Article by Drew McNally & Photography by Steph Perkins | Owl Staff
Serena was a rescue from the Dallas/Fort Worth area and relocated to Maryland last year.
Working with a rescue is emotional, difficult, yet rewarding. I rescued my dog Cason from Aspire Rescue Coalition in January of 2019. After the amazing experience, I contacted their director, Jenna Lloyd and asked how I could help.
“We are the voice of the ones that can’t speak,” states Lloyd. Aspire Rescue Coalition is a nonprofit volunteer-based rescue. Year to date, they have saved over 150 dogs from high kill shelters and found them forever families.
They rescue dogs in Mt Pleasant, TX, Fort Worth, TX, Dallas, TX, and Duplin county, NC, to bring them all the way to the Baltimore/ D.C. area and get adopted. They travel, on average, 2,000 miles per month between dog transportation, vet appointments, and foster families.
I have personally seen the amount of time and energy they all put into saving dogs. Its emotional work. It’s not easy, but they do it because they love dogs. Blood, sweat, and tears go into saving these dogs and finding them amazing families.
“We don’t just save the cute, super adoptable dogs, but we save the broken. The ones that nobody else wants, that’s what we do.”
In late September, it came to their attention there was a stray and possibly injured dog in the woods. What they thought was going to be an easy “come here boy” turned into a month-long manned mission.
“I spent over 25 days in the woods until I trapped her,” says Lloyd.
The dog refused to listen and ran away when anyone got close. It was a long period of sleepless nights, lots of patience, and hope, but they got her and placed her into a loving home shortly after saving her.
“We don’t just save the cute, super adoptable dogs, but we save the broken. The ones that nobody else wants, that’s what we do,” says Lloyd.
When these dogs are pulled from the shelters, many are scared and sick. Aspire is a family, however, and they don’t give up on each other. They rescue these dogs nobody else wants, nurse them back to health, get them out of their shell, and show them what love really is.