Who We Are

We are a small group of volunteers whose goal is to save the lives of homeless dogs suffering in high-kill shelters. In doing so, we hope to provide an alternative to the purchase of puppy-mill and pet-store dogs, thereby reducing the demand for and ultimately the supply of such dogs. We strive to match each dog with the right family after the dog has been observed in a foster home.

Please help us help them by adopting and never, ever buying. Opt to adopt!

Monthly Meet & Greet Schedule

PLEASE NOTE: All dogs shown on the website and Petfinder page may not be at our Meet & Greets every week.

The following is our monthly Meet & Greet schedule. It shows locations and times of our Meet & Greets for each week, and will remain consistent for each month. We will post updates if anything changes. Click on the links for store addresses, information and directions.

• 1st Saturday: Cutter's Mill Natural Pets in Chalfont, Pa., from Noon-2 p.m.
• 2nd Saturday: PetSmart in Willow Grove, Pa., from Noon-2 p.m.
• 3rd Sunday: Cutter's Mill Natural Pets in Chalfont, Pa., from Noon-2 p.m.

If You've Got a Dog, You've Got a Date!!

... and if you don't have a dog, come out and find your new best friend! Join us on Saturday, February 11, at the Third Annual Bark & Wine presented by the Perkasie Dog Owners Group and hosted by the K9 JYM in Colmar. The Almost Home pups will be there along with the local Akita, Jack Russell and Doberman rescue groups -- someone for everyone, big and small! Sample the wonderful wines and fabulous foods available for just a $20 donation ($25 at the door) while enjoying the music and dog-training demos, and check out all the great items in the Silent Auction as well as at the vendors' tables! For more information, follow this link to the event flyer: http://docs.perkasiedog.org/BarkWineFlyer2012.pdf. Hope we'll see you there!

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FEATURED PETS




Vinnie & Chance Here is a story that will break your heart: Vinnie (dark coat) and Chance (Yellow Lab) are littermates who have been together their entire lives -- nearly 6 years, to be exact. Their world revolved around each other and their beloved owner until, tragically, their owner was diagnosed with cancer and eventually hospitalized ... and never came home. A family member began coming twice a day to care for the boys, but it was a long drive to and from, and not a long-term solution, so the family began looking for a rescue to take the dogs. Meanwhile, however, they were being kept in a crate -- together! -- for up to 27 hours at a time. Both are big dogs -- one weighs more than 100 lbs.! -- and they had no room to move or turn around in the crate, no food or water, and certainly no "bathroom" ... and when eventually they could hold it no longer, they were forced to soil themselves in that tiny space. Thankfully, an angel in the form of an Almost Home volunteer came forward and offered to take the boys to her home temporarily. After a lot of scrubbing and a few good meals, they were presentable enough to be photographed -- and as you can see from their pictures, they're thrilled to be able to run and play once again! Vinnie and Chance have been temperament tested and found to be stable, rock-solid, good-natured sweethearts -- no issues whatsoever. Here's what their temporary foster mom had to say about them: "Vinnie and Chance are just full of sweetness! They are friendly towards adults, children and other dogs. They seem to know basic obedience commands and will follow without a leash. Let's hope there will be no more cramped crates for these good ol' boys. They have always been together and each gets anxious if the other is not around. They certainly deserve to live the rest of their lives in peace ... together." This is one of those stories that you really, really want to have a happy ending ... so we're praying that there's yet another angel out there who will give these precious boys a happy home -- could it be you? If you're looking for a ready-made, low-maintenance doggy family, please e-mail us to find out if Vinnie and Chance are the right pets for you!

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BEHAVE YOURSELF!



In a perfect world, our dogs would already know everything we want them to know... but here in the real world, we often need someone to help us "speak dog!" Almost Home is fortunate to have the help of two wonderful behaviorists/trainers -- Lisa Berkenstock and Carol Siegrist.

Carol and Lisa have helped many of our foster dogs get off to a great start, and they're a terrific resource for adopters who want to build a better relationship with their new four-footed family member. If you and your dog need some "relationship counseling," please visit their web sites for more information!

Thank you, Lisa and Carol -- we couldn't do it without you!




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Click here to see more from DrawTheDog.com!




READING AND RESCUE? PERFECT TOGETHER!

Melissa McDaniel is a photographer who is using her talents to educate people about shelter dogs through her Rescue Dog Photo Book Project. The goal: to raise $300,000 for animal rescue groups around the country through her shelter/rescue affiliate program. Click here to visit the Melissa McDaniel Photography web site and purchase your copy of "The Rescue Dog Photo Book!" NOTE: 30% of the purchase price of all books purchased through this affiliate link will be donated to Almost Home Dog Rescue ... so please, shop 'til you drop! Pre-order now for an extra 15% discount, and remember, books make great gifts!





SPECIAL OFFER FOR ALMOST HOME ADOPTERS!

Dog Town doggy daycare and boutique is the latest and hippest way to spoil your favorite furry friend! Almost Home adopters receive a 25% discount on their initial purchase for a newly adopted dog, and a 10% discount on all subsequent purchases for the life of the dog. Now that's a doggone good deal! Stop by and check out their selection of top-of-the-line foods, treats, bedding, toys and accessories for your new best friend!





Adoption Process Information

A home visit and reference/vet check will be done to determine the best placement of our dogs. You must complete an application, which will help us determine if the dog you are interested in is a good match for you. Almost Home reserves the right to determine the best placement for our dogs. The application is NOT a guarantee of any dog's placement.

You can e-mail us at AlmostHome4Dogs@yahoo.com to request an application, or pick up an application at any Meet & Greet event.

A $250 adoption fee is necessary to cover the cost of spaying/neutering, medicating and caring for dogs that often come from situations of neglect and illness. (For puppies too young to be spayed/neutered, the fee is $300, with $50 refundable upon proof of spaying/neutering.) We also pay the sending shelters a fee for every dog we rescue and sometimes have to pay a driver to transport them out of harm's way. Without charging our own fee, we could not afford to do what we do. Most Pennsylvania county shelters are supported by taxpayer funding and large corporate donations, so they can afford to let their animals go for a lower fee than we can. Thank you for understanding!

Interested in Becoming a Foster "Mom" or "Dad?"

Foster families are the backbone of the Almost Home Dog Rescue -- without them, we couldn't do what we do. Do you have room in your heart and home for a homeless dog? Please stop by a Meet & Greet and talk to our current fosters -- they'll tell you just how rewarding fostering can be, and give you information on how to get started! Or e-mail us at AlmostHome4Dogs@yahoo.com for more information on how to become a lifesaving foster "mom" or "dad!"

Short-Term Foster Option: We understand that not everyone can make the commitment to fostering a dog until it's adopted. But if you're available for a week, a weekend, or even just a few days here and there, you can help by "foster-sitting" when a regular foster family is away on business or vacation! When the need for short-term "foster-sitting" arises, we'll notify our "foster-sitters" via e-mail blast, and if the timing is right for you, you can volunteer to care for a foster dog until his or her family returns. It's a great way to save lives without making a long-term commitment!

Wagons Ho! Join the Almost Home Transport Team!

... and help us bring them ALL the way home! The Almost Home Transport Team is always in need of volunteers! If you'd like to help our organization but are unable to provide a foster home, we could use your help in transporting dogs from shelters to fosters. For more information on how you can help, please e-mail us at AlmostHome4Dogs@yahoo.com.




Can't Foster or Adopt? You Can Still ... SHOP!

Now your online shopping can benefit Almost Home! Our rescue has signed up with Give Back America and iGive, which means when you shop online through those sites, our rescue will receive a percentage back from your purchases. It doesn't cost you anything extra, and there are hundreds of major online retailers to shop from, including Amazon, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, and many others. To get started, visit Give Back America and type "Almost Home Dog Rescue" for the Charity Name. For iGive, just type "Almost Home Dog Rescue" in the Keyword Search field. The stores are the same, but now it helps our dogs when you shop online!

Style to the Rescue: Almost Home T-Shirts, Hoodies, Camis and Baseball Caps!

Spread the word about Almost Home with one of our eye-catching T-shirts, tank tops, camis, hoodies (pullover or zip-front) or baseball caps! And now that the cool weather has returned, it's time for layering to stay warm ... so why not get one of each? E-mail us at AlmostHome4Dogs@yahoo.com for ordering info, availability and sizes, or pick one up at any of our adoption events!







The Truth About Puppy Mills

Factory farms where thousands of breeding dogs are kept in cages just slightly larger than their own bodies. Underfed dogs feeding an industry of corruption and greed. Instead of walking on grass, they stand a lifetime on stretched wire flooring in cramp rabbit hutches. Instead of collars or bandanas, they wear rusted livestock clips in their ears or chains with USDA tags embedded in their necks. Undeserving of a name after eight years of service, a breeding female is often led into a dark cornfield and killed once she can no longer produce her young for market.

The factory farming of man's best friend is an ugly business. Each step of the process is harsh, inhumane, and unspeakably cruel. From the time a female dog comes into her first heat cycle at six or seven months of age, she is bred unmercifully. Producing two litters a year for eight years, she will spend her entire life isolated from the outside world. Kept along with hundreds of other breeding dogs in rows of outside hutches or hidden away in dark barns. Deprived of the most basic of veterinary care, she can suffer from untreated bite wounds, pneumonia, heat stroke, ear infections, blindness, malnutrition, splayed and swollen feet, rotted teeth, and mange. Her puppies, taken from her too soon, will be shipped across the country in large tractor trailers to pet shops or brokers. Vulnerable to extreme temperatures and contagious diseases, many puppies die en route.

Unlike baby sea turtles scrambling toward the ocean, puppies heading to our country's pet stores will not find safety or comfort once they arrive at their destination. They will be weak, frightened, and often legally underage. Playing host to a variety of health and behavior problems, they will be purchased by consumers, uninformed and on a whim. Unsuspecting families who believe the sales assistant's lies about puppies born to small breeders and raised in loving households. "Our dogs don't come from puppy mills," she says. Don't believe it.

If you would like to help shut down puppy mills, please contact your state representatives.

Don't Be Fooled: ALL Pet-Store Puppies Come From Puppy Mills!



"Prisoners of Greed" is a video that depicts the torment suffered by dogs at puppy mills throughout the country -- many of them right here in Pennsylvania. Click on the image to the right to be directed to the "Prisoners of Greed" video.




#30796 - The Dog in the Back Room Hello, is anyone there? I thought I heard someone, I guess not. I am so lonely. There are other dogs here but I am in a cage all by myself in a back room in this building. There are no windows so I cannot see very much. I do not know if it is day or night but it is dark and cold. There are cracks in the walls and the snow and wind are blowing. I'm so cold I cannot stop shivering. I'm hungry and thirsty, it has been a long time since The Man came in here. He put water in my dish but it froze before I could get enough to drink. He threw some hard, dry food in my bowl and his hand hurt me when I went to get a drink of water. I don't like hands - they hurt. After The Man left, I ate some food. It hurt my mouth. I heard someone say that my teeth are abscessed, I'm not sure what that is, but I know when I put something in my mouth it hurts. Everything hurts me. My eyes are so sore and my hair sticks to the corners when the runny stuff comes out. My ears ache and smelly stuff oozes from them and mats the hair together. It hurts. When I try to move to get comfortable, the hair on my belly and neck and legs is all one big, huge mat and it pulls and hurts really bad. I am so cold and hungry and thirsty and I hurt. I heard the children talking the other day. They were playing in the snow and talking about something called Christmas. They are very excited about Santa Claus. Apparently, this Santa Claus person checks to see if the children were naughty or nice and then he brings them many presents. They make a wish list and if they were nice, Santa fills it. Later, I heard The Man and The Woman talking and they said that my puppies all sold at the pet store so Santa would be very good to the children this year. Is that you Santa? Can you hear me? Do you care about dogs? Just in case you do, I'm going to send you my wish list: I wish for a home, a real one, where I can live inside and have food to eat every day and where there is always fresh water (the kind that is not frozen please.) II wish for a human with a soft voice and a soft touch to love me. Just me. I wish for them to talk to me softly, to love me gently and to protect me from The Man and The Woman. I wish for a bath and I wish for my hair to be brushed so that it flows pretty like the dogs in the pictures. I wish to be clean and mat free. I I wish to go to the veterinarian and get my teeth fixed. I wish that my mouth would stop hurting, my eyes would stop seeping, and my ears would no longer cause me pain. I I wish to be warm in the winter and cool in the summer with no fleas or ticks or parasites or heart worms to bother me. I have a lifetime of love I've been saving to give a human, so yes please, I wish for my very own human. I want to give them nose licks and kisses, I want to protect them from strangers and alert them if a leaf falls in the yard. I want to welcome them when they come home every day. I want to share their life in good times and bad and I want to show them how special they are and make sure they know they are the best person in the whole wide world. I wish for my own name, I think I would like to be called Angela. Please Santa; take me away from this cold, dark place. I'm a good lilttle dog and I have so much to give, please help me. I'm so very, very cold. Thank you for considering my wish list, #30796 - the dog in the back room

Rescue Angel Tail tucked between your legs, Confusion in your eyes - I know it's hard to understand That someone heard your cries. When loneliness is all you know And pain is all you feel And no one can be trusted, And hunger's all too real... That's the time the Lord sees you And lets you know He's there That's when He sends His messengers The hearts that love and care. Yes, rescuers are angels You cannot see their wings, They keep them neatly folded As they do their caring things. The medicine to make you well Good food to make you strong, And finally to help you learn That hugs are never wrong. The perfect place then must be found The home where you can live Secure and safe and happy With joy to get and give. When you reach your Forever Home, Your place to feel whole, The Angels smile, and off they go To save another soul. Author Unknown

A Senior's Sonnet One by one, they pass by my cage, Too old, too worn, too broken, no way. Way past his time, he can't run and play. Then they shake their heads slowly and go on their way A little old man, arthritic and sore, It seems I am not wanted anymore. I once had a home, I once had a bed, A place that was warm, and where I was fed. Now my muzzle is grey, and my eyes slowly fail. Who wants a dog so old and so frail? My family decided I didn't belong, I got in their way, my attitude was wrong. Whatever excuse they made in their head, Can't justify how they left me for dead. Now I sit in this cage, where day after day, The younger dogs get adopted and driven away. When I had almost come to the end of my rope, You saw my face, and I finally had hope. You saw thru the grey, and the legs bent with age, And felt I still had life beyond this cage. You took me home, gave me food and a bed, And shared your own pillow with my poor tired head. We snuggle and play, and you talk to me low, You love me so dearly, you want me to know. I may have lived most of my life with another, But you outshine them with a love so much stronger. And I promise to return all the love I can give, To you, my dear person, as long as I live. I may be with you for a week, or for years, We will share many smiles, you will no doubt shed tears. And when the time comes that God deems I must leave, I know you will cry and your heart, it will grieve. And when I arrive at the Bridge, all brand new, My thoughts and my heart will still be with you. And I will brag to all who will hear, Of the person who made my last days so dear Author Unknown

Contact Us

E-mail Almost Home
at AlmostHome4Dogs@yahoo.com.

Visit our Petfinder page for a list of pets at this shelter.

If you would like to make a donation to Almost Home, you can either do so through Paypal:






or by mailing it to the following address:

Almost Home
P.O. Box 132
Doylestown, PA 18901

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