To give them the lives they deserve. And you yours.

We hope these before-and-afters of just a handful of the many animals we’ve saved and rehabilitated can help you begin to understand how difficult, moving, emotionally charged, and rewarding our work — and finding your furry soul mate — can be.

Please help us continue giving animals like these their second chances by donating here.

Sarah

THEN: We rescued this big eyed puppy in 2019 from a shelter where she was at risk of euthanasia in a very rural area of southern California. The human population there is very low, and most abandoned pets that end up at shelters like those don’t make it out. Even though Sarah was just 4 months old when we met her, she had no future ahead without our help. This very lucky little pit mix went from death row to a yard and family of her own in New Jersey.

NOW: Sarah’s family says, “She is the best dog ever. She’s happy, loves our family, and we love her so much. She has free reign of the entire yard, and we have almost 2 acres. She has fur friends that stop by and play when they are waking around the block. She is a snuggler. We think she’s part human since she literally understands every single word we say. Last year my mom developed dementia and was very restless and yelled out quite often. During that time, whenever Sarah heard her scream, she would come in to the room and sit right next to her to calm her down. It was so beautiful and touching.” Visit her on Instagram at @rescuepup_sarah.

Emma

THEN: Emma fka Marley was found in a duffel bag outside of a veterinary office in Manhattan in 2020. She was covered in inches of filthy matted fur — she hadn’t been bathed or touched for most of her young life. This Shih Tzu was only a few years old and horrendously neglected, then literally left on the sidewalk in a zipped shut bag. She had a medical grooming that shaved her completely naked because none of her fur was salvageable. We expected skin infections underneath, but this very lucky girl was intact under all of that dirt and excrement. After a few weeks of recalibrating to a world where she was treated as a loved pet instead of a discard, she was adopted by a family in Long Island that already had a Social Tees grad ready for a little sister.

NOW: Emma’s family says, “When Emma first came to us she was very shy and scared. It took her a few weeks to adjust to being in a home, and it was clear she hadn’t been outside much. She would just sit and watch the birds, or smell the air. She seemed to have no idea what rain or snow was. She’s now constantly running in the fenced yard, and her favorite thing is walks around the neighborhood. Freedom is very important to her after being confined for so long. She initially didn’t understand how to be touched, but now she can’t get enough. She is always in someone’s lap and sleeps snuggled into me or my husband every night. She’s turned out to be the most adventurous of any dog we’ve had, so we take her with us whenever we can. It’s been so fun watching her real personality evolve like she’s learning how to be a dog finally. I’m not sure what her life was like before, but we’ve enjoyed spoiling her with everything she’s missed up until now, which she takes full advantage of!”

Charlie

THEN: Charlie fka Brad/Buttercup was 5 months old and living with his brother in a garage in rural Tennessee when our partner group took him in in 2020. His mother had been hit by a car and killed, and the man who owned him wanted him and his brother (who we also rescued) out ASAP. He was underweight and reeked of motor oil. He was covered in bald patches from mange, and he hadn’t been socialized as a baby so he wanted nothing to do with humans. He bounced around in foster homes in New York for a while because he was too frightened to live in the city, and nobody seemed to want a broken boy… until one of his foster families took a leap of faith, then fell for him and didn’t let go.

NOW: Charlie’s family says, “When we first brought Charlie home, he was a skinny 45 lbs, terrified of everything except other dogs. He wouldn’t go anywhere without our first dog, Daisy. We had to carry him in and out of our house to the yard to go to the bathroom. Despite his distrust and fear, he had the sweetest soul. He wanted so badly to be loved and shown affection, he just didn’t know how to be a family dog. As each month passed, Charlie came out of his shell more and more. While the streets of Jersey City still make him nervous at times, he is a completely different dog. Now a whopping 82 lbs, our handsome, sweet soul is friendly, playful, curious, loyal, obedient, and the just the happiest dog in the world. His favorite activity is hiking followed by snuggling. Charlie lays on our feet at the dinner table, and when family and friends come over, he gives everyone a big kiss hello. In December, his baby sister was born, and he has been a gentle, doting big brother. Charlie runs to the crib to say good morning, and sits with us in the nursery while we read. He surprises us every day with his bravery and brings us so much joy. ”

Lincoln

THEN: Like the vast majority of animals that enter our care, we don’t know anything about Lincoln fka Leroy’s background except that he ended up at a shelter in rural Tennessee in 2020 when he was only 6 months old. Tragically, many of the animals around this age that we rescue seem to come from homes where someone thought a puppy was a cute idea but had no idea how challenging it could be to raise one. Housebreaking, basic manners, leash skills, socializing… these standard pet ownership responsibilities are too much for many uninformed pet owners, who leave their dogs at shelters where they may be put to sleep before they’re even full grown.

NOW: Lincoln’s mom says, “Lincoln is the joy of my life, my little baby, my best friend and constant companion. My parents who live close by absolutely adore him, and he has brought so much love and joy to their home as well. He keeps their older dog young at heart. He is such a happy boy. He has a group of doggie friends and loves to run around off leash in my parents’ fenced backyard or a secure area at the local park. He is very food-motivated and will sniff out any edible morsel he can find. He especially loves peas, carrots and watermelon! He’s grown to 45 lbs but somehow still looks like a little peanut. He has a typical beagle howl and loves to make an entrance, but he’s the sweetest most lovable dog that gets along with all people, children, and dogs he comes across. I’m not sure how I got so lucky, but I literally hit the jackpot with this dog. He’s perfect in every way. Someone tells me how handsome or adorable he is practically every day!”

Beauty

THEN: In August of 2021, this young Shih Tzu mix was found tied to a pole in New York City. She was covered in flea bites, and her skin was raw, red, hot, and scabbed. Our vet thought she’d suffered chemical burns and razor burn. She was shaking and wouldn’t let anyone touch her when she first arrived. The pain must must have been excruciating. She needed a full month of medication to heal the burns, cuts, and bacterial and yeast infections that had ravaged her little body before we could even think about making her available for adoption. One of our directors fostered this shattered soul herself to make sure that her strict regimen of medicated baths and oral medications was followed flawlessly.

NOW: Beauty’s family says, “Beauty is definitely the right name given to this girl: She is beautiful inside and out! We felt such a connection to her from seeing the initial rescue photos and videos on Instagram. In the first 6 months after we adopted her, Beauty blossomed into the sweetest girl. Each day, we could see her trusting us more. She’s a big time snuggle bug (although still on her terms) and always hops onto our laps when we're on the sofa. Beauty loves me (mom) and is almost always by my side, but absolutely adores her dad. I usually catch her laying her head on his pillow beside him, spooning him, or laying on top of him in bed after her morning walk and breakfast. Beauty loves her walks in the neighborhood and dog park, and she MUST stop to say hello to everyone and all dogs. Given her skin condition, we started her on fish oil supplements and continued with her medicated baths until she was fully healed. And oh my, what a beautiful coat she has! Watching Beauty’s transformation has been so rewarding. She is such an amazing, loving girl and we feel so lucky to have her in our lives!”

Luna

THEN: Luna was found stray in Texas in the summer or 2021 and was taken to the local shelter. The 5-year-old bully mix had been badly abused, and lacerations covered her head, chest, and legs. She had a deep gash on the right side of her torso just beyond her ribs. The veterinarian who initially treated her thought she may have been dragged along pavement by a person or vehicle, and the gash could have been a stab wound. Despite the incredibly cruel treatment she’d been subjected to, Luna was trusting and resilient. Because of overcrowding in the shelter though, she was about to be euthanized when one of our rescue friends contacted us about saving her life. If we could commit to taking her in, they would help arrange medical care and transportation. We couldn’t say no after seeing videos of this tragic soul seeking affection from kennel staff while bleeding in her cage. Luna’s wounds were treated in Texas, and once she had healed enough, she was transported to NYC and was welcomed into a foster home with open arms. This gentle and exuberant girl was not a fan of urban life though, so it took a while to find her the perfect forever family. Thanks to her foster family’s commitment to her and weekend trips to New Jersey, she found her very loving forever family by the beach and now spends most of her time either frolicking in the sand or cuddling on the couch with her humans.

NOW: Luna’s mom says, “Luna has completed our little family and is doing wonderful! She is awesome and thriving. She gets to go to the dog park on a regular basis and loves to play with the kids. She has made many dog friends in the neighborhood. She loves walking and running on the beach with the family too! We could not have asked for a better dog!”

Ollie

THEN: We took him in from Animal Care Centers of NYC in the summer of 2021. His name was Junie then, and he had been found stray and left at the Manhattan city shelter. This 3-year-old Shih Tzu mix was heartbreakingly emaciated at only 5 lbs — half the weight he should have been. He was also plagued with fur so matted that it pinched is fragile skin. Huge tangles of hair and feces clung to his legs and belly, and you could barely see his face. He was understandably a bit hesitant and shaky when he came into our office, unsure of whether we were humans who’d continue treating him the way he’d been raised. He literally rolled over for belly rubs though as soon as he realized we were friends. Shockingly, he let us trim most of the matted fur off, and he had a medical grooming with our veterinarian a few days later to remove the rest. It took him a minute to get his sea legs in his foster home. He’d never been handled like a beloved pet, so he didn’t know how to behave like one. He learned to adore affection quicker than we expected him to, and he loved to explore on walks. He gained weight at a healthy pace and had a lot of optimistic energy to keep up with. He found his forever home with a woman well versed in spoiling her pets in heathy ways, and he got a few four legged siblings to keep him company.

NOW: Ollie’s mom says, “Ollie is my third rescue pup. I adopted him knowing my 16-year-old rescue wouldn’t be around much longer, sadly. Not only did and does Ollie bring me so much joy, he brought my senior so much joy the last months of his life. He is the happiest, funniest, most affectionate pup I’ve had. He makes me laugh and smile every day and everyone that sees him walking down the street smiles at him and comments on how he’s smiling. I’m so lucky I found him!”

Penny

THEN: Her name was Roxanne, and she was another one of the slews of animals we knew nothing about besides her approximate age and weight when we received her photo in late 2021. Didn’t know where she’d come from or what she’d been through, but our partner in Tennessee said she seemed like a good girl. Nice temperament, didn’t deserve to be at risk of losing her life. She came up to NYC and was adopted shortly after. She has a yard now, she goes for beach walks, her family recently bought a boat… and a very cute life jacket for her.

NOW: Penny’s mom says: “Penny is the sweetest girl and has brought us so much joy. She loves, loves, loves fetch, cuddling, her daily playdates with my sister's rescue, and sitting right at my feet when I work. Thank you to social tees for bringing her into our lives!”