Palm Beach Shelter Dog Project

Back in 2015, Lorrie Browne & Tim Chance founded Palm Beach Shelter Dog Project to network the dogs they were fostering from Palm Beach Animal Care & Control. Their mission and effectiveness have grown over the years:  this local “Pet Rescue Power Couple” have fostered and found homes for dozens of dogs from the Palm Beach shelter. They are also extremely effective in advocating for foster and adoption, especially for the most senior dogs in the shelter.

Through Palm Beach Shelter Dog Project, the couple has granted tens of thousands of dollars to local rescue groups like Mutty Paws and Barky Pines, encouraging these groups to take dogs out of Palm Beach Animal Care & Control. Shelter Dog Project also provides “adoption gifts” including orthopedic beds, age-appropriate food, and supplements for senior dogs and special needs dogs. Over $15,000 in food and behavioral support was given out in 2020 alone! Plus, the group provides the Palm Beach shelter with things like leashes, collars, and playgroup supplies that are not in the shelter’s budget.

For a sure-fire way to achieve a daily smile, we highly recommended following this group on Facebook.  Each time Lorrie & Tim leave the shelter with a “sprung” dog in tow, you know it’s that dog’s lucky day! We love seeing their posts and following each story.

One of their favorite rescue stories? Lorrie & Tim had fostered a 12-year-old hound dog named Hurricane. He had been the oldest dog in the shelter at the time, and he was "loud, demanding and sometimes incorrigible".  They fostered him for 3 months before finding him a forever home in which he spent 3+ happy years with a loving family. When Hurricane passed away at 15 years old, Hurricane’s family adopted another one of Lorrie & Tim’s foster dogs!

So, why do they believe it’s so important to adopt from the shelter?

1. You save two lives: The animal you rescue and the space you made available for the next life
2. You help break the cycle of pet overpopulation
3. Great selection of animals
4. You pay less
5. You lead by example and encourage others to adopt from their local shelter

What if you’re not ready for the commitment of adoption? Lorrie and Tim recommend fostering! Local animal shelters and animal rescues are always looking for new foster homes and they provide plenty of fostering options (short term, long term, hospice, etc...) to fit most any lifestyle.

To donate to Palm Beach Shelter Dog Project, contact the group directly (lorrie@shelterdogproject.org).  To help make their funds go further, consider purchasing items from their Wishlist, or buying them a Jake's Gift Card. We'll notify them of your generosity, and make arrangements to get the items delivered.