About Us
Our Purpose
| Ranger My Soul |
The Dog Next Door is a small, self-funded canine rescue
organization devoted to saving dogs previously destined to be
euthanized or to live a life of misery and neglect at the hands
of owners who either do not know how to love and care for
animals or do not have the capacity to love and care for
animals. Our purpose is to save one dog at a time and
educate one person at a time.
The Dog Next Door is devoted to educating people, young and
old, about the benefits of spaying and neutering pets, the
benefits of a loving relationship with a pet, the proper care and
treatment of your canine companions, how training your pet,
either yourself or though a pet trainer, can not only enrich your
life with your pet, but can save your pet's life.
Hundreds of thousands of dogs face terrible plights in this
country every year. Many of the reasons owners give up their
pets to high kill shelters are behavior related, problems that
are fixable for the investment of just a little time or perhaps just
a little money. If I can teach a handful of people to manage
their pets rather than give them up, that's a handful that will live
long lives in loving, forever homes; teach just a handful to find
inexpensive ways to spay and neuter their dogs rather than
allow them to indiscriminately breed, that's a handful that are
not adding to overpopulated kill shelters destined to die a
horrific, painful death by gas; if I can teach just a handful of
children to be kind and respect their pets rather than taunt and
tease them and make their lives miserable, that's another
generation that will grow up respecting life rather than taking it
for granted, a generation who can move this nation forward
into the next century of responsible pet care; if I can only save
a handful myself, that is a handful not starving to death on the
streets, a handful not shoved into overcrowded shelters to
become the 85% statistic of those who are slaughtered or
discarded every day like so much unwanted trash.
Visit our available dogs at PetFinder.com
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/GA459.html and for horses,
cats, puppies and more dogs http://www.hightowerfarm.org
The Dog Next Door began when I, at the lowest point in my life,
having lost my marriage and every material possession to my
ex-husband, except the roof over my head, adopted a
frightened little 6-week old ball of fur whom I named Ranger
(after a friend of mine who was serving in the Army Rangers).
From Ranger, I learned the rewards and frustration of pet
ownership, the trials and tribulations of training a puppy, what
to do and what not to do, mostly by trial and error and mostly
by error. I went through a financially devastating time, my
water was turned off, my church paid my electric bill, I had no
heat in winter, no air-conditioning in summer because I could
not afford to get either repaired, I hated myself, my ex and his
girlfriend, my neighbors, my grocer, my mailman, just about
every person, but I loved that dog and that dog loved me. I
stopped socializing, I let my life, my house and myself fall into
total disarray. I was a perfect candidate for anti-depressants
and probably for institutionalization, at least for a brief period,
but I had Ranger to take care of. A little life depended on me
and I had to get my life back in order. I learned how a dog can
change everything, including how you view and relate to the
world around you. I learned more about love from Ranger
than I did in 22 years of marriage. Ranger's unconditional love
led to me mending terribly damaged relationships because I
could finally see them from a different perspective. I started
The Dog Next Door as a tribute to the strength that Ranger
brought to my life when I needed it so much and for the humor
and joy that his brother Puddle's (my heart) brought to me
when I was so despondent. I realized the difference a dog
could make in a human life was as significant, if not more so,
than the difference we could make in theirs.
My goal is to is to grow, to use my considerable experience in
the legal profession, to lobby to change laws protecting our
beloved canine and feline friends or to help defend those who
do protect them and prosecute those who do not. I want a day
care and a bus (with on-staff driver) to pick up and drop off
dogs who live in the city and take them to the country for the
day a few times a week. I want acres of land with water treats
for water dogs to play in and a groomer on staff with a doggie
spa. A fully staffed top of the line boarding facility and a
retirement home for dogs that belong to elderly people who
have passed away and need a place for their dogs to go on
living in the style to which they were accustomed when their
guardians were alive and I want to be paid for this and paid
well -- because my ultimate goal is to have a self-sustaining
rescue I want a core group of volunteers in the rescue who
are treated with respect and dignity and who are allowed a
voice in how the animals are cared for, to whom they are
adopted, who are rewarded for their spirit of volunteering and
the hard, often heartbreaking work they do.
I want to manage the facility and ensure that every dog
receives the same or better care than the dogs in my care
now. I want to solicit corporate sponsorship to add a
sanctuary for old dogs, only old dogs, not unadoptable dogs or
aggressive dogs or dogs with issues, but old dogs that
nobody loves anymore. I want to get dirty cleaning kennels
and rolling in the grass with the dogs. I want to cradle them
when they are sick and clean up behind them. I want to cry
when a pregnant rescue delivers and laugh because I can
end her breeding days with the delivery of that litter. I want to
ask no person in my employ to do anything that I would not
and do not do myself but I want my focus to be on being a
voice for the dogs. I want the luxury of money to haunt the
halls of the capitol when the legislature is in session and the
phone lines of the legislators when it is not in session. I want
someone out there who reads this, who has the financial
power to make this happen, to call me anytime 24/7.
In the interim, my short term goal is to provide quality care for
the dogs that come into my life, that come into my home. That
care includes spaying or neutering, first and foremost, regular
routine vaccinations and heartworm tests, keeping them on
heartworm and flea preventive and microchipping each and
every one. That care includes treating them for whatever
illness they bring with them from having no care in their
previous home or whatever they may have contracted at the
shelter. Treating them for the neglect or abuse they suffered
in their first life. I want their second chance to be healthy. If
they are heartworm positive I treat them, if they have
gastrointestinal problems, I treat them. Some come with
broken bones and they are mended and kept on restricted
movement until they are healed.
That care includes feeding them premium food, and special
food if necessary. I've had dogs that required low protein,
puppies that require puppy food and elderly dogs that required
diets that were easy on the teeth. I have even hand prepared
bland diets for dogs with queasy tummies until their tummies
felt better. It includes giving them significant time to run and
play and socialize with other dogs and with people.
Unfortunately, socializing with people is more difficult, but I do
what I can even if it means taking them shopping at Petsmart
or Lowes (my Lowes lets dogs in) or just a romp up the block
to meet the neighborhood children.
Equally important is love. I love them. I do not just love "on"
them and pet them, I love them and they know it. I love them
from deep within my soul and truly care about their suffering
and truly care that they are happy, content with their playmates,
content in their environment. I care that they are confident,
well-adjusted, have a proud bearing. They know I hurt when
they hurt; that I am happy when they are happy, that I will
always have time to stop what I am doing and talk to them or
scratch their ears or give the a belly rub. I am never too busy
to stop what I'm doing to acknowledge a head on my knee
seeking a warm, loving touch or just a soft-spoken word.
My goal is to ensure that every dog that comes to me goes to a
financially stable family with outstanding moral values that
understands that pets are not disposable, that a commitment
is forever, and that dogs are family members and not backyard
ornaments. My goal is to ensure that every adopting family will
go to extraordinary lengths to save the dog's life should it
become ill but should the dog have to die they will have the
courage to be there holding his head and loving him when he
passes.
My goal is to never become jaded or bitter by what I see every
day and to never give up on this work because there is never
enough money, never enough time and never enough warm
loving hands to do this work and the little I have and the little I
do would be sorely missed by the dog I failed to save.
My goal is to get donations to help care for these wonderful
dogs so my home does not go into foreclosure a fourth time in
as many years. My goal is to build a saving account so that I
don't dread the inevitable emergency.
So if you've read all this and have any answers on how I can
attain my goals or if you can help in any small way and your
heart was touched to do so, please contact me.
organization devoted to saving dogs previously destined to be
euthanized or to live a life of misery and neglect at the hands
of owners who either do not know how to love and care for
animals or do not have the capacity to love and care for
animals. Our purpose is to save one dog at a time and
educate one person at a time.
The Dog Next Door is devoted to educating people, young and
old, about the benefits of spaying and neutering pets, the
benefits of a loving relationship with a pet, the proper care and
treatment of your canine companions, how training your pet,
either yourself or though a pet trainer, can not only enrich your
life with your pet, but can save your pet's life.
Hundreds of thousands of dogs face terrible plights in this
country every year. Many of the reasons owners give up their
pets to high kill shelters are behavior related, problems that
are fixable for the investment of just a little time or perhaps just
a little money. If I can teach a handful of people to manage
their pets rather than give them up, that's a handful that will live
long lives in loving, forever homes; teach just a handful to find
inexpensive ways to spay and neuter their dogs rather than
allow them to indiscriminately breed, that's a handful that are
not adding to overpopulated kill shelters destined to die a
horrific, painful death by gas; if I can teach just a handful of
children to be kind and respect their pets rather than taunt and
tease them and make their lives miserable, that's another
generation that will grow up respecting life rather than taking it
for granted, a generation who can move this nation forward
into the next century of responsible pet care; if I can only save
a handful myself, that is a handful not starving to death on the
streets, a handful not shoved into overcrowded shelters to
become the 85% statistic of those who are slaughtered or
discarded every day like so much unwanted trash.
Visit our available dogs at PetFinder.com
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/GA459.html and for horses,
cats, puppies and more dogs http://www.hightowerfarm.org
The Dog Next Door began when I, at the lowest point in my life,
having lost my marriage and every material possession to my
ex-husband, except the roof over my head, adopted a
frightened little 6-week old ball of fur whom I named Ranger
(after a friend of mine who was serving in the Army Rangers).
From Ranger, I learned the rewards and frustration of pet
ownership, the trials and tribulations of training a puppy, what
to do and what not to do, mostly by trial and error and mostly
by error. I went through a financially devastating time, my
water was turned off, my church paid my electric bill, I had no
heat in winter, no air-conditioning in summer because I could
not afford to get either repaired, I hated myself, my ex and his
girlfriend, my neighbors, my grocer, my mailman, just about
every person, but I loved that dog and that dog loved me. I
stopped socializing, I let my life, my house and myself fall into
total disarray. I was a perfect candidate for anti-depressants
and probably for institutionalization, at least for a brief period,
but I had Ranger to take care of. A little life depended on me
and I had to get my life back in order. I learned how a dog can
change everything, including how you view and relate to the
world around you. I learned more about love from Ranger
than I did in 22 years of marriage. Ranger's unconditional love
led to me mending terribly damaged relationships because I
could finally see them from a different perspective. I started
The Dog Next Door as a tribute to the strength that Ranger
brought to my life when I needed it so much and for the humor
and joy that his brother Puddle's (my heart) brought to me
when I was so despondent. I realized the difference a dog
could make in a human life was as significant, if not more so,
than the difference we could make in theirs.
My goal is to is to grow, to use my considerable experience in
the legal profession, to lobby to change laws protecting our
beloved canine and feline friends or to help defend those who
do protect them and prosecute those who do not. I want a day
care and a bus (with on-staff driver) to pick up and drop off
dogs who live in the city and take them to the country for the
day a few times a week. I want acres of land with water treats
for water dogs to play in and a groomer on staff with a doggie
spa. A fully staffed top of the line boarding facility and a
retirement home for dogs that belong to elderly people who
have passed away and need a place for their dogs to go on
living in the style to which they were accustomed when their
guardians were alive and I want to be paid for this and paid
well -- because my ultimate goal is to have a self-sustaining
rescue I want a core group of volunteers in the rescue who
are treated with respect and dignity and who are allowed a
voice in how the animals are cared for, to whom they are
adopted, who are rewarded for their spirit of volunteering and
the hard, often heartbreaking work they do.
I want to manage the facility and ensure that every dog
receives the same or better care than the dogs in my care
now. I want to solicit corporate sponsorship to add a
sanctuary for old dogs, only old dogs, not unadoptable dogs or
aggressive dogs or dogs with issues, but old dogs that
nobody loves anymore. I want to get dirty cleaning kennels
and rolling in the grass with the dogs. I want to cradle them
when they are sick and clean up behind them. I want to cry
when a pregnant rescue delivers and laugh because I can
end her breeding days with the delivery of that litter. I want to
ask no person in my employ to do anything that I would not
and do not do myself but I want my focus to be on being a
voice for the dogs. I want the luxury of money to haunt the
halls of the capitol when the legislature is in session and the
phone lines of the legislators when it is not in session. I want
someone out there who reads this, who has the financial
power to make this happen, to call me anytime 24/7.
In the interim, my short term goal is to provide quality care for
the dogs that come into my life, that come into my home. That
care includes spaying or neutering, first and foremost, regular
routine vaccinations and heartworm tests, keeping them on
heartworm and flea preventive and microchipping each and
every one. That care includes treating them for whatever
illness they bring with them from having no care in their
previous home or whatever they may have contracted at the
shelter. Treating them for the neglect or abuse they suffered
in their first life. I want their second chance to be healthy. If
they are heartworm positive I treat them, if they have
gastrointestinal problems, I treat them. Some come with
broken bones and they are mended and kept on restricted
movement until they are healed.
That care includes feeding them premium food, and special
food if necessary. I've had dogs that required low protein,
puppies that require puppy food and elderly dogs that required
diets that were easy on the teeth. I have even hand prepared
bland diets for dogs with queasy tummies until their tummies
felt better. It includes giving them significant time to run and
play and socialize with other dogs and with people.
Unfortunately, socializing with people is more difficult, but I do
what I can even if it means taking them shopping at Petsmart
or Lowes (my Lowes lets dogs in) or just a romp up the block
to meet the neighborhood children.
Equally important is love. I love them. I do not just love "on"
them and pet them, I love them and they know it. I love them
from deep within my soul and truly care about their suffering
and truly care that they are happy, content with their playmates,
content in their environment. I care that they are confident,
well-adjusted, have a proud bearing. They know I hurt when
they hurt; that I am happy when they are happy, that I will
always have time to stop what I am doing and talk to them or
scratch their ears or give the a belly rub. I am never too busy
to stop what I'm doing to acknowledge a head on my knee
seeking a warm, loving touch or just a soft-spoken word.
My goal is to ensure that every dog that comes to me goes to a
financially stable family with outstanding moral values that
understands that pets are not disposable, that a commitment
is forever, and that dogs are family members and not backyard
ornaments. My goal is to ensure that every adopting family will
go to extraordinary lengths to save the dog's life should it
become ill but should the dog have to die they will have the
courage to be there holding his head and loving him when he
passes.
My goal is to never become jaded or bitter by what I see every
day and to never give up on this work because there is never
enough money, never enough time and never enough warm
loving hands to do this work and the little I have and the little I
do would be sorely missed by the dog I failed to save.
My goal is to get donations to help care for these wonderful
dogs so my home does not go into foreclosure a fourth time in
as many years. My goal is to build a saving account so that I
don't dread the inevitable emergency.
So if you've read all this and have any answers on how I can
attain my goals or if you can help in any small way and your
heart was touched to do so, please contact me.
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Our History
Inspirations
| Puddles My Heart |
Click Photos to Enlarge
My Goal
The Dog Next Door needs your help. Like all rescues, we
never have enough money for the care of the dogs. We get by
and rob Peter to pay Paul. I took a cut in pay to work closer to
home and maintain this effort for the dogs, to avoid thbrutal
commute to downtown Atlanta and the rescue fees barely
cover the vetting because so many come from shelters and
homes where they have developed serious physical and
emotional problems. You can click here or in the title You
Can Help to see some of the needs we have listed on our
sponsorship page.
We will take all donations, however, you can also sponsor a
dog or sponsor the shelter - for a specified monetary donation
and your name will be listed on that dog's petfinder page as
his/her sponsor and also on this website -- I will be working
on this site for the next week bringing it up to date -- and
developing my "sponsors" page. If you choose to sponsor the
rescue as a whole, you will be listed on the sponsors page
and on this page, About Us. If you choose to sponsor a dog, I
will email you when the dog is adopted and forward you a
picture of the dog with his new family.
Silver Sponsor - $20 per month - $240/year - this will pay for
annual vaccinations, heartworm test, heartworm meds, flea
meds, for a year for one dog, buy him a collar and leash and
microchip him.
Gold Sponsor - $35 per month - $420/year - this will pay for
annual vaccinations, heartworm test, heartworm meds, flea
meds for a year for one dog, buy him a collar and leash,
microchip him and feed him for one year and go toward some
emergency or unanticipated vetting during the year.
Platinum Sponsor - $45 per month - $540/year - this will pay
for a new rescue to be spayed/neutered, annual vaccinations,
heartworm test, heartworm meds, flea meds, microchip him,
feed him, buy him a collar and leash and provide him with
chews and treats for one year, cover some emergency vetting
and buy him a Kuranda bed.
I have to believe there are some out there and if anyone wants
to see me explode with joy you can be a plutonium sponsor
and contribute $1,000. I will plaster your name on the side of
my car and put pictures of your grandchildren on my
webpages (if you like). That kind of money would treat a
heartworm positive dog, or remove bladder or kidney stones,
do any number of surgical procedures on a sick dog
otherwise doomed to suffer and die, purchase her a crate to
keep her calm during her recovery, buy her a Kuranda bed,
fully vet, feed and microchip her, get her a collar and leash,
and have money left over for treats and toys or another dog's
needs. $1,000 can completely save a very sick dog and
transport them to safe haven in another state, it can adopt, vet
and save 5 relatively healthy dogs from high kill shelters.
If you want to contribute to the shelter, see our sponsorship
page for needs. If you have a truck or SUV in good condition
and want to donate it, I drive a 95 Firebird that is too small to
carry more than three or four dogs at one time - I could use it
and put it to excellent use. Money contributed for the good of
the shelter (if not needed immediately for the dogs) would go
to great good providing them with a safe comfortable
environment. Nothing is wasted here. I buy my clothes at
Good Will and shop frugally. Nothing is taken for granted and
nothing is wasted.
never have enough money for the care of the dogs. We get by
and rob Peter to pay Paul. I took a cut in pay to work closer to
home and maintain this effort for the dogs, to avoid thbrutal
commute to downtown Atlanta and the rescue fees barely
cover the vetting because so many come from shelters and
homes where they have developed serious physical and
emotional problems. You can click here or in the title You
Can Help to see some of the needs we have listed on our
sponsorship page.
We will take all donations, however, you can also sponsor a
dog or sponsor the shelter - for a specified monetary donation
and your name will be listed on that dog's petfinder page as
his/her sponsor and also on this website -- I will be working
on this site for the next week bringing it up to date -- and
developing my "sponsors" page. If you choose to sponsor the
rescue as a whole, you will be listed on the sponsors page
and on this page, About Us. If you choose to sponsor a dog, I
will email you when the dog is adopted and forward you a
picture of the dog with his new family.
Silver Sponsor - $20 per month - $240/year - this will pay for
annual vaccinations, heartworm test, heartworm meds, flea
meds, for a year for one dog, buy him a collar and leash and
microchip him.
Gold Sponsor - $35 per month - $420/year - this will pay for
annual vaccinations, heartworm test, heartworm meds, flea
meds for a year for one dog, buy him a collar and leash,
microchip him and feed him for one year and go toward some
emergency or unanticipated vetting during the year.
Platinum Sponsor - $45 per month - $540/year - this will pay
for a new rescue to be spayed/neutered, annual vaccinations,
heartworm test, heartworm meds, flea meds, microchip him,
feed him, buy him a collar and leash and provide him with
chews and treats for one year, cover some emergency vetting
and buy him a Kuranda bed.
I have to believe there are some out there and if anyone wants
to see me explode with joy you can be a plutonium sponsor
and contribute $1,000. I will plaster your name on the side of
my car and put pictures of your grandchildren on my
webpages (if you like). That kind of money would treat a
heartworm positive dog, or remove bladder or kidney stones,
do any number of surgical procedures on a sick dog
otherwise doomed to suffer and die, purchase her a crate to
keep her calm during her recovery, buy her a Kuranda bed,
fully vet, feed and microchip her, get her a collar and leash,
and have money left over for treats and toys or another dog's
needs. $1,000 can completely save a very sick dog and
transport them to safe haven in another state, it can adopt, vet
and save 5 relatively healthy dogs from high kill shelters.
If you want to contribute to the shelter, see our sponsorship
page for needs. If you have a truck or SUV in good condition
and want to donate it, I drive a 95 Firebird that is too small to
carry more than three or four dogs at one time - I could use it
and put it to excellent use. Money contributed for the good of
the shelter (if not needed immediately for the dogs) would go
to great good providing them with a safe comfortable
environment. Nothing is wasted here. I buy my clothes at
Good Will and shop frugally. Nothing is taken for granted and
nothing is wasted.
A special Thanks to
Nicole Ronczkowski
Thanks to her very hard work as a Girl
Scout the dogs have new sheets and
blankets to use for bedding, to make
them more comfortable and help
keep them clean. She solicited these
and collected them from her
neighbors and friends and delivered
them to our rescue Saturday August
23, 2008.
THANKS NICOLE because of YOU
their lives are a little better!!
Nicole Ronczkowski
Thanks to her very hard work as a Girl
Scout the dogs have new sheets and
blankets to use for bedding, to make
them more comfortable and help
keep them clean. She solicited these
and collected them from her
neighbors and friends and delivered
them to our rescue Saturday August
23, 2008.
THANKS NICOLE because of YOU
their lives are a little better!!