LogoShelter
Volunteer hands gently holding a rescued dog paw on a clinic floor
Grassroots Animal Rescue · Since 2011

Every animal we save
was first saved
by someone who showed up.

— Margaret, Founder & Retired Veterinary Technician

We pull matted dogs from drainage ditches, rehabilitate feral cat colonies behind strip malls, and place over 400 animals a year into vetted homes. Join us at our next event.

Meet the team ↓
400+
Animals placed yearly
12
Years of rescues
80+
Active fosters
100%
Volunteer-run
The People Behind It

This work gets done because real people show up for it.

Each card below introduces someone on our team — and the event they're leading next. Cards are sorted by upcoming date so the most urgent needs surface first.

Denise smiling while holding a small tabby kitten against her chest in a warm kitchen
Kitten Season Prep

Denise Okafor

Foster Parent · 7 years

Denise has fostered 63 litters in her laundry room, never once losing a kitten she believed in.

Mar 8 · Foster Orientation
Tomás crouching in the field with a leash in hand, focused and calm near a creek bed
Field Rescue

Tomás Reyes

Field Rescuer · 4 years

Tomás drives 90 minutes on Saturday mornings to pull dogs from drainage ditches before anyone else even knows they're there.

Mar 15 · Rescue Training
Dr. Priya in scrubs gently examining a nervous rescue dog on a stainless steel exam table
Spay-Neuter Drive

Dr. Priya Anand

Veterinary Partner · 6 years

Dr. Anand donates one Saturday a month to spay-neuter drives in zip codes where the nearest low-cost clinic is 40 miles away.

Mar 22 · Volunteer Clinic
Jordan in a Shelter volunteer shirt kneeling to greet a shy rescue dog at eye level
Kennel Day

Jordan Whitfield

College Volunteer · 2 years

Jordan spends every Saturday morning scrubbing kennel floors and says it's the most grounding part of her week.

Mar 29 · Kennel Volunteer Day
Calvin in business casual attire at a community event, holding a rescued terrier mix and smiling
Community Drive

Calvin Osei

Corporate Sponsor · 3 years

Calvin quietly funds spay-neuter drives in three underserved zip codes each quarter — no press releases, just results.

Apr 5 · Fundraiser Gala
Ruth in outdoor gear setting a humane trap near a parking lot wall at dusk with focused expression
TNR Training

Ruth Nakamura

TNR Coordinator · 5 years

Ruth has managed the humane trapping of 340 feral cats behind strip malls, stabilizing colonies that shelters had given up on.

Apr 12 · TNR Workshop
Reading Body Language

A stray dog looking away isn't being rude — it's asking for safety.

Averting gaze is a calming signal. When a dog looks away, yawns, or turns its head, it's communicating "I'm not a threat." Mirroring these signals — slow blinks, soft body posture, crouching sideways — tells the animal it can trust you. That's how rescue begins.

7 sec

avg. time before a calm approach earns first eye contact

Upcoming Events

Find your way in.
Every event is a door.

Sorted by date — the most urgent spots appear first. Click "Save My Spot" on any card to register.

A foster volunteer in a cozy living room gently feeding a tiny kitten with a bottle
Next Up
FosterOnly 8 spots left

Foster Orientation Night

Sunday, March 86:00 PM – 8:30 PMShelter HQ · 1204 Millbrook Ave

Everything you need to know before your first litter arrives. Covers supplies, feeding schedules, socialization, and what to do at 2am when a kitten won't latch.

Free · Open to all
Rescue team members in high-visibility vests carefully approaching a dog near a creek
Rescue

Field Rescue Training

Sunday, March 158:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Learn safe approach techniques, how to use a catch pole, and the body language signals that tell you when to pause. Led ...

12 spots open
Veterinary technician in scrubs preparing a surgical station at an outdoor community clinic
Clinic

Community Spay-Neuter Clinic

Saturday, March 227:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Free and low-cost surgeries for pets and community cats in zip codes 47201, 47202, and 47203. Volunteers needed for inta...

4 spots left
College volunteer in orange gloves scrubbing a kennel floor while a golden dog watches curiously
Volunteer

Kennel Volunteer Day

Saturday, March 299:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Scrubbing kennel floors, enrichment walks, socialization sessions with shy dogs. Coffee provided. Bring clothes you're o...

20 spots open
Warm candlelit event space with tables decorated with wildflowers and framed animal portraits
Fundraiser

Spring Fundraiser Gala

Sunday, April 55:00 PM – 9:00 PM

A quiet, intentional evening to celebrate this year's rescues. Live music, local food, silent auction of donated pet por...

34 spots open
Feral cat sitting cautiously near a humane trap in a parking lot at dusk
TNR

TNR Workshop

Sunday, April 1210:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Hands-on training in humane trapping, colony management, and the paperwork that makes TNR programs sustainable. Led by R...

6 spots left

You're already part of this community.
You just haven't shown up yet.

Every foster parent, field rescuer, and college volunteer who scrubs kennel floors on Saturday mornings started exactly where you are right now — reading this page.

Become a Foster →

No commitment required. No sales pitch. Just animals that need you.