Making a Difference - Misplaced Mutts

Making a Difference: Misplaced Mutts

We recently had the opportunity to chat with a volunteer at Misplaced Mutts, Stephanie, about the impacts the pandemic is having on local animal shelters and foster care for pets. Stephanie explains in the Q&A how to best help Misplaced Mutts or your local animal non-profits during this time.

We stand together in this!

Q: What is Misplaced Mutts?

A: Misplaced Mutts is a local animal rescue in Carteret County focusing primarily on dogs. Misplaced Mutts is a foster-based program. All of our animals live in foster homes and are treated like our own animals until they find their forever homes. This organization also helps in working with shelters and utilizing all rescue resources to help get dogs and cats out of the shelter and into rescue/foster homes, even if our own organization is unable to take in that animal.

Q: How many years has Misplaced Mutts been serving our community’s doggie population?

A: The founders of Misplaced Mutts, Carrie and Bea, have been saving dogs and finding them forever homes for many years; however, Misplaced Mutts officially became a 501C(c)3 organization in January of 2017. Since becoming a non-profit in 2017, Misplaced Mutts has adopted out over 700 animals.

Q: Stephanie, how did you get involved with the organization?

A: My journey to rescue is a pretty long story, but the short version is I had to move away for a few years from my home in NC to care for my mother. At that time, my heart dog passed away. I was completely destroyed and devastated. I was in no position to adopt another dog and I honestly didn’t think my heart had any room left for another one. I had met this girl through a local yard sale site and we became Facebook friends. I commented on how I loved her beautiful brown pit-mix dog and she responded with “Do you want to adopt her?”. I was so confused! I didn’t even know fostering was a thing at that point! I worked with a pit-bull rescue in Pittsburgh, PA, but all animals were in a facility or kept at the owner’s home, so it was a concept I just wasn’t familiar with! I messaged her and we talked more about it. I figured since I knew I would never be able to replace my dog, I could at least mend my heart some by saving some dogs in his name. Plus, my other dog was severely missing his companion. I sent a Facebook message to Misplaced Mutts and gave my sob story about wanting to save some dogs and completed a foster application immediately. A day or two later, Carrie and Bea were sitting in my living room meeting my current dog and talking to me about what types of dogs I would be able to help with. My answer was ANY, as long as they get along with Monte. I think I still hold true to that statement; I have had all different kinds of breeds, sizes, and ages come through my home.

Q: What is your favorite experience with Misplaced Mutts?

A: This is a tough question! Since beginning to volunteer with Misplaced Mutts over 2 years ago, I have found my people! Not only do I get to save dogs, but I am surrounded by people that want to save them too. I have built amazing relationships with the people that have adopted my foster dogs. The entire last two years have been my favorite experience. Every dog, every adopter, and every “Mutt” volunteer have bettered me and improved my life.

FACEBOOK: Misplaced Mutts

Q: How many dogs are currently needing foster and forever homes in our community?

A: Misplaced Mutts receives multiple messages each day from people needing to re-home their animals & phone calls and emails from shelters pleading for help. Unfortunately, we can only take in as many as we can find volunteers to foster. We’d love to be able to empty the shelters and continue to do so. The number of dogs that need help and fosters to take them in to give them a chance is never-ending. The shelters are almost kept at capacity trying to find places for all the dogs to go. When people adopt from us they are saving TWO dogs – the one that they’ve adopted plus the one that we can now pull from the shelter since we have space.

Q: How can our community best help Misplaced Mutts right now?

A: The easiest way to help us from your own home is to follow us on Facebook – Like, SHARE, and comment on our posts. Sharing our posts helps our animals in need to reach more people than we can on our own. We need help from our community to help the growth of our reach. Donations towards our never-ending vet bills is also a huge help. If you follow Misplaced Mutts on Facebook, you might notice that we take in a lot of difficult medical cases. Our fosters have the skill and experience to be able to do so, but the vet bills can really add up. Any amount of donations help us to be able to take in these difficult cases that most rescues will not.

Q: What is the organization most in need of at this time?

A: We are always in need of donations!

Puppy Food (Fromm Gold, 4health Puppy)
Adult Food (4health, American Journey, Diamond, etc).
Puppy Pee Pads
Toys for Adult Dogs and Puppies
Bones
Collars and Leashes
We also always need volunteers! We cannot continue to grow without more fosters and volunteers to help handle dogs at adoption events.

Q: How do you start the process of adopting or fostering?

A: A quick and easy online application on our website!

WEBSITE: Misplaced Mutts

Q: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, what has been most difficult for Misplaced Mutts?

A: Like everyone – the unknown. As a non-profit dog rescue, we rely solely on donations to stay afloat. We have to continue to provide food for all of our animals, vet visits, heartworm medication, flea and tick medication, etc. The spending going out is severely outweighing the money coming in, which is scary for us, but we try not to think about it and continue to focus on getting our dogs adopted.

Q: If you could sum up Misplaced Mutts and your involvement with the organization in 3 words, what would they be?

A: Family, Cynophilist, Advocates

Misplaced Mutts Mission

Misplaced Mutts is a 501(c)3 non-profit, volunteer-based organization, dedicated to rescuing dogs in shelters and less than ideal home situations throughout North Carolina. We are based out of Carteret County, North Carolina, and operate through a network of foster homes. We rescue dogs who are suffering on the streets and in shelters. We created Misplaced Mutts to help animals who suffer and die every year because of negligence and abuse.

Meet Stephanie with Misplaced Mutts

“Stephanie is our champion at Misplaced Mutts whose mission is to find forever homes for dogs who have been abandoned. To date, she has found homes for 74 dogs! She has such an amazing soul. Her home is always open to the homeless dogs in our community. We wish there were more people like Stephanie in our little community.”

Stephanie with Misplaced Mutts Carteret County Animal Rescue

Meet Myron!

Myron is about 5 years old. He was pulled from the Havelock Animal Control when he was dropped off to be euthanized. He was skin and bones and had no fur. He had no energy to do anything but lay and eat. He is now happy, the most loving boy, loyal, leash-trained, house-trained, and he has almost a full coat of fur. He’s a true rescue story. He is searching for his forever home that can look past the scars of his past. He loves everyone and is great with kids.