Back Roads Animal Rescue, Inc.

03/13/2025

Look at these adorable dog bowls that you can paint at WhimziWorks while benefiting Back Roads Animal Rescue! Make plans to stop by and paint during your next visit to Morehead, KY!

Cute set of dog bowls! These benefit Back Roads Animal Rescue, Inc. with a $5 donation for every piece sold.

Come paint something — open till 8pm today 🎨

02/22/2025

Kendall’s time with us was far too short, but he knew love until his last breath.

He lost his brief but fierce battle with what appeared to be a bone marrow disorder. His immune system was attacking his red blood cells, leaving him critically anemic. At first, he responded well to high doses of prednisone and antibiotics, and for a while, we had hope. But exactly two weeks later, Kendall crashed.

Last night, he enjoyed a big homemade dinner, took his meds, and went to bed like usual. But by morning, everything had changed. He had vomited, was too weak to walk, and his heart rate had skyrocketed to 172. His breathing had become labored, and we knew it was time to let him go peacefully.

Kendall’s life before us was cruel. He came from a hoarding situation where dogs were kept in outdoor pens and beaten apart with wooden boards when fights broke out. That trauma never fully left him, but despite it all, he was the sweetest boy. The photo with his swollen eye was taken the day after we brought him home—just one of many signs that he had never received the care he deserved. But with us, that changed. He healed, he thrived, and he was happy. Until today.

Run free, Kendall Bendall Dog. You were so loved, little buddy. We wish we had more time.

02/08/2025

When you’re “dangerously anemic” and your immune system is attacking your red blood cells, but you’re still the sweetest little guy…

Kendall started not acting right about a week ago. I kept a close eye on him throughout the week, watching for more symptoms than “ain’t doing right” and brought him to and headed home with some meds to hopefully make him perk up

01/17/2025

We are sad to report that Bentley lost his fight with large B cell lymphoma a couple days ago. He was diagnosed June16, 2024 and we opted for chemo for as long as he had more good days than bad. He had very few bad days, mostly just a day or two after treatment, and was spoiled rotten on the good days. He was always treated to chicken nuggets on treatment days.

In the end, the lymph nodes in his neck began to greatly enlarge and restrict his ability to comfortably eat and ultimately breathe, so we opted to let him go. Thank you to Dr. Mirus at West Liberty Vet Clinic for her care and compassion (both with animals and humans) during this journey.

Bentley was rescued from a horrid situation along with over 100 other dogs back in May 2020. His absence is painful today at Back Roads Pups but we are happy we could do our best to provide him the life he deserved.

Bentley sure loved his toys, as you can see from that big smile in his toy pics.

01/09/2025

We’re thrilled to partner with WhimziWorks to support the Back Roads Animal Rescue Spay/Neuter Initiative!

🎨 Join us for a creative and meaningful endeavor:
Stop by WhimziWorks and paint your own bowl for your pet—and yes, you can even bring your furry friend along to customize it with their paw print!

🖌️ Your bowl purchase includes:
• All the supplies needed to paint and seal your one-of-a-kind creation
• The satisfaction of knowing you’re making a difference!

🐾 Give back while you create:
For every bowl purchased, $5 will be donated to the Roll Over Spay/Neuter Initiative through Back Roads Animal Rescue.

Help us support this important cause while creating something special for your beloved pet. Let’s make a difference together!

📅 Make it a point to add to your calendar and don’t miss out!

12/22/2024

During winter, we miss our adaptive riding students at Autumn Trails Stable and their vibrant energy. We wish them a joyful holiday full of warmth and laughter and look forward to welcoming them back. Happy holidays to all our wonderful students!

11/23/2024

Running loose on Route 7 Carter County, KY, near Bruin.

Black dog is matted with burs, etc. but very friendly. She was standing in the road on this rural but busy road. Cars are flying by 55+ mph. I’m in my way to the vet and tried to load the black one and then the other showed up out of nowhere! 😭😭😭 Why am I a magnet for this crap?! I couldn’t get them loaded. 😭😭😭 Heeler mix isn’t aggressive but was sketchy.

W H Y ?! 😭😭😭

11/22/2024

She never asked for anything, from day one when I saw her on the side of the road and thought she had been hit by a car. I rolled my window down to see if she was alive. She lifted her head, gently wagged her tail, then laid her head back down.

Then, to my husbands knowledge only a few years ago, I asked my girls to talk to her while we slowly drove to our house just around the block. I did not pick her up, she just “showed up.” A week or so later, she gave birth to her puppies in his chair while we were at the girls’ dance performance. 😂 Sorry, babe, but you know she was worth it!

She was the actual first KY rescue before this rescue was formed. That was the summer of 2010. I didn’t really know anyone yet so I guess you could say she was my first KY friend.

We found homes for those puppies and as far as I know, she outlived them all.

She was gentle, kind and wise. She always chose to eat last, taking what was left if necessary. She would not take treats until everyone else had theirs first. She was traumatized by the gravity fed waterer and for many years she would tip toe in slow motion to the water bowl.

She never wanted attention, she just wanted to be close.

In 2018 she was diagnosed with bladder cancer. She had lost most of her vision and hearing. Her teeth were very bad but no one dared try to anesthetize a 16 year old girl. So we spoon fed her when we realized she could not chew.

15+ years with this dog was a blessing. Walking out of that clinic without her just hurts.

I’m not sure how life goes on without all these dogs, but somehow it does. One thing is for sure, Dolphin gave me more than I ever gave her and she was one of a kind.

We love you, girl 💔

11/20/2024

I’ve been holding on to this one…the end of an era.

Dollar was the dog that forced me to start a rescue and seek help for financing these animals. We found Dollar on the backroads of rural KY like many, many strays in July of 2014.

To make a VERY long story short, Dollar collided with the golf cart while playing and not paying attention and broke her leg. While at Ohio State getting her leg surgically repaired, Dollar broke with parvo and started exhibiting signs as she was waking from anesthesia.

During her journey, I posted to Facebook and a particular person really fell in love with Dollar. After a long haul, it was arranged in December to surprise her new owner as Dollar’s new adoptive momma.

Dollar was given the best life. Her family put more love and effort into her well being than most people invest in their children!

We have kept in touch over the years and on September 29 I learned that Dollar had passed away. While there were many dogs before Dollar, she was the ONE that created Back Roads. So many dogs (1000s) owe their lives to Dollar, the trailblazer. 😉

Here are a few pics (my favorite was the photo shoot we did to surprise her new mom!) and a couple of the posts of her journey with us:

https://www.facebook.com/backroadsrescue/photos/a.1508182429415827/1673525116214890/?type=3

https://www.facebook.com/backroadsrescue/photos/a.1508182429415827/1520730054827731/?type=3

https://www.facebook.com/backroadsrescue/photos/a.1508182429415827/1684371971796871/?type=3

11/20/2024

On October 6, 2014, we were called to check on a momma and her pups that were abandoned. My parents were in town and they went to help.

My mom fell in love with one pup in particular and quickly claimed him. The mom and the rest of the pups went to All Herding Breed Dog Rescue of Illinois, where they were adopted. The pups were so skinny and sad when we found them and the momma’s face pleaded for help. She got it, and we followed them through their adoption journey online. Pics of their condition and also momma’s adoption day are included here.

Today we said goodbye to mom’s “pup,” Buckley (another Back Roads original) after a very quick onset and progression of cancer. He began limping one morning a week or so ago and it progressed all day and a swelling formed over his shoulder. We hoped it was a sting but by Monday morning he was very painful and swollen. The vet did a fine needle aspirate and discovered a nasty cancer.

He was spoiled for a couple days but continued to swell, so we made that dreaded decision to let him go.

Cancer sucks and short lifespans do, too. 🥺

11/19/2024

We’ve come to that season where our Back Roads “originals” are passing on and we can only hope that we will see them again someday. 🥺

The morning of our fundraiser 5k, Bruzer (aka Sunni) was brought to us in 2015 from a fellow rescue friend. He chewed my hand off when she handed him to me! I can still feel those sharp little fangs sinking into my freezing cold hand 😂 I figured he’d end up living with me forever because, typically, no one wants a biter.

At the time I worked at a vet clinic and a few weeks after getting him, I boarded him at the clinic while I went out of town. I got a text from my friend and co-worker saying that a young couple, Abby and Brandon, were at the clinic to meet this little dog.

Then she told me he snapped at Brandon.

Then she told me that Abby HAD to have him!!!

Being my skeptical self, I jokingly assumed this dog would be returned to me once he chewed off someone else’s hand. He needed the right person/people.

Bruzer found his family that day. There’s no doubt in my mind they were meant for him, and he for them and they loved him as their first “child.” He was spoiled rotten and he got to have a human sibling for the last 15 months of his life. What more could a little dog ask for?!

Thank you, Abby and Brandon, for giving your boy the best life any rescue dog could long for! You have been in our thoughts and prayers. We hope you find peace in the life you provided him. We know the hurt and the hollowness that is caused by the loss of a dog.

(I hope it’s okay that we stole a photo for this post.)

Much love from your Back Roads family…

11/10/2024

It’s CONSTANT. It NEVER stops. But we just keep going, one spay/neuter at a time!

11/03/2024

Happiness is:
Farm life!

River has lived on the farm since he was just a couple of months old. Sweetest boy. He and his litter mates were found abandoned on a river bank back in August 2016. All but River and his brother, Onyx, were adopted.

11/03/2024

Happiness is:
nature’s toys 🐶🐾🍂🍁

Racer spent wayyyy too much time in a crate. He came to us severely malnourished and open sores at the points of each hip bone. His foster, my mom, fattened him up and had him vetted. She gave him the chance that he deserved.

He is flourishing and LOVES toys. He. Is. A. Superchewer! Luckily he only chews on toys. And sticks. 😂

11/03/2024

Happiness is:
hanging with your pack on a warm fall day 🐾🦴🐶☀️🍂🍁

10/17/2024

Good dogs, growing old🥹

Hyper Piper In A Diaper (approx 6 or 7?) and Dolphin (at least 15)