DETROIT – Saving dogs and helping dog owners is a big job for a little team with only two trucks but that isn’t slowing down Detroit Dog Rescue.
Many pet owners face a lack of transportation, money and education -- that inadvertently puts their dogs at risk.
Kristina Rinaldi is the executive director of Detroit Dog Rescue.
“We are finding frozen dogs, sometimes it is just the volumes of calls and we are just too late,” Rinaldi said.
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Detroit Dog Rescue is on a mission to help as many dogs as they can. The Local 4 Defenders went along with Detroit Dog Rescue to see exactly what they do.
One dog owner in Detroit requested a dog house. The organization also helped the owner with some basic necessities for their dog. They packed the dog house with straw to help insulate the home.
But when Detroit Dog Rescue makes one stop in a neighborhood, there is always more work to be done. During one particular stop, they noticed a dog chained up outside. Nobody answered when they knocked on the door so they left some straw on the porch.
Detroit Dog Rescue crews asked a neighbor to let the homeowner know about the straw. Crews planned on returning in the morning to see if the dog houses had been filled with straw.
At another stop Detroit Dog Rescue gave out treats and food to dog owner Dwayne Stewart. His german shepherd named Mirror was grateful.
“It means a lot. I appreciate this ... We couldn’t afford this,” Stewart said.
Detroit Dog Rescue has been helping Detroit residents for 10 years. The organization runs on donations. They are always looking for help financially or with volunteers.