Local Dog Rescue Saves Over 1,200 Dogs Amid Pandemic

The Animal Pad shattered records for rescues and adoptions in 2020 while also securing it’s first medical clearing facility.

San Diego, CA: The Animal Pad (TAP) today announced record shattering numbers for 2020, along with another major milestone of securing its first ever medical clearing facility this year, all while operating in a much different manner due to COVID-19.

“TAP not only quadrupled our rescue numbers from the previous year but helped give many people a positive focus, a purpose, a passion that they didn't have before,” says Stephanie Nisan, Founder and President of TAP.

2020 marked TAP’s 10th year, and coming off of record numbers in 2019 there were strong aspirations to increase the numbers of rescues and adoptions in 2020, but no one could have predicted beating 2019’s numbers by over 300%! In all of 2019, TAP rescued 319 dogs and adopted 271. In 2020, those numbers grew to an astonishing 1,278 rescued, and 1,192 adopted.

“2020 may have been a weird and downright awful year for many, but for the 1,278 dogs we rescued throughout the year, 2020 was the best of their lives. We would not have been able to pull any of it off without all of our incredible volunteers, who chose to channel their energy into doing some major good and saving more dogs than ever before,” said TAP Director of Operations, Lauren Botticelli

These numbers are even more remarkable considering TAP has been a historically event-focused organization. What has always set TAP apart from other rescue operations is the fact that they relied heavily on several events a month to raise money and awareness, recruit volunteers and fosters, and most importantly introduce potential adopters to available dogs. When the pandemic hit in early March, the entire organization was taken back and had to drastically adjust, and the results couldn’t have been better.

Later in the year, TAP hit another major milestone of securing its first ever medical clearing facility, which allows us to rescue even more dogs.

According to Nissan, “Ever since the inception of TAP in 2010, it has been our dream to have a facility of our own.”

When TAP brings dogs up from Mexico to eventually be adopted, there are many things that need to happen first. Every dog needs medical care by one of our licensed veterinarians which could range from only needing the simplest vaccines, to some even needing several surgeries and around-the-clock care during their recovery. Also, during this process, all dogs must go through a 10-14-day quarantine before going into foster homes, which is mainly where this facility comes in. We can now house significantly more dogs at any given time to start the socialization process.

“The new facility serves as the stepping stone to our dogs’ new lives, but is equally important to our volunteers as it allows for a greater sense of community and unity for these animals we love so much” says Nisan.

To learn more about The Animal Pad and how one can help, click here.

About The Animal Pad: The Animal Pad is a non-profit, all breed dog rescue that focuses on saving dogs from high kill shelters and the streets of Mexico. They get them vet care, place them in foster homes and then find them loving forever families. A few years ago, they turned their attention to the street dogs of Mexico as there is very little help for them. Since then, they have developed a large rescue network in Baja California and have a sister shelter in Ensenada where they focus on taking dogs from whenever funds allow.

For those who would like more information about this topic, please call Jodie at (619) 564-9306, or email jb.theanimalpad@gmail.com.