By Amy Batista, Special Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD — A local rescue is looking for local heroes to pose with their puppies and help them put together an upcoming calendar for the new year.
“This will be our first calendar and, we hope, many more to come,” said Stacy Medina, president and founder of Amazing Mutts Puppy Rescue in an email on Dec. 26. “We want to spread the word that our puppies are in need of homes while also making a statement and drawing attention to adopting not shopping. What better way to do it that asking for local heroes to be photographed with our adoptable puppies and moms?”
She said the group hopes to start in January and publish as soon as possible.
“It will be a 13-month calendar as we will include January 2015 even though we are still in the process,” she said. “Each month will include a local hero or group of heroes featured with puppies or adult dogs that have been in our rescue or are currently in rescue at the time of photos.”
The group is looking for military, firemen, police, EMTs, etc., she said.
“Our website will be updated to reflect how and when our heroes will be selected,” she said.
Anyone who is interested participating or would like additional information can send email to [email protected] or call (609) 649-9236.
For Ms. Medina, the highlight of doing the calendar would be spreading the word about our rescue and meeting our local heroes who have a story to tell.
“What better way to do that than being posed with puppies,” she said.
The Amazing Mutts Puppy Rescue was started this past May and is located at 19 Arneytown Hornerstown Road in Cream Ridge.
“We started fostering for another rescue and realized this is something that we truly wanted to do and Amazing Mutts Puppy Rescue was created,” she said. “On average in the rescue, both in foster and at our home, we have approximately 20 to 30 pups at a time.”
Ms. Medina said they rescue from what she called high-kill shelters in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.
“We have fosters in all states that are able to pull the dogs from different shelters and then we arrange to transport them to New Jersey,” she said, adding that they use Animal Aid USA, J&L Rescue and Adoptions and fosters to get their puppies out of the shelters.
We make sure all our dogs and puppies have health certificates and are vaccinated if age appropriate before crossing state lines, she added.
“We mostly pull pups from days old to 3 months,” she said, adding that they never leave the mom behind. “We pull pregnant dogs that are in shelters, moms that had pups and pups with no moms.”
She said that the transport is either paid by transport companies or by J&L Rescue and is a joint effort of volunteers doing car rides involving one- to three-hour drives until they meet up in New Jersey.
“Our rescue was created because we were supposed to adopt a pup from Georgia and before he arrived here he fell ill and passed,” she said. “We decided at that moment our home should be a sanctuary and our goal was to Save the Paws which has now become our motto.”
She said the rescue organization consists of her home and foster homes.
“We have about 15 to 20 foster homes where our puppies go into volunteer homes and start to learn a new way of life,” she said. “Where they don’t have to fear they won’t have food and clean water. Where they can be loved until their forever home is found.”
She said they are always are in need of more fosters.
“Our rescue provides crates, food, medical supplies and toys for all of fosters so the only thing they need to supply is the roof over their heads and love,” she said.
Anyone interested in fostering or adoptions can apply on its website at www.amazingmuttspuppyrescue.org.
Adoption fees range from $225 to $375 and all puppies are up to date on shots and vetted for any medical issues that they may have on intake or occur while in rescue, she said.
Ms. Medina said they are always looking for donations as that is how we are able to “save more puppies.”
“We always need paper towels, pee pads, bleach, Pedigree puppy food, puppy collars, toys, old towels, blankets and comforters,” she said, adding that they also need Dawn dish soap, Pet Smart or Wal-Mart gift cards, wire dog crates, plastic travel crates.

