Rescue Ranch used to pull dogs from kill shelters all over California, but because of the massive increase in county overpopulation since 2022, local dogs now comprise the vast majority of our residents. They’re coming in faster than we can place them. With local adoptions way down, Karen Topping is actively networking up and down the coast to help dogs find homes. Two weeks ago, she successfully placed nine Rescue Ranch dogs in Carmel Valley, Calif.
+2 Cats
On Friday May 11, Karen and daughter Meghan headed for Carmel Valley with 12 dogs in tow. Also onboard: two lovely, pre-adopted, adult, male, black cats she had trapped and neutered. After driving all day, they met up with adopter Barbara who transferred the kitties to her vintage truck. Soon, they were off to their brand new lives as beloved pets.
Dogs find homes: 6 adopted, 3 fostered
The weekend trip was an unmitigated success. That same Friday evening, Karen’s friend and host, Wendy, was finally united with her little Frida, whom she had pre-adopted.
Heather and family fell in love with Grady, so he went home too. Meanwhile, Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club president Susan Bancroft met Celeste, and Wendy’s neighbors, Lily and family, met Schnapps. The writing was on the wall…
Saturday, networking continues
Networking and adoptions continued during the California Dressage Society’s Annual Tack Sale event at the Saddle Club. Susan and her husband, Mark Basse, adopted the irresistible Celeste.
Lily’s family went ahead and fostered Schnapps. Maize, a corgi/cattle dog mix billed as a “cowgirl corgi” by the equestrian crowd, went home with Karen’s friend Judit, technically as a foster…
Sunday, fosters & adopters
Sunday was their last day, so Karen redoubled her networking efforts at the Holman Ranch Tasting Room event. She wanted to foster as many Rescue Ranch dogs as possible. The idea was for them to remain, so they could get adopted in the area, rather than return to the shelter. And it worked! Sophie and Rich fostered Eclipse, Rachel fostered Chiquita, Brandon fostered Clint, and Wendy fostered Paddington.
Even better, Lily adopted Schnapps, whom she had just fostered the day before, and Judit formally adopted Maize. Foster Eclipse ended up getting adopted almost immediately by Ashley, who had met her that Sunday.
Phew! The upshot is that Karen and Meghan returned with just three out of 12 dogs: Clementine, Josh, and Gilly. That’s called helping dogs find homes!
3 dogs come back, 2 dogs and 1 pony find homes
The good news is that Gilly’s former Oregon foster was over the moon to hear he was back and is planning to adopt. That leaves gorgeous Clementine and handsome Josh (aka Jaco). We really hope these dogs find homes too, they sure deserve it.
Karen will return to Carmel Valley at the end of the month. This time with pre-adopted Paisley, Pyrenees nanny Rein’s pup, and a rescued, neglected pony named Big E. Rehabilitated with Meghan’s help, the pony will live out his golden years in the loving care of Celeste’s adopters. Networking works.
