My Nonprofit Reviews

I first heard of To Love a Canine Rescue, Inc. (TLC) in 2015 when we adopted a dog from this rescue. The process was easy and the people were so helpful and kind. We learned that TLC offers the opportunity for children to volunteer and to learn about puppy and dog care and the rescue process through their Mini Paws program. My children joined. That's a brilliant program! It's fun and educational for the children while introducing the youth to a love of animals and love for volunteering with actual hands-on experience. Several years later, my younger daughter and I became official TLC volunteers, donating our time at transports and events. None of this is remarkable, I know, but I'm getting there. After adopting that first TLC dog in 2015, the importance of animal rescue became a passion of mine. I started a program where I invite animal shelters and animal rescue organizations to set up their tents and tables, bring some adoptable animals, promote their organizations, and get exposure to the public. Through my program, I work with many animal rescues. TLC is so different from the others. From the outside, most rescues do seem very similar. I have the insight to see the differences. TLC is extremely well organized and, therefore, productive and successful. There are so many dedicated volunteers whose work and time allow for the operation to run smoothly. When dogs arrive on a transport from the South, there are volunteers to welcome the dogs with patience and love while other volunteers are vetting each of the new arrivals. Then the foster volunteers arrive to pick up their new pups. The fosters bathe the dogs and give them a cozy, safe, loving home for as long as needed. During this time the foster families teach basic commands, crate training, house training, and socializing. TLC participates in MANY events where potential adopters can meet available dogs. Foster volunteers often attend these events. If scheduling does not allow the foster to attend, TLC has volunteers who will taxi a dog to/from an event and volunteer handlers who will attend the event to be in charge of a dog. In addition to "meet-and-greet" events, TLC takes puppies to visit local schools and senior centers. These events are done not for a puppy to be seen and adopted, but simply to bring joy. There are volunteers who screen adoption applications, volunteers who do laundry, volunteers who clean, volunteers who handle the most adorable and creative social media. It's all so well organized. Before any of this can happen, TLC coordinates with rescues and shelters in the South, where dogs and puppies are most at risk of euthanasia, to bring as many of those dogs and puppies to Pennsylvania where they find the perfect loving forever homes. I know there is so much more that happens behind the scenes and my personal experience is only the tip of the iceberg. I wish many of the other rescues with whom I work were so well organized! As a TLC volunteer, I know how fun every volunteer event is. We all genuinely enjoy each other's company. There is a climate of teamwork and togetherness. My family recently adopted our third dog from TLC. We were open minded while looking for our next puppy, looking at available dogs at other rescues. Once again, TLC was the perfect fit. I share this experience with you as both a volunteer and a client served and maybe even a little bit of a professional with expertise in this field. I think it's the combination of being so well organized, having so many committed volunteers, and having an organization made up of genuinely good people that makes To Love a Canine Rescue, Inc. so very special.