The Pet Keeper Project

Balto needed surgery, and his mom was facing something way too many pet owners understand: your dog needs medical care, but the cost is overwhelming.

I couldn’t fix everything for her, but I could help look for resources, organizations, and possible next steps. The good news is Balto got the surgery.

Now she’s dealing with the bills that came after it.

So I want to ask something that might help more than just one person:

If you’ve ever struggled to afford vet care, what actually helped you?

Was there a nonprofit, grant, low-cost clinic, payment plan, or other resource that made a difference?

Drop it in the comments. Someone else may need that exact information today.

That’s what Pet Keeper Project is here to do, help people find options, share resources, and make sure they don’t have to figure everything out alone.

Sometimes keeping a dog with their family doesn’t require some massive intervention. It might be a vet bill they can’t cover this month, a temporary foster while they get back on their feet, help fixing a fence, pet food, transportation, or simply knowing where to find the right resource. I’m trying to understand where a little bit of help could make the biggest difference. If you’ve ever been in a situation where you thought you might have to give up your dog, what would have helped you keep them at home? I’d genuinely like to hear your story.

A dog has somewhere safe to go. Now, how do we actually get them there?

I’ve been learning more about dog transport, and I have a lot of questions.

How are rescues doing this now?
Does the current system work?
Is there a network where transport companies, rescues and volunteers work together?
What does it usually cost?
Where are the biggest headaches?

And most importantly, has anyone seen an idea that makes this whole thing smoother, cheaper or more reliable?

If you work in rescue or transport, share your experience. And if there are organizations, companies, networks or resources I should know about, please tag them.

POV: you’re too old to hike Tahoe, but you’re definitely not staying home.

People sometimes just need a little support and help to get back on their feet.

A gentleman in San Diego reached out to us because he was experiencing homelessness and living in his car with his dog. One of the biggest problems he was facing was something a lot of people probably never think about, what do you do with your dog when you finally get an opportunity to work?

He didn’t want to give up his dog. He wanted a little help finding a way to make it work.

The good news is, he’s now found a temporary foster who can care for his dog while he works on getting back on his feet.

Now we’re trying to help with the next piece.

The foster has opened their home, but dog food costs money. He asked if there are any pet food assistance programs, pet food banks, nonprofits, rescues, or other resources around San Diego that could help provide food while his dog is in foster care.

He’s done the responsible thing. He asked for help before surrendering his dog, found someone willing to foster, and is working toward getting his situation stabilized.

Now I’d like to help make that foster successful.

I’ve already found a few San Diego pet food resources, but I know there are people in this community who know programs we’ll never find through a Google search.

If you know of a pet food pantry, animal rescue, nonprofit, church, community organization, mutual aid group, or business that helps people struggling to afford dog food in San Diego County, please leave it in the comments or send it to me.

And if you’ve personally used one of these resources, even better. Let us know who actually helped.

Sometimes keeping a dog with their person doesn’t require a huge intervention.

Sometimes it’s a bag of dog food and a little time.

That’s what support before surrender looks like.

Happy National Dog Day. 🐾❤️

Today is a good day to celebrate the dogs we love, but also to remind the people who love them that you don’t have to figure everything out alone.

If you’re struggling to keep your dog because of housing, vet bills, behavior, food, a temporary crisis, or life just getting complicated, reach out.

There are people willing to help. There are resources you may not know about. And sometimes one connection can make all the difference.

That’s what we’re trying to build with The Pet Keeper Project, a community that helps people find support before giving up their dog feels like the only option.

If you need help, reach out. If you can help, join us. And if you know someone struggling with their dog right now, send this to them.

Happy National Dog Day to the dogs, and to the people doing everything they can to keep them. ❤️🐶