Last Hope K9 Rescue connects dogs with their forever home this holiday season
Originally Published December 10, 2023
(Jennifer Dwyer poses with one of Last Hope K9 Rescues’s adoptable dogs, Maggye Moo)
By Meghan Boucher
BOSTON—Last Hope K9 Rescue helped rescue dogs find their forever families this holiday season at their “Santa Paws” adoption event at Bear Moose Brewery in Everett.
Last Hope K9 Rescue is an entirely volunteer-run organization that rescues dogs from kill shelters in Arkansas and places them for adoption in New England. The annual “Santa Paws” event brings in potential adopters and donations that help the organization sustain its mission.
Jennifer Dwyer, a volunteer and foster with Last Hope, said that “Santa Paws” is a great way for families to meet the dogs and spread a little holiday cheer.
“It’s a really cute event where people can bring their own dogs and take pictures with Santa for a donation to Last Hope,” said Dwyer. “At this event, we’ll probably have 15-20 adoptable dogs, so it’s great to get a lot of them in front of adopters.”
The dogs at this year’s event were only a small fraction of those the organization has saved. Since 2012, Last Hope has rescued over 12,000 dogs, and their annual fundraisers, like Santa Paws, have brought in $200,000 to help support their cause.
The fundraising events are an opportunity to introduce the dogs to their potential families in a comfortable environment.
“We do a lot to post them online or take pictures of them, but there’s no substitute for meeting them in person because they’re just so special,” said Dwyer.
According to Dwyer, the most important thing to Last Hope is “to see if it's a good match for the dog to go home with the family.”
“For us, it’s really important that the dog meets everyone in the household, whether that’s other dogs or kids. We ask that everyone comes with either their family members or dogs that they’re going to have,” said Dwyer.
Last Hope’s initiative is to guide families through a joyful foster or adoption process. Dwyer said the holiday season brings in a lot of love and excitement, but there are precautions put in place to ensure the best outcomes for both the families and the dogs.