“Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong.” – W.R. Purche

A love of animals is in my blood. I grew up surrounded by dogs – my grandfather was a professional dog breeder, and kept horses, cows, chickens and more on his farm – and at no point in my life did we not have a pet. Sometimes we had multiple dogs and a hamster and/or a guinea pig. Even now, I can’t drive past a dog on the street that looks lost without herding him into my car and hunting down his owner. My husband is very patient with me when it comes to that, and he even enjoys it now; we know if Winnie were roaming the streets, we’d want a kind person to take her in and return her to me.

When I started cuteheads, there was a greater focus on the animal characters I called The Cuteheads: a lion, a lamb, and of course, a dog. They’re still around, and you’ll see them on the website, and on marketing materials. But as the line has evolved, we’ve phased them out a little bit. It did occur to me though, that a great way to incorporate animals into the brand in a meaningful way would be to spotlight nonprofits that are doing incredible work to make the lives of animals better and safer.

I have followed Red Collar Rescue for some time, and I am so impressed with the work that they do. I sat down with volunteer Heather to talk about this incredible organization – completely volunteer-run! – and find out how we can help.

For those who may not know, how does RCR differ from other Houston animal rescue organizations?

RCR is proud to be part of the Houston rescue community. There are many wonderful groups in Houston with tireless volunteers who work very hard to change lives. Red Collar is made up of a very small group of core volunteers (about 10) who all work full time jobs. We donate our time, money and homes to the dogs (and cats!) Our goal is to match families with the perfect dog for them, no matter how long that takes. We spend a tremendous amount of time getting to know our dogs so that we can best pair them with applicants. We are also known for taking some of the most difficult cases including physical injuries, behavioral problems and seniors. We work closely with HPD on many cruelty cases. We also work with several behaviorists, doggy daycares and trainers to offer our dogs the best chance of being adopted.  We do not discriminate based on breed, age or temperament of the pets. Tell us a little about how this organization began.

Red Collar Rescue was started by a single volunteer, Charlotte Liberda. She began volunteering in rescue and saw firsthand the plight of Houston’s homeless pets. After “learning the ropes” she set out to form her own rescue group and since 2007 has saved, and changed, thousands of lives.

What types of services do you offer?

Red Collar is an adoption organization that works with screened applicants to match them with the perfect dog for their family including size, breed, gender, age and personality. We do an extensive home visit and go over all the basics of becoming a successful dog family. We also provide follow up care with our adopters to help them with transitioning their dog into their family. We make a lifetime commitment to EVERY dog we adopt out so that our dogs will always have a place with us.

How many animals have you helped?

Since our inception, we have saved over 1300 dogs and cats!

What are some of the challenges you face?

Rescue work is extremely rewarding. But it is also heartbreaking. We see both the best and worst that life has to offer our furry companions. One of our biggest challenges if fundraising – it is an ongoing need and we are constantly reaching out to our supporters for their help. Another challenge we regularly face is the lack of consistent foster homes. Our program only works with our fosters – they are our most essential resource and we are so grateful to the love and work they put into each of their foster dogs. The number of dogs we can save is solely based on how many foster homes we have. And while fostering is not new, there are still many people who are not aware of the need or how to get involved. Fostering saves lives!

What has been your proudest moment since you began RCR?

We have so many wonderful memories of our dogs and their families, but our proudest moments are when we are able to save a dog that is considered a “lost cause.” From JD who was found emaciated and near death on the side of the road, to Thor who was shot in the head and left for dead, to Remy who battled back from starvation, neglect, abuse, and distemper  – they remind us every day that love really can heal even the most broken body and broken spirit.

How can people help RCR?

There are many ways to help RCR! Through financial donations, signing up to foster, volunteering, and being advocate for spay/neuter programs and thinking adoption first – it really does take an entire community to make a difference!

Tell us about some of the animals up for adoption. 

We currently have over 100 dogs looking for a forever home! Below are some of our current adoptables!

Vegas

https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/31834406/

Deacon

https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/31756248/

Dottie

https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/31071808/

Wassail

https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/29461539/

Trinity

https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/31914080/