It all started one summer afternoon in 1984, when a little girl walking home from school saw a dog that looked confused and afraid. So the girl did what she knew best, and took the dog home with her. That little girl is the daughter of Grace Hall, who was so moved by this incident that she set the wheels in motion to start an organization that did rescue work for dogs. Grace is one of the first people to start dog rescue work in Ontario; in 1990 she formed Adopt-a-dog/Save-a-life Inc., which became a registered charity whose mission is to find loving homes for abandoned dogs in shelters and puppy mills.
Mary Anne Marcuz, who is now one of the team leaders, says that running a dog rescue home is a huge undertaking. "Apart from financial support, you have to work with other foster organizations, create relationships with veterinarians and other like-minded people who will foster rescue dogs. In addition to this, there has to be awareness of proper procedures and policies. It takes a lot of time and hard work to be a successful rescue organization," explains Mary Anne.
Adopt-a-dog/Save-a-life has a no-kill policy and relies on volunteers who have opened their home and heart for the rescue dogs. The rescue has fees for adoption too. "This money is used for vet bills, medication, food and other necessities for our dogs to remain healthy. Our foster parents do a wonderful job giving them a loving home until the time they get adopted," says Mary Anne.
