In Honor of Our Director, Katie

Many of you know our director, Katie — and if you don’t, we’d love to give you a little glimpse into the heart behind Almost Home.

On August 25th, Katie and her husband John had to say goodbye to their beloved dog, Boom. Boom was the very first dog they adopted after taking over Almost Home and moving it to Sioux Falls. He was just seven years old and lost his battle with congestive heart failure.

Then, just weeks later, on September 28th, they faced another heartbreaking loss — their dog Parker. Parker was the last dog they had adopted from Almost Home. He came from an unthinkable situation where dogs were being bred for fighting. Though Parker bore the worst of the physical abuse, his emotional scars took time to appear. He lived with Katie and John for three years, and while the last year brought difficult behavioral challenges, they never gave up on him.

With Katie’s birthday last Friday and the hiccup we had with our tax status, we were unable to launch a birthday fundraiser with a donate button. But in true Katie fashion, even amid grief and financial strain, she continued to put others — especially dogs — first.

While in Minneapolis this past weekend, Katie received a message about a sick puppy we named Juliette — lethargic, not eating, and suffering from vomiting and diarrhea for five days. Katie knew immediately it was likely Parvo, and though funds were tight and her heart was heavy, she couldn’t turn away.

Juliette was taken to the emergency vet on Saturday. By Sunday morning, things looked grim. Katie asked the doctors to give Juliette 24 more hours and to try everything they could. They placed an NG tube to stabilize her blood sugars and keep her fighting. By that evening, we received one of the best updates imaginable — Juliette had completely turned a corner and was acting like a different dog.

This kind of story is exactly why Almost Home exists — to give every dog, no matter how sick or scared, a chance. We know Juliette’s care will cost the rescue thousands of dollars, but we believe every life matters.

In honor of Katie’s birthday and in memory of Boom and Parker, we’re asking our followers and friends to consider donating to our GiveButter link below. Your support helps us continue to save dogs like Juliette — and honors the incredible compassion that Katie shows every single day.

Journey to Recovery: Help Juliette the Parvo Puppy Heal

Raising funds to cover lifesaving care for one special puppy.