The Animal Retreat

The Animal Retreat The Animal Retreat, formerly Meridian Canine Rescue, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Subscriber Hub payments are not tax deductible
(313)

The Animal Retreat, formerly Meridian Canine Rescue, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been serving the Treasure Valley in Idaho since 2008. We moved to Emmett in 2024 in order to expand our capacity to help more at-risk animals who urgently need placement and specialized care.

Copper came to us from another rescue after having a tough start in life. He was found abandoned and underweight at a lo...
09/18/2025

Copper came to us from another rescue after having a tough start in life. He was found abandoned and underweight at a local lake, and while his early days weren’t easy, Copper has shown incredible resilience. With time, patience, and training, he’s blossomed into a bright, playful dog who is ready to find his forever person.

Copper is full of energy and curiosity—he loves to run, explore, and make every day an adventure. At our farm location, where he’s been working one-on-one with staff, he’s been learning important life skills like how to relax, how to channel his excitement, and how to be the best companion he can be. He’s come such a long way and is now more than ready to keep learning and growing with his new family.

We think Copper will thrive in a home with adults (and maybe dog-savvy teens) who can match his zest for life. He’s done well with other medium-to-large dogs, but because of his prey drive, a home without small animals is best. Copper is happiest with a balance of activity and downtime—he’ll gladly join you on a hike, but he’s equally happy entertaining himself with toys in a fenced yard.

And here’s a fun fact: Copper is a massage connoisseur. Head and neck rubs? Absolute bliss. Add in his love for toys, his goofy food preferences (fruits are a definite “no, thanks”), and his enthusiasm for people, and you’ve got a dog who’s as lovable as he is unique.

At just over 2 years old, Copper has his whole life ahead of him, filled with adventures, cuddles, and the joy of being someone’s best friend. Could that someone be you?
Click the link below to fill out an inquiry for Copper!
https://us14d.sheltermanager.com/service?method=animal_view&animalid=419&account=ze1872

Happy tails from Piqué's mom: He is doing great; he had his first senior vet appointment 😩 but is in excellent health! H...
09/17/2025

Happy tails from Piqué's mom: He is doing great; he had his first senior vet appointment 😩 but is in excellent health!
He’s become a world traveler and a great boat dog. He’s got a spicy Chihuahua personality that not everyone understands but we do and we love him. This spring and summer he flew to Arizona, New Jersey and Paris. Traveled by train, tram and metro around Paris, Netherlands and Belgium, then on our boat around The Netherlands and Belgium. He took pictures in front of the Royal Palace in Brussels and begrudgingly got a bath on the aft deck 😆.
We can't be happier for Piqué, these stories make us hopefully that our work is important, change the life of one dog is HUGE!
Thank you all for adopting from us!

When we moved to our 15+ acre property last year, we did not have the resources to manage the land. We were coming from ...
09/17/2025

When we moved to our 15+ acre property last year, we did not have the resources to manage the land. We were coming from downtown Meridian, having rented commercial properties for years.

We still don’t have the equipment we need (yet!), but we do have an incredible team of people willing and able to help us. We need to thank Evan, Zach, Vicki, Stephanie, and all of our project volunteers for everything they’ve done at our property.

The areas around the house and outbuildings look better every day. They are working near our shop today, and we have been planning out future projects to turn this space into a sustainable, safe, and enriching retreat for our animals.

Ways you can help:

❤️ Donate online: https://givebutter.com/animal-retreat-circle-of-friends

❤️ Donate via check: The Animal Retreat, PO Box 891, Emmett, ID 83617

❤️ Volunteer: https://meridiancaninerescue.my.salesforce-sites.com/volunteer/VolunteerSignupMCR

❤️ Adopt: https://www.animalretreat.org/adoptable-animals

❤️ Sponsor a resident: https://www.animalretreat.org/resident-animals

09/17/2025

Update on Gracie and our financial situation:

Gracie spent the day at work with me yesterday. As some of you know, she had major knee surgery 6 weeks ago. Her recovery is going well, but it’s a lot of work and close supervision.

Kelly and I have co-fostered Gracie for several years now. Lately, she can’t be left alone much for a few reasons, so we’ve found creative ways to manage her here at the rescue.

These are some video clips of her care routine. Physical therapy exercises vary, and now that she’s feeling better, our challenge is often to clean up her form and prevent her from making poor decisions like running and jumping.

Donations to our rescue help with Gracie’s care and this level of close, comprehensive rehabilitation for every animal in our custody. Whether they have medical needs, behavioral needs, or (most often) both, our small team works round the clock to help them.

This week, we’re trying to raise enough money for our mortgage, insurance, and remaining vet bills. Until the latter gets paid, we can’t book Gracie’s recheck appointment for another set of x-rays to see how her left knee is healing and determine the progression of deterioration on her right side.

We need at least $3320 by Friday. I will provide an update in another post about some of the fundraisers we have planned and other ways we’re trying to stabilize.

Ways you can help:

❤️ Make a one-time donation today to help us with a bill
https://givebutter.com/animal-retreat-circle-of-friends

❤️ Sponsor Gracie or one of our other dogs to support their monthly care
https://www.animalretreat.org/resident-animals

❤️ Make a payment directly to Treasure Valley Veterinary Hospital by calling them and asking to help with The Animal Retreat’s bill

A big thank you goes out to Debbie F for becoming Gracie’s first sponsor and to Ron G for making a payment to Treasure Valley Veterinary Hospital today. We are grateful for your help.

- Jessica

One of our Board members, Stephanie, came out to volunteer at the rescue the other day. She got a ton of much-needed lan...
09/16/2025

One of our Board members, Stephanie, came out to volunteer at the rescue the other day. She got a ton of much-needed landscaping work done (thank you, Stephanie!) and also reunited with adoptable dog Copper, who was delighted to see her again.

Copper has learned to keep his paws on the ground (mostly) when greeting people, and he is generally just much more polite in all of his interactions since completing our training program. He really is the goodest good boy.

Our Golf tournament is this Friday!! We want to thank First Federal Bank for being our flag sponsor again this year!Firs...
09/15/2025

Our Golf tournament is this Friday!! We want to thank First Federal Bank for being our flag sponsor again this year!

First Federal stands out as Idaho's top community bank, showing genuine care by offering solutions that enhance your financial well-being. 💰

We appreciate First Federal's yearly involvement in our tournament. We couldn't make the dream work without them!💌
We still have sponsorship opportunities and space for more golfers, please sign up here or message us!
https://animalretreat.afrogs.org/ #/tickets/event

Well, it finally happened. Our ol’ trusty dryer has officially, permanently retired.Problem is we definitely need a drye...
09/15/2025

Well, it finally happened. Our ol’ trusty dryer has officially, permanently retired.

Problem is we definitely need a dryer here. 😬

Does anyone have a used electric dryer they might like to donate to a 501(c)(3)? We can make pickup arrangements at your convenience. Email [email protected] or message us if you’d like to donate. Thank you ❤️

Psssst. Hey, Copper! What kind of car does a dog drive?A Fur-rari!
09/14/2025

Psssst. Hey, Copper!

What kind of car does a dog drive?

A Fur-rari!

Big guy, big personality, bigger love — Pepper is looking for you!
09/14/2025

Big guy, big personality, bigger love — Pepper is looking for you!

Ellie almost looks worried she won't be able to catch the ball. Pfft......like that would ever happen.
09/13/2025

Ellie almost looks worried she won't be able to catch the ball. Pfft......like that would ever happen.

Meet Katara, a 3.5-year-old, medium-sized sweetheart who is ready to find her forever family. This special girl is full ...
09/13/2025

Meet Katara, a 3.5-year-old, medium-sized sweetheart who is ready to find her forever family. This special girl is full of love, energy, and personality—she absolutely adores people and has never met a belly rub she didn’t like. She’s also dog-friendly and enjoys having four-legged pals, though she’ll need a cat-free home.

Katara is both housetrained and crate-trained, making her a wonderful companion for someone looking for a loyal and affectionate dog. She’s playful, smart, and loves learning new things—especially if meaty treats or even pancakes are involved! Her favorite hobbies include swimming, shredding toys, and being by your side for any adventure.

Because Katara has a lot of enthusiasm for life, she may be a little too energetic for small children or seniors, but in the right home she will thrive. She does take medication for anxiety, and what helps her most is having a stable home and a predictable routine. With patience, structure, and love, Katara will blossom into the very best friend you’ve ever had.

They say dogs are a man’s best friend, and they must have been talking about Katara—because she’s just waiting to be yours.

Address

PO Box 891
Emmett, ID
83617

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Animal Retreat posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Animal Retreat:

Shortcuts

Share

Our Story

Meridian Canine Rescue is a non-profit, no kill canine rescue dedicated to giving homeless and owner surrendered dogs a second chance. Too often shelter animals are not given the time to find new families and guardians because of overcrowding. It is our goal to reduce the number of homeless and owner surrendered dogs in shelters, both locally and regionally, without the need for euthanasia.

Our first step to meeting this goal is to act as a rescue. We provide an alternative to kill shelters; where guardians can surrender their pets without fear of euthanasia. We also continue to develop relationships with overcrowded shelters so that dogs under threat of euthanasia can be transferred to our facility and have more time to find their forever homes.

Secondly, we serve as a resource and educator to the public. Through our relationships with dog trainers, the pet industry, and the veterinary community, we can educate and provide resources to help guardians find ways to keep their family members at home and out of the shelter system. We also work to educate potential adopters to ensure that they are well prepared for dog guardianship prior to adoption.

Finally, through our various volunteer programs and community outreach activities we are able spread awareness to the plight of pet overpopulation and encourage more individuals to choose adoption.