Providing Outstanding Lives for Homeless Dogs: The Forgotten Dog Foundation
Welcome to Featured Rescue Friday, a weekly series where we share an amazing rescue that you should know about. This week we are featuring a rescue that is doing exceptional work for dogs in Los Angeles, The Forgotten Dog Foundation!
The Forgotten Dog Foundation was launched in 2009 by Linzi Glass. Over the past six years of operation, Glass has placed over 1,500 dogs into loving homes throughout Southern California.
“I had been an independent rescuer for five years using my own money and ran someone else’s rescue for a year,” said Glass. “I really wanted to start a rescue that would be run the way I wanted it to be run. It also made sense to start a nonprofit so that the donors who so generously supported us could benefit as well.”
Mimi before and after: a Forgotten Dog Rescue who was hit by a car
The Forgotten Dog Foundation rescues, rehabilitates, and find homes for all breeds and sizes of dogs. These “forgotten dogs” are primarily shelter dogs that were scheduled to be put to sleep, strays found running the streets, or even dogs left in foreclosures. The Forgotten Dog Foundation also rescues dogs that people can’t afford to continue caring for and even abused dogs that are saved from unfit owners.
Upon rescue, all forgotten dogs receive medical attention if needed, are spayed or neutered, brought up to date on their shots, and microchipped. The Forgotten Dog Foundation puts all their rescues into foster homes until a permanent home is found.
“Rescuing a dog isn’t about just about getting a dog out of a shelter or off of a street corner and putting it somewhere for 6 months,” commented Glass. “That just perpetuates the dog’s misery. Rescuing a dog is committing to giving that dog an incredible life. My philosophy is that I have to be able to look a dog in the eye and not just say ‘I’m going to give you an ok life.’ I have to be able to say “I’m going to give you an outstanding life.”
Lilac and Lily, two baby bottle-feeders The Forgotten Dog rescued from euthanasia
Being in the trenches of animal rescue is gut wrenching, exhausting, heart breaking and draining, both financially and emotionally. But it is also exhilarating, extraordinary and rewarding beyond words. There is no greater joy for those of us in rescue than uniting a shelter, street, abused, or abandoned dog with a wonderful new forever owner. – The Forgotten Dog website
Recently, The Forgotten Dog Foundation teamed up with Hope for Paws to rescue a stray in Sylmar they named Dolly. After being on the street and scrounging for food in trash cans, Dolly was so severely matted that she could barely see. Hope for Paws and The Forgotten Dog were able to rescue Dolly and took her to a groomer where 10lbs of matted fur was removed from her 15lb body. She was then placed in a foster home and shortly thereafter found a furever home with another Forgotten Dog rescue! The video below shows Dolly’s rescue and amazing transformation.
“There’s a massive need for rescue. So many dogs are living in horrible conditions, so when a light’s been shed on a dog in need we have to respond,” stated Glass when reflecting on her experience with Dolly. “For us, the thing that keeps us going are the incredible transformations. We are all addicted to the transformation. Seeing the end result with a dog like Dolly is what keeps us going. When you see that you just think ‘we can do another and another and another.’”
So how can you make sure your dog never becomes a forgotten dog? Glass says it’s important that pets wear a collar and ID to make sure they find their way home if they get lost. “Please make sure your pets have a collar and ID tag on at all times,” stressed Glass. “Even if they are microchipped there are so many dogs that never find their way home because they don’t have a collar with a tag on.”
To stay up to date on the latest Forgotten Dog Foundation news, follow them on Facebook! If you’d like to make a donation to help with their life saving efforts, check out their donation page.