Page 80 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2017

GIVING BACK rough rough Before After
Tired Dog Rescue has been busy saving dogs for 10 years, including those with medical issues or who are terminally ill. Last year they saved 150 dogs and had a veterinarian bill that topped $71,000.
“Most of the dogs we rescue are beaten down, exhausted, have matted fur and are tired of being hungry and neglected. That’s where I got the name for our rescue,” the group’s president, Terry Casillas, said. “We like to say they come to us tired and leave fabulous.”
It all began, she relates, when she didn’t know any better and bought a cocker spaniel puppy from a pet store. “When I started researching the breed on the Internet, I found the information to be eye-opening, especially the sections on dog rescues.”
Before she knew it, she was fostering a rescue dog. The fostering experience led to starting Tired Dog Rescue, beginning as a cocker spaniel rescue, and then adding miniature schnauzers.
“We now handle all small breeds, but we are still the
main cocker spaniel rescue anywhere around. We get calls from shelters in Louisiana and Alabama, too,” she said.
Tired Dog Rescue has seven foster homes and a membership base of around 30. Not only do they pull dogs from shelters, they also take dogs who lose their homes because of a family move or job loss.
“We are desperately in need
of foster homes. We pay for all medical needs while in foster homes, and ask the fosters
to pay for food unless it is a prescription food, but if they need us to pay for food too,
we will,” Casillas said. “Foster homes are the most vital part of rescue. When Tired Dog Rescue is full, we have to turn down dogs in need.”
Handing Out Merry Everywhere
80 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • December 2017
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Tired Dog Rescue
228.254.6305 www.tireddogrescue.com
story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of Tired Dog Rescue