Forever Home Dog Rescue

12/07/2025

12/07/2025

Our second shift models have arrived! Come see Lucy and Rocket at 4126 University in front of Friedrichs Coffee until 2 pm!

12/07/2025

Hope, Bob, and Missy are out at 4126 University for the art fair, right in front of Friedrichs Coffee! Come shop and swing by to meet these great adoptable dogs!

11/07/2025

🐾 Foster Friday Highlight: Lindsey Clark 🐾

In April 2009, Lindsey adopted a sweet, shy dog named Teegan—and unknowingly stepped into what would become a lifelong calling. Teegan wasn’t used to being an only dog and seemed a little lost without a canine companion. Adopting a second dog wasn’t possible at the time, so Lindsey decided to give fostering a try. That summer, with school out and a little extra time, she welcomed her very first foster through Safe Hands Rescue in St. Paul, MN—and was instantly hooked.

💬 “Teegan loved the companionship, and fostering brought so much joy, laughter, and life into our home. I was addicted from the start.”

As Teegan and two more adopted dogs aged, young foster dogs kept the energy up and the pack active. Over the years, fostering became more than a way to help—it became a way of life. Lindsey has played nearly every role in rescue: administering medications, maintaining records, processing adoption applications, training in new fosters, and always providing love and structure to the dogs who need it most.

In 2016, Lindsey and her pack relocated to Iowa and soon began fostering through Forever Home Rescue, where her impact only continued to grow. Today, she’s fostered over 100 dogs—each one unique, each one loved.

💬 “I love the time I get to spend with every sweet, deserving dog who enters our home. There are so many snuggles, laughs, and lessons in each experience. I’ve loved watching my dogs be leaders, teaching the newcomers. I love helping families find their new family members.”

Lindsey has a soft spot for the shy and shut-down dogs, like Teegan once was. There’s nothing more rewarding, she says, than watching a dog learn to trust, grow in confidence, and thrive in a home.

💬 “Fostering reminds me of what matters—patience, love, forgiveness. It brings balance to my life. Rescue will always be a part of who I am.”

Interested in becoming a foster like Lindsey? You're not just giving a dog a temporary home—you’re giving them a second chance at life. 💛

Join our foster family at Forever Home Rescue (foreverhomedogs.org) and change a life—maybe even your own.

10/07/2025

Look at all the sweet pups that will be at our adoption event Saturday!! They’d all love to meet you! 🐶

The names of the dogs are in the comments of each picture and their shifts are listed below. We hope to see you there! 😃

10 am until noon: Bob, Hope, Missy 🐾

Noon until 2 pm: Lucy, Rocket 🐕

4126 University Ave
Saturday, July 12

09/07/2025

Joey would love to celebrate all of his future holidays with his forever family!

Happy 4th to everyone! Hopefully everyone is having a great day celebrating with their families. As you do so know this - your family could be a lot cooler if you adopted Joey. Like all Americans, Joey is entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You know what would make him happier than anything? A family of his own. Like Paul Revere, Joey will let you know when enemies (or friends) are coming (to your house by barking at them). Like Hamilton, Joey doesn’t take any sh*t (from babies - he doesn’t like those). Like Washington, he can unite people and galvanize them to a common cause (going for a walk or getting treats, for example). Like Jefferson, he can come off as a bit smug (not really, he just takes a minute to warm up to strangers). When you add this all up you realize Joey is basically a modern day founding father. Allowing this pillar of America to continue living the orphan life is an insult to Lady Liberty herself and the antithesis of what this beautiful country is about. Let’s all come together and help Joey pursue his happiness. If interested in meeting Joey, apply at foreverhomedogs.org. Please help us spread the word and find this sweet boy a home! We appreciate you all and wish you a wonderful holiday! 🇺🇸

07/07/2025

🐾 Adoption Event! 🐾

Looking to add a furry friend to your family? Come meet some of our adoptable dogs at the Local Art Market on Saturday, July 12 from 10 AM to 2 PM!

📍 Location:
4126 University Ave
Des Moines, IA 50311

We’ll be there with some of our sweetest rescue pups, ready to find their forever homes! Whether you’re looking to adopt, or just get some puppy snuggles, stop by and say hi! 🐶💕

🎨 Enjoy local art
🐕 Meet adoptable dogs
📸 Snap a selfie with your favorite pup
💬 Learn how you can get involved

Spread the word and help us make tails wag! 🐾

04/07/2025

Happy Fourth of July 🇺🇸 and Foster Friday! 🐕

Foster Feature: Amy De Jong 🐶�
Behind every rescued dog is someone who said "yes." Meet Amy De Jong, a devoted foster whose heart for rescue and unwavering dedication have transformed the lives of so many dogs.

Amy has only been fostering with Forever Home Dog Rescue for about a month, but her journey in rescue began way back in 2008. Over the years, she’s fostered a dozen or so dogs, and she’s got a soft spot for the ones that come with challenges.

"I started fostering after walking through a shelter and seeing those pleading eyes behind the wiring of their kennels. I couldn’t forget them." 💔

Amy’s pack has grown thanks to a few “foster fails” (it happens to the best of us!), but when space opened up again, she knew what she had to do:
"Fostering one dog opens up a kennel for another. And dogs just thrive so much more in a home than in a facility."

Amy has had many memorable fosters, but Kadi and Milo left lasting paw prints on her heart.
🐾 Kadi, the lanky deer hound with a cat-like personality, was a lovable troublemaker—sneaking frozen ribeyes from the sink, playing with the cats, and snoozing upside down in the egg crate chair. But when Kadi fell inexplicably ill, despite weeks of hospitalization and exploratory surgery, the answers never came. Amy was with her until the end.
"She was a foster fail, and losing her still hurts deeply. But I’m so grateful I could give her a home filled with love."
🐾 Then there was Milo, a scruffy “schnauzer” who turned out to be an otterhound with a broken tooth and cancer on his nose. Milo also became a foster fail—and a warrior. He battled diabetes, glaucoma, and cancer with Amy at his side for every insulin shot, eye drop, and surgery.
"We drove to Iowa State often—sometimes twice a month—but he was the best boy. He lived to about 11 and let us know when he was ready. The special-needs ones break your heart, but that’s exactly where my heart lies—with those no one else wants to deal with."

💙 Fosters like Amy are true heroes. They make it possible for dogs to heal, thrive, and finally find the homes they deserve.
Ready to be a hero, too? Fostering saves lives—and it just might change yours. Reach out to us today and take the first step! 💙

30/06/2025

Sky is still waiting for her forever home! She's a 3ish year old lab mix who weighs 45 lbs. She suffered a gunshot wound last year and had her front leg removed, but it doesn't slow her down at all. She would do best in a home with a fenced yard and another confident dog to help her adjust and learn that new people aren't so scary. She's fully house/crate trained, does well on car rides and loves to play. She does want to chase kitties so unless you have a brave one who will tell her no and has a place to escape when needed, would do better without them. If interested in meeting this girl, please apply at www.foreverhomedogs.org and we will schedule some meet n greets 💜

29/06/2025

We can't believe Bruce hasn't found a home yet! He's past the baby puppy stage but is only 2.5 years old - a perfect size at 45 lbs, loves kids and has done well with other dogs. He was at an event yesterday and walked around for a couple hours and was just happy to be part of the action. He's house/crate trained and if you give him a treat or a belly rub he's your friend for life. If interested in meeting this sweet dude, please apply at www.foreverhomedogs.org and we will set up a meet!

28/06/2025

Bruce, Rocket and Hope are out at Fleet Farm in Ankeny until noon today! Come say hi - we're over by the fireworks stand ❤️

27/06/2025

🐾 Foster Friday Feature: Madison Winkel 🐾

Looking for a way to make a real difference in a dog's life? Meet one of our incredible fosters, Madison Winkel, whose dedication to dogs goes above and beyond!

Madison started fostering in 2022, but her journey with Forever Home began even earlier—she’s been offering free training for our pups since 2020. In her own words:
"Once I had my own house and space to foster, I jumped right in."

With 6 foster dogs under her belt and countless others trained, Madison focuses on pups who need her most—those with behavioral challenges or serious medical issues. Thanks to her background as a dog trainer and veterinary technician, she's uniquely equipped to give these dogs a fighting chance.
✨ “Fostering is truly one of the most rewarding feelings. Watching a dog change and thrive—there’s nothing like it.” ✨

One of her most memorable fosters? Meet Rocket.

Rocket came into our care after being surrendered during a medical crisis. He was just 1 year old and facing euthanasia because of the cost of life-saving surgery. Madison stepped up and took him in post-op, but the next day he was rushed back—he’d become septic and needed another emergency surgery with only a 50/50 shot at survival.

But Rocket had heart.

After days of hospitalization, a feeding tube, and nonstop care, Rocket began to eat on his own and made a miraculous recovery. Today, he’s healthy, happy, and obsessed with playing fetch—just waiting for his forever home. 💛

Madison is a shining example of what fostering can do—not just for dogs, but for people too. If you’ve ever thought about fostering, now is the time. You can save lives.

📢 Ready to make a difference? Join Madison and the rest of our incredible foster team. Fill out a foster app at foreverhomedogs.org!