Once Upon A Prayer Pet Rescue

Got two small pups looking for a ride from Steelville, Il to O'Fallon il.

Get some coffee and support OUP!

🐾 September DOGS OF THE MONTH PHOTO CONTEST 🐾

Post your dog’s photo in the comments for a chance to have them featured on our treat bags!

To enter, comment below with:

📸 A photo of your dog
🐶 Your dog’s name
❤️ The rescue you’d like to support

Dogs only — no people in the photo, please!

Selected Dogs of the Month will:

✔ Appear on our website and treat bags through October 15
✔ Raise $5 for their chosen rescue with every bag sold
✔ Help support dogs in need simply by being adorable

Any rescue is eligible, even if we do not currently work with them.

Dogs of the Month has already raised over $55,000 for rescues across all of our brands — and your dog could help us raise even more.

👇 Enter now by posting your dog’s photo, name, and chosen rescue in the comments! Entries close at the end of the day Monday, the 24th.

Rescues: Share this post with your supporters and encourage them to enter on your behalf.

Pups Helping Pups.
Making the world a better place — one dog at a time.

, Lucky Farms Animal Rescue, Sunny Saints St. Bernard Rescue of So. CA, Colorado Saint Bernard Rescue -CSBR, Washington Saint Bernard Rescue, Saintly Bernards Rescue, Adriana's Saints and Angels Rescue, Oregon Saint Bernard Rescue Foundation, Idaho Saint Bernard Rescue, Illinois Saint Bernard Rescue Saint Bernards of the PNW, Arizona Saint Bernard Rescue,

Is there anyone free to transport a single guy from mt vernon, il to ofallon, il on Thursday? Pu in mt vernon at 10am.

I have recently heard we don't care about dogs...why? We held a boundary and walked away from a situation where our help was criticized and critiqued by someone not doing rescue. "They love when it's a yes"....is such a common phrase we rescuers know too often. Rescue by nature is hard but don't be the person to make it harder.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1FvKxSCzHV/

📖❤️ Sunday Thought

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt…” — Colossians 4:6

Grace.

It’s something we ask all of you to extend to one another.

Today, we’re asking you to extend a little to the people trying to help your dogs. 🐾

Every single day our inbox fills with messages. 📩

“Can you take my dog?”

“I have to move tomorrow.”

“My dog had another litter.”

“My dog bit someone.”

“My landlord said it has to go.”

“My family doesn’t want it anymore.”

And every single day, we have to answer some of those messages with the hardest word in rescue…

❌ No.

Not because we don’t care.

Not because we hate dogs.

Not because we don’t want to help.

If that were true, we wouldn’t spend nearly every day rescuing dogs. ❤️🐕

The truth is much simpler.

🐾 Your dog is not the only dog. 🐾

Behind your message is another message.

And another.

And another.

We have waiting lists from shelters.

We have waiting lists from owners who reached out weeks or even months ago.

We have dogs already committed to rescues.

We have kennels that are full.

We have transport schedules already planned. 🚐

And we cannot place dogs that display aggression of any kind. That isn’t because we don’t care about those dogs. It’s because we have a responsibility to protect our volunteers, our fosters, our transport partners, our rescue partners, adopters, and the other dogs in our care. 🛡️

Every decision we make has to be based on what is best for all of the dogs—not just one.

Rescue isn’t first come, first served.

It isn’t loudest voice wins.

And it isn’t about who gets the angriest when we say no.

We also refuse to become animal hoarders.

We’re not going to take your dog just to place it in a kennel indefinitely with no plan, no rescue commitment, and no quality of life. That isn’t rescue. That’s simply moving the problem from your house to ours.

Here’s the part that’s hard to hear:

Your dog is your responsibility—not ours.

We’ll do everything we reasonably can to help.

🤝 We’ll network.

📞 We’ll make calls.

📋 We’ll submit your dog to rescues.

💬 We’ll offer advice when we can.

But we cannot promise to take every dog, because no rescue can.

So today, on this Sunday, we’re simply asking for a little grace. 🙏

The next time a rescuer tells you they can’t take your dog, don’t assume they don’t care.

Assume they’re carrying the weight of dozens of other dogs they’re already trying to save. ❤️

Most of us aren’t saying “no” because we don’t want to help.

We’re saying “no” because, at that moment, we simply can’t.

And if there’s one thing we wish people understood, it’s this:

❤️ We don’t wish fewer dogs existed.

🐾 We wish more people accepted responsibility for the ones they already have.

May we all extend a little more grace—to rescuers, to one another, and most importantly, to the animals who depend on us. ✝️🐾

🇺🇸 The Grit Factor

It appears reminders are needed...

The Mental Health Crisis No One Talks About in Animal Rescue

Every time someone says, "You should have saved that dog."
"Why didn't you take my cat?"
"You're heartless for saying no."
"It's your job."..they're adding weight to a burden that many rescuers and veterinarians are already struggling to carry.
Veterinarians are among the professions with the highest su***de risk in the United States. Studies have found that male veterinarians are about 1.6–2.1 times more likely to die by su***de than men in the general population, while female veterinarians are 2.4–3.5 times more likely than women in the general population. Surveys have also found that 31% of veterinarians have experienced depression, 17% have had suicidal thoughts since veterinary school, and many report severe psychological distress. These are not opinions—they are documented findings.
While there is less national data specifically on independent animal rescuers, we know that compassion fatigue, burnout, secondary trauma, financial stress, endless emergencies, euthanasia decisions, public criticism, and impossible expectations create an enormous mental health burden across animal welfare. Shelter and rescue workers often absorb the grief of thousands of animals while being expected to perform miracles with limited space, money, volunteers, and time.
Here's the truth:
We cannot save every animal.
We cannot spend money we don't have.
We cannot create kennel space that doesn't exist.
We cannot work 24 hours a day.
And we cannot continue pouring from an empty cup.
The people who dedicate their lives to animals are often the same people sacrificing their finances, sleep, relationships, vacations, and emotional well-being. Yet they're still criticized for the one animal they couldn't help instead of being appreciated for the hundreds or thousands they did.
Before attacking a rescue or veterinary clinic because they said "no," remember this:
Sometimes "no" isn't a lack of compassion.
It's the heartbreaking reality of limited resources.
If we truly want to save more animals, we also have to start protecting the people who are trying to save them.
Because burned-out rescuers can't rescue.
Broken veterinarians can't heal.
And if we lose the people, we lose the animals too.
Please choose kindness. It costs nothing, but it may save a life—human and animal alike.

Anyone willing to foster this guy in the st louis metro east area. Hes so scared in the shelter but so sweet.

We got more pics

Picture day now that the rain has stopped.
Chewie is a 4 year old doodle with curly hair. Nala is a 6 month old schnoodle with wirey hair. Email [email protected] if you're interested.