About the rescue
Let's Rescue Dogs was founded in 2023 in Southern California to help the dogs that most rescues can't take on: the ones with broken bones, untreated illnesses, and histories of abuse or neglect. We're an all-breed, foster-based 501(c)(3) run by volunteers and funded entirely by donations.
What we do
We pull dogs from shelters across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties, focusing on the dogs whose medical needs put them at the top of the euthanasia list. We also take in dogs straight off the street, out of hoarding situations, and from people who have run out of options. Some of our dogs come from the homeless encampments around Skid Row, where we also bring food and supplies to the people who are trying to care for their animals.
When a dog comes to us, the first stop is the vet. If they need surgery, they get it. Then come the basics every dog receives before adoption: vaccines, spay or neuter, a microchip, deworming, and flea and heartworm prevention. From there the dog goes to a foster home to recover, decompress, and show us who they really are.
When they're ready, we list them for adoption and take our time finding the right match. There's an application, a phone call, a virtual home check, a meet-and-greet near the foster's home, and a seven-day trial before anything is final. Some dogs are adopted within weeks. Some of our larger dogs have waited more than a year. We keep them either way.
Our mission
Weendshelterandstreethomelessnessfordogsbyrescuing,rehabilitating,andrehomingtheoneswhoneedusmost.
Webelieveeverydogdeservesasafeplacetoland,heal,andbeloved.Forever.
Why foster homes
Dogs heal in homes, not kennels
A dog three days out of surgery needs a quiet room and someone keeping an eye on the incision. A dog who has been beaten needs weeks of ordinary, uneventful evenings before they can relax around people. Neither of those things is possible in a boarding facility, and neither is affordable there.
That's why every dog we rescue lives with a foster family. The rescue supplies the crate, bed, food, medication and anything else the dog needs, and pays every vet bill. Fosters give the dog a place to land and the patience to recover. And because our dogs live in real homes, we know how they are with cats, whether they can manage stairs, and who they like to sleep next to. Adopters hear it from the person who lived with the dog.
Helping people and their dogs
Many of the dogs we meet on the street already have a person. Someone living in a tent with their dog is often the only reason that dog is alive and fed. We believe human welfare and animal welfare go together, so part of our outreach is supplies for people as well as animals: food, leashes, flea treatment, and sometimes a ride to a clinic. Keeping people and their pets together matters to us.
When a dog on the street is hurt, alone, or in a situation nobody should be in, that's when we step in. If you see one, we want to hear about it.
The details
What you should know before you trust us with a donation or a dog.
- Legal status
- Let's Rescue Dogs is a California nonprofit corporation with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
- EIN
- 93-1772160
- Founded
- 2023, Southern California
- Who runs it
- Elena Rodriguez and a team of volunteer fosters, drivers and coordinators.
- How it's funded
- Entirely by donations. Adoption fees cover the dog's own spay or neuter, microchip and core vaccines.
- Where we work
- Foster homes across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties. There's no facility to visit; adoptions happen by appointment near the foster's home.
- Our dogs
- Listed here and on Petfinder. We adopt to all 50 states and Canada, as long as you can travel here to meet the dog and bring them home.
- Contact
- info@letsrescuedogs.netGeneral questionsadoptions@letsrescuedogs.netAdoptionsfoster@letsrescuedogs.netFostering
- Or use the form on the contact page, which goes to the right person.