Tara, Larry & Frank: The Story of 2 Rescue Pups Who Inspired Their Owner To Start Her Own Nonprofit

Your name: Tara Majeed

Your dog's name: Larry & Frank

Your location: Chicago, IL

What made you decide to rescue a dog (as opposed to buying one)? I ran into a friend who worked at shelter and mentioned that I was looking for a dog. She educated me on the number of animals in shelters and adopting vs. shopping and the next week I went to meet dogs!

How did you come to find your rescue dog and how did you know he/she was 'the one'?  The same friend texted me at 7am on a Friday morning to tell me that a transport of 97 dogs had just arrived. I drove out to the shelter and will never forget walking into their back holding area and seeing 97 dogs squeezed into maybe 25-30 kennels, all barking and jumping. That was the moment that I understood why I had to rescue. I met a few dogs and really connected with one in particular, Jake. Because he had just arrived, they wanted me to foster-to-adopt him but I already knew he was my dog. He had some minor medical issues that they helped resolve and I adopted him about two weeks later! After having Larry, I became more involved in the rescue community and then decided it was time for a second dog. We chose to go to Chicago Animal Care and Control to adopt a dog that was more at-risk and adopted our second dog, Frank.

If applicable, please name the rescue/shelter your dog came from. Anderson Animal Shelter (Larry), Chicago Animal Care and Control (Frank)

If you and your pup had an entire day to do only fun things together, what would your day look like? If I let the dogs choose, Larry would play fetch with me all day and Frank would sleep by my feet.

If you had two magic minutes where your dog could understand everything you said, what would you tell her/him? I'd tell them how much I love them and how much they have taught me about myself, empathy and service to others. They've opened up my heart in ways that I never thought possible and as a result I've also been able to develop more meaningful relationships with humans too.

What would be your dog's theme song? Mario Brothers

How does your pup make your life better? Same answer as two magic minutes! I'd also add that Frank inspired me to begin volunteering at Chicago Animal Care and Control and eventually starting my own non-profit with two other volunteers, Rescue Chicago, which supports the shelter in a number of much-needed ways. We also foster and love being able to save lives that way and help dogs be set up for success in their forever homes!

What do you want the world to know about rescuing a dog? When you rescue a dog, you're not only adopting your best friend but you're also saving a life. So many dogs are killed in the United States every year due to a multitude of reasons, and you can be a part of that solution but choosing to adopt a dog from your local shelter or rescue. So many rescue dogs are well-adjusted and have no issues (like Larry) and yes there are some that need extra work (like Frank) but all are worthy of your love and helping them feel safe and loved is more rewarding than anything else you'll ever experience. And if you're unsure, start by fostering!