Welcome!  Happy Tails Dog Rescue is a foster-based 501(c)3 registered nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing, vetting, and rehoming dogs from kill shelters in Southern Florida. Please call to schedule an appointment to meet adoptable dogs! 

Video Clip:  Inside Miami Dade Animal Services, one of the kill shelters Happy Tails rescues dogs from.

Help Us Help Them

Stephanie Stanton, Co-founder: Rescuing Sophie from MDAS

"Hello and welcome to Happy Tails Dog Rescue. My passion for rescuing dogs from kill shelters started over a decade ago when we first rescued Sophie. See her story and the inspiration for our rescue below..."

Saving Their Lives Is Everyone's Responsibility

Most of the dogs we have rescued have been saved from Miami Dade Animal Services (MDAS) and Palm Beach Animal Control (PBAC), the two largest kill shelters in Southern Florida. Once at these kill shelters, the dogs have limited time (often just a few short weeks) before they are euthanized. In 2011, the euthanasia rate at MDAS was up around 36,000 dogs a year. Since then, MDAS has worked to lower their euthanasia rates. What was once estimated 150 animals euthanized per day is now down around 10 euthanized per day. There is still a tremendous need for rescue of these dogs from these kill shelters here in South Florida, but it is important to acknowledge the efforts shelters like MDAS have put forth to successfully reduce their kill rates.

The unfortunate reality is that many of the dogs at these kill shelters get overlooked because they don't look desirable in the condition they are in at these shelters. For this reason, our intention is to give these dogs a second chance by rescuing them before they are euthanized and providing them with the veterinary care and grooming they need to be ready for adoption. 

We are a husband and wife team, together with an amazing network of volunteers and fosters, who rescue and rehome dogs in need. Our goal to provide the necessary veterinary care, grooming, and attention these dogs need to ultimately place them in forever homes. We believe that every dog deserves a loving home regardless of age, condition, or situation. We have discovered over the last 11 years of rescue that it takes a team to successfully rescue a dog.

Recently, Happy Tails Dog Rescue, has started offering a Rehoming Service to help families rehome their beloved pets when personal situations arise that make it challenging for them to continue caring for them. We believe by helping them to rehome their dog(s) is another way of saving these dogs from ending up at these kill shelters to begin with. If you love animals and want to get involved, we have many ways you can contribute to saving the life of a dog. Learn more about how you can become a Volunteer, Donate, or Adopt today!

SOPHIE'S STORY
​The Inspiration for Happy Tails Dog Rescue

Sophie "Before" at MDAS

Sophie "After" at Home 1 Month Later

The inspiration for Happy Tails Dog Rescue came to us after rescuing our dog, Sophie, from MDAS where she was 24 hours away from being euthanized (see the before photo above). At the shelter she was considered "undesirable" and was overlooked due to the fact she was an older dog in desperate need of grooming, costly dental work, and lots of care to heal from the traumas of being left abandoned on the streets. In as short as one month later, after being groomed, vetted, and loved, she blossomed into the most loving dog we have ever met; we called her our "angel dog" (see the after photo above). Sophie's story is a reminder to us that you can't judge a book by its cover. Sophie later was the inspiration for Dog Sprinkles, a superfood product for enhancing the health and longevity of dogs. Sophie recently crossed the rainbow bridge in 2015; our hearts have been blessed with joy having had the opportunity to have her as part of our family. 

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Take a Look at These Happy "Tales"

SPOTLIGHT : Karen Schwartzman, Superstar Foster Mom

Happy Tails recognizes Karen Schwartzman for her amazing service as a dog foster. She is truly one of a kind. Karen has fostered many of our dogs and is an example of the type of foster we look for. She is in one word a "superstar" when it comes to fostering. Karen even had a rescue dog she was fostering die in her arms due to a progressed heart murmur and she handled the situation with such grace and dignity it was beyond commendable. She fosters a lot of our special need rescues because she, and her pack of pups, know how to welcome and care for traumatized dogs coming out of these kill shelters. Karen recently fostered Freddy for us. We can't thank you enough for your amazing care and attention to detail when it comes to fostering. We love you!! And all the dogs you fostered in the past say "Thank you, ruff"!!!

SPOTLIGHT: Lea Rifkin, Outstanding Foster Mom

Lea Rifkin was a first-time foster with Happy Tails Dog Rescue and volunteered to foster Bonita. Bonita, an adorable senior chihuahua, was on death row at PBAC where she had very little chance of being rescued or adopted. Lea was a very loving foster to this challenged Chi who had to undergo heartworm treatment and surgery on her injured femur. In addition to fostering, Lea also helped with sponsorship, fundraising, awareness building, and with many other rescue needs. Lea showered Bonita with love, new girly shirts, a healthy diet, and much more. Bonita also made friends with Lea's dog Bella, and the two of them enjoyed long naps in the sun together. What a life! Thank you Lea for your outstanding service.

SPOTLIGHT: Maribel Hayden, Outstanding Foster Mom

Happy Tails recognizes Maribel Hayden for her outstanding service as a volunteer Dog Foster. Maribel took on a special needs dog named Bailey who was on death row at MDAS. He had been hit by a car and was in need of rescue and immediate surgery. Maribel agreed to foster him, transported him to the vet office for surgery, and nursed him at home until he was adopted. She and her daughter made Bailey feel right at home by singing to him and caring for him throughout the night after his surgery. She was proactive and listened to instruction from both the rescue and the veterinarian. She implemented what needed to be done flawlessly, and we felt confident trusting Maribel with Bailey's post-surgical care. This allowed us to focus our attention on the next dog that needed rescue. Maribel represents the type of foster Happy Tails looks for, and we recognize her outstanding service. Thank you Maribel! Learn more about how you can become a Happy Tails Foster >>>

Promote the Cause Shop Happy Tails

Lindsay Cruz, Happy Tails Contributor

Inspired by Lindsay's Story?

Turn your passion for helping dogs into positive action. Consider running your own fundraiser like Lindsay did. This is a great way to help us save more dogs and earn community service hours too! If you are ready to get started, click here and submit a volunteer information form letting us know your fundraising ideas!

High School Student Makes Candles to Raise Money for Happy Tails

Lindsay Cruz, of Delray Beach, Florida, is an inspiration to other young high school students. She discovered a way to combine her love of animals into a way to raise funds for Happy Tails Dog Rescue!

THIS IS HER STORY:

"I was so inspired to donate the money I raised to Happy Tails Dog Rescue because I have an extreme love for animals, especially dogs. I had a cockapoo ever since I was in the first grade, and I can’t imagine my life without her. My dog means the world to me, and when I found out that other helpless dogs get horribly mistreated, I realized that I had to do something about it. I really became interested in helping dogs my freshman year of high school. When I began this project, I knew I wanted to donate the money to a dog shelter but I wasn’t sure which one. After doing research I decided to go with Happy Tails Dog Rescue because I loved how it was a local foundation and was family built. I had a friend who often fostered dogs and I was always so interested in that as well. I think it’s so cool how there are so many people interested in finding families for these unfortunate dogs.

In order to raise the money, I decided to make candles and sell them for a profit. The customers of my candles loved how I was donating the money to Happy Tails and they adored that the rescue was locally run. From doing this project, I raised $120.00 in total and have donated all of it to Happy Tails Dog Rescue. Doing this project made me feel like I was really involved and helping the community. It is truly the best feeling in the world to know that the candles that I made helped save a dog’s life. I know dogs are really important to my family and I, and I hope everyone else can feel the same connection and inspire others to help save the dogs!"

Dr. Tanis Whyte Vetting Our Rescues for 10 Years!

Dr. Tanis Whyte, who is located in Delray Beach, is Happy Tails Dog Rescue's dedicated vet. She has 30+ years of veterinary experience, including an extensive emergency care background. She currently works at TLC Animal Hospital. Happy Tails Dog Rescue is extremely grateful to Tanis for her continued service and dedication.