Organized by RESCUE ROAD
Event
Mutts & Mudbugs 2023
Thursday from 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM CDT
In Person
Live Stream
This event will be livestreamed on our Givebutter page: https://givebutter.com/c/MuttMudbugs2023
Guests will enjoy all-you-can-eat crawfish, an open bar, live music, and a night of dancing. There will be a silent auction and opportunities to sponsor dogs in our care. Proceeds from this event help offset the costs of heartworm treatment and other life-saving medical needs for dogs from rural Arkansas shelters. We pride ourselves in throwing a fun, laid-back event. Casual attire! Rescue Road is a 100% volunteer-run and foster-based rescue established in September 2012. Our mission is to redirect adoptable dogs in high-kill shelters into other networks to find their forever families. Through our team of volunteers and foster families in Arkansas, we send dogs north to New England! We are proud to serve the communities of our main shelter partners: West Memphis, Stuttgart, Pine Bluff, Carlisle, Hazen, and Dewitt - and we have dramatically decreased the euthanasia rates at those shelters. Through our efforts, we have saved more than 8,000 dogs in ten years! *For those who do not eat crawfish, there will be food available to you. We won't let you starve.
Story
Who is Rescue Road?
Our mission is to redirect happy, healthy, adoptable dogs in high-kill shelters into other networks to find their forever families. Through our virtual team of volunteers and foster families in Arkansas, we send dogs North.
Why does Rescue Road only send dogs North?
The American Veterinary Medical Association recently published it's U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook. Arkansas ranks #1 in dog ownership (http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/90274/gone-to-the-dogs).
Sounds good on the surface, but what does it really mean? Our shelters are full. Dogs are put down EVERY DAY throughout the state because there are too many dogs and not enough homes.
Guess which states ranked the lowest? That's right, Northern states! This creates a perfect partnership since this is where our partner rescues reside. Plenty of families are just waiting to adopt dogs sent through our program.
So, can I adopt one of your dogs?
No. Once our rescue partner selects a dog in the North, the commitment is made for us to deliver that happy, healthy animal to them. They start networking and coordinating the minute we have pulled them. Families who are already approved adopters may be expecting that particular dog. Plus, up North, they have many more families than available dogs. There are just too many dogs and not enough homes down here.
It's best to think of it as once a dog is pulled, it is safe and is just waiting for its turn to catch a ride home. The ones left behind in the shelter, however, are not. That's why fostering is so important. Pulling one dog frees up kennel space which buys us a little more time to find a foster for the next dog.
How can I help?
Attend Mutts and Mudbugs! Buy a ticket, come and join us for a night of food, fun, and fundraising! All-you-can-eat crawfish (and other options if that's not your thing), open bar, live music, silent and live auction, and opportunities to sponsor dogs!
Foster. We always need foster families near our Central and Delta region partner shelters. The commitment is typically 2-6 weeks. We cover all vetting expenses. You just provide food, shelter, and love. Please send us a message on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rescueroad to get started.
Volunteer. Various opportunities are available. We'd love to chat with you! If you have something in mind or want more information, reach out via Facebook or Instagram.
