Dawn’s Canine Rescue has placed thousands of animals with their forever families over the past 19 years but without our help the rescue may have to be closed.

I was lucky to meet Dawn Thompson this fall for two reasons. The first, she changed my world view regarding the importance of following your heart and secondly, she helped fill a gap in my family's heart by placing Maakie, the pup in the video, in our home. She has touched our lives in a meaningful way and that is why my mother, Becci, and I are trying to raise funds to help Dawn. 

Ten years ago Dawn was diagnosed with a severe case of Crohn’s Disease, a sometimes debilitating disorder that attacks parts of the intestinal tract. She has been delaying her prescribed surgery fearing loss of income to her project.

Besides being painful, it causes fatigue. Yet, she refuses to allow the disease to take her from the work of animal rescue.

With most funds seeping from her pay check, cushioned slightly by the help of local veterinarians and donations, Dawn charges no more than the amount she’s put into an animal’s care, making no profit from their placement.

“I save the ones that cost the most...dogs with one eye, missing a leg, born with birth defects…those left behind because they were as imperfect as this world is.” Dawn Thompson

Enter Indiegogo

If the community of Indiegogo can meet a goal of $5000, Dawn will be able to use her  income to cover her own medical expenses, allowing donations to keep a constant level of care at the rescue.

PRO BONO

A local attorney has offered to help establish non-profit status for the rescue but still needed are the required filing fees, in the hundreds of dollars. Fearing the pending medical expenses, she’s unwilling to accept that offer, at this time.

Hoping For A Future

Once we collect enough to allow Dawn the comfort of knowing her animals will not suffer, and she can take the time to care for herself, she can secure a non-profit status for Dawn’s Canine Rescue.

Below is information regarding the funds needed by her rescue.

We hope Maakie T. Sprout's video brings you some puppy joy and pulls you closer to helping out on our project.

Maakie's brother, Cutty Bara, a brother from another mother, is featured on our Keepsake Magnet.

IN DAWN’S WORDS

In a recent email exchange with Dawn, who will periodically check in to see how her placed babies are doing, I asked her to explain the work she does.

Mostly, I take in the emaciated and abandoned that someone dumps over my fence, on my road, in the woods........

I help the elderly try and place their dogs, and I do the best I can for lives that matter most, those without the voice to cry for help.”

She later wrote…

“I spent last year, about $10,000 in vetting animals that were homeless.

I spend $500 a month on food, $1000 a year on cat litter and then blankets, bedding, collars, leashes, and toys, at least another $3000.

I still need to put a fence around my entire yard …

I can't get a loan because I refinanced my home to install a partial fence in 2008-2009.

I take in sick, broken souls.

Cats left in apartments, abandoned.  Dogs left roadside."

You can find Dawn’s Canine Rescue via any search engine and if you live close by perhaps you can adopt one of her friends, donate some time and give her a hand.

Dawn Thompson does this work, like so many others, out of a compassion which runs deep.

If you care to read more about Dawn and the rescue there are two 2009 news articles. The first is by Kate Harding, for Jezebel, “A Tale of Two Pet Rescues”. It references a piece in The Washington Post by Theresa Vargas, “One Woman’s Dogged Efforts”.

Thank you for any help, remember to use Indiegogo share tools, and please spay and neuter.             Marta Z and Becci