06/13/2025
A message from a dog rescue I work with
Hello LifeSavers
Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Shannon, and many of you may know me from the Silver Spring events or other special events. I’ve been with K-9 Lifesavers for 13 years, serving as an adoption coordinator, event coordinator, and leading the majority of our fundraising efforts.
In all my years with K-9 Lifesavers, I’ve never seen things as challenging as they are now. We’re facing an uphill battle, especially as we try to compete with shelters offering free or heavily discounted adoptions. From August through September, the “Clear the Shelters” campaign encourages shelters and rescues to waive or reduce adoption fees. Unfortunately, we’re simply not in a financial position to do that. Most small to mid-sized rescues aren’t.
Programs like these, while well-intentioned, are having a serious impact—not just on us, but on many rescues. And who can blame people for choosing a free adoption? The key difference is that we are entirely volunteer-run. Unlike shelters, which are funded by the government and staffed with paid employees, we rely solely on the dedication of volunteers and the generosity of our supporters.
Shelters are now being forced to euthanize not only senior dogs, but even puppies—some as young as 8 weeks old are ending up on death row. Amazing adult dogs are being given less and less time before their lives are cut short.
On top of that, we receive around 20 emails every week from pet owners—most of whom didn’t adopt from K-9 Lifesavers—desperately trying to rehome their dogs for one reason or another. The need is overwhelming.
We want to save as many of these dogs as possible, but we’re up against two major challenges: a lack of funding and a serious shortage of foster homes. Without both, we simply can’t help as many as we wish we could.
Before COVID, we regularly saw 20 or more adoptions each weekend. During the pandemic, adoptions surged, and foster support was at an all-time high. But now, things have taken a hard turn—we're lucky if we see 10 adoptions at an event.
II won’t sugarcoat it—there have been many moments when I’ve thought about walking away from rescue work. At times, it feels like we’re fighting a losing battle, and it can be deeply discouraging.
But the truth is, this rescue is something special. The care and effort we put into matching the right dog with the right family is unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere. And the ongoing support we offer to our adopters truly sets us apart. I know this firsthand—I’ve worked with other rescues, and what we do here is exceptional.
We could really use your help caring for our dogs. Even a small donation can go a long way and means everything to us—and to them. Every dollar truly makes a difference.
Interested in fostering? We'd love to connect! — your support could change a life. Email us at:
[email protected]
To learn more about ways to donate, visit our website
We put to good use any and all tax free donations, donated supplies and shopping to support our animal rescue.
