Wendi & Dawn
In 2013, after the loss of our first dog, Gizmo, and knowing that our second dog, Pearl, needed a new companion, we began searching for another dog. Little did we know how much our lives were about to change when we found Vashti through Spotty Dog Rescue.
My husband and I met Vashti on a warm afternoon in June. We brought Pearl with us because if the two dogs didn’t get along, we couldn’t bring Vashti home. We also learned that this small, foster-based rescue organization had only recently been founded in late 2012.
Fortunately, Vashti and Pearl hit it off immediately. Just two hours later, Vashti came home with us and officially became part of our family.
We had been wanting to volunteer with a rescue organization, and after seeing the care and dedication that Spotty Dog Rescue put into matching dogs with the right adopters, it felt like the perfect fit. We completed a volunteer application and quickly immersed ourselves in rescue work. We spent countless hours at adoption events, getting to know the volunteers and the dogs. Before long, Spotty Dog Rescue had become part of our family.
We eventually became foster parents ourselves—and, like many fosters, we “failed” when we adopted Pinky. Along the way, we developed a close friendship with our founder and president, Dawn, and her husband, Claudio. This was no small accomplishment, as Dawn maintained a very small inner circle and trusted few people. Earning her friendship and confidence was a privilege that meant more to us than words than anyone will ever know.
Then, in 2022, Dawn began the fight of a lifetime: a battle with pancreatic cancer. As her illness progressed, I took on as many responsibilities as she would allow so she could focus on her treatment. True to her spirit, she fought courageously for more than a year.
When Dawn realized her battle was nearing its end, she asked if I would take over the organization that she had built with so much love and dedication. With an incredibly heavy heart, I agreed. I knew that I could never do it alone the way Dawn had. I turned to our core group of volunteers and asked them to help carry on her legacy.
Together, we have proudly done just that.
I am forever grateful to Dawn and to the incredible team at Spotty Dog Rescue. What began with the adoption of one dog became a purpose far greater than I ever could have imagined—a mission, a community, and a legacy that continues to change lives, both canine and human.
Linda & Simon
Before I fell in love with my last foster dog and adopted him, I fostered many dogs for Spotty Dog Rescue. Despite my full-time job, fostering never felt like a burden. Rescued dogs often come from difficult situations, and it was deeply rewarding to provide my fosters with a sense of security and love while helping them get used to respecting behavioral boundaries. It sometimes took a dog a while to become accustomed to my home and my presence, but we always wound up becoming fast friends and cheerful companions. Each of my foster dogs soon found a forever home that proved to be a good fit both for the dog and for the adopting family.
Spotty Dog Rescue provided everything I needed to care for my foster dogs, such as food, veterinarian visits, crates, bowls, and leashes. Even minor expenses associated with fostering, like using a car to drive a dog to the vet, are tax-deductible. Fostering also introduced me to the other volunteers at Spotty Dog Rescue. Dedicated as they are to rescuing dogs and to helping them recover and flourish, Spotty Dog’s compassionate and committed volunteers make the organization thrive.
My favorite part of fostering was having a loving companion who was always prepared to snuggle, play, or go for a walk. When after a time a foster dog departed to a forever home, it filled me with pride and joy to see the new match create happiness for both family and pet. If you have ever thought of fostering a dog, give it a try! You will be glad you did.
A Second Chance: Adopting Legacy
Legacy is a miniature pinscher. We first met her when her foster mom, Wendi, brought her to work at the local doggie daycare, where our two other dogs often spend time. We quickly learned Legacy’s story: found abandoned in the woods of Wolcott, CT, Legacy
would have starved to death without the intervention of local animal control authorities and the persistence and patience of the volunteers from Spotty Dog Rescue.
But could we adopt one more, especially two months after bringing 8-year old Dex into our home from a different rescue? Dex – later determined to be a mountain cur/poodle/dachshund mix – was still adjusting to his new surroundings, and his trust with his new canine buddy, an 8-year-old Yorkie named Calvin, and his new humans was still developing.
