The Dog Rescue Project is one of our 65 charity partners at The Good Registry, supporting dogs through rescue, rehabilitation, rehoming and preventative care. We recently spoke with the team about what they’ve been up to, the challenges they’re seeing, and what lies ahead.
Their work makes a real difference for dogs and the people who care for them — from rescue and rehoming to programmes that help prevent suffering before it starts.
Tell us a little about your last year. What have the highlights and key accomplishments been?
This past year has been one of both heartbreak and hope.
One of our proudest moments was partnering with the SPCA to deliver a desexing programme across Auckland. This was the first time a dog rescue has led something like this. For us, it was more than a milestone. It marked a shift. Instead of only stepping in when things go wrong, we have started getting ahead of the problem, preventing unwanted litters and reducing suffering before it begins.
But the real highlights are always the dogs.
Dogs who arrive scared, in pain, or forgotten, and slowly begin to trust again. Dogs who needed surgeries we were not sure we could afford, but said yes to anyway. Dogs like Lacy Sheldon, Tate and Bronte, whose lives could have ended very differently, but instead got a second chance.
Those moments, when a dog leaves us safe, healthy, loved and thriving, are everything.
What have the challenges been?
Behind every success story is a harder reality.
We are seeing more people than ever struggling to care for their animals. Families are being forced into heartbreaking decisions, not because they do not love their dogs, but because they simply cannot afford to keep them.
At the same time, the pool of donations is shrinking. The need is growing, but the resources to meet it are under pressure. That tension between how many dogs need help and what we can realistically take on is something we carry every day.
What stats can you give around need / services delivered and how that compares to previous years?
In the last 2 years weve rehomed over 300 dogs and desexed over 1000 dogs.
While the numbers tell part of the story, what they really reflect is a growing wave of need. More dogs are coming in, cases are becoming more complex, and more families are reaching out for help than in previous years.
At the same time, we have expanded our reach. We are not just rescuing, but also preventing. Programmes like Desex in the City and the Dog Dignity Collective are helping us support entire communities, not just individual dogs.
What lies ahead this year? Are there new projects you are excited about?
We are incredibly excited to launch The Dog Dignity Collective, a nationwide programme connecting with groomers to help dogs whose owners are struggling, whether due to mental health challenges, financial hardship, or other life circumstances.
Grooming might seem small, but we see the reality every day - dogs in pain from severe matting, infections that could have been prevented, and owners who feel overwhelmed and ashamed.
This programme is about dignity, for both dogs and their people. It is about stepping in with compassion, not judgment, and making sure suffering does not go unseen.
What challenges are you preparing for?
We know the year ahead will not be easy. Financial pressure on households is not going away anytime soon, and that means more dogs needing help and fewer resources available to provide it.
We are preparing by focusing on deeper solutions - not just rescuing dogs, but supporting people, educating communities, and preventing crises before they happen.
Can you share a story that illustrates the difference your work makes?
Lacy and Bronte came to us when there were very few options left for them. They needed significant medical care due to severely broken legs, the kind that is expensive, time-consuming, and often out of reach. Without intervention, their futures were uncertain.
Because of support from people who believe in this work, we were able to say yes.
Yes to the surgeries.
Yes to the rehabilitation.
Yes to the time it takes to rebuild a life.
Today, they are safe, healed, and in loving homes.Their stories are not rare. They are exactly why we exist.
What is changing in and around your community right now and how is that shaping the need for your services?
We are seeing a quiet shift that is having a loud impact.
More people are struggling financially, and when budgets tighten, animal care is often one of the first things affected. This is not out of neglect, but out of necessity.
This leads to more dogs needing to be rehomed, more untreated medical issues, and more people reaching out for help later than they otherwise would.
Our role is evolving. We are not just a rescue, but also a support system for both dogs and the people who love them.
How do funds received through The Good Registry translate to real-world impact?
Funding is the difference between “we wish we could help” and “we can.”
It allows us to take on dogs like Lacy and Bronte. Dogs who need surgeries, rehabilitation, and time. Dogs who would otherwise be left behind.
It also gives us the ability to think bigger. To run programmes like desexing and The Dog Dignity Collective, which prevent suffering before it starts.
Every dollar becomes something tangible. A surgery, a safe place to land, a second chance.
If you could say one thing directly to someone considering supporting your charity, what would it be?
When you support us, you are stepping in at a moment that could go either way. You are the reason a dog in pain gets relief. The reason a scared dog learns to trust again. The reason a life that might have been lost is instead rewritten. It is not just support. It is transformation. Let’s help dogs not just live, but thrive!
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