Animal Friends Foundation is located in the Hudson Valley of New York on 400 beautiful acres. Founded in 1985, its mission has evolved over the years. Originally begun as a horse rescue, the barn now houses pitbull-type dogs (and puppies). Other buildings scattered all over the stunning New Englandy estate are filled with more dogs, and there are play yards everywhere.

Any dog that lands at AFF is certainly a lucky dog. Individual kennels are expansive, with some including couches and comfy chairs to lounge on. A recent tornado took out some of their play yard fencing, but plans are already underway to build them back better, and the fencing wood stood piled and waiting.

Many of the small staff live on the farm, as does the owner of the property (and founder of AFF), Jane. Erich, who is the Director of Shelter Operations, gave us the tour. Erich has a relatively long history with AFF, having started as a volunteer, worked at the rescue until the COVID-19 pandemic, and recently returned.

Currently, the rescue is housing fifteen dogs, but has the capacity to care for about 25 dogs. Many of their dogs come from New York shelters, but they also pull from southern shelters, focusing on pit-bull type dogs. Long affiliated with Dogs Playing for Life, playgroups are an essential part of life at AFF.

All of their work revolves around the belief that ‘All dogs are individuals’. They are determined and resourceful advocates for pitbull-type dogs, fighting breed-specific legislation and discrimination with science-based research.

While they are certainly saving dogs, their greatest strengths lie in education and advocacy.

In their own words:

“All of our work supports animal shelters, dog owners, and decision-makers to understand the evolving science and create safe and humane communities.”

AFF’s programs include free customized workshops for shelter staff on keeping dogs out of shelters and increasing the quality of life for dogs in shelters. They also offer free on-site week-long internships for shelter staff on their beautiful campus.

Using research, AFF challenges biases and works to reform discriminatory housing and insurance policies, as well as end municipal breed bans.

Their Old Friends, New Loves program connects senior dogs with foster and adoptive families, and the farm offers sanctuary for rescued and retired cows, horses, donkeys, and other farm animals.

Driving around the campus, meeting the dogs, checking out the various housing set-ups, quarantine area, agility play area, expansive fields, and picturesque grounds, I thought about the history here, the collected knowledge, and the potential for them to do so much in our current animal crisis.

It’s a beautiful place for dogs and people. When a big storm rolled in, Nancy quipped that maybe we could just sleep here tonight. Kirstyn, who has been working with the dogs at AFF for a little over a year, focusing on medical care, told me, “Every day is like a vacation,” and her genuine smile revealed she wasn’t just saying that for my sake.

Just before we left, Erich’s wife rolled in with three new dogs who arrived on a transport from Florida. The staff settled them into the quarantine area. I asked Erich about them, and he shrugged and said, “We’ll find out.”

That open-minded attitude and willingness to meet dogs where they are likely explains the relaxed state of all the dogs we met, and also why Erich is such a good dog-trainer. Dogs might stay here a month or six, and the staff will give them all the time and attention they need before adopting them out locally. While the shelter is not open to the public, their dogs are listed online, and interested adopters can make appointments for meet and greets.

AFF’s ‘Words Matter’ campaign is a powerful example of how they are influencing animal sheltering in this country. The language we use when we talk about animals can be unintentionally harmful, creating public perceptions that are hard to change. We need to stop using words like ‘shelter dog’, ‘pound’, and ‘kill shelter’ and instead refer to ‘dog living in a shelter’, ‘municipal animal shelter’, and ‘open admission shelter.’

As a writer, reading through their Words Matter guide changed my perceptions. We use many of these words out of habit, without considering how they are perceived by the general public, who lack a frame of reference and interpret them differently than those of us deeply involved in saving dogs.

It was inspiring to see the work being done at AFF and meet the beautiful, lucky dogs in their care. We hope to find ways to connect our shelter partners in the south with the resources (and maybe the kennels) at Animal Farm Foundation.

To learn more and access many of the free resources visit, www.AnimalFarmFoundation.org

If you are in or near West Tennessee, we will be hosting a free Stronger Together event on Saturday October 25 in Memphis. If you are an employee, volunteer, or supporter of a shelter or rescue, concerned about the animal crisis, or want to learn more about how you can connect and work with others to tackle the situation in West Tennessee, mark your calendar. Registration details will be available next week!

We are VERY excited to announce a new website and new logo coming this month! Stay tuned!

Until each one has a home,

Cara

To support the work we do, consider making a donation.

Subscribe to our email list to get the latest stories and solutions delivered to your inbox. And help us spread the word by sharing this post with others. Visit our website to learn more.

You can also help raise awareness by following/commenting/sharing our content on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Who Will Let the Dogs Out: Stories and Solutions for Shelters and Rescues was published in January of 2025. It is filled with stories and ideas to help everyone be part of the solution. You can buy a hardback or paperback copy for yourself and/or buy a copy for a shelter or rescue through our website. It is also available on Amazon in paperback and ebook. We are seeking opportunities to present the ideas from the book and facilitate discussions on how we can collaborate to find solutions for our shelters. If you have a dog-hearted group that would like to connect, contact Cara@wwldo.org.

To see our Emmy-nominated, award-winning short documentary, Amber’s Halfway Home, click here.

Did you know we have a podcast? I’m working at getting regular episodes up, including the audio version of the new book. Find the podcast on Spotify and other podcast services.

For more information on any of our projects, to talk about rescue in your neck of the woods, or partner with us, please email cara@WWLDO.org.

For links to everything WWLDO, including volunteer applications, wishlists, and donation options, check out our Linktree.