Our Dogs' Stories: Reducing the Shelter Dog Population
Dog-Harmony is dedicated to reducing the shelter dog population. Meet some of our canines that have come through our doors and found their forever homes. Find out more about what we do and our current programs. You can also find out more about volunteering with us and how to donate. We are thankful for our continued community support of our mission.
Addison
Picked up as a stray. Nancy thinks Addison had been on the road for a while. She had health problems and she was very scuffy. Cheri and Rob Marchewka fostered Addison and they fell in love with their little escape artist. She is now living her best life in a cabin with her paw-rents, two other dogs, a cat and a bird in Suches, Georgia.
From Rob: Addison was an abandoned puppy trying to be caught by the neighbors and she ran to me into my arms and started licking me. It was an instant connection. She and I have been buddies ever since and she reminds me of myself when I was younger. Full of energy, just wanting to play, explore and act goofy. Even when she won't listen it still cracks me up because that's how I was. She's my little mini me.
From Rob: Addison was an abandoned puppy trying to be caught by the neighbors and she ran to me into my arms and started licking me. It was an instant connection. She and I have been buddies ever since and she reminds me of myself when I was younger. Full of energy, just wanting to play, explore and act goofy. Even when she won't listen it still cracks me up because that's how I was. She's my little mini me.
Rudy
Meet Rudabaker James Brundage (AKA: RUDY). The Brundage family fostered Rudy through Dog-Harmony several years ago and just couldn't let him go. He was rescued off of a porch where he was caged 24/7, malnourished, diseased skin falling off of him, no hair and sleeping in his own feces. Somewhere along the line his left paw broke and was never reset so he walks a little funny. While captive, he wore down and lost many of his teeth from trying to chew his way out of his caged nightmare. Dog-Harmony rescued him near death. We took him in as a foster in hopes we could get him the medical attention he needed and eventually be well enough to be adopted out to a loving family. After many months of doctor visits and lots of love, this sweet baby's rashes began to heal, his hair began to come back and he was finally gaining weight. In the meantime, we all fell in love. We had all lived through something with him. Rudy and Chris became best friends, Kenzie and Payton fought over who could snuggle with him at night and I continued to wrap him in blankets and love to making sure he was living his best life. We whole-heartedly adopted Rudy. I know that Dog-Harmony is much more than rescue adoption. They go into schools and teach young children about bite prevention and work hard to train both animals & humans...….but Dog-Harmony is so much more to our family. They brought us a fur-baby we never knew we needed. I am so honored to fundraise for this local rescue that not only recued Rudy and countless other animals, but also rescued my heart. Please consider supporting. There are so many "Rudy's" out there waiting to be rescued off porches and free from chains & cages. This is a smaller local organization that could really use the support!
Olivia
Olivia belonged to a family that didn’t have the time to spend on Olivia the way she deserved. Kathy Lamb, a Dog-Harmony volunteer and sponsor, met Olivia and fell in love. Olivia has been evaluated as a therapy dog. She and Kathy give back to the community by participating in programs with Intermountain Therapy Animals.
Chloe
I adopted my adorable, energetic, Florida brown dog, Chloe, from Dog-Harmony, Inc. in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida in November 2017. Chloe came to Dog-Harmony from another shelter due to overcrowding. Too many dogs are returned to the animal shelters, which are overwhelmed in northwest Florida and by necessity have high euthanasia rates.
New to the Panhandle area of Florida and looking for volunteer opportunities involving rescue dogs, I applied to Dog-Harmony. After meeting Chloe, I knew my life would change. I was in love with the exuberant, brown puppy and already wracking my brain to figure out how I could take care of a dog.
Dog-Harmony emphasized that there was no pressure to adopt Chloe at that meeting, and that fostering-to-adopt was an option. The most important thing was to take the time to make sure Chloe and I were a good match and that we had fun in the process of getting to know each other.
I have been happier than I have been in several years since I adopted Chloe, who has become my official office partner at Elevate Next. In fact, I started my own consulting firm due in large part to Chloe. I needed a work lifestyle that still allowed time with Chloe for training, socialization and adventures.
Best of all, Chloe has introduced me to an incredible network of dog-loving friends and colleagues. We both made great friends at the local dog park, and our favorite state park is Rocky Bayou, where Chloe loves to swim. I can’t thank Dog-Harmony enough for the opportunity to adopt Chloe, who has truly rescued me.
New to the Panhandle area of Florida and looking for volunteer opportunities involving rescue dogs, I applied to Dog-Harmony. After meeting Chloe, I knew my life would change. I was in love with the exuberant, brown puppy and already wracking my brain to figure out how I could take care of a dog.
Dog-Harmony emphasized that there was no pressure to adopt Chloe at that meeting, and that fostering-to-adopt was an option. The most important thing was to take the time to make sure Chloe and I were a good match and that we had fun in the process of getting to know each other.
I have been happier than I have been in several years since I adopted Chloe, who has become my official office partner at Elevate Next. In fact, I started my own consulting firm due in large part to Chloe. I needed a work lifestyle that still allowed time with Chloe for training, socialization and adventures.
Best of all, Chloe has introduced me to an incredible network of dog-loving friends and colleagues. We both made great friends at the local dog park, and our favorite state park is Rocky Bayou, where Chloe loves to swim. I can’t thank Dog-Harmony enough for the opportunity to adopt Chloe, who has truly rescued me.
Lucy
Lucy came to Dog-Harmony from another rescue due to pet overpopulation. Elaine had just finished building a house with a yard perfect for adopting a dog.
Denny
Denny was one of eight puppies in a litter dropped off at a vet’s office in Pensacola. After they were healthy enough to leave the vet’s office, Dog-Harmony pulled them and started searching for new homes for all puppies. Amy Yanora, Manager of Robin’s Bikes & Fitness, had just lost a dog and wasn’t quite ready to adopt another one, but Denny stole her heart. He goes to work with her every day at the bike shop and with her on all her adventures hiking, camping and travelling.
From Amy: Then I saw him at Hidden Dunes when Robin donated a bicycle for a fundraiser. I said, "Nancy, if you ever need help fostering, I wouldn't mind helping with that cute one, he's so handsome.” I had him for a week or 2 before hurricane Michael was coming and I told her Denny could evacuate with us. He was amazing! He drove in the back seat with the shop cat, Bubba and never made a peep. He slept curled up around my head and followed me anywhere. Everyone who knew me, knew I was going to fail at fostering. My husband Mark said "oh! I thought you were bringing Foster, the dog home, not, we are going to "foster" a dog"🤣🤣 He knew the first time he saw him, we would keep him. Denny has truly been a Godsend. I do not know what I'd do without him. He is TOTALLY my Therapy Dog. He goes everywhere, and I mean everywhere, with me.
From Amy: Then I saw him at Hidden Dunes when Robin donated a bicycle for a fundraiser. I said, "Nancy, if you ever need help fostering, I wouldn't mind helping with that cute one, he's so handsome.” I had him for a week or 2 before hurricane Michael was coming and I told her Denny could evacuate with us. He was amazing! He drove in the back seat with the shop cat, Bubba and never made a peep. He slept curled up around my head and followed me anywhere. Everyone who knew me, knew I was going to fail at fostering. My husband Mark said "oh! I thought you were bringing Foster, the dog home, not, we are going to "foster" a dog"🤣🤣 He knew the first time he saw him, we would keep him. Denny has truly been a Godsend. I do not know what I'd do without him. He is TOTALLY my Therapy Dog. He goes everywhere, and I mean everywhere, with me.
Belle
Belle is Denny’s littermate and she found her fur-ever home with Tammy D’Agostino, who loves brindle coated dogs.
Maggie
Maggie came from a family who could no longer care for her and Shantelle Dedicke stepped up to foster the adorable Maggie.
Pepsi
At the age of 2 years old, Pepsi’s previous owner became pregnant and had the child. She decided that she no longer wanted Pepsi and took her to the vet to be euthanized. The vet refused upon the seeing perfectly healthy Pepsi and contacted Dog-Harmony to help find his fur-ever.
Finn
Finn came from another shelter along with Chloe. He was very shy at first and would not let anyone touch him. Janie Schmidt-Harris, a Dog-Harmony volunteer, and her husband decided to foster Finn about a month after their wedding. Finn absolutely completed our little family. He's been with us through so much over these past three years, and I can't imagine our life without our little snuggle bug.
Mercy
Mercy was picked up as a stray by animal control. The shelter called Dog-Harmony to pull Mercy because she was not adjusting to shelter life well.
From Maria Ramos, who adopted Mercy: How Mercy found me: I went to a Dog Harmony event to meet a specific puppy. While waking up, another dog, Mercy, ran up to greet me and got her head stuck in a fence trying to get to me. This happy dog with her head stuck in the fence is not who I intended to go home with but later she laid down on my feet I was done.
From Maria Ramos, who adopted Mercy: How Mercy found me: I went to a Dog Harmony event to meet a specific puppy. While waking up, another dog, Mercy, ran up to greet me and got her head stuck in a fence trying to get to me. This happy dog with her head stuck in the fence is not who I intended to go home with but later she laid down on my feet I was done.
Dublin
Dublin came to Dog-Harmony from another shelter due to overcrowding.
From Corey Flynn: Dublin found us. She brought her personality and charm into our household when things were just getting a little – well, shall we say - boring. She spiced up our world, challenged our patience and showed a new kind of love to us and our other pup, Irie.
From Corey Flynn: Dublin found us. She brought her personality and charm into our household when things were just getting a little – well, shall we say - boring. She spiced up our world, challenged our patience and showed a new kind of love to us and our other pup, Irie.