Meet Dave Walters of Pawfect Match Rescue and Rehabilitation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dave Walters.

Hi Dave, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
At Pawfect Match Rescue and Rehabilitation, we believe that ALL dogs deserve a second chance regardless of their breed or age.

We take a different approach to rescue. We don’t try to save the masses; we just save ONE at a time and make them the best dog they can be by the time they find their forever homes.

By that, we mean that we take them into our homes where they live amongst us and our pets and are treated as one of the family, not as a foster dog.

Besides the basics of crate training and house training, we teach them basic obedience, we groom them, feed them a high-quality dog food, and last but not least, we shower them with LOVE and attention that hopefully teaches them to trust again and realize that life really IS good…

In addition, we do not shy from repairing dogs in need of veterinary care and work with many veterinarians in the Triangle area, as well as in South Carolina and Georgia. We also are partners with multiple other rescues, including Villa Lobos, Where the Wild Things Are Rescue., and Shelter Animals Matter.

We’ll never be able to save them all, no matter how many we try to pull and foster. So we believe that the one at a time approach with the extra TLC allows us to really KNOW the dogs and be able to match them more precisely with their new families.

This ends up being a win – win situation for all involved.

Pawfect Match Rescue was incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit organization on February 28, 2006. Since then, we’ve helped more than 5,000 furbabies find their furever homes.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh heavens, no! Every day there have been bumps, detours, and rest stops. We work with any breed, all breeds, and mixes, every age, size, and even demeanor. We do our best to find optimal placements, but you cannot avoid mother nature. We encounter dogs with infections, diseases, and congenital conditions that required our attention. As with most rescues, we’ve had to deal with our fair share of Canine Parvovirus, or “parvo”, and it is devastating and expensive. We treat heartworm, lice, worms, broken limbs, bites, poisoning, and other medical conditions. But even tougher is dealing with broken spirits, shy to the point of fearful. In almost every case we are able to use care, experience, and love to help the dogs recover and be ready for their new furever homes.

There is also the business part that must balance the work of the heart. Non-stop fundraising, training and recruiting fosters and volunteers, constant processing applications, responding to inquiries, fostering, tracking spays and neuters, and keeping supplies handy, And that is all if it is smooth, which it periodically is not.

Add to that the challenge we’ve faced over the last year and a half with the pandemic. Not only did many people turn their dogs into a shelter, or just loose, the increased number of people working from home meant that many of them felt like it was time to bring a dog into their home. The number of dogs we took in 2020 was more than double our annual average, and 2021 looks like it might be triple. We were unable to engage in our regularly scheduled meet’n’greet events and moved all operations online. Adoptions themselves became more of a challenge with masking and social distancing being observed.

Yet through all of this – daily, and even with pandemics – PMR&R has remained focused on doing the best we possibly can for the dogs. Quality over quantity or speed. The pawfect match for their homes.

We’ve been impressed with Pawfect Match Rescue and Rehabilitation, Inc., but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What really sets Pawfect Match Rescue and Rehabilitation, a not for profit 501c3 all-breed dog rescue organization from other dog rescues is our combination of huge hearts and good business sense. We attract volunteers and fosters who are committed, caring, trained, and with a strong sense of commitment to community. There are many rescues out there with huge hearts but not a good sense of the business requirements of keeping the rescue work going, and there are several out there that are good at keeping the funds coming in but, at least in our opinion, are not as focused on ensuring that every dog goes to the best home possible. PMR&R seeks an optimal balance between the heart and mind to make certain that every one of our foster dogs is loved the same way they will be in their new home and that the new home is the best environment we can find for them – while keeping the doors open.

PMR&R is committed to doing our part to help reduce the unwanted animal population by ensuring that EVERY dog adopted from Pawfect Match is spayed or neutered and as healthy as they can be. PMR&R covers the costs of the spay or neuter, includes the alteration requirement in our adoption contracts, and follows up on every adopted to dog to verify their status once they’re of age.

From the beginning, PMR was never afraid to take on dogs that had special needs – pregnant, broken leg, seizures, deformities, deafness, blindness, and who knows what – we’ve made sure that funds are available to treat them, to rehabilitate them, for their new homes. After several years of saving lives and learning, we added “and Rehabilitation” to our name, make PMR into PMR&R. Without a doubt that is what we are most proud of. There is something transformative to the soul to participate in the process of healing a broken, hopeless puppy or dog into a healthy, happy, adjusted, and loving member of a family. There are few experiences more rewarding than helping a frightened and tired momma deliver her litter or to see the amount of love pouring out from parents, kids, and dogs when everyone realizes that they have a new friend and family member. Many of us will cherish forever the memories of bringing a dog into the vet that is so broken you don’t know how they’re even alive, and then after all of the TLC, watching that vibrant, happy dog run, tail wagging, to its new family. That is what PMR&R is proud of.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
When Pawfect Match Rescue and Rehabilitation pulls dogs from shelters, we focus primarily on rural and other high-need, high-risk locations. Those shelters tend to lack the funding and volunteer support enjoyed by the more urban shelters and need the most help.

Several board members, and many of the longest-standing fosters and volunteers, are active in business management, health and veterinary care, law, and other professions that contribute to the management style of PMR&R. Many of us believe in failing forward, but with the knowledge and preparation to learn from our mistakes and improve as we mature. We cannot save lives if we don’t take risks, and we know that risks can be managed.

Pricing:

• Adoption Fee: $350

Contact Info:

• Email: pawfectmatch@gmail.com
• Website: www.pawfectmatch.org
• Instagram: @pawfectmatch
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pawfectmatch
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/pawfectmatch
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/pawfectmatch
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2M83VNBLIOMIZ/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist

Image Credits
Image of David and the Three Chihuahuas: Bekah Wade Photography, with permission. All others Pawfect Match Rescue and Rehabilitation.