Feel Good Friday - Dogs Without Borders

Since 1981, October has been designated as Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. That makes today a perfect time to talk about Dogs Without Borders.

Founded in 2006 and based in Los Angeles, California, Dogs Without Borders (DWB) is a “non-profit, small dog rescue that saves homeless and abandoned dogs from high-kill shelters in the Los Angeles area, and finds them permanent and loving homes.”

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, approximately 3.3 million dogs enter shelters every year. DWB rescues stray and abandoned dogs from shelters as far away as Taiwan and Mexico, though the vast majority of their rescue dogs come from Los Angeles County shelters. They are one of the highest placement rescues in the county and have found forever homes for over 6,000 dogs since their inception.

DWB does not have a facility and relies solely on foster volunteers to house and care for their rescue dogs until they are adopted. For volunteers in the LA area willing and able to foster a dog, DWB provides food, bedding, toys, a collar, leash, medical care, training and support. You provide a home, a routine, some love and bring the dog to weekly adoption events until they find their new family.

For people interested in adopting a dog, it starts with an application and chat with an adoption coordinator. Next steps include meeting a dog at an adoption event, or private session, taking the dog home for a week-long trial adoption period, chatting with a foster mentor, passing a home inspection and making your decision. All dogs are spayed/ neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped prior to adoption, and come with a DWB ID tag. Clients also get advice and tips for the duration of their dogs’ lives to guarantee happy and successful adoptions.

If you live in the Los Angeles area and are considering fostering or adopting a dog, you can see photos of the currently available dogs at this link. You can also volunteer to work at an adoption event, transport dogs (to events and/or vet visits) or conduct home inspections. You can also swing by the Strut Your Mutt fundraiser tomorrow in Warner Center Park. 

For those of you who don’t live in LA but still want to support the work of Dogs Without Borders, you have options. Make a donation and amplify their work on social media. Like the DWB Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @dwbrescue and on Instagram @dogswithoutborders.