LUCKY DOG ANIMAL RESCUE

ADOPTION PROGRAM: LUCKY DOG ANIMAL RESCUE'S CENTRAL PROGRAM IS OUR ADOPTION PROGRAM. LUCKY DOG'S ADOPTIONS REMAINS THE CORE OF OUR ANIMAL PROGRAMS. LIKE MANY ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE, LUCKY DOG SAW A DECREASE IN LARGE DOG ADOPTIONS IN 2024, BUT AN INCREASE IN CAT ADOPTIONS. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE OUR FOUNDING, ADOPTIONS FOR BOTH SPECIES WERE ALMOST EQUAL. WE ADOPTED OUT 1,432 DOGS AND 1,631 CATS - 2,795 ANIMALS IN TOTAL (INCLUDING 2 GUINEA PIGS). DURING THAT TIME, WE SAVED 2,614 ANIMALS FROM HIGH KILL SHELTERS THROUGHOUT SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, TEXAS, MISSISSIPPI, FLORIDA, AND PUERTO RICO. BY THE END OF 2024, LUCKY DOG HAD SAVED MORE THAN 30,500 ANIMALS SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN MAY 2009. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE DOGS AND CATS WERE PLACED IN CAREFULLY SCREENED, LOVING ADOPTIVE HOMES. THOSE THAT WERE NOT ADOPTED IN 2023, REMAINED IN FOSTER CARE INTO 2024, WHERE THEY STAYED UNTIL THEY FOUND THEIR OWN ADOPTIVE HOMES. IN 2024, LUCKY DOG HAD A 100% SUCCESS RATE, MEANING THAT ALL ADOPTABLE DOGS AND CATS RESCUED WERE SUCCESSFULLY ADOPTED OR PLACED IN A LONG-TERM FOSTER SITUATION.FOSTER PROGRAM: LUCKY DOG'S FOSTER PROGRAM IS CRITICAL TO OUR ABILITY TO SAVE DOGS FROM HIGH KILL SHELTERS. BECAUSE LUCKY DOG HAS NO FACILITY OF ITS OWN IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, THE NUMBER OF DOGS AND CATS WE CAN RESCUE OUT OF THE SHELTERS IS DIRECTLY DEPENDENT ON THE NUMBER OF FOSTER HOMES WE HAVE TO PLACE THEM IN. IN 2024, WE ON BOARDED 489 NEW FOSTERS, UTILIZING OUR VIRTUAL TRAININGS WHICH REMAIN POPULAR DESPITE RETURNING TO IN PERSON ADOPTION EVENTS. FOSTERING A LUCKY DOG OR CAT REQUIRES A SPECIAL COMMITMENT, OPENING YOUR HOME UP TO THE ANIMAL, PROVIDING HIM OR HER FOOD AND SHELTER, ATTENDING ADOPTION EVENTS, AND HELPING YOUR DOG OR CAT FIND THE RIGHT HOME.VOLUNTEER PROGRAM: WITHOUT LUCKY DOG'S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION COULD NOT OPERATE. WE CONTINUE TO OFFER MANY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THE ANIMALS FROM HOME AS WELL. THROUGHOUT 2023, VOLUNTEERS ORGANIZE DADOPTION EVENTS AND FUNDRAISERS, DRIVE DOGS FROM THE SHELTERS TO WASHINGTON D.C., TRANSPORT DOGS TO AND FROM ADOPTION EVENTS, HANDLE DOGS AT ADOPTION EVENTS, FOSTER DOGS, MAINTAIN THE WEBSITE, AND COMPLETE ALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK THAT MAKES THE ORGANIZATION RUN. AT OUR SOUTH CAROLINA RESCUE CAMPUS, VOLUNTEERS ASSIT WITH LAUNDRY, DOG WALKING, AND KENNEL CLEANING. IN 2024, LUCKY DOG ADDED MORE THAN 1,465 VOLUNTEERS TO ITS ROSTER, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF LUCKY DOG ADOPTERS WHICH IS A REAL TESTAMENT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE RESCUE.EDUCATION PROGRAM: LUCKY DOG NOT ONLY STRIVES TO PLACE PETS IN LOVING FOREVER HOMES, WE ARE COMMITTED TO EDUCATING THE DC COMMUNITY ABOUT RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP. OUR VOLUNTEERS WORK VERY HARD TO EDUCATE NEW ADOPTERS ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER ADOPTIONG A DOG OR CAT, AS WELL AS PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT TO ADOPTERS AS THEY TRANSITION ANIMALS INTO THEIR HOMES. IN ADDITION, WE ADDED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESOURCES TO OUR WEBSITE ADDRESSING EVERYTHING FROM TRAINING TO NUTRITION TO COMMON VETERINARY AILMENTS. IN SOUTH CAROLINA, LUCKY DOG REGLARLY BRINGS SCHOOL GROUPS TO OUR PROPERTY TO LEARN ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE AND THE DO'S AND DON'T'S OF RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.YOUTH PROGRAM: LUCKY DOG WORKS HARD TO ENSURE THAT THE NEXT GENERATION OF PET OWNERS LEARN EARLY ABOUT THE VALUE OF ADOPTION, HOW TO PROPERLY CARE FOR DOGS AND CATS, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERISM. OUR YOUTH PROGRAM ENGAGES CHILDREN OF ALL AGES IN EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, IN VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES, AND IN BAKE SALES. IN ADDITION, OUR JUNIOR EVENTS VOLUNTEERS HELP OUR STAFF KEEP ADOPTION EVENTS RUNNING. IN ADDITION, OUR VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF VISIT SCHOOLS, GIRL SCOUT AND BOY SCOUT TROOPS AND OTHER YOUTH GROUPS TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS AND GET OUR YOUTH ENGAGED. OUR YOUTH HAVE EVEN FORMED "LUCKY DOG CLUBS" IN THEIR SCHOOLS. WITH THE OPENING OF OUR SOUTH CAROLINA RESCUE CAMPUS, WE NOT ONLY VISIT SCHOOLS, BUT THEY COME TO VISIT US.