Compassion Without Borders

This girl could use your well wishes! ❤️‍🩹

Meet Bessy, a basset hound mix we rescued off the street in Mexico. She has multiple large masses across her body and as we've been working up her treatment plan we discovered that she also has a substantial chest deformity that is reducing the amount of space available to her lungs.

This deformity can make breathing more challenging, particularly when she is under anesthesia, making the removal of her masses a bit more complicated.

We are taking extra precautions and planning her procedures very carefully to make sure we can address her medical needs as safely as possible given her condition.

The good news is that Bessy doesn't seem to know any of this. She is as happy-go-lucky and goofy as any other hound. Can you give this girl some encouragement as we continue to care for her?

We love you, Bessy. ✨ You have a bright future ahead!

In the meantime, Bessy could use a little love as we figure out her tre

Meet Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. These darling puppies were found starving to death in a cemetery where they'd been discarded in a box. 💔When we rescued them, they were severely malnourished, suffering from illness, covered in ticks, and we weren't sure they'd survive.

❤️‍🩹 Today, after weeks of critical care and love, these boys are safe, healthy and loved. Watching them romp around, play with toys, and dog pile on each other for a post-play snooze, you would never know that they almost didn't have a future.

They currently live in a loving foster home where they eagerly await adoption. Their foster mom says their puppy energy is magical to witness after all they've been through. ✨🐾 They get along with her other dog and are always entertaining her with their cute puppy antics.

Thank your for making second chances like this possible! We are so grateful to give Alvin, Simon, and Theodore the lives they deserve, lives filled with hope, love, and dignity!

Join us for a special Dog Adoption Event next weekend at our shelter in Santa Rosa. We have some wonderful dogs looking for their perfect home and we can't wait for you to meet them!

📅 Date: Saturday, October 10th
📍 Location: Muttopia
1130 Butler Ave, Santa Rosa, CA
⏰ Time: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

🐾 Give a dog a second chance at love!💞

Every senior deserves to be celebrated like this! 🎂❤️

Harriet, a darling, blind senior girl, was found abandoned on the street, covered in ticks, and in need of extensive medical care. Today, Harriet is healthy, loved, and in the home of an adopter who absolutely adores her. This summer, he threw her a birthday party with presents, visitors, and a dog friendly cake! (We're not crying, you're crying!).

"I found a cake recipe for both dogs and humans - tasty and very healthy. Ingredients - flour, baking soda, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, unsweetened applesauce, egg and dog friendly peanut butter. Frosting nonfat yogurt and peanut butter. Fun - and quite tasty for all!"

We get regular updates from Harriet's person and it is easy to see that she is the center of her world. The first time he brought her to the shelter for a vet check he told us that meeting her was one of the most special things that's ever happened to him. We love this love!

Thank you to all the people who make these stories possible. 🐾❤️ No dog is ever beyond hope. Love saves lives!

🐾 CANINE JOB SEEKER💼

Name: Maya

Position Desired: Adventure Buddy, Hiking Partner, Running Companion, Frisbee Specialist

Professional Summary
Energetic, athletic, and highly motivated 2-year-old Cattle Dog seeking a forever position with an active human or family. Maya is ready to put her energy, enthusiasm, and impressive outdoor skills to work!

Qualifications & Experience
🏃 Trail Running: Successfully completed a 3-mile trail run at Taylor Mountain.
🥾 Hiking: Conquered a 4-mile hike at Spring Lake.
🌲 Outdoor Adventures: Experienced in local trail outings and exploring alongside other dogs.
🥏 Frisbee Specialist: Demonstrates excellent yard skills and a serious passion for chasing the disc.

References:
“She is an A+ out and abouter! Non-reactive to any dogs or people passing us by. A dream on a leash, doesn’t pull. She’s a little shy with strangers if they attempt to come up to her, but has no problem being around them. Maya is extremely affectionate and such a sweet girl.” - Kelly, Volunteer Dog Walker

“Maya is the best dog. So sweet and eager to do a job. She’s good in the car and always rests her head next to me on the middle console.” - Kylee, Lead Vet Tech

“Maya holds the Strava ‘crown’ on the shelter dog loop. She is maybe the best running partner I’ve ever had: attentive, sweet, athletic, and eager to move forward without stopping. She is also very affectionate and a good office partner.” - Shelby, Marketing Specialist

Reason for Seeking New Employment
Maya was returned to the shelter after nearly two years in a home because her energy level was more than her adopter could manage. She isn't looking for just any job. She's looking for a person who will appreciate her enthusiasm and give her the exercise, enrichment, and adventure she needs.

Ideal Employer
Someone who loves cattle dogs, running, hiking, walking, exploring, and spending lots of time outdoors. If your idea of a good day includes a trail, a frisbee, and a four-legged adventure partner, Maya may be the perfect candidate. ❤️

Available for Immediate Hire 🐾

Who would you take home? 🖤🐾

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month and yesterday was "National Black Dog Day," so we want to highlight a special group of dogs!

Did you know that black dogs have a much harder time finding loving homes than their lighter colored counterparts? Whether it's a result of stereotypes, superstition, or subconscious associations with perceptions fo black dogs as more aggressive or threatening, the result remains the same: Black dogs often get passed over by potential adopters more than other dogs.

🖤🐕 The reality? Black dogs, like all dogs, are just as sweet, funny, loving, and wonderful as any other dog. Another reality? It can be tricky to precisely capture how cute they are on camera because their dark fur sometimes hides their features.

But one thing is for certain, not only are these dogs ADORABLE, but they are also deserving of loving homes. And trust us, they are even cuter in person!

Who would you take home?

What a difference love and compassion make!

Remember our sweet Betty, a young corgi mix transferred into our care from our partners in Fresno Humane Animal Services where they rescued her from sad circumstances. 💔 Betty was living in a yard with many other dogs for three years after her person passed away. She developed two massive hernias and was in poor condition when she arrived at Muttopia. She was so emotionally shut down she could hardly stand to be touched.

Today, she is experiencing the healing power of love. ❤️‍🩹 We were able to perform surgery on her hernias and repair them and currently she’s living with one of our wonderful fosters in a house with other dogs. Her foster says she still has a long way to go in healing emotionally, but she is slowly learning what love is and will even curl up next to her foster mom on the bed.

❤️🐾 Every day Betty is met with tender loving care and we can see the light starting to come back to her eyes. Thank you for making stories like this possible. Love really does save lives!

Aladdin needs your well wishes. ❤️‍🩹

This sweet, resilient boy just had a big surgery yesterday.

We rescued Aladdin earlier this summer alongside sweet pups Rapunzel and Mulan (both adopted now❤️). Their owners hadn't been properly carrying for the three dogs and they were all in pretty bad condition.

Aladdin was suffering from an old, untreated fracture on his front leg. The injury was causing him constant discomfort and making it difficult for him to get around.

Today, he is on the road to recovery after an amputation yesterday. He did wonderfully in surgery and is being surrounded by love as he continues to heal. We are so grateful to everyone who helps us give second chances to dogs like Aladdin.

We love you, Aladdin. ❤️ You are going to be more than okay!

Tomorrow kicks off National Walk Your Dog Week! 🐾👟Where will you be taking your pups to honor the holiday?

Lucky for us, we have the most incredible group of volunteers that make sure to get our dogs out every day. Whether it's weekly Out & Abouts or time in the big fields, our volunteers make sure every dog gets regular kennel breaks, physical exercise, mental stimulation, and plenty of social connection.

🏞️ The mutts love visits to Spring Lake, Copeland Creek Trail, Dillon Beach, the Healdsburg bike path, and pretty much any place with lots of sights and smells.

Where is your favorite dog friendly place to take your furry friends?