Rescue Spotlight: Carolina Poodle Rescue

WRITTEN BY: ALYSSA HELMS, Media Manager

Carolina Poodle Rescue is much more than a halfway point; it is a sanctuary and enrichment center. Located in Cherokee County, it is also their Dreamweaver Farm where their eleven rescue horses and several other types of animals can roam. The commitment of the owners to continue to expand, the awesome volunteers, and the over-the-top care that the animals receive are just a few examples of what sets Carolina Poodle Rescue apart.

To explain the mission of Carolina Poodle Rescue, let’s start all the way at the beginning in 2000 when Donna Ezell, the soon to be founder, owner and director, was working with shelters and humane societies. She adopted her first poodle and it wasn’t long before she began focusing on only poodles. Poodles are smart, loyal companions, goofy but stoic, hypoallergenic, and don’t forget gorgeous! As Donna was falling in love with her own rescue, she was also heartbroken knowing euthanasia was becoming so normal and frequent, especially in rural areas with little to no funding to perform emergency veterinary care or handle the capacity of the influx of strays/surrenders. During this time she was using her garage to take in “one by one until none at all”. Twenty-two years later; Donna, her husband (The Dog Father), and the CPR dream team have successfully had over 10,000 animals and dogs of all breeds adopted.

While they now have a thriving facility that currently houses a little over 200 animals at a time with 20 or more superhero caregivers on site at all times, and loyal foster and volunteer teams all around

the country, it wasn’t always this way! There has been a lot of work done to the building. They continue to add to the property to accommodate for more animals. They have re-purposed several 12x12 sheds into air-conditioned, quiet places for recovery and hospice cases, new intakes, cat housing, and even shipping containers they’ve revamped to use for dry food and extra storage spaces. The Dog Father spends the majority of his time tending to the property and thinking of ways to enhance it.

Because of the amount of experimental breeding being done to create an acquired animal with all the right features; such as Aussiedoodle, Bernadoodle, Goldendoodle, Cockapoo, Maltipoo...the list goes on; about half of the dogs taken in are from breeders. We have even seen a Great Doodle - a very big, well-mannered 4-month-old working on his social skills. The problem is, they sadly end up in a shelter once they get too big or haven’t been trained properly. There are said to be fifty to sixty different Doodle mixes while there are only three recognized by the AKC. Poodles are nowhere near an easy breed to handle, and bad breeding of even pure breds can lead to long-term and even fatal problems.

That’s where Donna, her husband, staff members, and veterinary partners step up. They never turn away from an animal in need regardless of species, breed, how rough the case may look or how much the cost. The facility has great pride in this. Donna has been one of the most devoted rescue advocates I have encountered while experiencing the greatnesses and differences of each rescue throughout the Rescue Spotlight series. They always have one staff member living on site. Dogs are rotated with walks and outside time from 7 am to 10 pm every single day. Dogs have plenty of space to stretch their legs, hone up on their fetch skills, and just play at the farm.

About 50% of the dogs that come into the rescue are from breeders all around the country, including the Amish Country which breeds many breeds. A relationship with breeders has been crucial in rehoming retired mothers; which typically retire before 5 years old, and unwanted puppies. Roughly another 25% come from shelter pulls and the rest from owner surrender. 40% of their adopters are loyal return adopters, with many adopting several dogs over generations of families. While visiting the farm, we met two families from the Lowcountry who made that drive to find the perfect new family member; one from Georgetown and another from Goose Creek, a family of four and their two rescues, looking to find a companion after a year since losing their last. They were introduced to the dog perfectly picked for them and their lifestyle. They were introduced to CPR by Pet Supplies Plus, saying finding and choosing them was “serendipitous”.

Since their adoption process is a little more in depth and ends with a trip to the rural town of Pacolet, SC in Cherokee County, Donna says only about 50% of the confirmed families make it to the farm to pick up the dog of their dreams. And trust me, all of their animals are a dream. Picture Cloud 9... but with poodles. They have a very thought-out and systematic adoption process in place that has proved itself successful. First, the basics, then the more strenuous portion, a vet check that is always called and confirmed. They don’t do this to be vile or prude, but to be selective. Carolina Poodle works backwards in that they search for the perfect dog for your family, instead of the family picking the dog or new puppy they think would be perfect. Having this system in place along with the trust of the involved families has resulted in a very low return rate and constant need for more space and help.

Donna knows the struggles of the rescue world in the past. Giving animals the life they deserve isn’t just their job, it’s their passion! They are a nonprofit organization fueled by success stories and support. This farm they created is personal for the Ezells and they instill the same attitude into all of the members of Carolina Poodle Rescue. As a foster mom, I appreciate their extensive process for finding their animals a perfect home. The directors, care-takers, and everyone in between deeply care about the ability for these animals to flourish. If they’re at the Poodle Farm, they are sanctioned so their team takes great pride in being stern with matching each dog to the perfect family.

One potential adopter stated, “It feels different, they vet people very well, they could have all their dogs adopted or none at all. it wouldn’t change how much they love their animals.”

The Charleston volunteer/foster team showed up with adoptable dogs for our Bark in the Park on September 17th, and continuously show up for the rescue like it is a lifestyle. We met important members of the Carolina Poodle family, from longtime volunteers Laura, Idette, and Judy to board member and Lowcountry liaison, Dennis. The majority of CPR dream team members have been around for years and even decades. Find out all the ways to get involved by going to their website.

Here’s Lowcountry Dog’s suggestion... get your day bag and a cooler packed and go experience the heartwarming Carolina Poodle Rescue and Dreamweaver Farm! First an appointment to visit must be made, but it is well-worth it. Just know one of their animals is likely to steal your heart... so get that application and confirmation to adopt first at carolinapoodlerescue.org. ■