Lassie (now Lola) was an overbred black bulldog/Boston terrier mix with bad skin and nipples that hung to the floor. Moonlight (now Wilbur) had a serious yeast and bacterial infection that caused patches of fur loss. The deck was seriously stacked against both dogs, yet both are thriving in loving homes thanks to our wonderful partner FernDog Rescue. “We will pull anyone that touches us and that we have a foster for, no matter age, breed or medical condition,” says Adoption and Fosters Coordinator Donna Buccellato. “Lola looked pretty pathetic, but insanely beautiful to us."  So far in 2015 FernDog
has pulled 7 dogs from LHS, including a 12-year-old Schnauzer.

Based in Caldwell, FernDog Rescue was founded by dog behavior consultant and trainer Fernando Camacho with one goal: to getdogs out of shelters and into foster homes as quickly as possible. He had witnessed the mental deterioration that can occur in a shelter to even the most adoptable dogs, and also believed that getting dogs into foster homes is the best way to prepare them for their future homes. Camacho, along with his friend and fellow trainer Buccellato,  designed a foster program designed to nurture dogs’ physical and emotional health, help them through any issues, and provide a support system. FernDog also focuses on developing programs to promote pet adoption services and raise public awareness by providing community education of the issues surrounding animal rescue.

Dogs rescued by FernDog spend a minimum of two weeks in foster care, and fosterers receive all the training, support and resources they need. “We try to help anyone we can,” says Buccellato. “We never say no. Our dogs are family.”