Our Story
Our Story
Tails of Hope is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization
Tails of Hope was born in 2000, when founder Linda Junkins-Smith received a call about a young dog, Samuel, who’d been hit by a car and needed a foster home in which to recuperate from his injuries and surgery. Over the years, Tails of Hope rescued thousands of dogs and cats from certain death, and placed them into loving forever homes.
In April of 2015, the current Tails of Hope director, Megan Powers, embarked on a new journey, starting a new rescue Good Old Tails, an organization dedicated to helping those dogs and cats who are so often left behind: seniors. We’re excited about her new venture; we wish her well and will continue to support her mission as it gets underway.
Sue Hempen and Kelly Gillis then stepped in as the new co-directors, and brought with them a new mission and vision for Tails of Hope, focusing on spay and neuter, fundraising for shelters in need, humane education, and animal advocacy and awareness. We have great hope that, working with the community, we can dramatically improve the quality of life of animals, and put an end to cruelty and suffering once and for all.
Tails of Hope will remain deeply committed to the plight of homeless dogs and cats. Our unwavering focus is on the animals–they are the reason we do what we do.
Our Vision
At Tails of Hope, our shared vision is a global community working together to ensure that the physical, emotional, and social needs of all animals are consistently met, where compassion for and respect of all living beings is paramount, and where every pet has a loving home. We wish to foster a global environment in which we understand, dignify, and embrace the symbiotic relationship between animals and humans.
Our Mission
To significantly reduce the number of homeless and euthanized dogs and cats, to improve the quality of life of both pets and shelter animals, and to ensure the compassionate treatment of all living creatures through:
- Spay and Neuter Funding of Shelter and Community Animals
- Medical Sponsorship of Shelter Animals
- Resource Drives and Fundraising for Shelters in Need, Particularly in Rural Areas
- Animal Advocacy and Wellness
Our Vision
At Tails of Hope, our shared vision is a global community working together to ensure that the physical, emotional, and social needs of all animals are consistently met, where compassion for and respect of all living beings is paramount, and where every pet has a loving home. We wish to foster a global environment in which we understand, dignify, and embrace the symbiotic relationship between animals and humans.
Our Mission
To significantly reduce the number of homeless and euthanized dogs and cats, to improve the quality of life of both pets and shelter animals, and to ensure the compassionate treatment of all living creatures through:
- Spay and Neuter Funding of Shelter and Community Animals
- Medical Sponsorship of Shelter Animals
- Resource Drives and Fundraising for Shelters in Need, Particularly in Rural Areas
- Animal Advocacy and Wellness