ScratchMyBelly.org is a non-profit founded to save animals from high-kill shelters in Southern California and the streets of Baja California. Join us.
Scratch My Belly Rescue focuses on saving dogs on the day they are to be euthanized at high-kill shelters, dogs surrendered from owners in crisis health situations, and abused and severely neglected dogs from Southern California and Baja California. Our goal is to rehabilitate the neglected, injured and sick. We also help healthy animals find forever homes. Every year, about 10 million pets are br
ought to animal shelters across the US and more than 2 million of those are put to sleep. Economically distressed areas and the mindset that selling puppies will make one rich results in too many of the current popular breeds, physical and mental issues in many offspring, and sickness when puppies are not vaccinated and kept in unclean conditions. Parent dogs suffer by being bred over and over and are eventually dumped when they can no longer produce puppies. People adopt these puppies without any concern by the sellers for how the dogs will be raised or live. Many grow up without training or socialization and they wind up in animal shelters. There are areas in Southern California where dogs are not protected in homes and they roam freely, eventually being picked up as stray. Our goal is to rescue dogs who are at the end of their time in a shelter or on the streets in Tijuana when other rescues have not responded to save them. We rescue all breeds as long as we have fosters to bring them into a home. We rescue puppies, adults, and some senior dogs. Every dog is fully vetted and gets the care needed to be sure they are healthy before they are made adoptable. We also take in some owner surrenders, focusing on dogs whose owners have medical or financial emergencies that force them to relinquish. We look for just the right home for each and every dog. We do home checks of fosters and adopters and dogs are part of the rescue for their entire life - if they ever have to be surrendered, they are to come back to Scratch My Belly. Donate, foster, adopt. Save a life with us today.
11/26/2025
TUCKER UPDATE
This boy!!! He makes us so proud. ❤️
Tucker just crossed the border Sunday night after waiting for a foster home, and he is not wasting any time showing how amazing he truly is. His foster mom, Baye, has been giving us updates and taking Tucker with her around town.
Here’s what she has to say about our boy:
“Great on a leash, sleeps through the night, and is such a cuddle bug!!!”
Let’s make sure he finds his forever home.
This is the power of fostering—giving dogs the opportunity to learn, show their true colors, and shine.
Want to help? Sign up today and help us change the world one dog at a time! 🐾❤️
Supplies provided 😉.
11/25/2025
Just a few days of love and you can start to see the difference ❤️❤️❤️
Our little boy Sunny is already shining his little light. He is enjoying the sun at the porch with foster mom Becky and even got a super fluffy calming bed from her to enjoy his naps.
Never underestimate the power of love 🫶
This is why fostering is a gift to every and each one of our dogs.
11/24/2025
Tucker has finally made across the border!!!! We are so happy that our handsome boy Tucker is finally in San Diego.
He was surrendered by a family in TJ that did not have time for him. He was around other dogs and kids and has always been a love bug.
He has been cared by the Yuyos in TJ until now and we can’t wait for him to find his forever home.
Many thanks to Baye for signing up to foster him and picking him up last night after the border crossing.
Because of fosters we can make this happen!
Want to change the world for one dog? Sign up to foster on our website. Supplies provided.
11/23/2025
A LOVE STORY
Hi, I’m Frederica, and Scratch My Belly has been my love and pride for over 13 years.
It all started with my early years helping network high-kill shelter dogs and volunteering and fostering for local rescues.
When the rescue first opened, my goal was to save 1,000 dogs, and anything after that would just be the cherry on top 🍒.
Years later, we crossed that number, and I realized something beautiful — there is no finish line in love. Every dog saved since has been a gift, a reminder that this mission has become bigger than anything I ever imagined.
You may have noticed that I/we (SMB) have a thing for Yorkies, and this is why…
Long before my husband and I had human kids, we had our boys, Michio and Kenji. I’ve never hidden the fact that Michio came from a breeder—back then, my own lack of education and knowledge kept me from realizing that a dog like him could be found through rescue. But over 23 years ago, I simply didn’t know better. His legacy and our love for the breed continued with Kenji (the breeder said he was “ugly and not breeding quality”), Mimi (rescued from a SoCal shelter), Lily Rose (discarded after being a breeder dog until 8/9 years old in Mexico), and Chewy (also discarded by a breeder needing surgery to have a normal life).
We always rescue Yorkies whenever we have the foster and financial resources to do so, because I’m forever in love with the breed. I will always have a soft spot for them because, after all, they were my first babies ❤️ — but to be honest, I just love all dogs 🐶.
As we head into Thanksgiving week, I’m thankful for all of you who have followed and supported us along this journey, making it possible to rescue so many wonderful fur babies and change their lives forever. The road is not always easy but your support allow us to make this happen 🙏
11/22/2025
Greed noun
intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.
This is what backyard breeders are full of …. My heart aches for the exploitation of animals. It is disgusting and repulsive.
Sonny, approx 6 yrs old, lived in a crate all his life. His body is frail and he is so gentle and sweet, trusting little soul.
As I had him next to my chest I just wanted to push him into my skin, my heart, my soul and tell him that his life will be amazing. He stole my heart right away.
Sonny’s little body is skinny, his soul so gentle. His thin legs are a little bowed from his prior life and nothing we can do about it but what we can do is to make sure his future is bright.
We want to thank our sweet foster Becky for offering to care for Sonny. We dropped him off to her with lots of wet food, high quality kibbles and treats.
Because of our followers support and donations we can offer our recruits great quality nutrition.
Stay tuned for his updates!
We love you Sonny ❤️
11/21/2025
We are soooo happy to say Stevie and Penny are finally here!!!!
Stevie came to our rescue with the need of emergency surgery to correct his severe pr*****ed re**um case (4 surgeries plus a neuter) and Penny was attacked by another dog and had a big laceration behind her ear.
Both surrendered when they needed their owners the most, but as always when it comes to breeding french bulldogs money comes first…
Because of awesome fosters, now they have the opportunity to find their forever homes!🏡
Many thanks to everyone that made this happen today! Sasha for fostering Penny and Irelynn for temp fostering Stevie until his foster can take over.
Special thanks to my always friend and amazing rescue warrior Christine for jumping in when time is not enough to cover all basis.
Follow us for more updates !
11/19/2025
Foster found 🙏
TEMP FOSTER NEEDED UNTIL DEC 2nd ➡️➡️➡️➡️. Stevie’s foster will not be able to take him until December 2nd. He is scheduled to come this Friday morning. Can anyone help???l
Supplies provided, no doggie door please
11/19/2025
COURTESY POST - dumped pregnant dog
🚨🚨🚨NEEDS FOSTER TODAY EVEN TEMP HELP
Young female Chi mix pregnant and was dumped in the middle of nowhere up by Perris. The dog isn’t too far along in pregnancy apparently but she weighs 18-20 lbs. Rescue is willing to take her but needs time to find a foster for the dog and the finder’s dog is aggressive and will hurt the dog. We need to have her out of his yard this evening.
Please share so this little innocent mama to be ends up in the shelter without the proper immune system to fight disease
DM US IF YOU CAN HELP! Location is San Diego to San Bernardino areas
11/19/2025
Temp foster opportunity (details below)
Marco needs temp foster from Dec 7-19.
His temp foster needs to be experienced with fearful dogs, Marco came from tremendous abuse and even tho he has made incredible strides, don’t expect him to just jump on your lap and cuddle.
He is dog friendly and has learned that walks are the best.
Temp foster should not have young children as that can be very scary for him.
If you have experience, please contact us.
Location: San Diego, Orange County, Temecula
Supplies provided
11/14/2025
TEMP FOSTER OPPORTUNITY - ONE NIGHT Stevie needs a 24 hours foster from Monday morning to Tuesday. Who can help???
Location San Diego
Supplies will be provided as foster is picking him up on Tuesday. Dog friendly and very sweet.
11/14/2025
Thor needs a temp foster from Monday to 11/23. Can anyone help? Good with other dogs and just a sweet boy. Location San Diego, to Temecula. No doggie doors please.
11/12/2025
Foster found 🙏
FOSTER NEEDED - San Diego, CA
Sonny
Yorkie, male
6-7 years
Dental done, neutered and vaccinated
Approx 5 pounds
Friendly
Mostly Potty trained
Kids 8 and older, no doggie doors
Supplies provided, home check required.
To become a foster, go to ScratchMyBelly.org/forms
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ScratchMyBelly.org is a non-profit that was founded to save dogs from high-kill shelters in Southern California, from homes where an owner has suffered a critical life-changing situation requiring them to give up their dog, and from the streets of Tijuana, Mexico, where dogs are neglected and abused.
Scratch My Belly is a “death-row” rescue - our primary effort in saving shelter dogs is to take the dogs that are going to be euthanized at the last minute - when we are their last hope. We do not go to a shelter to look for the most adoptable dogs and pick the cute ones. We take the ones nobody else wants, when they are desperate and scared and sick. When we are needed most.
Our goal is to get the dogs into safe, happy foster homes where they can recover physically and emotionally. We provide all the vet care needed to make sure the dogs are healthy before we go through a process to find each one its own perfect forever home.
We strive to meet the highest ethical standards in rescue and require home checks for both foster and adoptive homes and we take dogs back for the lifetime of the dog. Our foster program includes support with food, crates, beds, toys, leashes, collars, harnesses, baby gates and anything else needed to make a foster home successful. We are contracted with over a dozen veterinarians so that dogs can receive care as close as possible to a foster’s home. Most of all, we focus on quality, not quantity, of adoptions. That means it may take longer to find the right home for a dog, but it also means we have almost no returns.
Join us. Volunteer. Foster. Donate. It takes a village to save each and every life.
