Dog Charities We Love

Anyone can help to make the life of a dog a little more chill. These are some of our favorite charities, helping to improve the lives of dogs inside and out of our shelters.

15 out of 10 Foundation

Matt Nelson created the WeRateDogs Twitter account in November of 2015. He posted his first GoFundMe for a dog in need in 2016. Since 2017, the WeRateDogs community has been fundraising every single Friday. They have raised over $2 million to help families pay for their dogs' medical bills.

In 2020, Matt adopted Doug, a senior German Shepherd with health and behavioral issues. After dealing with the harsh realities of pet medical bills and adopting Doug, Matt was inspired to launch the 15/10 Foundation, named for the highest rating any dog has ever received on WeRateDogs. The Foundation fills a void in the animal welfare world by sponsoring dogs with behavioral or medical issues unlikely to ever make it out of the shelter. It hopes to channel the overwhelming support the WeRateDogs audience has shown for years into effective care for the dogs who need it most.

Learn more at 15outof10.org/our-story/.

Cuddly

CUDDLY is a verified fundraising and wish-list platform dedicated entirely to supporting animal rescues and shelters. It ensures transparency by requiring partner rescues to be verified 501(c)(3) nonprofits, often using databases like Charity Navigator and GuideStar to validate organizations. CUDDLY maintains a top rating on Trustpilot and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Every Bark Counts

Austin Testa began helping dogs when he was 6 years old. On a cold night, he bought $1 fleece blankets at Walmart and donated them to a local animal shelter. He launched a GoFundMe which has since raised over $100,000. He founded Every Bark Counts as a 501(c)(3) at 12 years old and holds fundraisers to raise money for shelters and rescues. He purchases supplies and helps to fund medical care for abused animals. He focuses on rural shelters because they often get less support. His motto: I'm the voice for the voiceless, because animals can't speak for themselves.

You can read more about Austin at medium.com/gofundme-stories/meet-austin-2edb3c0bb15a.

Fix'n Fidos

Kacey Montoya has been working with animal charities since she began her television news career in 2004. In 2019, she founded Fix'n Fidos to raise money for spay and neuter surgeries for low-income residents of Southern California. They also help with veterinary expenses and vaccines so owners don't have to surrender their dogs to shelters. Since 2020, she has fundraised via her Fix'n Fidos Charity Golf Tournament.

PAW-SOME MISSION

Sir Darius Brown began sewing bow ties at the age of 8. A lifelong dog lover, he decided to help shelter dogs get adopted by making them bow ties to help get them noticed. In 2022, he started creating and donating Wag Bags full of essentials for new dog adopters. He designs pet accessories under his Beaux & Paws brand and donates a bow tie for every one he sells. To date he has raised over $500,000 to help shelter dogs find their forever homes. Learn more at sirdariusbrown.com.

Reducing Animal Stress

Ariela Robinson founded Reducing Animal Stress in 2023, based on her Girl Scout Gold Award project. She spent many hours volunteering at animal shelters and noticed shelter pets rarely get toys and enrichment activities, which can increase stress and behavioral issues that make adoption less likely. They collect and create enrichment and de-stressing items to donate to local shelters and rescue groups, host fostering events, and create kits to help keep people and their pets together. Their disaster relief kits are distributed around the nation to help animals displaced by natural disasters. Learn more at reducinganimalstre.wixsite.com/nonprofit.

Tails That Teach

Tails That Teach inspires young children to be kind to pets and people. Its primary focus is children ages 3–8, as these are critical years to start building empathy through the human-animal bond. It partners with animal organizations and elementary schools to instill lessons about kindness, compassion, and empathy.

It was founded by Lisa Wiehebrink, author of Love Me Gently and Gray Whiskers . She is also the founder of National Rescue Dog Day, celebrated annually on May 20 to recognize the special bond that comes with rescuing a dog while bringing awareness to the countless dogs waiting to be adopted.

Wild Tunes

Wild Tunes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to soothing shelter animals through live music. Yuvi Agarwal, an animal lover and musician, founded it in 2023 at the age of 10. Wild Tunes' mission is to enrich the lives of homeless animals by encouraging volunteers to routinely play musical instruments at participating shelters to help pets relax and prepare them for fostering and adoption.