me. Kiah was on the kill list at FT Worth ACC but thanks to Tina for pulling her and Kelly setting up her transport Kiah was soon on her way to a new life. I have had her since July 6th and she has settled in nicely and is best friends with our GSD puppy Sadie. Kiah is loving life now. I would highly recommend to anybody wanting to save a rescued dog to support ARK Charities by adopting and donating to them. Thank you so much for all that you do ARK Charities and your team!!

ARK Charities is an amazing organization, not only did they help me find my best friend but also have made me me feel like not just an adopter but a special part of this beautiful family that saves the lives of these incredible souls. One year now with Zander and the unique bond and trust we have formed is invaluable. Thank you to the entire team at ARK Charities for fulfilling my life.
Ary DaCruz and Zander aka Z

Tina, Edwin and Kelly are absolutely amazing people. They made the experience terrific. From the rigorousness of the application and vetting process to the thoughtfulness and care they exhibit to the follow up and amazing advice and education, this entire process has been wonderful. I would wholeheartedly recommend Ark. They have a great team of folks who live to give these animals a wonderful and loving home. You can see their passion - and compassion - in literally everything they do.

I have adopted from this group a couple times. They not only vet the pet but the family they place them with to make sure it’s a fit. And every time it’s been a perfect match. Because of that i will always work with them. I am very grateful that our paths crossed and can assure my pups are too.

We lost our beautiful shepherd Zelda to angiosarcoma about 7 months ago.
We contacted Animal Rescue & K9 Charities and told Tina that Zelda was dying from cancer and was in pain. She supported Christina and me various times through the night while we were at the emergency vet trying to figure out what to do. She stayed with us until 4 in the morning. What a blessing to have her on the phone during this most difficult time. I will never forget her love and support at this horrible time. Tina is an angel here in earth.

From the day we met Tina she has been a blessing !
She helped us not only find a wonderful and amazing dog for our family but then found us a second one !!!
She has helped us anytime we had any questions . Gets back to us asap
And has become a true friend to everyone in our family .. she loves these babies as if they were her own and loves hearing about how they are long after the adoption .. been years for us !!! And she still asks for pictures ������
I have referred others to her and will continue to do so as I have complete faith in her to match up the right dogs for anyone I send her way ….
Love her and love the two furry family members we have !!!
God bless !!

Well, it has been 6 months since we rescued Dan from Ark Charities. There are no words to describe our gratitude to this rescue. We have kept in touch through social media and we are already working towards another rescue. Dan has brought an unspeakable amount of joy into our lives. When I went for a meet and greet I was going to look at another dog. After talking to Tina about our lifestyle and what we were looking for she said "how about Dan"? And man, I am so grateful for those 3 words. She matched us with the MOST PERFECT dog for us! I was grateful for their adoption process. It showed us that they were not just handing dogs over to just anyone and that was important to us. We now consider Tina, Edwin and Kelly part of our little family! They are just wonderful people trying to do right. We always wanted a GSD and Dan is now the light of our life! Thank you Ark for the love you have added to our lives! We WILL be back for a 2nd : )

Well, where do I begin? As you can see from the photo, we now have adopted 2 dogs from Ark Charities. It is amazing to know how committed Tina and Edwin are at matching the right dog with the right humans. They are walking textbooks when it comes to dog life and care of our 4 legged friends. I continue to reach out to Tina as a resource and I have referred a number of friends to Tina that may be interested in adopting a dog.

I met Tina about 2 years ago. My beautiful Sergie had passed two weeks earlier. I got a text with a phone number from a friend telling me of 2 German Shepherds that needed a home as the owner died. I called the number to find out there were 5 shepherds and upon visiting them, saw the conditions were horrible. Tina came down on New Years Day and took 3 of them to her rescue. I took one and the other went to Maine.
My Zelda was 10 years old at the time. She became a very happy dog and was my shadow. I lost her 2 years later and my heart was shattered. I contacted Tina and she had the perfect match for me. Austin! I didn’t know such a beautiful pup could be in my life so soon. That’s how I mended my broken heart.
Over the past 2 years, I donate to her rescue whenever I can because, she is the most caring person I know. I’ve said this 1000 times because it’s true. She is an angel here on earth. You will not find a better place to match you up with the perfect for you dog. She has a knack.

I met Tina almost 9 years ago when looking for that special dog that could not only be a therapy dog but fit into our diverse pack of 3 shepherds. That is when Dixie entered our life! Words can not describe how special this dog was. She spent hours lying in my husband's hospital room, comforting him after his strokes as well as making her rounds down the floor he was on knowing who needed a visit. Dixie and Elke, another rescue from Tina, and their pictures can be found in another review. Sadly after a long fight with cancer, we lost our sweet Dixie. This was a hole that I did not feel could be filled. Our hearts were truly broken. But a few months later, out of the blue I got a call from Tina. She said that she had a sweet pup that she thinks Dixie sent. His name was Saint and asked if we wanted to meet him. Although unsure I was ready for another dog but having worked with Tina over the years I was sure that she knew just what we needed! Today Saint has truly lived up to his name. Tina far exceeds the ability to fit the right dog with the right family! Her dedication and unconditional love for these dogs is exceptional

My husband and I had always talked about getting a German Shepherd. When our friend told us about her fantastic experience with Ark Charities, we knew we would contact Tina! After getting to know us, she matched us with 10mo old Axl.

Axl is fierce in his love, loyalty and protection. He enjoys traveling to the mountains any time of year, going on runs, playing with his kids, snuggling during bedtime stories, sneaking food when his humans aren’t looking, and barking at delivery trucks!

Being a smart as he is, Axl has taught us the importance and necessity of good training and consistency. He is sweet and stubborn, and brings an element of joy to our lives that only a shep can!

Adopting Jax from Tina aka ark-charities was one of the best things that I have ever done. When I first got Jax he was shy and very nervous. Now he is self-confidant and very loving. I would like to take credit for this but I can’t. It was my other Shepherd Scooby that helped Jax along the way. When he would see that something like fireworks or lighting frightening Jax he would go lay next to him to comfort him. The two are inseparable. They even eat out of the same bowel. When I have to take one to the vet and the other stay home they are not happy campers.
Jax has gone on several vacation since I had him and he loved it. He even went to outdoor restaurants, bars and the dog beach. I have enclosed a few pictures of the dogs in Wildwood NJ.
I still keep in touch with Tina as she really really cares about the dog’s wellbeing.
Zackery Palumbo

Tina and Edwin were terrific throughout the whole process. They truly care about the dogs and finding the best fit possible. They are both very knowledgeable and kind. After our boy Jax passed they helped us rescue another GSD and he has been a wonderful addition to our family.

This is Zander the Great ...AKA "Z"... We lost our beloved Dodge at 15 1/2 years of age who was a Black Lab GS Chow Mix 4 months ago and we are broken...shattered ...

We needed another dog in our lives to help us with our grief and heal our broken hearts...As soon as we met Zander 10 days ago we knew that it was meant to be. It was that simple . He has had a rough first 3 to 4 years of life being a stray out in CA then placed in a high kill shelter hours away from being euthanized. This is where Tina and Edwin from ARK Charities do their magic ..true angels here on earth ...dedicating their lives to save the lives of these precious animals.

Meeting Tina ...her compassion...her knowledge...her focus on placing these rescued animals ... is unlike anything I have ever seen in this life time .

Edwin says ..."as 1 dog is adopted out that leaves room for us to save another"...truly a special organization...Tina and her supportive team despite how busy they are ... have been phenomenal to help us with any questions since we brought Zander home. Such an amazing organization that we feel so privileged to now be apart of. Bonded for life
Forever friendships made .

In 10 days Zander has provided such light in our home ...changed our aura and has provided healing to our broken hearts. He is a Beautiful Intuitive Calm Wise
Dog and we feel so blessed to have our paths meet .
We will all save each other .
Here's to a Happy Healthy Life Z...and Kudos to ARK Organization for being so special. Thank you Tina Edwin and Kelly for entrusting us with one of your own .
We are forever grateful.

This is Ember. She was our first rescue and our first dog from Tina. When we met Ember, we knew she had been through some trauma, but she kissed my face and I knew it was meant to be. Tina said she hadn’t seen her do that before. Once we brought her home, she was extremely skiddish and scared for months. She would hide in our back bedroom, and we never heard her make a noise. Her bark cords were clipped. It took a while for her to come around, but now she is the sweetest and friendliest dog and we give her the best life we possibly can, all thanks to Tina!❤️

Our third baby from Tina & Ed! Always provide us the best experience. After we lost our last German shepherd, whom we also got from Tina, she worked tirelessly to help us find another perfect match. This photo is from his first day at home with us. Can you tell he fits right in?

So grateful to have crossed paths with Tina & Kelly! So difficult to comprehend the poor (understatement) living conditions 3 GSD’s in CA were forced to endure for the first 3-4 years of their lives. ARK Charities came to their rescue & rehabilitated these beautiful souls and found each one a loving home. My Hannah is such a gift & an Angel. I love her so much. Grateful ❤️

I don’t even know where to begin to say how lucky I was to cross paths with Tina and her husband. It is through them and their love for animals that I was able to adopt my best friend Lexus. A gorgeous and sweetest German Shepard one could ever wish for. When I first met Tina her love and enthusiasm for animals and the effort to find dogs there forever home shined like the brightness star. We connected immediately and Tina listened very carefully to the type of dog that I described to her that I felt would fit our family. When I was shown pictures of my precious Lexus I was super excited to meet him and was really hoping he would be our dog. We met Tina and Lexus at Lowes in Danbury and as soon as we were in the store Lexus came right over to me, sat down and gave me his paw without me saying a word. It was like he was introducing himself to me. And that’s not all, my son was sitting on the foot taking this all in and Lexus laid down right next to him.
I looked up at Tina and said “this is the one, this is our dog”. My heart was filled with so much love and joy. We couldn’t wait to get Lexus home with us. Tina had all of Lexus’s shots up to date and neutered before he came home to us. The process of adoption from start to finish was super easy. I can’t even express my gratitude toward Tina and her husband for giving us the privilege of adopting our beautiful Lexus. He has and continues to bring so much joy into our lives and we love him more than words could say. Tina and I still keep in touch and I share photos of Lexus growing up. This charity deserves many more stars than five that’s for sure.
There love for animals and the time and effort they spend to find the perfect forever home for animals is just wonderful and very heart warming.
Thank you so much for my fur baby!!!

It had been about 4 years since our dear Ethan passed (Ethan was our Shepard-Hound mix). We gave ourselves time to mourn, but it was time for another Shepard to become a member of our family. My husband and I both grew up with GS and they are who we are most comfortable being around. We both agreed that rescue was the way to go.....and so our search began.

At work I was working with one of my patients when I happened to mention how pretty her GS scarf was and that I was looking for a GS to adopt. Low and behold she mentions a friend of hers, Tina, who runs Ark Charities, and rescues GS. Be still my heart, I looked up the site and Oooohhhh...so many GS to choose from. But I had to now convince my husband as my family was all working from home due to COVID. I kept going to Ark Charities and admiring all the GS and reading all the adoption stories. I did submit an application for a GS that was still out West and had not been transported East. I called and spoke to Tina, who was friendly, informative, honest, transparent and gave me honest feedback regarding the GS I was inquiring about. As COVID restrictions were easing and we were going into summer weather, I had my husband look at the GS on the website. I figured if he chose the GS, that would be the one we would adopt. My husband kept going back to Drake. A beautiful black GS mix, male, about 2 years old and those eyes. I called Tina asking if we ever spoke about Drake. Tina's response warmed me, "Drake would be perfect for you!"

Drake happened to be at a foster home in Connecticut and I was able to schedule a meet and greet. Drake was shy, apprehensive, fearful, anxious and the most beautiful black Shepard mix I had ever met. And so our adoption journey began. I had a vacation coming up and asked Tina if we would be able to adopt Drake by a certain date so that I could spend the first week with him at home and help in his transition. Tina and Kathleen, Drake's adoption mom, were able to check my references and get the paperwork all in order to be able to pick up our boy on July 11th! Tina also loaned us the crate Drake was using while he was with his adoption mom.

Oh that first week was exhausting and I was so grateful to be home with Drake that first week. He would go all the way to the back of his crate, and not come out to eat or go for a walk. I had to get on my knees, crawl into the crate, get his collar on, attach the leash and entice him out as best I could. I felt so bad that I was bringing him food and water to his crate because he would not come out. Add on top of this that Drake was so fearful of men, that when he heard my husband and son in the house he would run into his crate and stay put!!

Tina and Kathleen both kept telling me to be patient and most importantly consistent with his routine. So we began a consistent routine. "Drake lets go pee and poop" was our way for him to understand it was time for a walk. After about 10 days he would come slowly out of his crate when we said "Drake lets go pee and poop." Success! Meals were at regular times, water was always in his bowl and we learned to give him space and time while he ate and drank water.

Walking was another story!! I could not get him to go more that a few houses down when he would want to run back to the house and run into his crate. Again Tina and Kathleen's advise was to keep it consistent and a little bit further each day. Walking is still a skill we are all working on, but Drake now enjoys his walks and is getting more comfortable with the daily noises, faces and other dogs on the block.

We now have a trainer that is helping us with basic commands, walking skills, and obedience. We have seen an amazing transformation in Drake since we started with our trainer, Joyce. Drake has become so much more comfortable in the house and we have been able to reinforce that he is now home and safe.

I cannot say enough about Tina and for all the time and resources she invests in her German Shepard rescues. Tina is knowledgeable, helpful, honest, open, transparent and so friendly and approachable in helping us choose the right GS for our family. Drake is now a complete member of the family! No more crate for our Drake. He loves his multiple beds he lays on throughout the day. He knows he has meals at consistent times everyday. He drinks water instead of inhaling water. He sleeps!! He sleeps, he dreams and he finally rests after a long day.

I am so grateful for Tina and for all she and her charity does to rescue these wonderful German Shepard's. We love our "handsome boy" and couldn't be more ecstatic to our newest family member, our Drake.

Thank you Tina, thank you Kathleen for rescuing, fostering and showing Drake that there is a home for him where he will be loved. Drake is loved each and every day, he brings smiles to our faces and he is one lucky boy that you found him Tina. Keep on rescuing! These GS need you and the love and home you introduce them to and the forever families and homes they are adopted into.

We were introduced to the most incredible dog through this amazing organization, and are so grateful to Tina and Kelly for matching us with our dear rescue, named “Loba”. Not only does this organization save the lives of countless dogs from all kinds of horrible situations, but rehabilitates each one with heartfelt care before diligently finding the most appropriate match for their next home. This organization is a true service to the world, as it not only strives to alleviate suffering but enhances the lives of dogs and humans by bringing them together to share a beautiful life with one another...

The legacy of my current GSD began within an enormous male beauty named Buzz. I got him through the North Shore Animal League, on a last chance bus ride in my town of Fairfield, CT. He was the reason I fell in love and continued owning GSDs. Second dog I got through Tina Zenn, his name was Cossack. He was an impeccable blood line. The third and current GSD, his name is Dewey. Dewey is the most beautiful animal, everyone agrees. I have gotten 3 GSDs through non profit charitable organizations, each one of these dogs has enriched my life. After the first GSD, Buss, I decided that this was the breed for me. My grandfather was a veterinarian, and taught me a lot about animals, dogs in particular. I think it is very important for us when we are looking for a dog, to be sure that we can fulfill the needs of the dog first and foremost and understand what the dog was bread to do. I found that although the traits, of these dogs were that of GSDs, they're personalities were as different as that in humans. Cossack by second GSD, was a breeder dog of import from West Germany, was of impeccable blood line. Taken from someone, who was mistreating and abusing, his animals. Cossack was one year old when I adopted him. He was an amazing in that in was instinctively a warrior and agile as any dog I have ever seen. He was the smartest dog I have ever met. Beautiful to look and his grace of movement. The dog I currently have Dewey, is even more beautiful than the first two. A marvelous specimen of GSD, a perfect loving companion with a cheeky comedic side that is quite noticeable. Everyone who sees them, comments on his beauty. He has a regalness about him that I've never seen in any dog. The charities that save these magnificent dogs, need our help to continue saving these animals that enrich our human existence.

Where to begin…. Candidly, I haven’t got the words to express how I feel about Animal Rescue & K9 Charities (ARK). Tina and Kelly are true angels. The work and services they provide is unmeasurable to both animal and human. Not only did they save this little dog, who had severe trauma, they nursed her back to health, provided surgeries as well as Physical Therapy. ARK made sure she found the right forever home. How many people can honestly say they would go this far to help a stray dog? ARK does, I know this first hand as I have welcomed this new member of our family. She is vibrant, loving, playful and best of all, alive, thanks to ARK. Please, consider helping ARK

This Charity is a true blessing. If you are looking to adopt a German Shepherd look no further. We have never met such a loving couple that treats every dog as if it were part of their family from the moment they find these dogs. Their goal is to make sure every dog gets a loving home. Each dog they rescue gets medical care and love before you meet them. We reached out to Tina at Ark Charity because she was recommended to us from a shelter we went to visit. We spoke to Ark Charities several times before and after filling out our application and their kindness and patience with us was consistent. They even remembered us after reaching out to them a year later. When we were finally ready to commit they told us about a sweet girl we should meet. Of course we met her and fell in love with her. It amazed us how well they know the dog’s personality before they adopt them out. They were so right when matching us with our Ellie.
We truly recommend you adopt from Ark Charity. You will not be disappointed with the personal attention Ark Charity will give you and I guarantee you will not get this same experience any where else.

At first, we thought we were merely adopting a wonderful dog from ARK-Charities. But when we saw firsthand the care and the love and the devotion that Tina and her team give to these wonderful dogs, we felt the need to be an active member of her community. We’ve rarely seen anyone in the nonprofit world so dedicated as she is and we tell everyone who is thinking of getting a dog that they should go to Tina. We cannot recommend her highly enough.

My wife and I wanted a GSD for protection but more importantly companionship. We found Redemption Rescue and spoke with Tina who introduced us to our sweet boy Axel. We were immediately in love and took Axel home. Tina made the process smooth and easy. We are forever grateful as Axel has been such a blessing to us and our son who was just born in September.

We adopted a beautiful 4 month old German Shepard puppy from ARK charities. Tina and Kelly were just wonderful to work with. We had a phone and In person interview and we completed a lengthy application. This was all done to ensure they were placing the puppy in a safe, loving home. Tina spent so much time with us and made sure we were knowledgeable and prepared to take on this new pup. They are doing such amazing work we feel blessed to have found this organization.

My experience with Tina Zinn and ARC Charities of Brookfield CT was AMAZING! I had met these wonderful people through my work place and found them to be some of the most loving and compassionate people I've ever met. When my beloved husky passed i July of 2020 i was heartbroken..( and still am)..but i told her my story of my husky boy...and i decided i needed a German Shepherd puppy in my life to love and raise...well..she found me the best puppy ever..it took 6 months..but me and my new baby NOELLE..are together now..it is a blessing for both of us..♡.. ARK Charities/ Redemption Rescue of Brookfield CT...is an incredible rescue organization..they work 24/7 to save the beautiful lives of every animal they can. I will support them forever and if you are looking for a new furry friend in your life i would absolutely recommend that you reach out to them!

By far some of the best people to be associated with and to work with. I’m an RVT and have been in the veterinary field for about 10 years and this is by far one of my favorite rescues; hosted by so many caring people who love and work hard to support so many animals in need. Taking chances on those who deserve to be given a chance regardless of how hopeless things can seem. I’m so grateful that they rescued Denali & his brother with distemper, though his brother sadly didn’t make it but Denali was able to pull through and has the absolute best life now that he is distemper NEGATIVE and was adopted by my dad and has become such a great part of our family! Thank you guys so much for all you do! We are so grateful to have him! ������

ARK Charities rescues animals from desperate situations and from high kill shelters. THEY SAVE LIVES! We recently adopted a 4 year German Shepherd named Benny from ARK Charities. This poor guy had spend the first 3 years of his life living in a L.A. backyard without proper shelter. ARK Charities provided him proper shelter, his eye drops, food, and training for 7 months before he was adopted. They also neutered and vaccinated him. As you can see the cost adds up and that is why it is so important to donate to this amazing charity. We love Benny so much and are so glad we found him.

I had a great experience adopting with Tina! She was the only adoption center to answer the phone when I called - this is my first dog and I was nervous! She listened to our needs (have 2 young kids and 2 cats), what kind of dog we were looking for and recommended a white German Shepherd to us. The kids were so excited when they saw Starlight - Tina met us at Lowes (public meeting area), and showed us how to handle her, and walk on a leash with her. Tina even went the extra mile - exceeding our expectations when she got us a dog crate, assembled it, bathed the dog and clipped her nails before giving her to us.

She has also helped us tremendously when we needed help with dog training and boarding. Tina obviously cares deeply for these dogs, advocating for them and has great advice on improving pet parent experiences!!

Many many thanks to ARK Charities , Tina Zinn and team. We had recently lost our beloved miniature poodle, Louie after having his loving presence for thirteen years. We were so lost without him. We reached out to ARK because one of our family was blessed to adopt a wonderful German Shepherd from ARK and had a terrific experience. Unsure because we were looking for a smaller dog, we called. Tina was awesome and told us she is often contacted by family and friends of adopters when looking to add a dog to their families. Tina was kind beyond our expectations, took time to discuss our needs and agreed to help. She began scouring the shelters for months until she found us our Miki, a Bichon and honorary GSD. Adopting him has filled our hearts with so much love and filled a big void in our family. Words can't possibly express our gratitude to ARK Charities. Tina does a remarkable job matching each dog to their new family. Her passion for rescue is beyond reproach. She and her team continue to follow up well after the adoption is complete and make us really feel like family. We cannot recommend this rescue enough.

Today is our Gotcha day, 2nd year anniversary!!!

Thank you God, Animal Rescue & K9
Charities and Tina with Redemption Rescue!

I had been looking for a dog to be my Medical Service Dog, for almost 2 years, but didn't know how it would or could happen.

I wanted to rescue but the shelters weren't working out for me. I needed a very specific size age, temperament, and the time to make sure it would work for us.

About 1 month after puting in my application in at Redemption Rescue, I had gone to the local yearly, rescue and adoption dog show and met Tina Zinn from
Redemption Rescue and Rick Sanders, their Trainer.

I explained what I wanted and needed and within one month Tina found my match and made it happen!

All I can say is my rescue dog has become my service dog and changed my life for the better in so may ways every day! I'm so grateful to have her in my life!

ARK and Redemption Rescue are the best for cross country rescue and rehoming all shelter dogs, but speciize in German Shepherd Dogs whom are 2nd only to Pitbulls for being euthanized daily in the U.S.A!

We are forever Thankful for your commitment and unwavering care.

I highly recommend them for helping to find your Forever fur-baby!!

Tina and her crew at Animal Rescue &K9 Charities are awesome. Since the first time I contacted them about my wish to adopt a GS they were so courteous, helpful and willing to help me find my perfect match that I am more than grateful towards them. They take their call to save animals very serious and they do ensure their dogs are going to the right home and the right person or family, which I really appreciate because some animals just had some hard past behind them. After a thought application process I got my Dante home. Tina is keeping in touch and makes sure my baby is doing well and is taken care of. I think Dante adopted me, he is such an awesome boy, I love him to the moon and back. I cannot be thankful enough to Tina and all her staff at Animal Rescue & K9 Charities Inc.

We worked with Tina Zinn to get our beautiful rescue German Shepherd, Lyla. I cannot say enough good things about this organization . They were responsive and matched us well with the dog. She followed up several times after the adoption to make sure all was going well.

Tina was able to pull then named Angel from a high kill Manhattan shelter. He was owner surrender and due to be put down.
Tina brought him to me and it was love at first sight. He was 50 lbs when I got him and his weight was 110 lbs when he crossed the Bridge.
As you see in his pictures he loved my mom and loved his feline sister.
What a waste it would have been if Tina had not been able to save him.
At doggie day care he was so gentle they used to put him with the small dogs. A huge thank you to Tina. Please keep up your great work. There are many more like my Caesar to save.

Opus has been with us for 6 plus wonderful years! ARK and Tina were a pleasure to work with. They found us the perfect family member and did a wonderful job supporting us in the transition to first time pet owners. Tina has a heart of gold and is doing amazing work rescuing amazing animals!

We adopted a rescue from Tina summer of 2021. Unfortunately, the adoption did not work out for our family as I don’t feel we were a good fit for the dog’s needs. However, I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the charity organization. Every step of the way, I encountered truly loving humans who are passionate about saving German shepherds. Given the inhumane conditions some of these dogs experience at the hands of people- thank goodness for the people involved at this charity to ensure the goodness of humanity shines through at the end for these dogs. There are some amazing people linked together to help these dogs at so many levels. Tina was always available and was so supportive. This is a truly wonderful, needed organization, and I hope they are around for a long time to keep helping this wonderful breed.

ARK Rescue & K9 Charities embodies love and compassion for animals. I alerted them of an older GSD trapped in a shelter for 2 months. They immediately jumped to my aid. I fostered Gracie only to fall in love and adopt her. ARK kept in touch with me her entire life and even now after to check on me. ARK is more than a rescue. They will become your friend.

We were able to adopt the sweetest pup, Denali, from this organization!

When we first met our dog, he was being quarantined at a vet’s office for distemper. If it wasn’t for Tina’s love of these beautiful German Shepherds, this sweet boy would have more than likely been euthanized. But she was determined to make sure that he had a fighting chance and did evening her power to make sure our sweet boy received the medical care to over come the distemper. He is now a very happy, healthy & thriving 7 month old pup living his absolute best life with our family. He has brought our family so much love & joy ❤️

We found Animal Rescue & K9 (ARK) Charities through a friend when we were searching for an animal rescue that specialized in German Shepherds. When I first spoke with Tina, at ARK, I was blown away by her dedication to rescuing dogs in need. It was obvious that rescuing dogs was her passion in life and I knew then ARK was the rescue we wanted to utilize. She was knowledgeable, respectful, patient, and so helpful in finding a dog that fit our family, especially our young daughter. The rescue she found, Justice, was the perfect fit. We had him for six years before he passed and couldn’t have asked for a better dog. I recently contacted ARK and Tina again when we were looking for another rescue for my family. I was again impressed by her passion and devotion. She was so helpful in finding a rescue that fit our family, which had grown to include two cats. Our newest rescue, Everest, is again proving to be the perfect fit for my family. I truly could not have asked for better experiences with ARK Charities and I highly recommend them.

I have adopted and volunteered with ARK Charities for numerous years and they are the most dedicated and trustworthy organizations I have encountered. They work tirelessly to be sure the dogs are well taken care of, happy and healthy. The extent which they go to in order to assure the dogs go to the very best homes in something quite special. They work so hard to be sure the dogs and adopters are well matched, often recommending a different dog than the adopters may have originally sought but always seeking the very best fit possible. One of the things that has impressed me the most is their honesty and integrity to all aspects of the rescue process. They always take bonded pair, never leaving a dog behind, they take medical dogs and those passed over waiting for a miracle on death-row and give them the life that these dogs never dreamed. It is truly a wonderful experience to work with them and to know an organization that operates with such integrity, honesty and compassion and to see the difference they make in the lives of these dogs and the families they join and love them more than words can say.