GREEN MTN PUG RESCUE

06/22/2025

We are excited to announce that Kristen has taken on the role as Secretary within the board of directors. Thank you so much Kristen! ❤️❤️

Kristen Griswold - Secretary

I've lived in the greater capital district of New York state the majority of my life. I studied Latin and psychology at Union College and after receiving my masters at SUNY Albany, I began teaching Latin in Clifton Park. My husband and I live in Rexford, NY with my pugs and his cats; it is a mixed marriage but we make it work.

One of my first goals as an adult was to get a dog, so six months after getting a full time job, and after a lot of research about different dog breeds, I settled on the pug. I fell in love with their big personalities and their lazy dispositions. My first pug, Basia, led me to seek out other pug people. I joined the Albany-Capital Region Pug Lovers Meetup where I became aware of GMPR. After a few years I began fostering pugs and eventually I took over as organizer of the Meetup group. I've fostered many dogs, mostly pugs and pug mixes, much to the consternation of my current pugs, Maximus and Luciana.

When I'm not trying to wrap a belly band around a squirming pug, I'm probably doing something related to teaching or Latin. I'm the webmaster for the Classical Association for the Empire State and also on their board. I've taught mostly middle school students for 20 years. Pugs and middle schoolers listen about the same amount, but I do clean up much less p**p at work.

After many years of fostering, I'm happy to help GMPR serve pugs in need in new ways as a board member.

06/22/2025

Kelli Mazzella - Volunteer Coordinator

As an avid animal lover, I first fell in love with pugs after watching one of my favorite childhood movies, The Adventures of Milo and Otis. When I was in middle school, our family adopted Winston who was a part of our lives for over 16 years and got us introduced to the Green Mountain Pug Rescue (GMPR) in attending their many events, such as the Pug Social. In college, my future husband, Michael, and I encountered our first feline rescue, Chloe, who gave birth to a litter of kittens where one of her daughters, Marie, captured our hearts and both were with us for nearly 18 years. It wasn’t until the winter of 2016 that we adopted our first pug rescue, Munchkin, from GMPR. That spring, I joined the GMPR family as a board member transitioning to roles of secretary, volunteer coordinator and eventually as president. I did depart in October of 2022, but remained as an active volunteer, adopted our second pug rescue, Han Solo, in September 2025 and I’m so happy to be back on the board as of June 2025 with my fellow pug peeps!

I grew up in Essex, Vermont and after high school graduation, I moved to Albany, New York to attend pharmacy school at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. After completion of my doctorate in 2008, I moved back to Vermont to do a 1-year residency in hospital pharmacy practice and I stayed on at the University of Vermont Medical Center to provide patient care and teaching the next generation of pharmacists. As a goal, I hope to pursue future education in veterinary pharmacy and apply my expertise to GMPR and the pug community.

06/22/2025

Amy Frye - President, Adoption & Transport Coordinator, Website Manager

I am a native Vermonter and has always had a pug in my family since I was a child.

My first pug was our family dog named Winston and he was the reason why my family fell in love with the pug breed. When I was in college, I adopted my first pug of my own from a fellow student who was moving back to Taiwan after graduation and couldn't take him with her. His name was Sky and even though he had some handicaps due to a car accident when he was a puppy, he was a happy pug. Sky and Winston loved going to the GMPR Pug Social's which is how I was introduced to the rescue.

I am a graduate from the University of Hartford, CT with a Bachelor of Art degree in Web Development and a graduate from Champlain College in Burlington, VT with a Master of Science degree in IT Management and a certificate in CyberSecurity. I work remotely for an IT consulting company.

I live in Underhill, VT with my fawn pug named Stewie, GMPR Alumni, Wally, GMPR Alumni, Bensun (pictured) and Rat Terrier, Chance. My sister, Kelli, adopted Munchkin from GMPR in January 2016 which lead to me joining GMPR as a board member.

06/22/2025

Patti Whittemore - Home Visit Coordinator

I was born and raised in central Vermont and have been an animal lover my entire life. It didn’t matter what. If I could help it in any way, I would. I moved to North Carolina in 1993 and was involved in Reptile Rescue. I’ve fostered iguanas, monitor lizards and large snakes for Triangle Iguana Rescue in Raleigh. After moving back home and losing my precious Bichon, Madison after 14 years, I applied to be a foster for GRMR to fill the hole in my heart. I filled that hole with my very first foster. A deaf, blind, bossy black Pug named Lucy. She was the queen of our house and we new in the first hour she would be a “foster fail”. We fostered and hospice fostered many Pugs for GMPR and I was on the board for a short time previously. Life happens and after having to step away when life got overwhelming, I’m so grateful to be back on this amazing team! I now live in Rutland with 2 of my 3 grown sons, an English Bulldog named Delilah, and 10 chickens. I work for a local Financial Advisor. I have attended many out of state GMPR fundraising events, as well as our very own Pug Social. I look forward to seeing everyone at the Social. That’s my happy place. Surrounded by all the dogs.

06/22/2025

Karen Price - Social Media Manager

I grew up in Fonda, NY and currently reside In Schenectady, NY with my 3 fur babies Vera, Pearl, and Nemo. I’ve been an animal lover from the beginning so I attended SUNY Cobleskill earning a BT in Animal Science. Oddly, I landed in the Human Resources field of work but spend most of my free time with my pups. Pugs have always been my favorite breed and I fulfilled a life goal when I got my first pug in 2022. I began fostering dogs in 2022 for another local rescue and began fostering for GMPR in 2023. Rescue work has became my life passion and I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve on the GMPR board and continue volunteering in a greater capacity. I love to travel to pug events all over and meet new pug people so if you see me, say Hello!!

06/19/2025

GMPR has been going through some changes and we all know change is super hard sometimes! We are incredibly grateful for all of our volunteers! We would like to thank Jessica Sardella, Tony Sardella and Helen Bryan for all their hard work and dedication to the pug breed over the years! They were integral with shaping the rescue to who it is today! We will be forever grateful and will miss them dearly.

We are excited to announce four new but familiar faces that have joined the GMPR Board! Kelli Mazzella and Patti Whittemore just couldn't stay away and have returned as board members! We also would like to welcome Karen Price and Deb Wiggett as new board members! We are so excited to have them join us! We will post formal bios soon so you can get to know them more! We will also be formally announcing our new President and Adoption Coordinator this weekend! If anyone has questions in the meantime, please contact Amy Frye at [email protected].

Thank you all for your ongoing support of GMPR! ❤️❤️

06/17/2025

To My Fellow Pug People, the Die-hard Volunteers, the Phenomenal Fosters, our Partnering Rescue Besties, and all the Incredible Alumni Families who I consider extended family......
After 20 unforgettable years with Green Mountain Pug Rescue, the time has come for me to step down from my role as President. While I may be passing the torch, I’m not walking away empty-handed. My heart is overflowing with two decades of memories, laughter, tears, last-minute transport runs, the unforgiving fundraising event preps, and the fulfillment deep into my soul watching so many deserving little pups find their happy ever afters.
I have been endlessly inspired by every adopter who welcomed a perfectly imperfect pug into their home with an enthusiastic "YES", every volunteer who gave their time, energy, and car upholstery to this mission, every Foster who answered the call and said "YES" - offering a safe place to land for a sight unseen pet in need, and every partnering rescue who joined arms (and leashes) to do right by these dogs. You’ve all been part of this messy, magical journey......... and I’ll forever be grateful for the friendships and shared purpose that came along with it.
It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve these dogs beside you. Though I’m stepping down from GMPR, the spirit of rescue is tattooed on my soul, and every other part of my body as well. As my loving husband would say.. "This ole gal still has some get up and go left in her"....This isn’t goodbye, it's THANK YOU and I'll be seeing you around.

Keep the faith, fight the good fight, when in doubt - just do it! And above all.........keep on puggin’.
(And when in doubt, bribe with bacon.)

With all my love and gratitude,
Jess Sardella

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06/16/2025

On June 7, 2025, the dashing Mr. Bear found his forever home with Liz, Jonathan, Samantha, and Jonny, and let’s just say...... it was love at first tail wag. This handsome, distinguished gentleman waltzed into their lives like he’d always belonged (because, let’s be real, he did). A true turnkey pug, Bear settled in without missing a beat, and has already become a fan favorite at every baseball and soccer game. Forget peanuts and Cracker Jack, folks are showing up for Bear! Bear hit a home run with his new family, but let's be real.... Bear was an amazing catch!!! Thanks for choosing adoption and giving Bear the happiest of happy ever afters!!

06/16/2025

2025 Pug Social Apparel is now available through Bonfire! The theme is Peace. Love. Pugs! The 70s are back! Our annual pug social is on September 13th at Branbury State Park! We hope to see you there!

www.bonfire.com/2025-gmpr-pug-social-apparel/

All profits from this fundraiser will go toward saving more pugs and their vet care.. In preparation for our upcoming Pug Social in September, we want our supporters ...

06/14/2025

🐾🐾Curtis Lumber Pet-a-Palooza!!!🐾🐾

Stop by to meet all the amazing rescues and be sure to swing by GMPR’s booth to say hello 👋 and see all our great merch… AND get your Pugglez swag before we sell out

Today til 3pm.

06/10/2025

💥🐾 Pug Camp 2025: YOU DID THAT. 🐾💥

We’re still brushing glitter out of our .......... cars...... and trying to remember what day it is, but before the post-camp crash fully kicks in, we need to shout out some serious love.
First up: Pug Squad you absolute rockstars🌟. Thank you for coordinating the chaos and making Pug Camp another exhausting (but in a good way) and wildly successful weekend of pugs in matching outfits. It doesn’t happen without your hustle.

To all our partnering rescues, you brought the heart, the hounds, and the hilarious stories.. We’re better together, and it showed all weekend long. We love all of you, weirdos.

🐾 To every generous, big-hearted dog mom and dad who came ready to love hard, laugh harder, and open those wallets like champs, you showed up in full rescue mode, and we are so damn grateful.

📢 Special shoutout to Karen Price (Pearl & Nemo’s fabulous mom) for being exactly where we needed you, exactly when we needed you. Super love and appreciate YOU! ❤️

🎤 Massive thanks to our bestie rescues Pug Rescue of New England and SNORT - Short Noses Only Rescue Team for bringing the vibes, the love, and your leftovers to our Saturday night Pawchella event.. Y’all turned our event into a bonafide pawty!

🥂 To all the amazing donors and sponsors, especially the fine folks at Buddy's Vodka, you made the weekend sparkle (and let’s be real, made Sunday morning a little blurry).😵

And last but NEVER least, Helen Bryan. My BFF, my moral compass, and the woman who keeps this pug train on the rails. Thank you for your tireless effort, behind-the-scenes brilliance, and for somehow making it all feel like one big party. This weekend would not have been what it was without you 😘😘

Pug Camp 2025 was equal parts fun, fundraising, and full-blown pug worship. From the bottom of our rescue-budgeted hearts, THANK YOU. 🙏