Ruff Start Animal Rescue Foundation

🐾 Help Us Connect with Animal-Loving Businesses! 🐾

Now that we are officially a charity, we’re looking to build relationships with local businesses that care about animals and community.

Do you know a business that loves pets, supports local causes, or simply has a big heart? Tag them in the comments below! We’d love the opportunity to introduce them to Ruff Start Rescue and explore ways we can work together.

Whether they choose to donate, sponsor an event, provide services, host a fundraiser, or simply help spread the word, we’d love to connect with them. We’re looking to build a network of community partners who support rescue dogs in whatever way works for their business.

🎉 For every business you tag, you’ll receive one entry into a draw for a $100 Pet Valu gift card!

⭐ Special Bonus: The first business that becomes an official Ruff Start Rescue Community Partner will receive a featured spotlight across our social media pages and will forever be part of Ruff Start Rescue history as the very first business partner to join us after becoming a registered charity. Their support will help pave the way for future partnerships and make a lasting impact on the dogs we save.

As a registered charity, we can now provide tax receipts for eligible donations, making it easier than ever for businesses to support our mission.

Let’s work together to build a community of animal-loving businesses making a difference for dogs in need. 🐾❤️

Contest closes on August 1, 2026. Be sure to tag each business in a separate comment so we can easily count your entries! https://www.ruffstartanimalrescue.com/communitypartners

📦🐾 Amazon Prime Days are here, and our rescue pups have a wishlist! 🐾📦

If you're doing some Prime Day shopping, we'd be so grateful if you'd consider adding an item (or two!) for our dogs before checking out. https://www.ruffstartanimalrescue.com/amazon-wishlists

🩵 **Ollie** is hoping for:
• Eye drops for his dry eyes
• Belly bands

🩵 **Toto** would love:
• A cozy new bed (his current one is getting pretty worn out!)
• Fish oil supplements and dehydrated food

🩵 **Angel** is wishing for:
• A UV-protective sun shirt to keep his sensitive albino skin safe

🏠 **Didsbury Supply Home**
• Fish oils
• FortiFlora

🏠 **Calgary Supply Home**
• Wet food
• Kibble

🏠 **Medicine Hat Supply Home**
• Kibble

Every donation helps us keep our foster dogs healthy, comfortable, and well cared for while they wait for their forever homes. ❤️

If you'd like to help, you can shop directly from our Amazon wishlist or send a donation and we'll pick up the items we need most. https://www.ruffstartanimalrescue.com/amazon-wishlists

Thank you for supporting rescue dogs and making a difference in their lives! 🐶💕

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who donated, shared, commented, and reached out with kind words following Dottie’s hospitalization.

Thanks to your generosity, we have raised $765 toward her veterinary bill. Your support has helped ease some of the financial burden during an incredibly difficult time, and we cannot thank you enough.

We still need to raise approximately $1,000 to cover the remaining costs of Dottie’s hospital stay and final veterinary care. If you would like to contribute, donations can be sent via e-transfer to [email protected] or through PayPal: paypal.me/ruffstart

Tax receipts are available for donations over $20.

More than anything, we want you to know how much your messages, memories, and support have meant to us. We miss our sweet girl so much, but it has been so heartwarming to see just how many lives Dottie touched during her time with us. She was deeply loved, and knowing that so many people cared for her has brought comfort during this difficult goodbye.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping us honor Dottie and for standing beside us when we needed it most. ❤️🐾

✨ Meet Angel ✨

This little albino Chihuahua may be small, but his heart is absolutely enormous. ❤️

Angel's favourite things in life are simple: cuddling with his people, exploring the neighbourhood on walks, making new friends, and being wherever you are. If you're looking for a loyal sidekick who will love you with his whole heart, Angel is ready for the job.

He's a gentle, affectionate boy who forms deep bonds quickly and wants nothing more than to be close to the people he loves. When he's excited for a treat or some attention, he'll even dance on his hind legs to make sure you notice him! 💃🐾

Angel is currently settling into home life and taking medication to help with some anxiety while he adjusts. He's already making great progress in foster care and is looking for a patient family who can continue helping him build confidence. Because he struggles with being left alone, his ideal home is one where someone is home most of the time.

✔️ Loves people
✔️ Great with children
✔️ Friendly with other dogs
✔️ Excellent cuddle buddy
✔️ Professional lap warmer

Angel is also working on his house training and will need a family committed to helping him succeed. In return, you'll get endless love, unwavering loyalty, and a tiny shadow who thinks you're the greatest thing in the world.

His foster mom describes him as "an absolutely beautiful little soul" — and we couldn't agree more. ❤️

Ready to welcome this special boy into your heart and home? Read his bio for more information and complete an application: https://www.ruffstartanimalrescue.com/adoptable-dogs

💔 In Loving Memory of Dottie 💔

It is with heavy hearts that we share that our beloved Dottie crossed the Rainbow Bridge yesterday evening.

After being hospitalized and receiving supportive care, Dottie unfortunately did not improve overnight. Her little body was telling us it was time to rest, and the kindest gift we could give her was peace.

Dottie holds a very special place in the history of Ruff Start Rescue. She was our very first Sanctuary dog.

When Dottie first came into our care three years ago, we honestly thought we might have six months with her. Instead, this tough, resilient little girl surprised us all and gave us an extra two and a half years. Years filled with love, laughter, and more than a few surprises.

Dottie was one of a kind. She was bossy. She was hilarious. She kept us on our toes with her seemingly endless list of strange and complicated health conditions. She was a high-maintenance queen in every sense of the word, and we loved every single minute of it.

Yesterday evening, our founders spent Dottie's final moments by her side, cuddling her, telling her what a good girl she was, and holding her close as she peacefully crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Our hearts are broken today. The rescue feels a little quieter without her. But through the sadness, we find comfort in knowing that Dottie spent her final three years exactly as every dog deserves to: safe, cherished, spoiled, and deeply loved.

Thank you to everyone who followed Dottie's journey, donated toward her care, cheered her on through her many health challenges, and loved her as much as we did. Your support gave her the life she deserved.

Run free, sweet girl. No more medications, no more vet visits, no more health struggles. Just sunshine, soft beds, and endless treats.

You will forever be part of the Ruff Start family, and you will never be forgotten.

🌈❤️ We love you, Dottie.

🎾❤️ FRANK IS OFFICIALLY LOOKING FOR HIS FOREVER HOME! ❤️🎾

This handsome boy just spent the weekend doing what he loves most: being part of the family.

Between playing fetch with the kids, soaking up attention from everyone he met, and happily climbing into laps for cuddles, Frank was living his best life—and proving just how ready he is for a forever home of his own.

At 2–3 years old and 45 lbs, Frank is the perfect combination of playful and affectionate. Want a dog who will chase a ball until your arm falls off? Frank's your guy. Want a dog who thinks personal space is overrated and would prefer to be sitting directly on your lap? Also Frank.

When he first arrived in foster care, Frank was a little nervous and unsure of himself. But with patience and love, he's blossomed into a happy, gentle boy who adores his people and wants nothing more than to be included in whatever they're doing.

✅ House trained
✅ Good with dogs
✅ Cat friendly
✅ Good with kids
✅ Knows several commands
✅ Loves car rides
✅ Professional fetch enthusiast
✅ Expert cuddler

Frank would love a family that can give him plenty of companionship, playtime, and snuggles. Another dog friend would be great, but mostly he's looking for people who will love him as much as he'll love them.

If you're searching for a loyal best friend, adventure buddy, fetch partner, and couch companion all wrapped into one adorable package, Frank may be your perfect match.

📍 Irvine, AB (Medicine Hat Area)
🐾 Approx. 2–3 years old
⚖️ 45 lbs
💙 Neutered Male

Ready to meet Frank? Apply today and see why everyone who meets him falls in love. www.ruffstartanimalrescue.com

🚨 URGENT: Dottie Needs Your Help 🚨

Many of you know and love our sweet sanctuary girl, Dottie. For the past 3 years, she has been part of our sanctuary program, living her golden years surrounded by love and care.

Yesterday, we noticed that Dottie wasn't herself. She was extremely lethargic, had been vomiting, wasn't interested in eating, and we knew something wasn't right. We rushed her to Cedarwood Emergency Hospital for urgent assessment.

The results have been heartbreaking.

Dottie's bloodwork showed extremely elevated liver values, and her x-rays revealed a significantly enlarged liver. She was admitted overnight where she has been receiving IV fluids, antibiotics, and supportive care. Today she will undergo an ultrasound so we can hopefully get some answers about what is causing her sudden decline.

At this time, we don't know exactly what we're facing, but we have to be honest — it's not looking good for our sweet senior girl.

Dottie has given us so much over the years, and we owe it to her to do everything we can to understand what is happening before making any decisions about her future. The costs associated with emergency hospitalization, diagnostics, and ongoing treatment are already significant and continue to grow.

We are urgently asking for donations to help cover Dottie's medical care.

❤️ E-transfer: [email protected]
❤️ PayPal : paypal.me/ruffstart

Tax receipts are available upon request for donations over $20.

Most importantly, please keep Dottie in your thoughts. She is a very special girl who has touched the hearts of so many people, and we are all hoping for the best while preparing for the possibility of difficult news.

We will continue to keep everyone updated as we learn more.

We love you, Dottie.

Edmonton fosters - is anyone able to host a sweet dog for ONE night? She’s in a desperate situation and needs a couch to crash on until her foster can pick her up tomorrow. 🙏 Dog friendly, submissive.

✨️Update! She has found a foster home. Thank you everyone who reached out to help this sweet girl 🙏🏼❤️

🚨 URGENT: Short-Term Foster Needed in Edmonton Until June 29th 🚨

We're looking for a temporary foster home for Zelda, a very sweet Pit Bull who was surrendered to us so we could help find her a better home where she can thrive.

Zelda has been evaluated by our behaviorist and was found to be an incredibly loving, gentle girl. She is a bit timid and unsure at times due to her previous life, but she is eager to bond with kind people and simply wants a safe place to feel secure.

We provide all supplies, food, and support—Zelda just needs a loving foster home where she can relax and decompress until her flight on June 29th.

If you can open your home for this short period or would like more information, please reach out as soon as possible. Even sharing this post could help Zelda find the safe landing spot she deserves. ❤️🐾

Apply to foster this sweet girl today!
https://snowdogsociety.ca/foster-adoption-form

Thank you from Angel!! ♥️ He received two dental packs and is all set for keeping those pearly whites nice and perfect 🦷

Handsome little Angel recently arrived in our care and is settling into foster life. While we're helping him work through some mild anxiety and getting to know the real Angel behind those sweet eyes, his foster family is already looking ahead to helping him stay happy and healthy.

One thing we'd love to start working on is his dental care! Good dental habits can make a huge difference in a dog's overall health, and we'd love to get Angel started on the right paw.

Would anyone like to sponsor Angel's starter dental package? 💙

A pack of dental wipes and some dental chews would help him begin his dental health journey and keep that adorable smile shining bright.

If you'd like to help spoil Angel while supporting his health items can be purchased on his Amazon Wishlist 🦷 https://www.amazon.ca/hz/wishlist/ls/3PJ6WSPW0CR3N?ref_=wl_share

Thank you for helping us give this deserving boy the best possible start in rescue life. 🐾