I want to start by saying a huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to all of our volunteers and fosters. We simply cannot do what we do without ALL of YOU, Our Volunteers, Adopters, Supporters and Donors. I say it every year, but 2025 once again blew me away—this Team is truly amazing. Our volunteers and adopters are the most dedicated and passionate people, always ready to step up and do whatever it takes to keep our promise of a new and better tomorrow.

If we need funds, we ask—and you deliver. If we put out a call for food, it comes in by the truckloads. When we need manpower, you show up. Whatever we need, this team always delivers.

This year, we pulled together and introduced more fun social events for our volunteers and adopters. We hosted smaller fundraisers, received a few generous grants, and put them to work helping pups who needed extra TLC. Because of that support, we were able to treat heartworm-positive dogs, provide lifesaving surgeries, and give several pups a better future through orthopedic procedures to repair broken bones or past injuries.

We also kept busy throughout the school year with classroom visits, spreading the healing power of puppy love. Mental health and stress relief are critical for today’s youth, who face challenges and pressures that force them to grow up too quickly. From elementary through high school, the stress of navigating this world can be overwhelming. In just an hour-long visit, we witness stress melt away, social barriers break down, shyness turn into laughter, and kids light up with joy. Puppy kisses and wagging tails really do make the world brighter.

It’s not just kids who benefit, either. We’ve brought that same joy to assisted living and rehab facilities, corporate events, and even cancer patients during chemotherapy. Something as simple as showing up with puppies can create powerful moments of healing, and we love being able to share that.

At TLC, we strive to create an environment of community and togetherness. Over the years, we’ve built more than a Rescue—we’ve built relationships, partnerships, and a mission that gives back to the community while saving lives. Yes, we are a dog rescue, but it’s equally important to us to educate, support, and heal the humans who make our work possible.

Looking ahead to 2026, we have some very big projects on deck, all with one purpose: to help more pups. We’ll continue fighting to find solutions to the never-ending need to save lives. We’ll keep spreading love and changing the world one pup at a time. Above all, we’ll always keep our promise to each and every dog in our care: the promise of a new and better tomorrow.

Together, we can do anything—and I am beyond proud to be part of this amazing Team. Stay tuned, because 2026 will bring some very exciting changes and projects!

For Kyle and Anne Grove, a relationship built on shared values has been paved with paw prints. As they celebrate a decade of service with TLC, their story serves as a heartening testament to the life-changing power of animal fostering.

From Dating to Dedicated Fostering: Their journey with TLC began in 2015 while they were still dating. After a traveler found a stray Chihuahua and needed a safe place for her, Anne stepped up to foster. That one small dog sparked a mission that has spanned ten years and countless fosters.

Finding Their "Why": The couple’s dedication is rooted in Anne’s experience with a fear-aggressive Australian Shepherd mix she owned in 2007. Through "patience, sweat, and tears," Anne helped her dog find balance. Kyle was a natural partner in this journey, intuitively understanding the dog's needs. Since she passed, they have continued to pay that kindness forward, providing a safe harbor for animals with behavioral struggles that might make others hesitate to adopt.

While some prefer quick transitions, Kyle and Anne have a passion for long-term fosters. They specialize in dogs needing extra time to unlearn bad habits or build confidence. For them, the reward is the transformation; seeing a dog grow from transport to adoption "refills the tank" for the next soul in need. Over the years, they’ve fostered everything from seniors to newborn puppies – including their very first "foster fail" born right in their home.

Today, their home is shared with five dogs and five cats. Their pack includes two TLC foster fails, one of whom serves as a task-trained service dog for Anne.

Advice for New Volunteers: To those considering joining TLC, Kyle and Anne offer a simple message: Just start. "You don’t have to do it all to make a difference," they emphasize. Whether you are fostering, acting as a "dog taxi," or helping at events. 

Every bit of effort helps a life that cannot help itself.

A Note from the Editor: With Gratitude

As we close out this holiday season and look ahead to 2026, I want to pause and recognize the incredible generosity of our TLC volunteers. While they pour their hearts into rescuing dogs—over 8,000 and counting—they bring that same compassion to supporting children involved in the child welfare court system by fulfilling Christmas wish lists and spreading hope where it’s needed most.

At TLC, we believe we are only as strong as the community around us. Supporting other nonprofits and the people they serve is compassion in action—and our volunteers embody that spirit wholeheartedly.

In my spare time (aka my day job), when I’m not fostering TLC dogs or getting the incredible opportunity to lead this newsletter team who creates magic every month, I also work for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), an organization that advocates for children and youth who are involved in the child welfare and  foster care system by giving them a consistent, caring voice in court and throughout their case.

Year after year, the TLC volunteer community reminds me that their kindness extends far beyond our dogs. This holiday season was no exception. Together, volunteers fulfilled every single item on the wish lists of 46 children across 25 families—not just a gift or two, but EVERY. SINGLE.ONE. Those gifts represented far more than presents; they were reminders of stability, care, and belonging.

Seeing the generosity firsthand was overwhelming in the best way—pure amazement, joy, and tears from witnessing humanity at its very best.

As we look toward 2026, this season has opened the door to exciting possibilities. We’re eager to build on this momentum and explore deeper collaborations with CASA to support youth throughout the year, not just during the holidays.

To every volunteer who helped make this holiday magic possible: thank you for showing up, for caring deeply, and for believing in the power of community. I am endlessly grateful—and we’re just getting started.

• Heather

Meet Paulie:

Hi there! My name is Paulie, and I’m a 6-year-old Toy Poodle with a big heart and a love for food, snuggles, and sleeping in bed with my humans. People often say I’m a sweetheart—and they’re right! I can be a little possessive of my people, but it’s only because I love them so much. I generally get along well with other dogs, cats, and the people I meet.

I’m looking for a special home with patience and understanding, because my past wasn’t always easy. I spent much of my life as a breeder dog and was kept in a cage, so I’m still learning how to just be a dog. Crates make me uncomfortable, and since I was never potty trained, I wear a diaper indoors to help keep things tidy.

You might notice I sometimes walk in circles—that was the main way I was able to move around before coming into foster care. I’m also a bit of a risk-taker and may try to jump off furniture if not supervised, so keeping an eye on me is important. Stairs confuse me, so a home where access to them is limited would help keep me safe.

Leashes are still new and strange to me, but if you have a secure, fenced yard, I’d love to roam safely on my own. I’d be especially happy in a home with someone who is retired or works from home, because I truly love being close to my person.

I know I may sound like a lot, but my foster says I’m an absolute sweetheart with so much love to give. I’ll be your shadow, your best buddy, and your favorite cuddle partner if you’re willing to take a chance on me.

Provide a Safe Haven: You may not have much information about your dog’s past, if any.  Even if they were a stray or lived outdoors, never leave them unattended outside.

• Your home is your pet’s sanctuary, and it is important that you make it a warm, safe place to retreat to during the cold winter months. 

• It is important to ensure that you make a comfortable place for your pet, away from drafts and with lots of soft bedding to get cozy in.  A blanket draped over their crate can often be an anxiety reducer, while keeping them warm and feeling secure.

Outdoor Walks & Safety in the Winter Months: In freezing weather, make sure to limit outdoor time, keep your walks short, and avoid icy patches that could potentially be a risk to injure their paws.

• After spending time outside, make sure to check your pet’s paws for cracks and bleeding.

• Make sure to clean off any ice or road salt with a warm, wet cloth as they could be a potential irritant to your dog’s stomach.

• Surprisingly, dogs can just as easily suffer from dehydration during the winter months as they can in the summer months.

Bonding with Your Special Pup: If outdoor walks are cut short, it is still important for your pup to burn energy.

• Enrichment games such as games, toys, puzzles, snuff mats, and Kongs all serve as great ways to help prevent boredom and negate any destructive behavior.

• The cold weather provides the best excuse for extra snuggles with your pup.  Spending quality time bonding with your dog can help to continue to build the trust that is so important for rescue dogs.

• Something as simple as a belly rub, brushing your pup for a short period of time, or quiet time on the sofa can go a long way.  Your rescue dog is just learning to trust you.  It is important to respect their signals in order to help to build their confidence.  

  True Gift of the Winter Season: One of the greatest acts of kindness you can perform is welcoming a rescue dog into your home. We all know that winter can cause extra challenges.We must remember that with every warm cuddle, with every gentle paw wipe after a winter’s walk, and with every warm blanket, we are giving our pups a greater sense of security, perhaps for the very first time.

Dog Training Tip: How to Convince Your Dog to Potty in the Snow (A Tragedy in Several Acts)

Act I: The Betrayal
Open the door.

our dog steps outside, feels snow touch paw, freezes.
Slowly looks up at you like, Why would you do this to me?

Act II: The Negotiation

• They take three dramatic steps, squat for half a second, then abort mission and sprint back to the door.

• You say, “Go potty.” They hear, “Stand here and contemplate your life choices.”

Act III: The Standoff

• You wait. They wait. Snow falls. Time loses meaning.

• You begin to question who is being trained here.

Act IV: Motivation

• Wave a treat.

• Your dog considers it.

• Decides the treat is not worth becoming a popsicle.

Act V: The Breakthrough

• Finally—FINALLY—they circle, squat, and complete the task while making direct eye contact with you.

• This is dominance. Accept it.

Act VI: The Celebration

• React like they just won an Olympic medal.

• “Yes! Good potty! YOU ARE BRAVE. YOU ARE STRONG.” Immediately bring them inside and wrap them in a blanket like a war hero.

Training takeaway:Your dog can potty in the snow.They just need emotional support, verbal validation, and approximately 17 minutes of hype.

Winter obedience at its finest.

Snow Day Photo Tip: How to Photograph Your Dog While They Completely Lose Their Mind

Step 1: Lower Your Expectations Immediately:
Your dog will not pose.

Your dog will not look at the camera

Your dog will become a feral winter creature the moment their paws hit snow.

Step 2: Prepare for Velocity: What you think will be a cute trot will actually be a full-speed blur fueled by joy, confusion, and possibly demons.
Use burst mode. Pray.

Step 3: Capture the Zoomie Face: Mid-sprint, mouth wide open, snow beard forming, eyes slightly unhinged—this is the shot.
This is art.

Step 4: Dress for the Fallout: To get eye-level photos, you will be laying in snow like a wildlife photographer on assignment.
Your dog will stop, stare at you, then run directly over your body.

Step 5: Accept the Evidence.
Snow on the nose. Ice balls on the fur. A look that says, I was born for this. These are not imperfections. These are winter accessories.

Final reminder: If you manage one clear photo before your fingers go numb and your dog eats a mouthful of snow—congratulations.
You’ve captured pure, chaotic happiness.