The DiscoverMe Project™

Check out this handsome hound, Roger!! He’s did well in his temp DMP foster home that his foster mama decided to long term foster him, so now he’s an official Wagging Dog (and is really a lover of snuggles)! You almost wouldn’t even know he’s the same fearful guy we borrowed from the shelter. He still gets spooked by random loud noises and needs to work up to new people at his own pace, but he’s super brave for a young pup with a rough start, and given a chance, he’s ready to snuggle his way into your heart! If you have a quiet adult home with a playful companion pup, contact us today! Roger is ready to find his furever home in 2022!

Thank you for fostering, again, Caitlin!

Please meet Mr. Sam from the Carlsbad shelter!! This loving guy with the luxurious locks is about 5 years young and 18 lbs or so. We have no idea of his breeds but he’s got a long bod and shorter legs! Sammie seems to be a pretty mellow fellow. He’s been in his awesome temp DMP foster home for a couple days and he’s already doing great! He does well in his crate and is learning some nice house manners. Sam’s human found him and she had to have him! He’s now in a home with another little furry companion and two folks who are home!

Thank you for fostering, Matt!

We are SO in love with this sweet, slightly chonky hunka hunka burnin’ love! Angus is an adorabull 8yr old guy who sat calmly and unnoticed in his shelter kennel for 4 MONTHS 🙁 We’re not sure why he kept getting passed by. Could be he’s older and has a few normal age-related health things. Could be that he’s black and sadly black animals don’t get adopted as easily as their other-colored brethren. No matter though! One of our best foster families raised their hand to help him out for a couple weeks, and wouldn’t you know it! They fell in love with sweet Angus and decided to make him a permanent member of the family! Congrats, Angus!

Thank you, Trax Family, for fostering again!

Handsome Sultan was found outdoors in North County San Diego, in a semi-rural area where predators abound. As if that wasn’t dangerous enough, poor Sultan has been DECLAWED and left with no way to defend himself. PAWS need CLAWS! He’s safe in a temporary foster home now! Sultan is a 4 yr old 11lb jet black longhair kitty who is shy yet curious. He hid under his bed at the shelter but would peek out to see what’s going on. Now he’s coming out of his shell in his temp foster home, snuggling up to his foster kitty siblings, and purring it up for his foster mom! He can be scared and shy at first, but if you are a little patient for a couple days, he will warm up and come searching out the loves! He’s such a great cat! Sultan’s new family found his photo and fell in love! He is now adopted and a loved and protected member of the family!

Thank you, Brooke, for fostering again!

Introducing Miss Sadie from Orange County! One ear up, one ear down, that’s how you’ll always find her. Sadie is a quiet observer, taking in all the sights and sounds, and making sure she knows where the food is at all times! She’s a calm 7 year old and her temp foster mama says she’s an independent gal who doesn’t mind spending her days chillin’ until the next walk. She get’s excited to go outside and loves to take her time to smell the flowers. She does well on a leash and never pulls! Sadie has one eye that’s a little larger than the other – her foster mama says it doesn’t seem to bother her too much but an adopter should have it examined right away. She seems to be slightly vision impaired on that side. Sadie is completely house and crate trained, and she’s been a perfect gem in her temp foster home! She’s still coming out of her shell everyday, now seeks out attention and returns to her cozy bed when she’s had enough pets. Sadie went back to the shelter after her DMP stay with a refreshed outlook on life, and she was adopted!

Thank you, Lizzy, for fostering!

Sweet little Stewie from Orange County! We love his jet black suit and satellite ears, he’s so dang cute! He’s what we call a velcro dog – wants to be stuck to his person at all times. Who could resist those expressive brows and soulful brown eyes! He’s a bit nervous around new people, but sit down and let him come to you and you are golden! Stuart is about 2 years young and a compact and porta-pup size of 9lbs. He’s working hard on his house-training, sleeps well in his crate at night, and takes treats oh so gently! Stuart Little loves to chase a ball, watch the birds and squirrels, and go for long walks with this person. He’s a bit of an introvert so his people will need to have patience and help him learn to trust, but once he trusts you he will give you his whole heart! Stuart would love to find a quiet adult home where his people aren’t gone all day, he get’s lonely! He wouldn’t mind having a furry companion, but he really prefers the company of his people. He would love to have his own yard to play in so he can be free to chase the birds and bugs, but he would also be fine without a yard as long as he gets regular walks. If you have room in your home and heart for this pint sized cutie, or if you would like to foster Stuart while we look for his forever people, contact us today!

Thank you, Sonya, for fostering!

Just look at the gorgeous green orbs on this kitteh! Mocha is a real stunner – those swirly markings, her apricot belly, not to mention the silky softness of her fur! A true beauty, and she deserves a truly wonderful forever home! Mocha first came to the shelter in Dec. 2019 – she was scared and hid in the back of her cubby, slowly coming around to the caring touch of shelter staff and volunteers. Eventually she was adopted, only to be returned a few weeks later because her owner wouldn’t get a high sided litter box. Poor Mocha! At the shelter and in her temp DMP foster home, she’s had excellent manners – she uses her enclosed litterbox every time with zero accidents! Gorgeous Mocha’s temp foster mama says she’s an absolute love and a perfect kitty housemate. She’s affectionate but not clingy, likes to sleep in bed with you but gives you room to breathe! She enjoys lap time but only if invited. She has a charming meow and chuffle which she uses to ask for attention or say hello. Mocha is a large feline at 14+ lbs! She’d benefit by losing a few but loves to jump, run and chase birds in the window so her cuddle rolls don’t inhibit activity! Mocha got so lucky when she met a friend of her foster mama, and that friend decided she was the furry family member she’d been missing! 

Thank you, Lynlee, for fostering again!

Isn’t he just dreamy?? This senior stud muffin is StanLee (formerly Clint from the OC Shelter) and he we were able to bring him in through the DiscoverMe Project™ thanks to a foster who said Yes! Sweet StanLee arrived at the shelter in terrible shape, almost 4 months ago :'( He had worn and broken teeth and his skin was a serious mess. His ears were full of crud and show signs of long neglect, just like the rest of his 9 year old body. He was missing a lot of fur, with crusty scabs, inflammation, multiple masses and a rather pungent odor. The shelter has done wonders for this poor boy and we hope to continue their work while now that he’s in a foster home. It’s not easy to treat skin conditions in a shelter environment. He did so well that his temp foster mom said she’d care for him until we find his perfect family, so StanLee is now an official Wagging Dog and available for adoption! 

Thank you, Lynneta, for fostering!

We’re pretty much smitten with this guy and know he’ll make some family really lucky when they find him. He’s the perfect DiscoverMe Dog™ – he was relinquished to the shelter after being in a home for just one week with so many bad notes that you wouldn’t believe. (We didn’t which is why we have him and now we’re gonna disprove all of those notes!)

Patch’s foster mom says he’s a lovable little guy who’s loyal to his humans and likes to seek out snuggles (particularly with the ladies lol). He’s been a perfect gentleman in her home, content in his crate at night and chillin in there during the day too (without barking!). He’s never had an accident and routinely does his business in the yard. As you might have seen in Patch’s playtime video, he really enjoys the company of other dogs as long as he’s given proper, unrushed introductions. Once he breaks the ice, he’s incredibly social and playful and we know he’d probably enjoy a playful similarly sized companion in his future home.

This onyx coated gem enjoys jogging, hiking and beach days (on lead) and would be a great workout companion or adventure buddy. He’s working on leash manners while he’s with his temp foster mom and will probably need a bit more polishing once he finds his forever fam. We think Patch will thrive in a home with high school kids on up, or an all adult household. He’s a bit sound sensitive and not a fan of chaos – say, me too! Patch is a fast learner, smart as a whip, and he loves to exercise – his brain too. Put him to work and mold him into your very own ambassadog!

Did you know that black dogs and cats have a harder time getting adopted from rescues and shelters? It’s called Black Dog Syndrome. Google it. We LOVE black dogs and cats (especially PATCH!), and we hope someone out there does too.

Patch found his forever family and was adopted from the shelter. Yay for Patch and his new family!

Thank you, Stacy, for fostering! Again!

Teddy Bear was found dodging cars on a L.A. freeway. The Good Sam who saved him turned him into the local shelter. He was emaciated, matted, covered in fleas and ticks, and limping. T Bear quickly captured the hearts of staff and volunteers alike, and the shelter took excellent care of the Bear. He gained weight, got rid of the unwanted traveling companions, and was put on daily medication to help with his bum rear leg. We were thrilled to be able to take him into the DMP for a couple weeks and give him a break in a clean, safe home. Teddy did stupendously while in temp foster, getting along great with the other dog in the home, passing his cat test with flying colors too. He was so awesome that we received multiple inquiries about fostering and adopting, and lucky Teddy Bear was adopted by a wonderful mom who will take excellent care of her new furry boy. Yay!!

Thank you, Mark and Family, for fostering!

Radish, formerly known as Rudy at the shelter, is a small chi mix puppy who had a tough past of failed families. He was part of a really bad hoarding case and arrived at the shelter completely unsocialized and fearful, just a baby. He was adopted from one shelter in 2017, returned to a different shelter a couple months later, transferred to the Carlsbad shelter, adopted a few days before Xmas 2017, then returned a few days later due to a bite. Radish is a sensitive little guy who just needed patient, understanding people who wouldn’t pressure him so much. He was hoping for people who would help him to feel safe and able to trust humans again, and thankfully we were able to take him into the DiscoverMe Project™! Radish did so well during this temporary stay that his foster decided to care for him until he found the perfect home. And find the perfect home he did – the Best! Radish now has a dog and a cat sibling and super savvy parents who are committed to his success!

Thank you, Mary, for fostering!

This itty bitty 5 pound senior lady, Abby, was relinquished to the shelter with 3 other dogs when her former owner passed away. Sadly, the other 3 were in such poor health, the only appropriate action was to humanely let them go. The shelter felt that lil Abby, however, could still be helped so they took her into their care. They even provided her with a much needed dental cleaning. We had a chance to get to know her better in our temp DMP foster home. While she was there, a lovely family inquired about her and the rest is history.

Thank you, Melanie, for fostering!

Lil Ricky’s luck changed for the better when we were able to place him into the DMP in November 2017. Animal control saved him from a hoarding situation along with a bunch of other small dogs, and his previous owners had him debarked. He sat at the shelter for 3 months and was the last of his group of littles still waiting for a home. After moving into temp foster with an amazing family whose previous pup passed earlier this year, we quickly learned what a terrific dog he was and lo and behold, his DMP foster family decided to adopt him! YAYAY!

Thank you, Donna and Stan, for fostering – and adopting!!

Koa was left in the night drop at the shelter in August 2017 by the mother of his former owner when that person ended up in jail. He was quickly adopted by a family with a new baby who returned him a few days later citing all kinds of horrible things about him. What was witnessed in the shelter didn’t match what they reported, so we took him into a temp DMP foster home and put their words to the test. Turns out he’s nothing like the naughty dog they spoke of – in fact, he’s a total gentleman! He showed his temp foster mom that he was such a dreamboat, she and her husband decided to long term foster him until we found him a forever home! So we did. Koa is now adopted by a fabulous fam!

Thank you, Lauren and Charles, for fostering!

These two lil bonded ladies, Daisy and Clover, sat unnoticed in the shelter for two months before entering the DMP in September 2017. Being black, and older, and truly bonded, they didn’t even have one single interact with an interested party! 🙁 Their bodies showed signs of a life of neglect, and even though the shelter provided excellent care for both including dentals so they’d have sparkly smiles, they still were afflicted with irritated skin and appeared older than they likely were. After being placed in our DMP foster home, through rigorous marketing and a series of serendipitous events, our Flower Girls found the most amazing forever home and now have the perfect life! Huzzah!! Read about their incredible adoption story here!

Thank you, Rebekah and Eric, for fostering!

Animal control officers saved Demi from a hoarding situation where she was kept in a backyard with ~70 of her closest relatives, many on chains. These poor dogs were all emaciated, in poor health, covered in parasites, and almost feral. When the first group was brought to the shelter, many had a difficult time adjusting to so many big changes. And people. Shelter staff and volunteers worked diligently with each animal, helping them to gain confidence and trust while recovering their health. We were thrilled to be able to take Demi into the DMP where she could spend some quality time in a quiet, skilled foster home.

Demi blossomed by leaps and bounds while in the DMP, showing us what a truly playful and energetic puppy she really was inside that timid, fearful white body. She enjoyed playtime with her canine foster sis and slowly grew to be more trusting of the humans in the home. We were not able to find Demi a long term foster or public adopter while she was with us in the DiscoverMe Project™. Upon her return to the shelter however, Miss Demi found a family willing to give her another chance and she was adopted. Yay Demi 🙂

Thank you, Melanie, for fostering!

Cutie Chorizo was only in the DMP for a week. You rarely saw him in his kennel at the shelter because he was always buried under a blanket. The shelter went the extra mile for this senior guy, giving him a dental when he was neutered, but even with his dashing good looks and energetic personality, lil Chorizo still waited and waited for someone to take him home. That wait ended on Clear The Shelters Day in August 2017 when we he was adopted! YAY!

Thank you, Shirley, for fostering!

Pretty much everyone in the rescue was in love with lil man Monty lol. He arrived at the shelter in June 2017 when his owner died and the rest of the family didn’t want to be responsible for any bills, and he came in with a gal named Bella, both senior chi mixes. They were reportedly bonded, and they sat in the shelter for a couple months waiting for someone to want to adopt not just one, but two older wawas. It didn’t happen. What was so appalling about Monty’s condition was that he had a broken femur that was severely displaced, and he was never taken to a vet to have it fixed! 🙁 Who does that?? The injury was so old that it was no longer fixable, and amputation wasn’t really an option because he also had another bum front leg and between the two not-quite-right limbs, he was still able to get around. Removal of the rear limb would have caused major problems with his mobility. Being the resilient and adaptable animals that canines are, Monty had learned to live with his broken leg and was able to get around well enough. Still though, our hearts broke every time we watched him move, and we were excited to have him in the DMP.

While this dynamic duo was in our DMP foster home, we learned that they were not truly bonded animals after all. We were able to share this info with shelter staff so they would approve them to be adopted separately. Asking someone to take two dogs instead of just one makes it that much harder for them to find a home. While Monty and Bella enjoyed each other’s company, they were also totally fine being separated and also got along well with other dogs. Because of this valuable feedback from our foster parents, Monty was able to be adopted by a wonderful lady on Clear The Shelters Day. She came to the shelter and asked for a dog who was going to have the hardest time finding a home. She walked out with our smiling lil man and we couldn’t be happier!! Woohoo!

Thank you, Rebekah and Eric, for fostering!

Cece, formerly known as Coco the terrier at the shelter, went into temp DMP foster in July 2017 after not presenting well in her kennel for the previous couple months. She turned out to be so perfect once in a normal home environment that her temp foster family offered to foster her until we found a forever home! So we did!! Cece is now Fiona and has a fun loving life in Los Angeles with her forever fam and a turtle sibling!!

Thank you, Schneider Family, for fostering!

Natasha was one of our first DMP success. She sat in the shelter for almost three months and even got a feature as the pet of the week on the county site. More reserved and withdrawn in her kennel, people kept passing her by. It took the first 8 days of her stay in our DMP foster home before she really started coming out of her shell. We found her family during her July 2017 time in the DMP and they adopted her directly from the shelter before we had to take her back! Natasha has a sweet fur brother to play and cuddle with as well as several feline siblings.

Thank you, Tee and Gabe, for fostering!