PARTNERS! Canines
PO Box 33 Todd NC 28684 partnerscanines@gmail.com
Email for ADOPTIONS: partnerscaninesadopt@gmail.com
About Us
PARTNERS! Canines Hopes to End the Euthanasia of Adoptable Dogs and Puppies in NC!
Intake Numbers of Dogs and Puppies in rural Southern shelters is extremely high. Many times puppies and highly adoptable dogs are being euthanized due to lack of space. We hope to help shelters change their intake policies, promote spay/neuter in communities and find ways to rescue the majority of adoptable dogs and puppies in high kill shelters.
Once a canine training and behavior counseling business, PARTNERS! Canines became a registered 501c3 non-profit organization in 2007 in order to continue to grow our shelter canine transport and rescue efforts throughout North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
All proceeds raised through our fundraising efforts go toward transferring great (friendly, healthy, non-aggressive) but unadopted dogs and puppies from shelters in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia to other states and national “no kill” facilities and rescue organizations where they are held until they are adopted. Most of these dogs and puppies are adopted in days.
The donations and contributions we receive allow us to cover medical, vet, food, shelter (while awaiting transport) and transport expenses to save hundreds of precious lives every year, providing a chance at a new life for our rescued dogs and puppies!
If you would like to contribute to our rescue efforts or receive information about our transports please email us at partnerscanines@gmail.com.
Timeline
2001
Our Founder, Melissa Bahleda, received her certification in Canine Training and Behavior Counseling from the Animal Behavior Center of New York and was finally able to combine her Master’s Degree in Education with her love for dogs and her desire to help those in need. She volunteered and worked for several shelters during this time and began teaching workshops. Once she completed her certification she started up her own training business and taught classes at local VA animal shelters and donated the proceeds.
2007
PARTNERS! began the process of becoming a non-profit organization in order to expand our transport and rescue efforts throughout Virginia and North Carolina.
2007-2012
With Melissa’s help she successfully launched spay/neuter clinics in VA and was able to drastically reduce euthanasia numbers in participating shelters.
PARTNERS! worked with North Shore Animal League regularly and helped them rescue over 1,000 dogs per year allowing Melissa to transfer in highly adoptable dogs and puppies every month.
2009
Partners! became an official 501c3 non-profit organization.
2012
Melissa and her husband Tom moved to Boone, NC. Tom and Melissa had lived in Boone as newlyweds throughout their college years and had always loved the area. As soon as they moved Melissa was able to begin doing transports in the High Country as and began a wonderful partnership with local shelters and Jessica Bryant a local volunteer, became our President. Jessica was responsible for developing and expanding our transport program.
2013
PARTNERS! Canines began a transport program called the NC Muttigree Express with rescue partner North Shore Animal League. NSAL agreed to begin sending their mobile rescue unit down to help with overpopulation issues in the region.
In 2013 Jessica and Melissa were able to rescue over 2,000 dogs and puppies in the area!
PARTNERS! welcomes Dr. Patrice Covington with Mitchell Mill Animal Hospital Rescue in Raleigh NC into the program as medical director.
The NSAL rescue unit has now began coming to pick up dogs and puppies from our program in Raleigh NC
In February 2014 PARTNERS! received confirmation that NSAL will continue to award funds to allow us to rescue more dogs and puppies from the High Country region. We hope to have another successful year rescuing thousands that would otherwise be euthanized!
2014
Dr. Eva Hyatt became the Executive Director.
2015
With the help of all our PARTNERS, volunteers, and donors we saved over 2500 dogs and puppies from euthanasia this year!
2016
Continued success with saving another 1047 dogs from high-kill shelters in Northwestern North Carolina and Southwestern Virginia. That number includes large breeds, older, needing medical care or handicapped.
2017
Thanks to a grant from the ASPCA we purchased a new transport-ready, two-zoned air conditioned/heated Dodge Ram van. Also in 2017 we already have achieved saving over 12,000 dogs in the 10 years since Partners! has existed.