In 2017, I fostered three mangy puppies from a reservation. A few weeks later, at an adoption event, I spotted their mama — a dog named Shasta. She looked absolutely heartbroken. My husband was with me, and I looked at him and said, "We need to foster her." He responded with a firm, "No way."

Well… I won.

We brought Shasta home, and I started networking to find her a forever home. But shortly after Christmas, something in me shifted. Without warning, I just said, "We're adopting her." I had no plan. It just felt right.

But Shasta's story stuck with me. I became curious about where she came from and what she'd endured. Her puppies had been in awful shape, and she had clearly been through so much. I later found out that Shasta had been living outside as a stray on a reservation, trying to raise her six puppies on an old mattress — a photo I eventually saw and will never forget.

That photo was the beginning of Rescue Network.

I couldn't believe how little help there was for animals in these areas. I felt a deep pull to do something. I started helping the reservation where Shasta had come from, raising money from friends and covering costs out of my own pocket. But it wasn't sustainable — the need was overwhelming.

In late 2019, Rescue Network was officially born. Since then, we've grown tremendously — now supporting every reservation in South Dakota and several in North Dakota. We've built strong partnerships with tribal communities and continue to expand our mission to help animals and people alike.

To this day, I still tell Shasta she's saving lives. Without her, I'm not sure I would've had the courage — or the clarity — to start all of this. She was the beginning.