Welcome!
In 2008, we found loving homes for over 400 dogs!
Phone: (941) 776-7370
PO Box 351, Bradenton, FL 34206
Upcoming Events
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Animal Network presents the 11th annual Canine Christmas Festival. The location this year will be at Bishop Animal Shelter. Click here to read the flyer in PDF format.
We have photo galleries of past Canine Christmas events. Click here to view 2008, or click here to view 2007.
Look for us there! We will have lots of great, adoptable UnderDogs that are already anxious to meet you! Sophie will be there, too. Please fill out an application today to get 'pre-approved' so you can take your new UnderDog home on that day.
Bark in the Park Update
Neal Communities 'Bark in the Park' on November 1, 2009 was a huge success! Click here to read the Bradenton Herald feature in PDF format.
Pictured below are UnderDogs who need loving homes. Click here to view our complete Petfinder listing.
Recent Adoptions: Auggie, Pixie, Dibs, Coco and Spot
Monty Has Recovered
On October 6, 2009, one of UnderDog's founders, Shona, rushed over to Animal Services to pick up a small Dachshund that was hit by a car. Unfortunately, his leg had to be removed. He is healing up nicely and adjusting very well on 3 legs. His name is Monty and what a cutie pie! He is a love and enjoys chasing cats. Monty needs to find a 'cat free home'.
UPDATE: Monty is healed and doing very well. He can run around and has completely adjusted to the loss of his leg.
Donations of ANY amount will be appreciated! Click the PayPal button or send check/money order to: UnderDog Rescue, PO Box 351, Bradenton, FL 34206.
About UnderDog
The majority of our dogs were scheduled for euthanasia at kill shelters throughout Florida. We are an 'all volunteer' organization. We do not have a shelter or a paid staff. We collect adoption fees to pay our vet bills. This includes shelter fees, medications, spay/neuter, all shots, heartworm testing and treatment, monthly flea/tick/heartworm preventatives, microchips, dentals, surgeries, skin treatments, setting broken bones, or any other health care deemed necessary by our vets. Our vets offer reduced charges so that we can keep our adoption fees reasonable, but their services are not free. We often rely on extra donations to pay expenses when the cost of care exceeds a realistic adoption fee.
How Rescue Funds Are Utilized
We received our 501(c)3 Not-For-Profit status from the IRS in 2008. We have 30+ active volunteers who each donate over 15 hours per week: transporting to vet/grooming appointments, bathing, fostering, returning calls, home visiting, supervising meetings of UnderDogs with potential adopters, and documenting medical records. It totals a minimum of 450 hours per week, over 23,400 hours per year. Multiply those unpaid hours by an hourly wage and you will see that our volunteers truly are priceless!
We have no payroll, bonuses or salaries.
In 2008 Underdog rescued 413 dogs, placed 438 in loving, approved homes (as we had some from the prior year), sterilized 396 dogs (some had been previously sterilized). Additionally, we rescued/transferred 75 dogs to breed-specific rescue groups. We also spayed/neutered an average of 8 dogs per month at a reduced cost (or sometimes free of charge) for needy owners.
We recently purchased a laptop and QuickBooks software necessary for our recordkeeping. A local CPA volunteered her time and helped us set up our chart of accounts.
In 2008, we averaged 1-2 organized transports per week from kill shelters as far south as Miami, and as far north as the Florida panhandle. These large transports each carried as many as 24 dogs. Since gas was at a premium in 2008, we reimbursed several organized transport drivers for their fuel expenses.
Most people are unaware that shelters charge rescue groups a fee, usually $18 - $65, to rescue each dog.
It becomes necessary, at times, to board dogs temporarily until a foster home becomes available.
Please spay and neuter your pets. Read Common Myths and Facts About Spay/Neuter, from the Humane Society of the United States.