Best Friends Pet Care is deeply committed to pet rescue and adoption. Wherever possible, the company supports the efforts of the hard-working volunteers who rescue and find homes for cats and dogs in need.

This profile is the first in a series featuring rescue and adoption groups across the U.S. We hope these stories will help to raise the visibility of these organizations and create broader awareness of the joys of shelter-pet adoption.

Adopt-A-Dog is one of the largest and oldest rescue organizations in its region, serving lower Fairfield County, Connecticut and Westchester County, New York.

It is perhaps best know in the region for its annual Puttin' on the Dog Show, which is held each September in Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich, CT and typically draws 5,000-6,000 people and 800-900 dogs. The combination fundraising and adoption event includes a "for-fun" dog show featuring fun competitions such as "Best Kisser." 

But Adopt-a-Dog rescues and places hundreds of dogs and cats each year and depends upon the financial and volunteer support of an army of friends to achieve its mission.

Adopt-a-Dog had its beginnings in 1981. It started as a small, informal effort. Three friends -- Donna Nives, Gloria Scheuer and Pam Fahnestock - were moved by the plight of abandoned animals and began to rescue dogs about to be euthanized from local pounds. The three gave the dogs temporary foster homes while they ran ads in local newspapers to find permanent loving homes. 

Gradually, the volunteer and financial support for Adopt-A-Dog's work grew and the agency evolved into a non-profit telephone placement service. In 1992, Adopt-A-Dog was offered kennel space in Armonk, New York on the property of an animal hospital. Having a physical shelter for waiting animals was an important milestone and allowed for the expansion of services beyond what had been possible with foster homes alone.

Today, about a dozen regular volunteers work in the office and the kennel supporting a small paid staff, which include a full-time kennel manager and three part time assistants. Adopt-A-Dog has also just hired its first-ever part time director. The Puttin on the Dog Show pulls in another 50 to 60 volunteer supporters.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine we would grow to this size," says Donna. "We were three middle-aged ladies in tennis sneakers who knew nothing about business, nothing about fundraising and we made plenty of mistakes. But we knew about dogs and I believe God opened doors for us and no matter what kind of mistakes we made, things just seemed to work."

What's Next
Adopt-a-Dog hopes celebrate to its 20th anniversary in its newly-renovated, permanent shelter. 

The opportunity to acquire the property where Adopt-a-Dog has shared space presented itself earlier this year and Adopt-A-Dog is currently running a capital campaign to raise $750,000 to make the purchase and renovate the building. The refurbished facility will be able to accommodate 50-60 dogs and 20 cats at a time. 

Her next goal, says Donna, is public education. "I would like to attract volunteers who are willing and able to go out and educate people about the problems of the pet population explosion. These creatures can't live without us, and I'd especially like to get that message to the younger generation."

Beyond that, she say, "she wants to ensure the agency's future. "I want to make sure that we have all the resources in place so Adopt-a-Dog will go on without me when I'm playing my harp up in heaven."


For more information about Adopt-A-Dog, visit the agency's website at www.adopt-a-dog.org, e-mail to dogsandcats@adopt-a-dog.org or call 203-629-9494.