Animal cruelty, neglect, and abandonment is a serious epidemic in the United States. Every year, tens of thousands of dogs die alone and in suffering without the love and attention of a family to care for them. Sometimes they end up on the streets, exposed to the elements, forced to scrounge for food, constantly in danger of being either hit by passing cars or falling prey to other animals or cruel people. Sometimes they end up in overcrowded shelters, confined to tiny cages for days, weeks, or months at a time. While the possibility for adoption does exist in the latter case, it's generally an option limited to younger, "cuter" puppies--older dogs, blind dogs, and dogs with other various medical conditions tend to be skimmed over by adopting families. In most cases, these dogs are ultimately put to sleep.

It's our firm belief that every animal deserves a loving home. As animal lovers ourselves, we've made it our mission to get as many abandoned, abused, or neglected dogs off the streets and out of shelters and into loving homes as possible. Our personal animal rescue efforts started longbefore the Famous Fido/Happy Tails name came to be, though both businesses served as an ideal environment for that dream to develop. We started our official rescue in 1972, coinciding with the opening of the Happy Tails pet grooming salon and spa. Over the years, we've managed to save thousands of dogs from unnecessary death, and we take in more and more dogs each month. Recently, we even received licensing from the Bureau of Animal Health & Welfare to become a halfway house for dogs that face euthanasia.

We'll be posting more information here about animals in need of rescue, as well as the development of our new rescue garden. Be sure to check us out on our blog, Facebook, and Twitter for more news!