Guardian Angel Basset Rescue A LABOR OF (PUPPY) LOVE By: Jessi Haish LaRue
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loppy ears, short legs, and big hearts: it’s hard not to fall in love with a basset hound.
That’s what happened to Emmy and Larry Little, a married couple from Dwight, when they first bought a basset hound puppy from a pet store decades ago. It made them fall in love with the breed, but now, after 25 years with Guardian Angel Basset Rescue, they know that rescue is the only way for them. “I’m glad I did it or I wouldn’t be doing all this,” said Larry Little, board member and president of the rescue. The rescue, based in Dwight, now has a location on Washington Avenue in Hampshire. It was previously a laundromat, and the rescue took on the building as their newest location. Many contractors in the community helped with labor, construction essentials and donations.
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n HAMPSHIRE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
A generous facade grant from the Village of Hampshire allowed the 501(c) (3) nonprofit to create a building they are proud of. “We think we can get a lot of people involved in Hampshire,” Little said. “And that building shows we are committed to the future of this rescue.” Now the space is ready for hosting fundraising events, as soon as COVID-19 allows. The rescue is fosterbased, meaning they do not have a shelter building, and they have placed more than 5,000 dogs in homes over the last 25 years. Once a dog is in their care, they provide needed vet care before placing them in a foster home. They also help re-home bassets whose owners go into assisted living, or must relinquish their pet for other reasons. Board member Kelli Zopfi is excited to see the impact the rescue will have
