I have been associated with CODAR for14 years. It isn't easy to keep an animal rescue functioning. This group pushes to be there for the dogs, vetting, socializing and finding homes for all.
CODAR has a wonderful Junior Volunteer program, that is very successful. Giving kids a fun way to earn volunteering credits, working with puppies. While feeling proud of volunteering from early ages.
All though you might not love every volunteer we love each other in a very special way.
It is all about the dogs.
We lost our dog of 12 years at the end of February. It was sudden and we were completely heartbroken. I knew we would get another dog one day, but we were in no way ready to do that any time soon…..until we met Bernadette. It was April and I was talking to my neighbor waiting for my kids to get off the bus. A gentleman was walking by with his dog. I commented how cute she was and he told me I could pet her as she was friendly. He said she needed a home as he could only foster her. He told me to call Jackie from Castle of Dreams to learn more about her. I went home and couldn’t stop thinking about her. We were not looking to adopt so soon but I felt like we met for a reason. She was 9 years old and had come all the way from Louisiana. I called Jackie and brought my husband to visit Bernadette. She answered all my questions and suggested we foster her since we had some concerns about allergies. Once Bernie came into our home there was no turning back, we were head over heels in love and she was the perfect fit to our family. Thank you to Michael and Jackie for taking such good care of her until she got to her forever home and walking us through the whole process. We our forever grateful to Castle of Dreams for rescuing her and Michael for fostering her. We can’t imagine life without her! The Pitta Family
I inherited a love of German Shepherd dogs from my mother, who truly believed that they were the ONLY type of dog to have! So, following in her footsteps, I had two German Shepherds who owned me! :) Unfortunately, I lost both my girls in a period of six months. One to cancer, and one to degenerative meyalopathy. Shortly thereafter, I lost my mom. I Wasn't sure I was ready for another dog just yet, but I knew if I did get one it had to be a shepherd.
Low and behold, a few days later, I see a GSD posted on facebook. I immediately contacted the foster mom who was very open with me about every little detail they knew about him! I have pages of text messages from her about his eating habits, his sleeping habits, his interactions with children, neighbors, and any other detail one could ever think of. She said they wanted to be sure I had all the information possible before I considered the adoption. I had more than enough, and we went to her house to meet him. Of course it was love at first sight, but I needed time to think about it. I stayed in contact with her for three days and we went and picked him up on a foster to adopt contingency. I laughingly called it "rent to own!" I took him to my vet who concurred with what Castle of Dreams vet had said about his general state of health, as well as the "guesitmate," of his age. It took 5 more days and we adopted him.
Easy process, and tons of emails and texts from his foster mom always checking up to see how he is, and telling me how she missed him, but was glad he was in his forever home! I send pictures often, and wrote a happy endings tale on their page.
I also rescued from a shelter in Alabama, and had the dog brought to me-- not the same truthful experience at all. Of course the two are like "two peas in a pod," now, but there was no comparison as to the communication, the truthfulness, the sincerity, and the warmth displayed by his foster mom from Castle of Dreams. I feel confident that they not only "talk the talk," but they "walk the walk," where their dogs are concerned.
I had been to MANY shelters during my not so sure I wanted a dog search, but no one compared in their honesty or ease of adoption.!
Totally impressed.
We currently have 2 dogs adopted through this wonderful group. They're most hard-working, caring, selfless, group of people I've ever met in any charitable organization. From step one of the adoption service to forever, that's how long their dedication to the pets they save & the families who are lucky enough to add them to their families.
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Castle of Dreams has been such a wonderful positive experience for my entire family. I am proud to volunteer for this amazing organization and to be a part in helping save the lives of puppies and dogs. As a family we all take part in the fostering process and find it very rewarding to place all of our puppies/dogs in their forever homes. Being a foster parent is only one way that you can volunteer. We always need volunteers in marketing, fund raising, dog transports, vet checks and more. Any time that you can volunteer will help save the lives of these innocent puppies and dogs that would of been put to sleep. If you are looking for a rewarding way to volunteer, consider Castle of Dreams!
When I was first looking for a place to volunteer I feared getting in over my head but I wanted to do something to help animals. I stopped by a Castle of Dreams Rescue event and the volunteers were so nice and understanding of my concerns I signed up.
These people are angels! They are a group of the most caring individuals I have ever met. They supported me from the first minute I started fostering and today, years later, they are still there whenever I need them. Each and every member of the Castle of Dreams team gives 110%. They are there for the right reason, to help save every dog possible.
I'm proud to be a part of this wonderful organization. They are truly angels for each and every dog that comes their way.
Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue (Keyport, NJ) helped our family to heal our broken hearts and opened up an entire new Volunteer Venue for our entire family. For my only child's 10th birthday (the day after Christmas) , she was gifted with a mini-American Eskimo dog that she named Crystal, a constant companion for almost 14 years. We took her everywhere with us, even to college events in suburban Philadelphia so my daughter could visit with her while she was away at studies. Crystal passed Over the Rainbow Bridge a few weeks before Christmas '10 and our entire family was devastated and inconsolable.
My daughter begged us to adopt another dog immediately but it was just too painful to consider until one evening, almost six months later she sat by my side at the computer and said Mom, can we pleeeeasssse look at adoptable pups? We found Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue via PetFinder/Adopt a Pet and a mini American Eskimo that they had rescued from a puppy mill in Joplin, MO was available. We filled out an Adoption Application at 10:30 PM and by 8:30 AM we had received a call from the pups Foster Mom! We were vetted, had a home visit and took our beloved Snow Angel/ nka Angel home with us a few days later in May '11! Our adopted Angel truly lives up to her name!
Our experience with CODAR was so positive that I filled out a Volunteer Application and have been fostering dogs and volunteering for fundraising events with them ever since. Our family began fostering in July '11 and almost 40 pups later, and many fundraisers later, we are still dedicated to helping this Group. Our CODAR Angel has been the perfect companion and training mentor for all of our foster pups and I am convinced that she was godsent to help our family find this new path of volunteerism.
Castle of Dreams is an all volunteer, not for profit group that puts 100% of its dollars into the rescue, training, medical support and adoption of death-row and homeless dogs of all types, ages and without regard to medical condition. CODAR selflessly advocates for homeless pups and is so very deserving of everyone's support :-)
We adopted Maggie on June 10, 2012. She was heartworm positive and very, very shy. We had just lost our 14 year old Australian Shepherd mix, Murphy on April 23rd so we were still very sad. I came across Maggie (then called Charlotte as well as Lady) on the Castle of Dreams website. We went to see her at her rescue home and decided she would be our next fur baby.
The poor little girl had to go through 2 sets of heartworm treatments, a month apart. We had to keep her very quiet during that time as the dying worms could possibly lodge somewhere in her little 22 lb body and cause her to have a heart attack or stroke. Well, long story short, she's now heartworm negative and is now on monthly heartworm preventative meds. So my Maggie beat those ugly critters. And we have the Castle of Dreams Rescue to thank for that. It seems that these shots are super expensive and they supplied them to Maggie.
Maggie was a puppy mill mom and probably spent the first 3 years of her life in a cage. That has all changed now. She is learning how to play with toys, get loads of pets and tons of love. She loves the backyard - doesn't bother the bunnies but can't understand what happens to the squirrels when she chases them. She's beginning to realize trees have something to do with it.
My sister came all the way from Florida just to see Maggie. She came with a new blanket for Maggie's bed as well as a new hat for her. Even her Facebook friends, Mistee and Mojo from England sent her a new blankie.
She's showered with love and affection. She is still a bit shy but we take one day at a time. By this time next year, she'll have all of us eating out of her paws (oops, she already has!!).
We can't thank Castle of Dreams fosters enough for giving us a new fur baby to complete our family again. Every foster pawrent that I've be in touch with gives 110%. I always say if I hit the lotto big, I'd put the biggest smiles on the fosters at Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue!! Thank you Castle of Dreams for making us a family again!!
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I researched extensively before volunteering with a rescue group. I joined Castle of Dreams in 2011 and it has been the most amazing experience with the most amazing group of people. I have never seen such collaboration and dedication....many hands with one mind and heart...the mission to save one more life.
i am a volunteer at castle of dreams. i have been with them less than a year and am on my third foster dog. my latest is a pure pitbull from jersey city. the rescue group does not do alot of pitts because it is hard to get good people to adopt them. i have had nothing but good experiences with the group. the girls are all very nice and knowledgable. whick is a very good thing in a rescue group. people who don't know there breeds or temperments are not good for a rescue or if they cant tell the behavior within a couple of hours are no good too. i have nothing but high praise for castle and i do alot of recommending of them since i used to work in a kennel for 7 years and know alot of dog people. and i will continue to foster for them and praise them and help get animals adopted thru them for as long as i can. thank you!
My experience with Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue has been as a volunteer foster care-giver and also as a recipient of a wonderful canine companion. This is a group of highly dedicated and caring people. They can be reached at any time of the day or night, and are responsive to every need. Working to find homes for animals who have had the misfortune to end up in kill-shelters, they manage to transport them out and find homes for them. And always, always with love. The goal is to be able to fund a no-kill shelter in the area.
After going through the process of applying and having reference checks, a home visit, and a compatibilty test for my current dog, I just recently fostered my first puppy with Castle of Dreams. It was the most rewarding, best experience knowing I was helping a puppy find his forever home. This group is extremely well organized and the process runs so smoothly. Their hearts are truly in it for the welfare of the animal. I felt so proud to be a part of this! I am looking forward to many more rewarding opportunities working with this group in the future.
My first experience came when I decided to be a volunteer and also adopt a dog. I filled out an application for a dog but alas her foster mommy decided to keep her, (personally I couldn't blame her) Anyway it was at this point that I felt I could help out many more dogs, I already had two rescues from other places, by fostering. I filled out the application to foster and after checking me out by calling my vet to see if I was a responsible pet owner Castle of Dreams brought me my first foster and let me tell you she was a wreck. She had been abused, four broken teeth, a broken shoulder and a broken toe. She was extremely dependent on me and very skittish, but who wouldn't be after all she went through. To make a long story short Chloe is now part of my family, how could I give her up, she needed all the love she could get along with a lot of understanding, There have been many puppies and dogs since then who have gone on to their forever families and Castle of Dreams has made that possible. It is a very small organization with a big heart that does as much as possible on very little. Our fosters always have dogs and puppies that are looking for a new home and until people become more aware of the plight of dogs and stop breeding ,this small but dedicated group will continue to save furbabies of all sizes and shapes!
I looked around a lot before I decided which rescue to go to and Castle of Dreams was the best I found. These people really care about the animals and work hard to find them great fur-ever homes. They support all their foster families and adoptive families and make sure each is a perfect match.
