The last eleven weeks have been a blizzard of puppies, puppies, puppies. We are, quite frankly, bursting at the seams. Our Sanctuary staff are struggling to find creative ways to house them all. Meanwhile new puppies keep coming and adoptions have slowed to a crawl. Dozens of wonderful puppies are simply waiting in our care, growing up day by day without the individual attention they deserve. It’s a puppy crisis and we desperately need your help. If you’ve ever considered fostering a rescue dog, there’s never been a better time!
A puppy crisis
Between November 1 and December 31 2025 we took in 86 dogs from Siskiyou County Animal Control alone, most of them stray puppies. Another 42 were surrendered to us directly by their owners during the same time frame. We’ve had limited success transferring puppies out of the county because rescue partners elsewhere are as overwhelmed as ourselves. We are truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Nevertheless, our commitment to the dogs is unwavering. We won’t give up our fight to give every single dog a chance to live the life they deserve. That’s where our wonderful community comes in. We desperately need foster homes for solo puppies, older puppies (over 12 weeks of age), adolescents, longtime residents, and lovable seniors. Opening your heart and home to a foster pup makes a world of difference!
Fostering is good for everyone
Fostering is good for the heart and soul. What is more inspiring than knowing you’re making a difference for a dog in need? Depending on what best suits your lifestyle, you might provide safe haven for a timid adult, much-needed rest for a silver-haired senior, or crucial socialization for a young dog or puppy. I’ve fostered all of the above and then some. I’ve bottle fed newborns, helped nursing mommas settle with their babies, comforted soulful seniors, held lapfuls of healthy puppies, and reassured dogs recovering from illness or injury.
Every dog I’ve fostered has made a deep impression on my heart and changed me in some way. Many people have told me they could never let a foster dog go, but this hasn’t been my experience. I’ve loved every dog I’ve fostered, yet (with very few exceptions) letting go was actually beautiful and freeing. Of course, sometimes foster turns into forever, and that’s wonderful too. The goal, after all, is to find the right home for each dog.
Turning the tide of the puppy crisis
We have hundreds of dogs and puppies of all ages and sizes, so it’s safe to say we have a dog for just about every home. Fostering is flexible to your needs, ranging from day trips, to short stints of a week or two, to longer stays. It all depends on what you can provide and what best suits your home and schedule.
We’d be thrilled for any of our dogs to take a break from the shelter. That said, our greatest need right now is placement for older puppies, ranging in age from 12 weeks to 6 months. Growing puppies need experience in a home, socialization, and basic training to become the companions they are meant to be. Though we do our best, it’s impossible to give the 130 puppies in our care the individual time, attention, and training they deserve.
Here’s a short list of our top candidates:
- Herbie: a solo 12-week-old puppy found under the freeway overpass in Grenada.
- Trinity, Delta & McGee: three shy, petite pups who desperately need home experiences.
- Duke & Curtis: two handsome 7-month-old brothers who have grown up in our care.
- Sadie: a sweet senior hound who’s simply miserable in a kennel.
- Monroe: a gentle senior Anatolian mix recovering from neglect.
There are so many more! You can browse our full list of available puppies, but keep in mind that there are even more pups waiting behind the scenes. For more information, please email us at info@rrdog.org or call the Adoption Center at (530)842-0829. You can also fill out a foster application.
It takes a village but together we can turn the tide of the puppy crisis!
