Although Dirt Road Rescues is a new organization, it feels like a project that is a lifetime in the making. I am the type of person who stops on the side of the road at the hint of a wagging tail. I have patiently placed food in the same spot multiple times a day for weeks at a time until I was able to lure a single dog into my waiting arms. I will happily spend my evenings crawling in the dirt beneath houses to rescue litters of puppies or kittens who had the misfortune of being born on a property where they are not wanted. I promise each and every one that I will always want them. This determination and dedication to rescue work is (perhaps) a contributing factor in our large furry family: our current count stands at 6 dogs, 3 cats; every one of them rescued. These numbers are typically doubled by our fosters. No matter how challenging and full the days can occasionally be, every night when I lay in bed with a few dogs snuggled next to me and the rest breathing soundly in their beds on the floor, knowing that they are happy and healthy and loved makes every effort worth it. We live in a small rural town and are fortunate enough to have plenty of land to share with our fosters. We welcome them into our home and they, temporarily, become a part of our pack. At this point, my only partner in rescue work is also my partner in life, my husband. He never complains about the size and demands of our continually shifting pack. Instead, his only question is always “Did you get them all?”