May’s Mission in Motion: Grit, Heart & The Hard Truths
Powerful advocacy. Heartbreaking goodbyes. And a community that refuses to back down.
May didn’t pull any punches.
From racing to the Capitol steps to challenge the puppy mill pipeline… to cradling two seniors through their final moments… to spending sleepless nights beside sick puppies fighting to live—this month tested every part of us.
But here’s what May didn’t count on: our grit.
We showed up in Austin with a clear message—Texans want compassion over commerce. We rallied for ethical pet sales. We exposed the lawmakers who tried to quietly kill the bill. And we watched as our community rose up, called out, and turned heartbreak into action. Advocacy like this doesn’t disappear when the legislature adjourns—it builds. And it will shape how we vote, speak, and fight going forward.
Behind the scenes, we never stopped doing the work:
🐾 22 dogs rescued.
🐾 21 dogs adopted into loving homes.
🐾 One powerful legislative win: $13 million in funding approved to fight disease and reduce the number of unsterilized animals across Texas.
This is why we rescue.
Not for likes. Not for show.
We rescue with grit, not glitter.
If May taught us anything, it’s this: Love is tough—and our community is tougher.
Paws & Policy: Advocacy That Doesn’t Quit
🏛️ Fighting for Ethical Pet Sales in Texas
Early May took our team to the Capitol, where we stood alongside the Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN), demanding the passage of SB1652 / HB3458 — the Ethical Pet Sales Bill.
This bill would’ve helped shut the door on out-of-state puppy mills that fuel our shelter crisis — 13,000+ puppies imported annually, while 82,000+ Texas pets were euthanized last year alone.
💥 We came armed with facts.
💥 We rallied voices from across Texas.
💥 We had bipartisan support.
…And yet, politics stalled progress.
The bill never made it to a floor vote. Behind closed doors, certain lawmakers—under pressure from lobbyists like Petland—chose commerce over compassion.
We won’t forget who blocked this. And we’re naming names.
🐾 Rep. Keresa Richardson (District 61) – the only NO vote in committee.
🐾 Sen. Phil King – reportedly asked for the vote to be held so he wouldn’t go on record.
🐾 Sen. Kelly Hancock – a quiet NO.
🐾 Chairman Dr. Charles Schwertner – refused to move the bill forward at all.
🗳️ Want to know who represents YOU?
Find them here: texastribune.org/directory
This fight isn’t over. Next session, we’ll be back—and louder than ever.
🚨 Rescue is Political. And It Has to Be.
We’re not just placing pups.
We’re pushing back against the systems that fail them—again and again.
Because the truth is: Texas probably won’t stop needing rescues anytime soon.
There are too many people breeding without conscience, dumping without guilt, and looking the other way when animals suffer.
But we believe in big-picture change.
And legislation is how we get there.
It’s how we hold the guilty accountable.
It’s how we make sure cruelty has consequences.
It’s how we create a world where compassion isn’t optional—it’s law.
Liberty and justice for all.
In our world? That means justice for animals, too.
📌 We know who stands with animals. And who stands in the way.
Help us educate, advocate, and organize:
→ Follow Texas Humane Legislation Network
→ Support boots-on-the-ground rescue at NTASR
→ Stay loud. Stay ready. Stay with us.
💔 Echo & Bluebell: A Bonded Pair, A Shared Goodbye
On the home front, May brought unimaginable heartbreak. Echo and Bluebell—two overweight senior Aussies, aged 10 and 11—were surrendered to a local shelter together. We stepped in, hoping to give them a soft landing.
But their medical needs were more urgent than anyone could have expected.
🐾 Echo arrived already struggling: vomiting, collapsing, and gasping for air. He was rushed to VEG where he was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia and bronchitis — worsened by obesity and underlying congestive heart failure.
🐾 Bluebell, just days later, was attacked during a walk by a loose dog. She suffered devastating injuries and was also rushed to VEG. Despite emergency care, her injuries were too severe.
Both passed within days of each other. Bluebell first. Then Echo. They crossed the Rainbow Bridge together, just as they came to us: side by side.
Their story is a powerful reminder: excess weight is not just a health risk — it can be fatal. Please help your pups stay lean, loved, and healthy.
🐶 Charlotte: A Tiny Fighter on a Long Road
Charlotte came to us as a fragile Cavalier puppy — and quickly became one of our most medically complex cases to date.
Her first crisis? Severe blood loss, likely triggered by coccidia. Her glucose levels kept crashing, and she was dangerously anemic. She required a life-saving blood transfusion — $1,500 in a single night — just to stabilize her.
Once she was out of immediate danger, she was transferred to Park Place Vet for ongoing care. She was discharged with a pharmacy’s worth of medications and a demanding care plan: 10 days of round-the-clock feeding, every few hours, to regulate her fragile system.
Slowly, Charlotte began to stabilize. She was finally well enough to move to a dedicated medical foster, and just last week — we hit a major milestone: her glucose levels are in the 90s, and we’ve begun transitioning her to solid food!
It’s taken nearly a month to get here. We’re not out of the woods yet — we suspect Addison’s disease, but will need to wait for additional testing until our funds recover. And while she does have a hernia, it’s not currently a concern; that will be addressed surgically when she’s stronger.
Charlotte is a reminder that sometimes, rescue means holding the line for weeks, fighting for every little gain.
⚠️ Queenie: A Sudden Turn After Recovery
Just when we thought Queenie’s journey was nearly complete — she had healed from broken bones and was officially listed for adoption — she suddenly went quiet. Lethargic. Not eating. Something was wrong.
Of course, it happened over a holiday weekend. We rushed her to the vet. The diagnosis? Parvo — every foster’s nightmare.
She received a groundbreaking microbial treatment to help her fight the virus. The cost? $456 for 1ml.
(Yep… you read that right.)
Our sweet girl has made a swift recovery, and has been released back home! Never the less, this was a gut-punch on top of a month that had already stretched us thin.
Events & Fundraisers:
✨ Save the Date: Saturday, July 27 ✨
We’re teaming up with Cuddly and The Barkday Planner for a Block Paw-ty at Backyard Dallas — and it’s all about feeding hope to wrap up National Feed A Rescue Pet Week! 💛
Adoptable Aussies, brand-new pet food samples from Cuddly, a ball pit, doggy play zones, tattoos, and more.
It’s fun with a purpose, and YOU are invited! 🐶🎉
📍 Backyard Dallas | 12–4 PM
🎟️ Free for humans + pups
🐾 Every bag of CUDDLY food purchased gives back to NTASR!
Stars, Stripes, and Second Chances - Limited-edition 4th of July tee—supports vet care for rescue dogs at NTASR!
Craving more NTASR shirt styles to show off your rescue love? We’ve got you covered (literally)! Check out our growing collection of NTASR swag—because one shirt is never enough when you're reppin' the floof squad! 🐾🧡
NTASR Swag
May in Numbers:
| Number of Dogs in Care | 48 |
| Total Intake | 22 |
| Total Adoptions | 21 |
| Total Donations | $16,506.22 |
| Total Grants | $621 |
| Vetting Expenses | $14,107.99 |
| Total Expenditures |
$22,633.11 |
| Loss |
$1,241.63 |
| Forms Submitted for Surrendering Dogs | 38 |
🧡 Final Bark: Fosters Needed. Funds Needed. Love Needed.
We say it every month because it’s true every month:
We. Need. You.
📚 Teachers—summer break is here! Foster with us.
🏡 Work from home? Foster a senior in need of love.
🎾 Want a walking buddy? We’ve got the perfect match.
We provide the support.
You provide the heart.
Together? We save lives.
👉 Can’t foster? Donate.
Vet bills. Heartworm treatments. Emergency transport.
It all adds up—and every dollar counts.
Donate Now:
🌐 ntxaussierescue.org/donate
📱 Venmo: @ntxaussie (last four: 2598)
📦 Wish Lists: Chewy | Amazon
Let’s keep going, growing and saving lives. 🐾
Until next month,
Your NTASR Pack 💙
NTASR Partners
A Heartfelt Thanks to Our May Partners:
We want to extend a HUGE thank you to our incredible partners who made a significant impact in February. We are 100% more effective when we join forces as a rescue community.
Special Thanks To:
- Uptown Pup - Dallas Our wonderful host for two successful adoption events! Their spacious outdoor area gives our dogs the perfect space to play and let their personalities shine.
- The Barkday Planner
- Three Dog Bakery - DFW Locations
- Deaf Dogs Rock This amazing organization supports NTASR with the care of our deaf dogs—currently, 10 are in rescue!
- Hollywood Feed - McKinney & Allen for their ongoing donation of dog food & host location for adoption events
- Our Amazing Supporters whom shared, liked, commented on our social media posts. Coming to our events, applying to help or adopt a dog, we appreciate you so much!
- Chewy & Chewy Vet Care - McKinney & Alliance
- Cuddly
- Park Place Pet Hospital - for the ongoing care they give to all of the dogs that come into rescue.
- VEG ER
- Monetary Donors - thank you for the donations you made to help us successful in our mission.
A special shoutout to our fosters—we couldn’t do what we do without your hours of love and dedication to these dogs.
This community is truly inspiring.
The NTASR Team 🐾
P.S. If you loved what you read, please forward this monthly newsletter and spread the word, they can subscribe to NTASR Woof Wire. NTASR is working hard to save lives of all dogs and advocate for greater change in Texas.
We want to hear👂from you!
