WELCOME TO PUGHEARTS OF HOUSTON PUG RESCUE
PugHearts of Houston Pug Rescue is a true 501(c)(3) non-profit charity founded in
the Houston area by dedicated pug owners and lovers. Our mission is the rescue,
rehabilitation and permanent placement of needy pugs into loving homes.
2018 STATE OF THE RESCUE UPDATE
2017 was a very busy year!
PugHearts took in 328 pugs (and friends)
We found happy endings for 302 pugs!
Sadly, 38 of the pugs in our care crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
It’s hard to believe that we’re coming up on PugHearts’ 11th anniversary on February 14, 2018!
In that time, we have rescued over 2500 dogs. This is particularly ironic; as those of us who have been here from the beginning remember so many people telling us there wasn’t a need for a Pug rescue in Houston. We knew better then, and we’ve certainly shown that we were right.
So how did it all start?
Well, as anyone who is familiar with PugHearts will know, I started this rescue with a question to Richard.
“What would it take to set up a website? I am thinking about starting my own rescue.”
It was that vision, dedication and stubbornness that made PugHearts come alive.
I used to be a foster for a pug rescue in another city. They had a small presence in Houston, but as they weren’t what I thought we should be.
So, I decided that Houston had to have its own pug rescue. And as I had experience as a volunteer for a rescue group, I knew what “worked” and what didn’t. I knew how high we could and should set the bar for these pugs.
I drew on that experience to set up PugHearts. I talked to others that had the same high standards I did.
We all converged on my house in early 2007 and talked about our vision.
- We talked about how PugHearts would be different.
- We wanted PugHearts to be a rescue, not a shelter.
- We didn’t want to put dogs in a kennel and wait for someone to come see them.
- We wanted our dogs to be fostered in homes with people who would love them and care for them as though they were their own
- We wanted our foster parents to be actively involved in the process of finding a forever home for their rescues – their input would matter.
- We made a rule that we would not adopt any dog to a home that we would not feel comfortable leaving our own pets with.
- Our adoptions are not just transactions; they are an extension of our rescue family.
- We wanted our volunteers and adopters to all feel like part of a community; we don’t just want our dogs to go to new homes and never be heard from again.
- We also decided that we would never turn any pug away, regardless of age or medical condition…even if we knew that dog would not survive.
- We would NEVER turn our back on them in their hour of need.
- We would bring love and comfort to that pug during its final hours. Sadly, we have needed to do this
on several occasions.
On that day, we placed $80 on the coffee table. That got us started and is still the amount in the PugHearts savings account.
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PugHearts has grown dramatically in the past 11 years. We’ve struggled to keep up with the demands which were far greater than we envisioned.
The initial 10 or so people who attended that first meeting have grown to an army of volunteers and contributors spread throughout the greater Houston area – and beyond!
And it takes every one of those people to make PugHearts a success.
Through all the growth and changes, we are proud to say that we remain truly non-profit, with 100% of our donations going to the care of our rescues.
And we remain true to our core values which we founded PugHearts on.
The rescues are our priority, and we treat them as our own until we can find them their perfect “forever” home.
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Any Pug, At Any Age, In Any Condition, ANYTIME!
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The photo below is with Alfie....the one that started it all. Taken on the day I asked that fateful question.
Thank you all for believing in our mission and helping us keep our standards high….for the pugs.
Cindy R
www.pughearts.com
Remember your pet's monthly heartworm preventative!
RECENT SHELTER BLOG UPDATES
PUG OF THE MOMENT
| Hermione | PH ID: #5634 |
Hermione comes to us from Mississippi.
Hermione is eight years and is a happy, friendly girl! She is the ultimate velcro pug who will not disappoint as she jumps for joy and gives you kisses when you get home. She loves other dogs and children. She hasn’t met a person she doesn’t like yet!
Since she was rescued from a breeder, she is still working on house training but has made incredible progress in the first week being in her foster home. After the first few days, she has had only had accidents on the pee pad after she eats. Otherwise, she goes in the backyard with the other dogs. She is working on losing some “holiday weight” and will undergo treatment for heartworms over the next few months.
Put in your application soon as this sweet girl will surely be adopted quickly!
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IMPORTANT FACEBOOK GROUP CHANGES
PugHearts of Houston has maintained a
Group page on Facebook for the past several years. We encourage
past adopters, potential adopters, fosters and all Pug lovers to join us! We love
to post and share photos, heartwarming stories and advice on Pugs.
We have always required that potential FB PugHearts Group members submit a request
to join our group in an effort to control SPAM and unauthorized posts. Group posts
were visible to the public, but only approved group members could post comments
or photos.
However, facebook has recently made some changes to their terms of service which
made the PugHearts Group an “open” group, allowing anyone to post on our FB page.
This resulted in some unfortunate posts which upset many people. It also allows
for unauthorized use of images from our Group and opens our members to breaches
of their privacy. We have now changed the status of our group back to “
Closed”
which once again requires any new members to submit a request to join before they
can post.
This change does not affect any existing facebook group members in any way.
However, with these new changes our
FB Group is now only visible to existing members. None of our posts
or images are available to be viewed by anyone not a current member of our Group.
This ensures the safety of our members as well as the protection of our content.
To become a member of our
FB Group , simply go to our
FB Group page and request to join. Our Administrators
will take a quick peek at your profile to ensure you are a genuine pug-loving person
(and not a SPAM bot) and with one click they will add you as a member. If your FB
profile is brand new or you have a very blank profile, they may ask you for additional
information to verify you are a genuine requestor. Once you are added you can post
and read to your heart’s content. Just remember to play nice and refrain from abusive
posts. We want to encourage and educate Pug lovers by making this a welcoming and
nurturing environment.
So come on over to our
FB Group page and see what’s happening with your fellow
Pug lovers!
PUGHEARTS EMERGENCY LINE 281 968 4958
** NOT ** FOR GENERAL ENQUIRIES