When I got my first dog, Zoe, I had no idea about the world of pet adoption or animal rescue. Needless to say, I got an earful from friends eager to share the benefits and joy of adopting. A little over a year after bringing Zoe into our home, we decided she needed a friend and started looking for a dog that might be a good companion for her. This time we knew we wanted to adopt and save a pet that was facing an otherwise uncertain fate.
We found a nearby rescue center and were immediately drawn to an adorable little dachshund mix we would later name Meatloaf. We immediately fell in love with the little guy. He was a clumsy and lovable little dude with horrible breath -- a perfect pal for Zoe.
After our experience with pet adoption and the joy that Meatloaf brought into our home, I can honestly say that I will never have anything but a rescue pet again. Not only because it's the right thing to do, but because homeless pets are so loving and appreciative of a place to call home. We lost Meatloaf a couple of years ago, but he will always be with us.
Shortly after Meatloaf passed away, I did some work with nonprofit PetSmart Charities to celebrate its' five millionth adoption milestone and encourage others to choose pet adoption, like we did. One of their programs that caught my attention was the Rescue Waggin' program. Rescue Waggin' is so unique because it takes dogs on the verge of being euthanized and transports them to areas of the country where adoptable pets are in greater demand. I knew something amazing was happening and told my friends at PetSmart Charities, "Now this is the storyline for a TV show!"
Fast forward several months later. My production company, Dakotakid Media, is bringing to life the Rescue Waggin' journey, from start to finish. We filmed adoptable dogs at the "source shelter" in Missouri and followed them cross-country to their "destination shelter" in Minnesota. Our cameras were rolling the entire way. When the dogs arrived at the shelter in Minnesota, they were showered with love by the shelter workers. Loving families adopted many of the dogs within a matter of days. After many months on the road filming and interviewing, we are finally ready to show the world what great work the Rescue Waggin' program is doing, finding homes for pets like Meatloaf, all over the country. Our new web series, Rescue Waggin': Tales from the Road is told through eight webisodes during the month of March. Learn more about the program and watch the complete series at RescueWaggin.org.