4 All MuttKind, a foster-based rescue for dogs, offers students over the age of 21 the opportunity to adopt or foster the dogs they receive from local and California shelters.

The rescue is in Salem and Eugene, but Corvallis residents can still adopt dogs from 4 All MuttKind. Once adopted, a dog will be transported to the adopters and supplies for the dog will be provided.

Julia Blond, adoption coordinator, advises that the biggest thing is being mentally prepared and giving dogs a few days to decompress from the shelter experience.

According to Blond, fosters need to complete an application form, submit housing approval for rentals, do a home check and meet the dog to make sure it’s a good fit. However, adoption is not the only way to help.

Numerous volunteer positions are available here. Responsibilities include event planning, reference checks for adopters and photography. According to Blond, other than finding fosters, their biggest needs are application processing and transport.

Blond advises that application processing is an easy way to volunteer from home with a flexible number of applications to go through each week.

Most of the dogs that 4 All MuttKind takes from local shelters and California are healthy and happy, while some dogs that have behavior issues are placed with a trainer until they are ready for adoption or foster, according to Blond.

“There is a misconception that rescue dogs are damaged and difficult but we are consistently pulling wonderful, friendly dogs out of shelters,” Blond said.

According to Blond, when shelters are running out of space, they have to euthanize animals in response. This often includes dogs that are healthy and social.

Every year, the ASPCA estimates that 6.3 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters. While 4.1 million shelter animals are adopted, 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized annually, a number that has declined from 2.6 million in 2011. 

“Just last week we saw a litter of puppies and their mother were being euthanized in California,” Blond said.

After pulling dogs from shelters, the people at 4 All MuttKind provide food, water, potty breaks, and exercise to their dogs according to the dogs’ individual needs. Then, they connect dogs to fosters that fit their lifestyle and they work day jobs outside of rescue.

“We are all pretty obsessed to say the least. It feels really good to watch our dogs go from the shelter into loving homes and seeing all the happy updates from adopters,” Blond said.