Petals for Pups Foundation was built on a simple belief: that every dog — regardless of breed, background, or circumstance — deserves a life rooted in love. We work to prevent dogs from entering shelters, fund urgent rescues, and build a community that refuses to give up on them.
Impact by the Numbers
Together, we can change their story.
147
Dogs saved from euthanasia
89
Families kept together
42
Foster homes placed
$68K
In emergency vet care funded
How We Help
Three ways your support saves lives.
01
🏠
Keep Families Together
When life gets hard — job loss, illness, housing instability — families are forced to surrender dogs they love. We provide food, supplies, emergency vet care, and temporary fostering so no dog has to lose their person.
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02
⚡
Urgent Shelter Rescue
We monitor shelter lists daily, pulling dogs on the euthanasia list — especially black dogs, who are statistically adopted at far lower rates. We fund their care, rehabilitation, and placement into loving homes.
03
🌱
Build Community Awareness
Education, events, and partnerships create a community that chooses rescue first. We bring visibility to shelter overcrowding, black dog syndrome, and the small actions anyone can take to make a difference.
✦ Featured Rescue
Rescue Story
He had 48 hours. We pulled him at hour 47.
Meet Bear
Bear was a 4-year-old black lab mix who'd spent 6 months in a high-kill shelter. He was overlooked 200 times. Our team saw his listing on a Thursday evening — he was on the euthanasia list for Saturday morning. We mobilized our foster network, raised his emergency funds in 18 hours, and pulled him with 12 hours to spare.
Today, Bear lives in a sun-drenched home in Encinitas with two kids who call him their best friend. His story is why we do this work.
"I never thought I'd be a foster parent. Petals for Pups made it feel possible — and meaningful. Our first foster dog found her forever home in 3 weeks."
🌸
Maria L.
Foster Parent · San Diego, CA
★★★★★
"When I lost my job, I thought I'd have to give up my dog of 8 years. Petals for Pups stepped in with food and vet care. We're still together."
🐾
James T.
Family Aid Recipient · Chula Vista, CA
★★★★★
"I donate monthly because I've seen the receipts — every dollar genuinely goes to the dogs. This is a nonprofit I fully trust."
💛
Sandra K.
Monthly Donor · La Jolla, CA
🐾
PupsourceBETA
🔍Search dogs near you...
URGENT · 18 HRS LEFT
Rex — Pit Bull Mix, 6yr
El Cajon Shelter · Needs foster NOW
I Can Help →
Mango — Chihuahua Mix, 2yr
North Park · In foster · Adoptable
Good w/ kidsHouse trained
12
Near you
3
Urgent
47
Saved this mo.
🚀 Now Live — Beta
Meet Pupsource — rescue, reimagined.
Pupsource is the community platform built by Petals for Pups Foundation to mobilize real-time rescue action. See urgent dogs near you. Connect fosters, volunteers, and donors — instantly. Because when a dog has 24 hours, every minute counts.
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Real-Time Urgent Alerts
Get notified the moment a dog in your area needs urgent help. Act fast when it matters most.
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Foster Matching
Match available foster homes with dogs that need them — based on your location, lifestyle, and capacity.
🌐
Community Network
Connect with your local rescue community — share, coordinate, and celebrate every win together.
Get rescue updates, impact stories, and ways to help — delivered with care.
No spam. Just stories that matter. Unsubscribe anytime.
About Us
Built on love. Sustained by community.
We are a small team with a big heart — and an unwavering belief that no dog should face euthanasia while there's still someone who can fight for them.
"I couldn't look away. So I decided not to."
— Deanna, Founder
Founder's Story
From heartbreak to action.
I'm Deanna — a single mom in San Diego, a dog lover, and the founder of Petals for Pups Foundation. I started this organization not because I had all the answers, but because I couldn't stop seeing the problem.
A few years ago, I watched a dog I fell in love with on social media run out of time at a local shelter. He was healthy, sweet, and completely adoptable — but he was black, overlooked, and out of days. That dog changed something in me permanently.
I began quietly helping where I could — buying food for struggling families, sharing urgent shelter dogs, connecting fosters with rescues. What started as a one-woman effort became a movement. People wanted to help. They just needed somewhere to channel it.
Petals for Pups Foundation became that place. Named after my floral design work — a reminder that beauty and love can be given intentionally, in the right place, at the right time — the foundation is built on the belief that love doesn't stop at humans.
As a single mom building two businesses, I understand what it means to navigate life with limited resources and unlimited love. That's exactly who we serve — and exactly who we are.
What We Stand For
Mission. Vision. Values.
🌸
Our Mission
To prevent dogs from entering shelters through proactive family support, and to save dogs at risk of euthanasia through urgent rescue, compassionate fostering, and community-powered advocacy.
🔭
Our Vision
A San Diego — and eventually a world — where no dog loses their life due to overcrowding, lack of resources, or systemic bias. Where every family has the support they need to stay together. Where communities choose rescue first.
❤️
Love as Action
We believe love is a verb. We don't just care about dogs — we act on that care, every single day, in concrete and measurable ways.
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Radical Transparency
Every dollar is accounted for. We share our financials openly and communicate clearly about where funds go and what they accomplish.
🤝
Community First
No rescue organization can do this alone. We build partnerships, empower fosters, and create a web of support that multiplies our impact.
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Urgency Without Panic
We move fast when lives are on the line — but always with intention. Clear heads save more dogs than reactive decisions.
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Dignity for Every Dog
No dog is unadoptable. No dog is too old, too broken, or too dark. We see potential where others see burden — and we act on it.
📚
Education as Prevention
The best rescue is the one that never has to happen. We invest in education, community programs, and awareness campaigns to prevent surrenders before they occur.
Our Journey
How we got here.
2022
The First Dog
Deanna sees a black lab mix on social media with 24 hours left. She shares the post frantically. He is saved by another rescue. The experience doesn't leave her.
2023
Informal Giving Begins
Deanna begins personally funding emergency situations — a bag of food here, a vet bill there. Word spreads. Friends and followers start asking how they can help.
Early 2024
The Foundation is Formed
Petals for Pups Foundation files for 501(c)(3) status. The name is chosen intentionally — petals given with care, in the right place, at exactly the right time.
Mid 2024
First Official Rescues
The foundation pulls its first three dogs from high-kill shelters. All three are adopted within six weeks. The foster network begins to grow.
2025–Now
Community & Scale
Over 147 dogs saved. 89 families supported. 42 foster placements. And the RescueRush app in development — a platform to mobilize communities in real time when dogs need urgent help.
Get Involved
There's a place for you in this story.
Whether you can give $10, open your home, or share a post — every action reverberates through a dog's life.
🏠
Become a Foster
Fostering is the single most powerful thing an individual can do. When you open your home — even temporarily — you give a dog safety, stability, and a chance at life. And when they're adopted? That spot opens up for the next dog who needs it.
No experience required — we train and support you fully
Financial support is the fuel that makes everything else possible. Your donation funds emergency vet care, food for struggling families, rescue operations, and the daily work of keeping dogs safe. Every amount matters — and every dollar is accounted for.
Businesses, veterinary practices, pet supply brands, and event venues — we are actively seeking partnerships that amplify our mission. Together, we can create events, campaigns, and community touchpoints that save more lives and build brand meaning.
Time is one of the most valuable gifts you can give. Our volunteer community supports everything from dog transport and event coordination to social media and graphic design. If you have a skill and a heart for animals, we have a role for you.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is tell someone else. A single shared post has reunited dogs with families, filled foster spots, and saved lives. Follow us. Share our stories. Tag someone who'd care.
Every dog has a story. We're here to change the ending.
These are the faces behind the mission. Each one represents a community that showed up, a family that opened its door, and a life that mattered enough to fight for.
🐾 Black Dog Syndrome: Black dogs are adopted at significantly lower rates and face euthanasia first due to photographic bias and outdated myths. We fight this reality every day.
Learn more
✓ Saved
Bear
A 4-year-old black lab mix who spent 6 months being overlooked. Pulled at hour 47 of a 48-hour window. Today he lives in Encinitas with two kids who are his whole world.
🐾 Lab Mix📍 San Diego County❤️ Adopted
✓ Saved
Luna
Luna's family faced eviction and couldn't take her to a pet-free shelter. We stepped in with emergency fostering, helped the family stabilize, and reunited them 6 weeks later.
🐾 Shepherd Mix📍 Chula Vista🏠 Reunited
In Foster
Mango 🌟
Mango is a 2-year-old Chihuahua mix with the biggest personality in the smallest body. He's currently in foster care in North Park and looking for his forever family. Could that be you?
🐾 Chihuahua Mix📍 North Park🔍 Adoptable
⚡ Urgent
Rex — URGENT ⚡
Rex is a 6-year-old senior pit bull currently on the euthanasia list at a local shelter. He is gentle, house-trained, and running out of time. We need a foster or adopter now.
🐾 Pit Bull Mix📍 El Cajon⏳ 72 hours
✓ Saved
Cleo
Cleo was surrendered at 9 years old when her owner entered a care facility. She was terrified and heartbroken. A volunteer spent three weeks earning her trust — and she was adopted by a retired teacher.
🐾 Beagle Mix · Senior📍 Oceanside❤️ Adopted
In Foster
Hazel
Hazel was found malnourished and alone in a Lemon Grove backyard. After 8 weeks of medical care funded by our donors, she's healthy, playful, and ready for a forever home.
🐾 Husky Mix📍 Lemon Grove🔍 Adoptable
Want to help a specific dog? Reach out directly to our rescue team.
Yes. Petals for Pups Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. You will receive a receipt via email immediately after donating.
Do I need experience to foster?
Not at all. We provide full training, ongoing support, all supplies, and cover all vet costs. If you have a safe home and a willing heart, we'll teach you everything you need to know.
Can I foster-to-adopt?
Absolutely — and it happens often. Many of our fosters fall in love with their first dog. We call it a "foster fail," but it feels like a win every time.
How do I know my money is used responsibly?
We publish transparent fund allocation data and share regular impact updates. 72% of every dollar goes directly to rescue and care. We are happy to share our financials upon request.
I need help keeping my dog. Can you assist?
Yes — this is exactly what our Family Support program is for. Please email hello@petalsforpupsfoundation.com with your situation. We will respond quickly and without judgment.
🚀 Now in Beta · Try It Free
Rescue action, in real time.
Pupsource is the community rescue platform built by Petals for Pups Foundation. When a dog has hours — not days — Pupsource puts the right people in the right place at the right time.
Free to use · No account required to browse · Built with love in San Diego
About the App
The missing link between urgency and action.
Every day, dogs are euthanized in shelters not because no one cares — but because the right people didn't know in time. Rescue organizations are stretched thin. Fosters are willing but unaware. Donors want to help but don't know where to start.
Pupsource closes that gap. It's a real-time community platform that surfaces urgent dogs, connects available fosters, and mobilizes local support — instantly, transparently, and with zero friction.
Built by Petals for Pups Foundation and powered by our rescue network, Pupsource is the technology layer that makes community rescue faster, smarter, and more human.
✦ Featured Rescue
