Rescuing A Pet From A Kill Shelter, One Home At A Time

We’re so glad you asked!
Just before our clients close on their property, they pick a dog currently waiting to be adopted. We then donate to Paws Across Pittsburgh (or another rescue in some cases) the cost of rescuing the pet.

Then we blow up social media and promote the dog’s sponsored adoption to help them find their new home faster. This is a win, win, win. The rescue has additional funds to do more good, the dog gets a home, and then we can pull the next dog from a kill shelter now that the person fostering the adopted dog has room for another one. In a way, rescuing one dog through out program really rescues two.

For our Veteran clients, they get an extra option as many are years away from the possibility of getting a service animal, or they are on active duty and their families are often without them. Our veteran clients can instead choose to use the donation to adopt a dog of their own. Even non-service animals provide therapeutic benefits - and protection to their families while they are out defending our freedom.

No — there’s no additional cost to you. We donate this money directly from the compensation we earn for every transaction, and with joy. I get to see my clients happy faces when they get those keys - and know a pet is going to get a new leash on life. Literally. Don't tell anyone - I like dogs more than I like people.

Pets for Vets is an extension of our mission — helping veterans adopt rescue animals and supporting access to trained service dogs for veterans with PTSD. When we work with Veterans, we make an additional donation to non-profits who train service animals for veterans.

We work with trusted local Pittsburgh-area animal rescues and nonprofit partners focused on animal welfare and veteran support in obtaining service animals.

Paws Across Pittsburgh Animal Rescue is the primary rescue organization we work with - we even volunteer! However, we also will work with any no-kill shelter who has a need. In rescue, we aren’t competitors - we’re partners and support one another constantly because we do it for the dogs (and cats). In 2026, we rescued 8 dogs from euthanasia in Texas outside of Paws Across Pittsburgh, and helped fund life saving surgery and treatment for 3 other dogs who had been abused and abandoned. So we do confess that sometimes - we do deviate but always in the service of ensuring a happy, healthy life for a pet in need. Those 3 dogs? All ended up in great homes - so we still met our mission there in a different way by helping them live to cross the threshold of home instead of cross the rainbow bridge.

If you have a preference or a specific pet you want us to support when working with us, just ask! The goal is to get as many dogs homes as we do for humans - where that dog comes from isn’t important, creating a home where they will be loved and cared for it.

Whenever possible, we share stories and updates so you can see the real impact your move helped create. Once the pet is adopted, our story in rescuing them ends usually but their story is just beginning.

Yes. We rescue a pet for every home we close on.

Not even close. When I decided to go the self-employed route and start my own business, I said, "If only I could pay my bills by saving dogs" (these are volunteer roles). Real Estate let me not only bring my decades of experience in marketing, project management, opertions, and finance together - but was the perfect way to merge resuce into what I was doing. Rescue honestly came first. Homes for humans and homes for hounds. The best part - I get to take my canine child to work every day. Peanut is a pretty hard core real esate agent himself, but knowing he's saving dogs like him - a dog that almost got euthanized as a puppy, brings us both joy.

Volunteer - and better yet, volunteer to become a foster! For ever foster we currently have, there are hundreds of dogs. Fosters are greatly needed and bring the most impact. You can also volunteer for fundraising, reviewing adoption applications, donate your skills like marketing, or even volunteer to drive the rescue bus to pick up dogs or shuttle new rescues to their initial vet appointments. Learn more about volunteer with Paws Across Pittsburgh at www.pawsacrosspittsburgh.com

We do. We can't wait to start supporting housing for low income families with our annual dump or donate event. We also give back with an annual food drive, support a needy family with Christmas gifts during the holidays, and advocate for plasma donations to support cancer patients who desperately need plasma infusions. We're also looking to help support a cause. If you know of one share. Much of the work we do is paid in sweat equity volunteering. As we build a team, we hope to do even more.

Of course! As long as they are a reputable non-profit foster based rescue or a non-profit no-kill shelter, we would be happy to send a donation there instead.

Reach out to [email protected] and let's chat! If there's something we can do to help pets, we're there even if it's just sweat equity helping with or promoting an event.

100% yes. We only bring on agents who are aligned with our rescue and overall community mission to the team, because we believe deeply in being good neighbors and good humans as a core value. If you share our values, let's talk! We're looking for real estate agents to join us in Pittsburgh. If that's not your thing, no hard feelings. You may have other causes that you prefer, and we'd love to sponsor you in joining Real as a solo agent and support your career journey in a different way.