Finding Forever

Daniel & Friends Dog Rescue

Finding the right home can change a dog’s life forever, and finding the right dog can change a home forever. That belief is the driving force behind Daniel & Friends Dog Rescue, a local rescue committed to rescuing dogs in rural, open-intake shelters and giving them the individualized care they deserve before matching them with their forever families. 

Named after a beloved dog whose compassionate spirit inspired the organization, Daniel & Friends Dog Rescue aims to transform lives, one adoption at a time.

The rescue’s namesake, Daniel, came to Trish and Dudley Smith as a rescue himself. During the thirteen years he spent with the Smith family, he became a living example of what can happen when a dog is given the right foundation and the opportunity to thrive. His gentle nature and unwavering love became the standard for the organization, a reminder that every dog deserves to be truly known before being placed in a home. As Trish Smith, Program Director at Daniel & Friends Dog Rescue, says, “Daniel’s story is, in many ways, the story of every dog we now fight for.” Daniel & Friends exists to give more dogs the chance to become someone’s Daniel.

For more than two decades, Daniel & Friends has been redefining what successful adoption looks like. According to Rachel Caudle, Executive Director, "most rescues measure success by how many dogs they move through the system. [Daniel & Friends] measures it differently.” 

Through its foster-based model, the rescue has maintained a return rate of less than one percent, a testament to its belief that the adoption process should never be rushed. Instead, each placement is approached with patience and intention. When a dog comes to Daniel & Friends, they are going from a low-resourced shelter “straight to a foster home, not a kennel,” as Angel Riordan, Adoption Coordinator, states. Fostering is, says Angel, the “foundation” which “makes thoughtful matching possible.” The relationship between the foster and the dog allows for adoptions to be based on “real information, not guesswork,” says Angel, which is a comfort to all involved. Every dog begins with a two-week decompression period in a foster home, allowing them time to adjust and reveal their true personality outside the stress of a shelter environment. 

Once a potential match is identified, an adoption facilitator coordinates meet-and-greets and home visits before the foster family, potential forever family and facilitator all thoughtfully evaluate the fit over time. As Rachel says about their adoption process, there is a “discussion period (at least overnight),” which allows all parties to truly consider the match before any decision is made. Rachel says that their “individual approach matters because a good match isn’t just about finding any home, it’s about finding the right home.” The result is a process designed not simply to place dogs quickly, but to create lifelong matches that benefit both the dogs and the families who welcome them home. Daniel & Friends says Trish has “built [their] entire process around getting it right the first time,” and it shows in every dog’s success story, including Daniel’s.

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There are many ways to get involved with Daniel & Friends Dog Rescue, including volunteering, donating, fostering or adopting. Currently, the rescue is in need of more fosters, which is a zero-cost endeavor. To learn more, visit danielandfriends.org.