Canine Rehabilitation Center and Cat Sanctuary was founded by Kristen Ivey in March of 2011. Kristen became involved in animal welfare many years prior as a volunteer for a high-volume shelter and had rescued and/or placed a few special needs dogs on her own. She ran another business during those years, but loved her time working with shelter dogs, volunteering, running play groups, and teaching classes with other volunteers. As years went by and Kristen learned the ins-and-outs of the system, she knew there was a niche that desperately needed to be filled. Back then, she and a couple other volunteers had built a solid relationship with the shelter they were closely connected to and began taking the at-risk dogs and placing them on their own. That experience helped shaped her vision for Canine Rehabilitation Center and Cat Sanctuary long before it was an official nonprofit organization. The focus was always long-term shelter dogs, dogs with multiple owner returns, dogs who were suffering from trauma, and also those labeled unadoptable and scheduled to be euthanized. Kristen’s heart was with the overlooked, the dogs who fell through the cracks of the high- volume adoption system. These special dogs needed extra help so they too could find a loving home all their own. Today, the primary focus is still the same. Canine Rehabilitation Center and Cat Sanctuary doesn’t care about age, breed, medical conditions, history, or even labels. We just care. The focus is rescue, recovery, training, and placement of at-risk dogs, providing a refuge and opportunity for dogs who are out of options and desperately needing a new start. The dogs who come into our care have amazing stories of strength, triumph, and survival. Some have given much of their lives to science and laboratory research, others have suffered from neglect, abuse, hoarding, or puppy mills, or have endured long-term confinement or isolation. In addition, we act as a support for rescues and shelters, taking in dogs who have been waiting for extended periods of time to find a home, or who have been returned multiple times.
Our adoption team are excited to learn about you and show you some great doggie options! They’ll bring out a few different dogs so you can get an idea of different sizes, temperaments and varying looks. They know our dogs well so they’ll be able to answer your questions, get your feedback and help narrow it down for your family! We will be in touch; however, please give us time. With your narrowed down options, you’ll get a personal conversation in which we share the story and history of the dog, what their needs are and what they have requested in their next home. We are honest and open about each dog. We’ll share their strengths, what motivates them and what they love. We’ll also share information about what they may not like, sensitivities or areas they may need improvement. Based on this conversation, you’ll have a really good idea how you want to proceed. Didn’t find what you are looking for? Not only do we have many more options (dogs that don’t live here) we are also connected to many other rescues and shelters and will be happy to point you in the right direction. This step is critical. We’ve made some big promises to our dogs after all they’ve been through so it’s important that we get it right. On this visit, we set a plan so we can keep things moving and stay on track! Some are ready to go home now, others are ready to begin the transition to home. This is the transition to home. Some dogs can go home quickly. Others may need more time to get to know you and other pets/children in the home. Some of our dogs will even ask our team to bring you out on the trails so they can show you how they play or respond to other animals. This is important for you to see and experience, so you know exactly what you are getting. We want you to be successful at home! Every dog is different. Every adopter is different. This is the stage where we work WITH you to transition the dog home. Whatever it takes! Maybe it’s another visit, more bonding time, a play date at your house or even one on one time out on the trails so they can learn your energy and movements. How long does this take? Well, it’s totally up to the dog. Not us. We will read the dog and know when they are ready. Most of our dogs have been through multiple shelters or multiple owners. Our goal is that by the time adoption day comes, it's a fun adventure for them with someone they know and have built a relationship with, not the stress of “another” environment “another” change. We want you both happy!