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Millions of animals die in shelters nationwide each year because there are too many of them, but one local nonprofit is trying to reduce that number to zero. Lucky Mutts Rescue has been rescuing dogs for five years. To them, each lucky mutt is a learning opportunity, not a number.
Lucky Mutts’ mission stems from their main goal to treat dog overpopulation by educating the community about spaying/neutering and caring for pets. They also uncover the hidden potential of dogs in their program to give each a home that every dog deserves. And above all, they actively foster community stewardship for all living things.
The majority of mutts in the program come from the Town Lake Animal Center – particularly the “last chance” or “bully” dogs that simply need basic training to guide them to acceptable behavior.
The organization works with trainers and behaviorists to help make each lucky mutt adoption-ready: well-behaved, happy and healthy. But it really is the volunteers who help find a loving home for every dog. Volunteers like Marsha Lewis, who partnered with the mission in 2003 as a foster and joined the nonprofit’s board just two years later.
A self-professed science nerd, Lewis is currently completing her doctorate in cell and molecular biology at The University of Texas. This mother of three is one busy woman, but she said she wouldn’t give up her volunteer position at Lucky Mutts, where her own passion for helping dogs is nurtured and fed.
“[When I first became involved] I appreciated Lucky Mutts’ commitment to rescued animals, ensuring they are healthy and also emphasizing that foster volunteers work on basic home manners to prepare the dog for their permanent home,” Lewis said.
Statistically, over half of all pet adoptions last less than a year due to the fact that people often adopt for the wrong reasons – a cute puppy or popular breed. For that reason, Lucky Mutts does not allow same-day adoptions and fosters serve as the launching pad to find a loving home for each mutt.
“We don’t have a kennel and rely completely on fosters to keep our rescue animals,” Lewis continued. “Fostering can be a tough gig, transitioning a dog from street life to home life … we assist fosters that don’t have any dog training in their background by choosing dogs that fit their personal training level. As volunteers, we all share a desire to get to the root of the unwanted dog problem and want to help people understand what it takes to be a responsible pet owner,” Lewis said.
Potential adopters are turned into advocates of the rescue mission, thanks to a lengthy, thorough adoption process that guarantees the best match for both parties. From an online application to personal references to a home inspection, adoptions are not taken lightheartedly. In fact, the majority of adoptions are restricted to the local Austin area to ensure genuine care and support for each pup. Adopters may also opt for a trial period in order to integrate the lucky mutt into the household. And Lucky Mutts requires that all new owners attend a training class with their new family member in order to “learn the same rules of the road.”
“There are cases when a dog simply is not the right fit and we will help those people place their dog, as long as they can continue to foster the dog while we help find them a permanent home,” Lewis said. “We can only save as many individual dogs as we have fosters. Currently, we are down on fosters. It’s due to the economy and though it is a demanding volunteer position, it’s very rewarding in the long run,” Lewis said.
The nonprofit is always looking for fellow fosters and volunteers to keep the organization going. Lewis and the other four board members can be reached at all times for resources and support. “We stay in touch with all applicants throughout the process,” Lewis said.
Hard work? Yes. But Lewis and fellow Lucky Mutt volunteers put in the extra effort and time necessary to impact the local pet community. “Our goal is to adopt-out healthy animals,” Lewis said. “Lucky Mutts provides all the necessary medical care [such as] monthly flea and heartworm medication, as well as any treatment the dog may need while in foster care. We also offer excellent quality food available for fosters and volunteers at a wholesale price. We find an excellent diet makes a difference in the dog’s overall health and attitude.”
Lewis confirmed that the rescue mission’s dedication to the adoption process makes the blood, sweat and tears well worth it when all is said and done. “The best part is receiving letters or emails with updates from former Lucky Mutts,” she said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see a mutt that came to you shy and afraid, now curled up with their new family, enjoying a good life. I also love to hear people decide to keep their dog after talking with us. We really work hard to not be judgmental and simply help; it’s wonderful when it all comes together,” Lewis said.
Recalling her tenure at the rescue mission, Lewis said, “Wow! There have been so many successes over the last six years. A special story that really stands out to me involves four neglected dogs that were brought to my attention by a neighbor. The neglectful owners were notified the dogs were going to be removed by local authorities if nothing was done. The dogs were malnourished, with every rib and vertebra visible. Their fur was patchy and they were covered with ticks and fleas. I brought food and refilled their water bowl until fosters could be found. Now, the dogs have truly done a 180. I am certain they don’t even recall their neglected years!” Lewis said.
As for her own Lucky Mutts, “All five of my dogs were rescues,” Lewis said. “Since I intake a lot of rescue [dogs], my lucky mutts don’t make it to the adoption page. I choose to keep them because I believe they would be difficult to place due to their issues (old age, history of biting, etc.),” Lewis said. “We understand we cannot save all the dogs until some shifts are made in society and government, but we focus our resources on the dogs that are adoptable, that we can place, and also on educating individuals about responsible dog ownership so more people keep their dogs from ever entering the ‘rescue cycle’ and prevent irresponsible breeding,” she said.
Looking toward the future, Lewis said, “We hope to get an education program off the ground. Currently, we answer calls from schools and are a resource for them to teach students from elementary to university groups. We want to turn that into a proactive outreach program.”
And for now, “We will also continue to have Meet and Greets monthly where people can stop by our table and meet our volunteers and mutts at Bark’n Purr on Burnet Road from noon to 2 p.m. every second Saturday of the month. We also meet at Lofty Dog on 2nd Street from noon to 2 p.m. every fourth Saturday of the month,“ Lewis said.
MORE INFO
www.luckymutts.com
info@luckymutts.com